Finding a PhD

OK. Let me take a break for MBA stuff and post something on how to find a PhD:

The basic idea behind the following lines is that the PhD positions should be actively hunted for. The procedure is somewhat different from the normal job hunt. While searching for a PhD, please note that finding the (right) professor is the most important thing. Whether you are applying against an advertised position or you are trying to 'create' the opportunity, you should try to establish a communication channel with your potential PhD supervisor. Some professors give weightage to the research already done, some prefer the top notch of the masters class, some prefer specific personality traits along with the basics of the field etc. but one thing is common. They all want to know their future PhD students well in advance to make sure that the PhD with the candidate will be a worthwhile scientific adventure.
Here goes a pragmatic and proactive approach to find a PhD position:
First of all, target a country. Google for the link which can give you an exhaustive list of all the universities of the country. One by one, go to the website of each university and on the main menu, search for the link 'Research' (google page translators should of course be used if the websites are not in English). Each university has its own style of presenting its research. What you are looking for is the person(s) working in your (preferred) field. Do visit the researchers' list of publications to get an idea of their current research interests and the quality of their work. When finally you are able to discern who could be your potential supervisor, prepare a customized personal email based on the professor's current research interests and show interest in conducting PhD research work with him. Please note that you should be genuinely interested in his work otherwise even if you get a PhD, a lack of interest can be the killing point of your research career. Introduce yourself in full detail with a CV and Letter of Motivation LOM. Please note that in some universities you will not be able to find any research work relevant to your background or interest. However, if you do not find a specific person but there are remote chances that there might be some people working on something interesting, then it's better to contact the lab director. In this case, you have to show interest in a range of research topics in that lab. It does happen that the lab director forwards the email to the person concerned.

Points to consider for the C.V.
- The C.V. should never exceed two pages.
- Try to illustrate your capabilities/ achievements/ background etc. in short phrases.
- Mention two references along with their phone numbers, email addresses. Better to mention your last supervisor who can write a report/letter about your behaviour/ interaction/ ability/style of work in lab etc.
- If you have worked with someone well-known in a field, you can ask for an open recommendation letter which you can scan and send with your email. This letter can prove very instrumental.

Points to consider for LOM/Cover letter:

- A standard LOM/cover letter mainly contains three parts. In the first part, you should describe your achievements. In the second part, you've to tell the professor what do you want to do in his lab. In the third part, you've to convince him why it is important for him to hire you.
- The LOM / cover letter is a tool to gauge the candidate's level of motivation though the professors try to get some idea about it through the recommendation letter too. The LOM should therefore reflect that you are a highly motivated person.
- It's better to send the attached documents in pdf format. Download 'doPDF', a free software via google and you can easily convert your documents to pdf format.
- Design your CV + LOM in such a way that they are rapidly modifiable according to the requirements of different PhD positions.

Do not wait till the last date for sending your application. Professors usually do not wait for deadlines. As soon as they get the C.V. of a suitable person having a good background, they immediately ask him/her to visit the lab for an interview (if possible). So positions are usually filled even before the application deadline. While contacting a professor, it's a very good idea to ask him his contact number and availability for a telephone call. This demonstrates your seriousness and you offer him a chance to interview you, should any need arise.
Please note that the scholarship links are not included in this message as finding those links and using them as pointers is considered a part of the above mentioned generic procedure.
Kakulala
Quote: PhD research is like a test cricket match where staying on the wicket is more important than scoring runs.