Sunday, October 29, 2006

Too much choice, maybe?

Is having too many options a good thing?

I have recently tried to figure out what I want to do with my life after the PhD. First comes the big question: Go back to Greece or stay to the UK or even go to Japan?

It is difficult, really. Of course, I'm not the one facing the same problem. Almost everyone I know is kind of thinking in a similar manner. Then, the second option pops up. Stay in academia? Work in an engineering firm? Work in a financial firm?

The decision of the first question negates some (if not most) of the options in the second one.

So, which one? I'm telling you; it's not easy to decide. All options have their own charm.

I went to a McKinsey & Company presentation the other day and I really liked it. But I'm not sure if I can do this line of work.

I shouldn't be ungrateful though. I am really lucky to have done the things I've done and there are so many people that are not given a choice at all. It kind of reminds me of a recent debate in UK politics on the subject of "too much choice"...

I don't know, honestly. And I have to decide. Soon.

3 comments:

Infrared said...

I will start from the bottom:

What the hell did you like in the McKinsey presentation?
I went to the one on the 25th and it was a big dissapointment in every aspect (I can elaborate later if you like).

In my opinion I would strongly suggest to stay in academia and move to another country (after all financial and engineering firms will still be there as well as Greece). Opportunities to do a post doc are rather rare (at least in what I am doing) and very competitive, so if you have one grab it. The worst case senario is that you won't like it. If that is the case then you can always leave and move to one of the jobs mentioned above.

kzarog said...

Yes, I suppose you're right. We have to discuss it over coffee! ;)

Infrared said...

as you know i am always in for a coffee!!!!

(that is another great advantage of academia, you can have as many coffee breaks as you like)