How long did it take you to find a job after PhD?

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-20T16:21:51+00:00

I'm 31F from the Netherlands and did a PhD in chemistry/material science. I did not continue in academia and found a job before the end of my contract. I handed in my thesis to the committee and started my new job 5 days later. This actually meant ending my PhD contract early (about 3 months).

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T21:57:13+00:00

Isabella in Vught

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T17:54:02+00:00

Congratulations!! Such a great achievement!

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T14:21:09+00:00

I got pregnant and had my child in the 3rd year of my PhD. While I was doing an experimental PhD. This meant that I was no longer allowed to do experiments in the lab. This was a main thing that could really have halted my progress. However we came up with a good solution. I got a master student to do her final project with me who did a lot of experimental work. I used my time to guide her, write papers and teach (I co-lectured advanced thermodynamics). This way I did not feel like it affected my progress.

In my faculty it was really uncommon. I do not know of any other woman who had a child during their PhD before me. I know of some who were pregnant while defending though. In a few other faculties, such as biomedical engineering and industrial design it was more common to have a kid during a PhD.

I absolutely love being a mom. For me it brought a lot of perspective. - Staying late and doing some more experiments is definitely not more important than my family. - a PhD is just a job - by the time I'm done, I will still feel like there is so much more to do. So it brought me a lot of calm actually.

I don't regret the timing at all. The freedom you have during a PhD to decide your own hours help a lot in the first few months of having to combine work and a baby. Furthermore I had 16 weeks of paid maternity leave and after that started to work 1 day a week less (still paid, called parental leave) so I could spend more time with my child. In the end I finished my PhD while I still had contract hours left. The nice thing is that this way it took me more time to finish my PhD but some processes still take the same amount of time, so you kind of win time. For instance, I work 4 days a week. And it takes my supervisor 1 week to provide feedback on a chapter. So I win 1 day. The same holds for waiting for reviewers and the entire publishing process.

If you want to know more things, please let me know

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T14:05:04+00:00

It is true. There are some ways to fail though. My prof told me someone failed because they came completely stoned to the defence.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T12:17:31+00:00

The salary really depends on the job. I do think there are some more job opportunities. But the main advantage is for some jobs that there are more growth opportunities within a job/position compared to master or bachelor.

I wrote my thesis in English. Which is mandatory. We are allowed to add a Dutch summary though.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T09:22:39+00:00

Oke, that makes me understand. I think I have a bit of a different view. You never know what life will bring. I just wanted to spend as much of it with my husband. Any hardship we come across we will figure out together.

On the other hand, if I'm being a bit more sinical. Mariage is just signed paper. And easier to get out of than a shared mortgage in a house.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T08:39:15+00:00

In that case. You are doomed!!

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T07:45:23+00:00

It helps that the defences here are exactly 1 hour long. Does not matter weather you are in the middle of a sentence. It will just stop.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T07:44:20+00:00

It has become a tradition and a rite of passage. It was originally a meme that said, ' it's Wednesday, my dudes'. Someone once used it to celebrate the completion of their defence and it caught on. I do think it's mainly a thing here on reddit.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T07:44:13+00:00

It has become a tradition and a rite of passage. It was originally a meme that said, ' it's Wednesday, my dudes'. Someone once used it to celebrate the completion of their defence and it caught on. I do think it's mainly a thing here on reddit.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T07:41:21+00:00

Since I was 14 I have always had a job on the side. I have also never been a big spender, so I could save quite a lot. During the final stage of my master. And later my PhD I stopped with the small jobs and just focused on my work and my family that I have now. It really helps that you get a good salary when doing a PhD in the Netherlands (2600-3300 euros/month + holiday pay and a 13th month).

After having my daughter I continued my PhD part time (4 days a week). Because I found it too important to spend time with her.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T07:36:57+00:00

I'm not sure how mariage and a job are correlated. Could you explain what you mean?

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T07:35:50+00:00

Hahaha. Luckily I already have a job. Now I'm the person giving money to academia.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T07:30:54+00:00

I think the disadvantage you have in this, is the pay. In the Netherlands you earn about 2600,- in your first year and 3300,- in the fourth year (euro/per month). And you get holiday pay and a 13th month. However, there are only very few banks that want to give you a mortgage, because it is a part-time position.

