<p>I am studying for a PhD in Electrical Engineering from a top three school…I am wondering which career should I pursue after graduation? IC Design job can start at $100,000 for newly-minted PhD but it seems Quants are paid much higher, especially in the long run. I think I would enjoy both types of career. What are your thoughts on this? Thank you!</p>
<p>It is true you will get paid much better as a Quant but at the same time you must be willing to take on the grueling amount of hours that you will probably avoid as a IC designer. If you can deal with the hours I would say Quant.</p>
<p>When you wake up in the morning from your warm cozy bed and have to drive to work, which would you rather be doing when you punch in? Financial stuff or IC design? Which one is worth getting up and going to work every day?</p>
<p>Thanks for your replies! I am actually quite ambivalent to the nature of work. How much better is Quant’s compensation compared to IC Engineering? Is it a lot higher like >$200000 or is it just a myth? Will many people fail in their Quant career?</p>
<p>cpu3, I was an IC designer for a few years before returning to get a PhD. </p>
<p>I’m curious why you’re not considering academia. Why not? </p>
<p>Honestly, I can’t say I liked working in industry. I like being back in school much better. I enjoyed being an IC designer, but didn’t like managers breathing down my back, didn’t like having to be somewhere from 9-5, and didn’t like getting laid off when my dept or site got eliminated every 2 or 3 years. I think you’ll have the challenges that I describe above in both finance or IC design. Have you every really worked in industry before?..not just an internship(from what I remember those are sorta like paid summer vacations).</p>
<p>As for choosing between IC design and finance. How do you see yourself in ten years? If you hope to see yourself as an IC designer making 150k to 200k in a comfortable and stable 40-50 hour a week job, I’d recommend that you do something else with you life because it won’t happen…even with a PhD from a top three school…I’ve worked in that profession long enough and interviewed at a number of different companies to know this. None of those IC design jobs are stable at those major companies that may start you off at 100K. You’ll work for 2 or 3 years, and then they’ll expect 60 to 80 hours a week or you’ll be laid off. You could consider start-ups if you’re living in CA. Those engineers with PhD can do very well in start-ups, but you’ll be working 70 hour weeks regularly.</p>
<p>Hi jack63, thanks so much for your response. wow, i didn’t know the situation in industry is that bad. i did a couple of interviews and it usually seems to me the engineers only have been in the same company for a couple of years. The reason why I didn’t consider academia is because it’s pretty tough to get a decent tenure-track position and also I prefer development work more than pure research. I am most likely going to do an internship with an RFIC design start-up company in Silicon Valley this summer so I will get to find out if that kind of work is for me. Do you think a Quant career is more stable and if they are less subjected to laid-offs?</p>
<p>The grass is always greener. The other day one of my professor’s was telling me he wished he had stayed in private industry for various reasons (ultimately he did say that he wouldn’t give up public service for anything). </p>
<p>Focus on innovation and leadership no matter what level you’re at. Don’t make it a career goal to simply contribute to somebody else’s bottom line just so they can give you a small piece of that pie. Make a name for yourself. Discover, explore, create, and do it for yourself, your family, and your fellow citizens, not for the company you work for.</p>
<p>Basically I’m saying if I were you I would go the start-up route and try to build something great. You only live once, take the risk.</p>