After 100+ applications, reaching out to countless PIs, and going through multiple rounds of interviews, I am honored to inform you all that I am giving up :))
Is anyone else in the club?
I’m wondering how people actually manage to get a PhD, especially as an international applicant.
I’ve been applying to PhD positions for quite a while and have made it to several interviews. But quite often, after the interview, I find out that the position went to someone who already knew the PI, had worked with the group before, or was referred by someone.
It’s starting to make me wonder whether I’m missing something about how the process actually works.
For people who got their PhD without already knowing the supervisor or having strong academic connections:
What actually worked for you?
Did you mostly apply to advertised positions or contact PIs directly?
Did networking/referrals make a big difference?
How do you compete with candidates who already have connections with the lab?
I know the obvious answer is “keep applying,” but I’d really like to hear from people who were in a similar situation and eventually figured out how to get their first PhD position.
Any honest advice or personal experiences would be really appreciated.
I’ve been applying to a lot of positions lately and honestly it feels like I’m just collecting rejection emails at this point.
I try to tailor my CV, write cover letters, and prepare for interviews, but it still feels like nothing is working. Sometimes I don’t even get to the interview stage, just straight rejection or no response at all.
It’s getting pretty discouraging and starting to feel like maybe I’m missing something obvious or doing everything wrong.
Is anyone else going through this? How do you deal with constant rejection without losing motivation? And if you’ve been through this and eventually succeeded, what actually changed for you?
Would really appreciate hearing other experiences or advice.