I got offer for PhD in Cryptography – should I leave my Senior Developer role?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8660637

by panjaro • 12 years ago

5 18 12 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I landed in a Senior Developer role in couple of months and there is a huge opportunity to lead the company's development team within a year. Pay is good as well. However, yesterday I got an offer for PhD in cryptography. I've always wanted to do PhD but I'm not sure if this will be a bad decision. I'm already 30 years old and married. very confused. If I continue job, there'll be financial security, I can buy house, have kids....on the other hand I feel I should go for PhD because I've always wanted to do it.

honorious4• 12 years ago

Is it in a good school, and are you working with somebody who is publishing in top conferences or journals? If not, then you won't get much out of your PhD.

Why did you always wanted to have a PhD? Do you want to work in research or academia?

panjaro8• 12 years ago

It's ranked may be 250+ in world rankings. The professor is not a star but has few publications. Has at least one publication in a year...some in IEEE some in other journals.

I want to go to academia because working for companies and fixing their immediate shits doesn't make sense to me. I can't do what should be done. Have to always serve the boss. I want to be in a place where I learn and whatever I publish be of some value. Not just another software or another web application.

I think 10 years after. After 10 years , I don't want to be some manager/lead of some X company working under some boss. I want to be an expert in some field, distinguished and want to have my own identity not just X number of experience is some company.

I want to do research, valuable work.

honorious4• 12 years ago

That's a very good goal. You clearly need a better managers and better companies to work for. The research experience of the PhD might help, but it's not the solution to all problems.

For a more pragmatic point of view, look at where your future professor's students are. In a 250+ ranked school, the school name is not going to land you a great job by default. You'll need to be working with a good professor. Your summary of the publications of who you are working with doesn't seem stellar, but without details on where he publishes I can't say much. How many students does he have?

Do you have only that one offer or more?

honorious4• 12 years ago

Also, it's a paid position, right? Never go if it is not payed, it's not worth it.

ashleyp• 12 years ago

Go for the PhD. It's where your heart is. Otherwise you'll be more likely to regret at least not trying, you'll always wonder what would have happened if you did. You have plenty of dev experience if it goes wrong to go back into another job. And you can always do it part time?

panjaro8• 12 years ago

That's what I was thinking. I don't want to live with regret. Thanks a lot !!!!

RollAHardSix• 12 years ago

Ask for a leave of absence or to arrange a flexible work schedule while you pursue the degree. All they can say is no.

Go for the degree. If you ended up with a Senior role then you have lots of experience already, I assume. You'll ALWAYS be able to find another job. With a PhD in Crypto, you'll be able to move towards a Crypto job, or teaching if that floats your boat.

Side note: I am very jealous and a bit inspired. Former military and my academic route is mangled with starting late and working full-time as a developer, and so I'm hoping to complete a bachelors by 28 or 29 at my dismal pace. The fact you 're looking at going back to school at 30 for a PhD makes me feel like it will all work out one way or the other.

panjaro8• 12 years ago

Seems like I've got mates around the world sailing on same boat. I've got almost 7 yrs of experience and yes I can always come back. My plan is not to stop programming while I do PhD. I'll keep pushing small chunks of code to GitHub once in a while. Best of luck mate !!!!

zxv• 12 years ago

My advice is: consider doing what you would least like to go back for, years from now.

Ten years from now, it may become difficult to choose a PhD. It may have far less financial impact if one has developed deep industry experience. However, even so, a PhD will still create wider opportunities for changes to other markets and career tracks.

When your kids enter college, going back for a PhD may become unthinkable.

panjaro8• 12 years ago

yeah !!!

I got offer for PhD in Cryptography – should I leave my Senior Developer role?

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