The year 2022 brought many changes for me on the professional front. I got accepted to the PhD in Psychological and Behavioural Science at LSE (my top-choice!) and I moved to London to start on my research. I changed career tracks from working full-time as a human resources manager to becoming a PhD researcher at LSE. It was a very planned move that aligned with my long-term career aspirations. And given my experience since the time I started out on my PhD, I’m so grateful everyday that I made these choices.

A brief background

I’m an organisational psychologist and human resources professional from Mumbai, India. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Psychology and my master’s degree in Industrial Psychology from the University of Mumbai. Post completion of my postgraduate studies, I immediately went on to work with a premier international hospitality brand in the space of human resources. I spent two years with this company working on different projects for talent and people strategy before I decided to pursue my PhD.

Why did I do it?

I attribute much of the trajectory and direction that my career has grown in, over the years, to curiosity. I’ve drawn upon this quality throughout my student years and continued to do so even at my work. As a result, throughout my career, both as a student and as a working professional, I spent a lot of my time researching things, actively picking projects that were heavily research-based. And as I spent more time at work, I realised that I thoroughly enjoyed being a researcher and so, decided to pivot towards a career that was more research intensive. But to get there, I needed more specialised skills and training to develop my expertise in research. This would be possible through a PhD.

How was the transition?

The navigation from a full-time job to a full-time PhD student was challenging in the initial weeks. The skills that you acquire as a working professional are very much transferable. Skills like project management, communication, and problem solving are needed every day when you’re pursuing a PhD but how they’re applied in the academic world can differ a lot from the way it works in the industry. However, the advantage is that you already have at least intermediate proficiency in these skills, which means that they can easily be transferred to research settings.

One challenge for me was understanding the nuances of academia: how research works in the larger academic context; the pace that academia operates at is very different from the industry. While this is not insurmountable, it requires effort and time investment to learn. With a little bit of discipline and some guidance from the very friendly and approachable community of researchers and faculty at LSE, it’s definitely something you’ll learn as you go.

On the up side, my topic is very closely aligned with the work I used to do. So, my previous experience adds in a lot of value to my PhD in terms of knowledge, perspective, and exposure. I’m thankful for my work experience as it not only informs my current research but also adds richness to it.

Words of advice

Interrupting your career can be an intimidating choice, however, if you have the option of doing so and studying at one of the best institutes in the world to get better at your trade, you should definitely consider it. LSE will offer you a world-class educational experience, specialised training and skills, and get you all-set for an even more successful career at the end of your degree. And if you’re worried about the navigation, in essence, it feels like switching from one type of job to another.

With that, I hope you will make the right choice for you. All the best! 😊