A lot of thoughts and sayings were heard from the presentations of the TalTech doctoral students' conference, which should encourage both young and slightly older students to think about a research career.

1. "Estonia is the stronger the more people we have with PhD degrees."
2. "People with PhDs live longer and healthier lives - this is especially true for men."
3. "The brain works and keeps you fit. You have smart people around you, which has a good effect."
4. "People with PhDs earn more."
5. "Multifacetedness is not bad in science. Don't be ashamed of your hobbies, it could get you your next job as a scientist.”
6. "During my doctoral studies, I discovered that the former strict professor is a person too - a very smart, interesting and versatile one."
7. "I wrote my doctoral thesis with one hand; a baby was in the other."
8. "Choosing an adviser is as important as choosing a spouse."
9.  "If you can try working with a potential adviser first, use it and see how it goes."
10. "Even if you want to pursue an academic career, you should have a backup option."
11. "It is impossible getting a PhD while working full-time."
12. "I was the one who got a PhD while working full-time."
13. "A research career no longer means working only at the university - there are more and more pracademics: that is, they work both at the university and outside at the same time."
14. "60% of those who receive a PhD in Estonia choose a fully academic career, approx. 30% choose a combined, i.e. pracademik career, and the rest prefer a non-academic career."
15. "Doctoral students are not necessarily young people and this trend is increasing. Younger doctoral students and doctoral candidates are in natural sciences, where one in three graduates before the age of 30."
16. "The oldest people getting their doctoral degree are in humanities and social sciences."
17. "The oldest PhD defenders in the world have been over 80 years old."
18. "When a bachelor's or master's degree gives you analytical skills and critical thinking, a doctorate makes you a creative person."
19. "A big plus is academic freedom, which you can't even dream of when working elsewhere. There is no obligation to work at certain time, the working hours can be set freely, at the same time, work offers many experiences on a daily basis, constant self-improvement, new meetings, colleagues from distant countries become like-minded people and friends, without whom life can't be imagined anymore."
20. "I can no longer imagine working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.."
21. "Lecturers with a PhD will not become unemployed easily. Even during recessions, when staff are being cut elsewhere, the same figure is very low among people with a PhD."
22. "I can confirm that the work of a lecturer is quite safe."
23. "When there are two equal candidates, a PhD gives an advantage in business as well."
24. "Getting a PhD is not a walk in a park, but it is not a nightmare either."
25. "A doctorate gives freedom and broadens opportunities. Getting this degree can be one of the happiest moments of your life."

Estonian doctoral school career conference To New Heights with a PhD Degree! is on Thursday, May 16 at TalTech (Ehitajate tee 5, Tallinn)