{"id":5721,"date":"2020-10-28T09:37:43","date_gmt":"2020-10-28T09:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.antropologia2-0.com\/?p=5721"},"modified":"2020-10-28T09:37:44","modified_gmt":"2020-10-28T09:37:44","slug":"should-i-enrol-in-a-phd-if-i-want-to-be-a-business-anthropologist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.antropologia2-0.com\/en\/should-i-enrol-in-a-phd-if-i-want-to-be-a-business-anthropologist\/","title":{"rendered":"Should I enrol in a PhD if I want to be a business anthropologist?"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article deals with a common problem for professional profiles working with companies. Is it worth doing a PhD if you are going to work in the private world?
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The growing interest in applied Anthropology is rapidly changing the landscape of the discipline in and out of academia. It is definitely an interesting moment for anthropologists. Instead of the classical linear academic career path towards professorship, nowadays <\/span>anthropologists are exploring new exciting possibilities of professional growth<\/b>. Whether in academic or applied settings, we as a community feel the need to expand our skills and imagine new ways of being an anthropologist like never before.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact that <\/span>this year the Applied Anthropology hosted two <\/span>panel sessions <\/span>at <\/span>the 2020 EASA Biennial conference is a sign of this profound shift. It was very inspiring to see so many applied projects emerging and opening new professional fields for anthropologists. Also, the panel was an incredible opportunity to network and share some of the challenges that come with the expansion of Business and Applied Anthropology. To continue to develop new possibilities for anthropologists, we need to keep strengthening the community as a whole. We definitely grow stronger together.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That is why after sharing a collective virtual space and time for the EASA biennial conference, we – Louise Pasteur de Faria and Veronica Reyero – decided to have a more intimate call to get to meet each other better and share about our struggles, excitements, and doubts as anthropologists working in business. It is always enriching to listen to what other colleagues are experiencing, and how they are framing what\u2019s happening around them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The chat just clicked on quickly! And a good 40-minutes into the conversation we started discussing wether having a P.hD impacted (or not) your professional career as a business anthropologis and if so, how it did so. To do a PhD or not to do a PhD? That is the question\u2026 On the one hand, if you are not pursuing an academic carreer, it may not be that relevant. But on the other hand, it is a personal and intellectual challenge that many want to undertake. We ended up talking about this question for quite some time and decided to share some of the issues we discussed, as we realized this could be useful for others asking themselves the same question.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be prepared…<\/h2>\n

Many people pose the question of whether or not to pursue a Ph.D as a personal choice. That is partially true, considering the passionate nature of academic work. Deep down, we decide to become academics out of enthusiasm for our field to the point that we risk forgetting the financial and professional implications of such a choice. However, it is a professional choice that will have long-lasting consequences on one’s career path. To starts, <\/span>it is a long-term commitment. <\/b>During your Ph.D., you will be investing a considerable amount of time and effort dedicating yourself solely to academic activities, your department, and your research.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It will be a confusing time in your life: you are not a student and not yet a researcher. You will have to sacrifice possible financially rewarding professional opportunities and the path ahead will seem long and even opaque, given the uncertainty of the academic career.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nowadays, to work as an applied Anthropologist, you no longer need a Ph.D. to prove your worth as a professional. That’s why if you decide to pursue a Ph.D., you got to have a plan. You have to approach this opportunity with a strategic mindset. We thought the best way we could help others was to put together a checklist to help evaluate if that is indeed the best decision in your specific case.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider your professional background:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n