Honest and critical
Master’s student Vanessa has been offered the opportunity to do her thesis at a pharmaceutical company. In addition to gaining valuable experience, she secretly hopes this will enable her to leap into the industry straight after her Master’s without going through a PhD. She would rather leave the ivory tower sooner than later to explore the world. The decision is difficult for her, so she talks to her fellow student, Tina.
She has now risen to team leader - without a PhD.
“What exactly would happen if you accepted the position to write my master’s thesis?” asks Tina. “My professors would be angry. They don’t want that,” says Vanessa. “They think that people will be poached from them after five years of hard supervision.” Tina has to smile; the term drudgery flashes through her mind. “Why would that bother you?” she asks. “It would feel uncomfortable. I don’t want to leave a scorched earth behind,” replies Vanessa. “Whether you go ahead with the industry thesis or not is your decision,” says Tina. “Professors have no right to expect you to work for them for years. That would be a path that doesn’t suit you.” Vanessa takes a deep breath. With the company’s contract, the influence of the university and the university lecturers over her would wane. And she wouldn’t be doing anything illegal.
Vanessa accepted the offer to do a Master’s thesis in industry and received a permanent position afterward. She has now risen to team leader – without a PhD.
Regardless of whether you are talking to a mentor, a colleague, or your best friend before making difficult decisions – for these conversations to trigger thought processes in you, your conversation partners do not need outstanding skills or qualifications, just two qualities: honesty and the ability to critically question the status quo. Like Tina with her crucial question,” Why would that bother you?” Such conversations help to gain a clear view of an emotionally charged situation.
This article was first published in Nachrichten aus der Chemie (issue 04-2020). See here the German original.
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