This week’s career memes empathise with PhD students, the individuals working to expand knowledge of a particular field by pursuing research that will result in their PhD dissertation.
What they do: Discover and pursue a unique topic of research to build new knowledge; apply this knowledge to problems and issues; learn theories, practices and research methods and apply these to research and teaching; liaise with faculty advisors and thesis exam committee members; collect, analyse and present research data; participate in appropriate meetings, seminars and workshops; and submit research results for publication.
What they don’t do: Fritter away their time.
Educational requirements: Requirements for admission into a PhD programme can vary depending on the school and the discipline.
Required skills: All PhD students should have excellent skills in research, analysis, communication, time management, attention to detail, problem solving and an ability to meet deadlines.
Salary: In Ireland, PhD student salaries (where applicable) average €16,000, according to Glassdoor.com.