Searching for PhD Positions: A Guide

Searching for PhD positions, going through interviews, and making a final decision can be challenging. In this post, I’ll share the methodology I used to secure various PhD opportunities. While there’s always room for improvement, I hope you’ll find some useful tips to apply in your own search. This guide is intended to be broadly applicable, regardless of your region, so it may not address specific local details. However, from my experience, the principles should be widely relevant. If you find this page helpful, please feel free to share it.
Amar Meddahi - 2024

PhD Positions vs. Regular Jobs

While a PhD position is technically a job, the hiring process is entirely different from that of a regular company job. In a typical job search, you would first interact with a recruiter, then have an interview with an operational employee who would oversee your work, and finally meet with a manager to discuss the offer. In contrast, for a PhD position, you usually communicate directly with the person who will be your supervisor—the Principal Investigator (PI) or professor. This streamlines the process since you only need to convince one person, and in some cases, recruitment can be immediate. Often, a single interview with the professor can result in a direct yes or no.

What Are Professors Looking For?

Understanding what professors seek in a PhD candidate is crucial since they are the decision-makers. As a PhD student, you'll join their lab to work on a specific project that has already secured funding. Your primary responsibility will be to meet the objectives or deliverables tied to this project, which is typically funded through a grant based on a proposal aligned with either national calls or industry collaborations. Essentially, your "PhD project" involves conducting research on the funded project and developing your dissertation around it.

Given this context, a hiring professor is typically looking for someone who can:

Execute tasks effectively: Whether it involves programming, conducting lab experiments, or other technical work, you need to be capable of delivering on the project’s roadmap within the timeline.
Show consistency and commitment: Professors want candidates who can stick with the project until the funding period ends and are dedicated to following the roadmap.
Demonstrate interpersonal skills: Since you’ll be part of a team for several years, being a pleasant and cooperative colleague is a significant advantage.

Keeping these three aspects in mind is essential because they highlight the qualities you need to demonstrate to convince the professor that you're the right fit for the position.

Organizing Your PhD Applications

When searching for a PhD position, it's crucial to expose yourself to as many opportunities as possible to increase your chances of finding the right fit. However, applying to too many positions can reduce the quality of your applications, which isn't ideal. Finding the right balance between quantity and quality is key.

One effective strategy to maintain consistency while scaling up the number of applications is to implement a systematic tracking system. This ensures that you can manage your applications efficiently without compromising on quality.

For each application, I recommend tracking the following details:

PhD Position Title: The specific title of the position you're applying for.
University/Lab/Professor: The name of the university, lab, and the professor overseeing the project.
Position Description: Save a copy of the position description. Sometimes, the listing may be removed from the website by the time you are interviewed. I usually print the webpage and save it to Google Drive, along with a link to the original page.
Application Documents: Keep a copy of your CV and all other submitted documents. It's helpful to review these before an interview to recall exactly what the interviewer has seen.
Additional Notes: Include any extra notes that might be relevant to the application or interview process.

Finding PhD Positions

Finding a PhD position can be challenging because many openings are never advertised. This is primarily due to two reasons:

Networking: Professors often rely on their networks to find suitable candidates. This could be a student who has worked as a research assistant or intern, or a student who performed well in their class.
Time Efficiency: Professors have limited time, so they often prefer to skip the lengthy process of reviewing numerous applications and interviewing multiple candidates. Instead, they rely on known contacts, even if it means sacrificing the chance to find the best candidate through a broader search.

Given this, I recommend the following approach:

Cold Emailing Professors: Directly emailing professors who work in the field you're interested in is a highly effective strategy. Crafting a well-structured email is crucial, so make sure to get it right. It's worth reading guides on how to write these emails. Often, professors have positions available even if they aren’t publicly advertised. Many professors receive numerous inquiries from prospective PhD students, so putting effort into your email is important. If possible, use your academic email for added credibility.
Checking Lab and Personal Websites: Some PhD positions are posted on the lab's website or the professor's personal pages. Additionally, Twitter can be a useful resource, as it's a platform where many researchers share information about open positions and research-related content.
Leveraging Your Network: Reach out to professors you already know, such as those you've had in class, and explain your research interests. Ask if they know anyone in the field you can contact. Experienced professors often have extensive networks and can provide you with a list of potential contacts. When reaching out to these contacts, include the professor who referred you in the CC line of your email. This third-party involvement significantly increases your chances of getting a response.

Interview Preparation

Congratulations on landing your first interview! This is a critical step in the process, as the PI is the key decision-maker. Remember, you can go from being the least favorable candidate to the top choice within an hour, so make the most of this opportunity. Being thoroughly prepared is essential. Here's a method I used to prepare for interviews, which I found highly effective. On a document, I would write:

Overview
In this section, I would describe the lab, its activities, the professor’s background, their career achievements, and their research interests. If a specific PhD project has already been outlined, I’d summarize it here. The goal is to gather general information about the lab and the research vision of the professor.
Publications
I would select 2-3 key publications relevant to the project by the professor and read them before the interview. You can choose these papers yourself via Google Scholar, or you could ask the professor to recommend a few relevant papers before the interview—this shows initiative.

For each publication, I would take the following notes:
- What is proposed in the paper?
- Why is it important compared to existing research, and what is the complexity of the problem addressed?
- How does the proposed approach work?
- Comments and limitations I observed.
Courses and Projects
I would list all the courses and projects I completed during my studies that are relevant to the PhD project. I’d include brief notes describing my personal contributions and the outcomes of these courses and projects.
Questions
I would prepare a large number of questions to ask during the interview, as this shows your genuine interest in the position. A great list of questions can be found here. One of my favorite is:
- "What distinguishes a great student from a good one?"
Research Directions
I would outline some potential research directions I see for the PhD, including initial ideas, relevant papers, and possible approaches. This shows that you’re already thinking ahead about how you could contribute to the lab’s research.

While this preparation process is time-consuming, it’s worth the effort because it can make a significant difference in how you’re perceived by the PI.

Making the Decision

When deciding between multiple PhD offers, several personal factors will influence your choice. A good idea to reach out to former PhD students from the lab you’re considering. They can provide valuable insights into their experiences and the lab environment, which can help inform your decision. I recommend contacting at least two former students to see if their perspectives align. For the most candid feedback, it's better to arrange a phone or video call rather than relying on email. A direct conversation often encourages more open and honest communication.