I am going anonymous because I am ashamed of myself. I don't want to live anymore. I was always very excited about research. I did a masters in India and loved it. I then came to the US and did another masters and subsequently a PhD. I have more than 25 publications and 4 patents from my research. I love research. Unfortunately I have been unsuccessful finding any kind of jobs. I am unable to find research jobs in academia or industry. My primary area of research is robotics and one would imagine there are tons of opportunities in robotics for PhDs, especially in self driving car companies, or drone companies, or manufacturing sector etc. The truth is, these companies only need software programmers and are happy to hire you if you had a BS or MS degree, but most of them don't even interview you with a PhD. The more researchy companies want you to have done deep learning, and anything else is considered useless. I have been rejected by over 50 companies. A combination of big ones and startups, pure robotics to AI companies, even finance sector and consulting. Some companies prefer US citizens over me, others prefer women to improve their diversity. I did a postdoc of a while, but now I have given up due to Visa complications ( my University is not everified). My girlfriend got a well paying job and has left me after trying to put up with me for 5 years. I am alone, poor, old, incapable and feel like a loser. I am tired of responding to my friends and family who keep asking me about my job situation. I have taken psychological counseling, but nothing hello. I have contemplated suicide many times and have come close to doing it. I don't see a point in living any more. Doing a PhD was the biggest mistake of my life. I am a loser and I don't want any sympathy or anything any more. I just wanted to share my story and rest in peace soon.
https://www.quora.com/What-does-it-feel-like-to-be-an-unemployed-PhD
Frustrating but not the end of the of life. Remain positive, keep on pushing and prepare yourself for better days ahead. Wish you good luck.
So sorry brother. I think still the key is in your hand, how long have you been to stick with your vision (definitely for longer than i imagine). the problem is your perception. doing PhD is a means not an end itself. well, dreaming big is good but never undermine the neat but small fate of work. do some thing which you can right now, and stay thinking with strong heart. if you are telling the universe that you will never get it forever, then who do you think to tell you that you will get it. you know the Newtonian third law, the action and reaction. just think about it with hope, and you will get it sooner. otherwise if you are simply thinking big but living poor, that is your mistake. it is not because if your skin color or gender, it is due to your own thinking. the key is at your hand. (well, if you already passed away, sorry for that but any body can learn from your mistake. on the other hand if you are still alive, just please give time to yourself than thinking complex matter which you cannot solve it soon)
many thanks to my respected colleagues in person of Segun Michael Abegunde and Samuel Embiza Tadesse for your immense contributions to this discussion
Never despair my fellow academician, if most of the companies prefer masters over PhD, please, submit any future job application with your undergraduate and Msc certificate and ignore the PhD title, this can be your secret weapon after getting the job
Omolayo,
Dont be upset. PhD is not your whole life. there are so many things in life you to do.
Can you think on following lines
1 Never give up
2 Dig little more
3. There are planty of rooms at bottom
4. If you are completed with fisrt chapter go for second chapter.
5 think that God is little busy to making very nice plan for you.
6 This phase is not forever for life.
Please dont make boundries for life. go beyond the boundries.
Might be you will be a successful businessmen in the world tomorrow.
Nothing to be ashamed of. This is the normal thing that most PhD.s experience at times. Richard gave you a good advise: if the company thinks they are better off with masters, just apply as a master. Suicide is not the answer, here you can read our papers, they may give you some ideas. I know my close person who applied for 80 jobs before a great job all of a sudden appeared! This is still 30 more than you applied for.
Many thanks to my respected such as Dr. Sharad Medhe , Dr. Richard Odongo Magwanga and Dr. s. Béatrice Marianne Ewalds-Kvist for your great contributions in this discussion.
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