Academia or Industry? How do I choose?

❓❓ Ready to shift from Academia to Industry but aren't sure where to start?

⚛️ 🔬Are you a scientist trying to decide if you should leave academia for an industry career?
If so, my book 'It's a Game, not a Formula: How to Succeed as a Scientists Working in the Private Sector' will help you figure out if industry is for you!

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---- Academia or Industry? How do I choose? ----

One of the toughest questions we scientists and engineers face as we near the end of our PhD is: Do I stay in academia or go get a job in the private sector? Academia or industry? Well, the decision doesn’t have to be so hard. Here are three questions to consider:
 
Question 1: Are you interested in the applications for your research? Do you find that you frequently think about how your research will be used?
If so, this is probably an indication that you would enjoy industry, because that’s what it’s all about – identifying and creating applications for the awesome research that is done in academia.
 
Question 2: Do you like variety in your work environment or do you prefer consistency?
Would you be excited by working on a new project every year or two, or maybe every 6 months!, or would you prefer to keep working on one or two research areas over many years, developing a deeper knowledge and expertise over time?
If you prefer change, you are a good candidate for an industry career
Industry is typically much more dynamic, with things changing on a regular basis to keep up with changing markets, competition, or simply to grow the company. I’ve found this to be very exciting in my own career.
I get bored easily and like a new challenge Also, I love to learn new things, and this gives me a chance to learn something totally new regularly.
Academic research generally doesn’t change so frequently.
 
Question 3: Is work-life balance important to you? If so, you probably want to consider a career in industry, because generally speaking, people in industry have more time for life outside of work.
I have a theory on this: Industry is more about specific results, whereas academic research tends to be very open ended – you can always understand a problem better, have more publications, do more modeling, collect more data…

In industry, there tend to be specific results you are trying to achieve, that usually result in shipping something to a customer. When you get those results, or if your plan shows that you are on schedule to get them on time - you can go home!

I remember how while working on my PhD, it always seemed that there was more I could do. And because results were so far off, it felt like my progress was measured by my effort, not by specific milestones I was achieving. The longer I worked, the more effort people saw me putting in, and the better I felt I was doing.

Ever since I went into industry, I’ve had specific milestones to achieve. I knew what was expected this week, this month, or this year. And as long as I felt I was making good progress towards these milestones, I felt fine going home. What mattered was that I got the work done, now how long I was there or how much effort I put in. And if I found a way to get it done faster, that was a bonus that helped me!

It’s not that you don’t hear of entrepreneurs working very long hours to get their companies off the ground – you do! But generally speaking, people in industry have more time for life outside of work.

Trying to decide on academia vs industry can seem very challenging, but it doesn’t have to be as bad as it seems. Most of the uncertainty stems from not knowing much about industry, and so you are trying to choose between something that is familiar and something you know nothing about. That’s not easy.

If you are still feeling uncertain, make an effort to learn more about industry. Do some informational (expert) interviews with people in industry. Ask them what they like/don’t like about their careers. This will help quite a bit.

[ofmcdonald]

Thank you for this video. All three of my answers suggest I should go for a career in industry. I am a PhD right now, and I find myself becoming more and more miserable every day because I constantly bring work home with me, and I feel like my work is meaningless. I'd rather be a small fish in a big pond, helping others reach a common goal, than a big fish in the pond, crumbling under work-related stress every day.

[nosheenhussain]

All my three answers tell me to move to industry and deep inside I know it too. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the subject.

[Nalber]

I have 1 year left until I finish my Master and I'm definitely considering not to do a PhD. I have a scholarship from my country (Mexico) and I have to go back to my country unless I keep studying here. Despite I would love to stay in Europe, I know a career in industry would be more rewarding for me. Thought about that in Academia work follows you even after you go back home and during the entire weekends, you just don't enjoy life. Plus the Academia is full of big egos and it's way more competitive instead of focused on team work.

[jimmylander]

I'm just starting my final year of my undergraduate in Information Technology and I've already been working in the industry as a developer for 1 year. I think I want to work in Academia. My happiest moments have always been when I grasp a new concept or when things just click in my brain. I don't know anything about doing research and publishing at this point but I think this is the right path for. I'm glad I got a job so early on, because it allowed me to make this decision. I'm going to continue working so I can save up money for graduate school. Thank you for this video!

[chrisbotos]

Thank you for this video! I love pure and abstract science and hate trying to find applications compared to it so I think academia is for me. I am just afraid of having enough money to survive and help my parents.

[wei-enwang]

Very helpful video!! Thank you so much!