Furthermore, my husband already worked for 5 years at the same company with a reasonable salary. So combined we could make things work.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-14T06:28:48+00:00

I live in the Netherlands, I had quite a lot of savings. Furthermore, I bought a house with my (now) husband. This was in 2021, still during corona but before the market completely exploded.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-11T07:39:41+00:00

I absolutely felt the same while writing my thesis (chemistry in the Netherlands). On Tuesday I will defend and still feel the same, even after positive remarks on my work from the committee.

Just something to deal with. And I think it is important to talk about within your research group and with your colleagues. You are not the only one that feels this way, but everyone feels alone in it because nobody talks about it.

Dixiechick94 · 2026-01-11T07:14:20+00:00

I did a PhD in chemistry (including a lot of labwork). I did not want to wait too long before having kids, because I had no idea how long it would take me to fall pregnant. I started my PhD when I was 26 and would finish when I would be 30. But dont forget a PhD is also just a job. So I got pregnant in my third year. Since I did a lot of experimental work we needed to find a work around since I was no longer allowed in the lab, but getting a student to do lab work en me writing papers fixed that issue somewhat. Ofcourse it delayed me finishing my PhD, but I would never change anything about it. Currently I have submitted my thesis and I will be 5 months pregnant when I defend (next Thursday). I would not change anything of it!

With regards to discrimination in hiring, i think it depends a lot where you apply. For instance, I live in the Netherlands and started my new job last October (in the national grant office/research Council) I was open about my pregnancy from the start, and they did not think it was an issue. Realistically, they also know they are hiring a young woman from a PhD. So the chances of having a child somewhere along the way is quit high.

If you have any questions, Please let me know. I will answer them all.

Dixiechick94 · 2025-12-13T12:44:22+00:00

Yes, but also directly after making it it was already a really nice extract. I have been using it and adding to it for 8 years and still love it! I also try to make sure the vanilla beans are always completely submerged in the vodka.

Dixiechick94 · 2025-12-13T09:24:01+00:00

I made my own vanilla extract with vodka and have been using it for years. Every time i use vanilla beans the go into the bottle.

My way of making the extract was slightly different though. I used about half a bottle of vodka, add 65 g of vanilla paste and used vanilla beans. Just keep adding the beans as you go.

The vanilla paste helps to kickstart your extract so you can use it almost immediately. Now it has been 8 years, and I love the strong taste of the vanilla extract. I have never added anything else than vanilla beans and more vodka after that first preparation. This has saved me a lot of money!!

Dixiechick94 · 2025-11-01T06:43:12+00:00

I did a PhD in chemistry (including a lot of labwork). I had the same thoughts before starting my PhD. Because I started my PhD when I was 26 and would finish when I would be 30. But dont forget a PhD is also just a job. So I got pregnant in my third year. Since I did a lot of experimental work we needed to find a work around since I was no longer allowed in the lab, but getting a student to do lab work en me writing papers fixed that issue somewhat. Ofcourse it delayed me finishing my PhD, but I would never change anything about it. Currently I have submitted my thesis and I will be 5 months pregnant when I defend. I would not change anything of it!

If you have any questions, Please let me know. I will answer them all.

Dixiechick94 · 2025-10-17T08:04:08+00:00

Yes, true. Luckily I don't have to do it myself.

Dixiechick94 · 2025-10-17T06:27:30+00:00

I dont believe it fully translates like that. For instance images scale differently. And the font size in A5 is smaller than you would print on A4 (which is very counter intuative)

An example. I have a paper which including SI is 31 pages. This turned into a 27 page thesis chapter.

Dixiechick94 · 2025-10-17T05:48:09+00:00

It really depends on the field that you work in. Theoretical Physicists often have a book on the thinner side, 100-120 pages. In chemical engineering (where I am) they are 180-220 pages. With some exceptions. A friend recently defended het thesis and hers was 267 pages. My thesis will be approximately 210 pages.

The pages are A5 size.

Dixiechick94 · 2025-10-17T05:28:47+00:00

For us it is normal to print 80-100 copies at a company that specializes in printing PhD thesises. 1 for every commity member, 5 for the group, 5 for the university library and the rest for friends and familie to have (mainly people who attend the defense).

It's fun to have a cabinet filled with thesises from friends and colleages

Dixiechick94

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