What do electrical engineers do?

I would hold off on the phd unless you want I work in govt or govt lab. I'm an ee and I do hire for my team. We tend not to hire hound pjs since they want morenmoneybbutbdint really have experience. The two I've had experience with did not work out. They were smart but not quick and didn't understand fast deadlines and getting things done as opposed to finding the perfect solution and getting bogged down in details. Maybe just my experience. Don't get me wrong, we have a couple PhDs on staff but they all worked first and then figured out what to specialize in and do research on that and it's directly applicable to their experience and niche.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Academia.

Have you thought about a JD instead? Become a patent attorney?

No. Don't go to law school, unless someone else is paying for it. There are no jobs.

From a previous thread thought patent attorneys were always in demand.

Yes, because it's a soul sucking job.

Also, my 2 cents is not to go into academia. There are few positions for the number of candidates and post docs get paid shit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Academia.

Have you thought about a JD instead? Become a patent attorney?

No. Don't go to law school, unless someone else is paying for it. There are no jobs.

From a previous thread thought patent attorneys were always in demand.

probably true but do you want to work on patents all your life?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Academia.

Have you thought about a JD instead? Become a patent attorney?

No. Don't go to law school, unless someone else is paying for it. There are no jobs.

From a previous thread thought patent attorneys were always in demand.

Anonymous wrote:Academia.

Have you thought about a JD instead? Become a patent attorney?

No. Don't go to law school, unless someone else is paying for it. There are no jobs.

Government - NIST, DARPA, JPL, NASA , Army Research Lab - all great places

Academia.

Have you thought about a JD instead? Become a patent attorney?

If you are going into industry mostly likely you will be better off in the long run financial getting your career climb started a couple years sooner and starting your 401k sooner. (Don't forget the 401k - at least at a matching level - the early years. As an EE you're plenty good enough at math to understand. )

Like the others said, in academia you would most likely need it.

Im a student, just completed masters in EE. I have a a few job offers so may take one and work for a year or two and then decide.... I just thought getting a PhD while you are in the mode may be a wise thing to at this time.

mostly academia

But some big companies that spend a ton of money on their R&D (like Intel) need PHDs as well.

For most fields, you don't really need it.

I have a master's in EE. A PhD won't really get your anything more than your masters already does. Even a master's degree is mostly overkill, but it looks good on your resume and is easy enough to get.

Do you currently working in the industry or are you a student in a masters program who is trying to decide whether to continue on for your PhD? In either case, I wouldn't do it unless you really want to move into academia.

Academics? My uncle has this. Got some great jobs as dean of ee departments. Now lives with fam in southern cal in a house that the university pays for. It's super nice.

What specialty?

I'm considering pursuing a PhD in electrical engineering. I currently have a masters in EE, however. What are my career prospects and earnings potential?