[ruthmathina]

Thank you for sharing this Video. Very helpful indeed. It really opened my eyes to more options.

[fabianaparedes]

Wow, clear explanation. Thank you Sir
!

[yeonseonjeon]

Thank you very much!! It helped a lot.
1. application <-> new question
2. variety and shorter-term tasks
3. work-life balance

[sebastiancano]

Thank you.. it is really hard descision ! I am a mechanical Engineer and I am definetly going for a career in industry!

[HouseofEl]

It's certainly a complex issue to cover. I recently made a video where I talked about additional factors (salary, location, life choices, etc). It's all one messy complex decision.

[andresgoens]

Very interesting video! I'm a bit unsure about the variety question, my impression is that it's pretty much the opposite. Industry seems to have a more clear-cut roles and problems, and you end up being "the guy for X" and that's what you do for years. Sure, every so often the company adapts and your day-to-day changes, but I have the impression in academia you can take the liberty of doing much more varied work, since you care more about abstract questions than the necessary nitty-grity "production-ready" details. Is that maybe a domain-specific thing?

[rosaluks]

Private sector work culture is also much less feudal, the researcher in the private sector is much less dependent on their supervisor

[ronaldcastrovega]

I did benefit.
1) useful or not, is not something that worries me, so whatever
2) this one was crucial. I love variety, and I love being able to create more value for myself, trying to get higher authority levels. No variety in work? Studying just one topic your entire life?.... Boring
3) work life balance. If consideration 2 hadn't already convinced me that industry is my path, than this one did.

Thank you, sir!!!

Now.... I'm still probably going to major in History, after I'm done with my current degree in HR, but it would simply be for the sake of knowing about History, nothing else.

Your video really helped me figure that out!!

[spideramazon]

By answering those 3 great questions it looks like remaining in academia is better for me. However it is often harder to get a secure job there... one might be forced to switch to industry at some point apparently!!

[PhailingMath]

I really appreciate this video. I would appreciate hearing your opinion on working at a national lab, and where it falls in between working in the industry vs. academia.

[augustodutra]

In my opion a professor is much more valuable for society if she or he has industry experiencies and not only academic ones.The question is, how to acquire both without losing focus or wasting time.

[yingkaisong]

Hi, many thanks for your video! I am currently a first year postdoc, and have this dilemma about going to industry or academia. Yes, the reason for doing postdoc is NOT that I would definitely like to go to academia. I consider this postdoc as another opportunity for learning new things. Besides, I am currently in MIT which is my dream school since childhood, so I just took it with no hesitate. However, I feel like I lean to find a research scientist job in industry, because I want to do application-oriented research. On the other hand, I am also worrying about if I go to industry, then I might become the one who just do routine work everyday with not so much innovation in it. So my question is how do yo think about faculty positions and research scientists? Are research scientists in industry different from common positions such as engineers? I think I will go to industry if a research scientist in industry requires the same level creative thinking as faculties, but focus on more practical research (e.g. apply for patent instead of writing papers which might be worthless for application)

[paulyboy]

My friend since high and my room mate for 2 years in college got his Masters in civil engineering. He was able to become a professor at Auburn university and spent his carrier there. He did work a short time in industry but it scarred him so he went back to school. I spent my whole carrier in the oil refining industry. One day he asked me if I understood all the refining processes. I said of course I do. It was kind of an insult to me. His learning stopped but mine never did.

[darkmage]

I’m kinda confused mainly because I didn’t even start bsc in chemistry yet 😅 and am planning to do an msc when I’m done maybe a phd but didn’t plan that far ahead yet 😅 but based on what I saw from the video I think it’s better for me to go to industry mainly because I prefer verity over consistency and I definitely care about work life balance but I don’t know whether I prefer turning science into things people need or just learning for the sake of it i mean one of the things I liked a lot and wouldn’t have minded choosing it is astronomy which isn’t exactly something that is applicable immediately but really interested in it but at the same time I’m really interested In stuff like diseases biotechnology pharmaceuticals nanotechnology industrial chemicals materials science the environment etc but I never see myself working in academia mainly cause of the teaching and I heard from some videos that usually professors spend more time writing papers and teaching and I’m definitely more interested in being in a lab but at the same time doing research to make new knowledge sounds exciting! but I don’t think I’m the type that will concentrate on one thing for very long 😅 cause even at chemistry After reading alot I honestly find all branches (organic inorganic etc) very interesting but I do hope that I will narrow it down when I start college soon but it seems I’m better for industry!