Pursuing higher education is something that many people will choose to do in their lifetimes. While the vast majority of these people will choose to undertake will be a master’s degree, and likely not more than that. This is mainly the case for people in business or other business related areas such as finance, however in certain fields to do with science and other branches of science, people will be more likely to undertake even further higher education.
A PhD is a form of education that is sometimes required in some careers such as a medical doctor, although many people will choose to pursue a PhD because they are passionate about their studies and/or they want to find a career in academia and research. It has also become a common form of thinking that in the post industrial society that we live in today, a form of higher education is required in order to provide more technically skilled and educated workers.
With the rate that science, technology and other sectors are advancing, there will be a serious demand for those who are skilled at a higher level than the rest.
Here are some of the benefits and advantages of undertaking higher education and pursuing a PhD:
Critical thinking and problem solving
For many employers, they are looking for candidates who can not only have qualifications and skills but will be able to show critical thinking skills and problem solving. These characteristics are especially helpful in a business environment, as it will help when you are under pressure, when there are issues that require solutions and they are the defining traits of a leader.
When pursuing a PhD, these characteristics are developed and honed significantly. As a researcher, you must be able to state your desired question and base your research on it. You must search for answers and think critically about all aspects of your research. Doing this process will thereby help to develop these critical thinking and problem solving skills, and an employer knows this. You will definitely have an advantage over other candidates in the job market if you pursue higher education.
No fear of failure
As a PhD student, you will encounter many different forms of failure throughout your research, and this is to be expected. Failure can often hurt for many people, but once you have experienced it over and over again, you realise that you learn from the failure, and are no longer afraid of it. For many people in the workforce, they do not pursue certain avenues or perhaps will not take that extra step due to the fear of failure, however those who have been involved in higher education will know what that is like and will strive towards these avenues. Most people will not dare to strive due to the fear of failure, but those who have experienced higher education and/or hold a PhD know different and are not afraid.
It looks good
Let’s be honest, it looks good anywhere.
Having a PhD looks good, because it shows that you pursued a passion for a significant amount of time and did research to provide information about a certain topic. Pursuing a PhD is not easy, and not something that anyone can do. It takes a high amount of hard work to complete and you must be very passionate and determined in order to do so. The majority of people in the workforce realise this, and as such having a PhD definitely looks good on any resume. It will definitely make you stand out amongst the crowd and is a good indicator that you definitely know what you are talking about and that you are a hard worker. These are all characteristics of a good employee, and it will make you a likely candidate for any employer within your field, or any field in general.
In summary, pursuing higher education and a PhD has many benefits and advantages that come with it. These advantages are related to employment in the future, which is important. Pursuing a PhD means that you will develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, as it is required when doing research. Furthermore, you will encounter failure many times during your research. As a result, you will no longer be afraid of it by the end of your research and by the time you get to employment. And finally, it looks great on any resume. Regardless of the field you are going into, a PhD says a lot about your skills and character which make you desirable to any employer.
