Ph.D from India, looking for job in US

[Pinks]

Hi all,

I am a Ph.D in management ( specific topic- Export incentives & indian economy) from a university in India. It is an average university. I have a teaching experience of 5 years (2years full time and 3 years part time). I taught Human resources back there.My MBA Major was finance and Minor was HR.I have relocated to USA and am wondering if with this qualification and experience , i will be able to get a teaching job in any university.Just to mention , i also have 3 published papers to my record and 4th one is in the row.

Actually i am skeptical whether universities in USA value the Indian Ph.D or not..

Please give your suggesstions..

Thanks

[spinon]

Hello there,

I will be brutally frank. There is definite discounting of non-US PhD's in US schools. I think you might want to invest some time doing a postdoc in a good business school in the U.S. for a few years and then apply to schools for a teaching job.

Another thing that you might want to worry about is how you position yourself. In other words, are you an econ person or an HR person? A strategy person or a finance person? You have to fit in one of these categories. If the subject of your research doesn't fit anywhere, then a round of postdoc experience might be the perfect chance to do so.

A sure alternative is to do another PhD in a US business school. It's NOT uncommon to see doctoral students of business with another PhD. This is especially a good idea if you want to get a faculty position is a so-called "research school" as opposed to "teaching school."

[AstralTraveller]

I also believe that a post-doc position would be a terrific option for someone like you.

[Pinks]

Hey,

Thanks for your suggesstions. I'll suely look into this. I already had a doubt about US valuing non US PhDs and you have strengthened it..

[AstralTraveller]

Originally Posted by Pinks

Thanks for your suggesstions. I'll suely look into this. I already had a doubt about US valuing non US PhDs and you have strengthened it..

Dear Pinks, I don't think it has much to do with being a non-US PhD as with being a not top ranked PhD. You still --every now and then-- can spot a professor at a top-research institution in Economics or Business with a doctoral degree from a highly ranked British, Dutch, French, Spanish or German university. It's not THAT common, but it's not uncommon either.

At the Econ Department I studied at, the doctoral program has a similar training to a very good US program, I'm sure, but since most "interesting" doctoral students are not there, the placement for this program so far is not something too exciting: out of three graduates, one was enrolled by the Business School of the same university, another got a post-doc position at a european econ school after working for a short time at a local teaching college, and the third was already a faculty member of the same Econ department that granted her degree. Rest assured, all three are very smart people, but they studied here. Their chances are slim at any prestigious US university, at least until they get good publications. The question that arises is: "if this person is equal or better than anyone here, why didn't he/she pursue his/her PhD here". They need some proof that the ranked-outside-of-the-top-100 PhD degree is similar in quality to the program they know.

I know there are many circumstances that justify the decision of an international student like us to pursue our doctorate locally, other than personal skills, but if the people in charge of hiring at US universities can't attest the quality of our qualifications, I feel it'll be quite hard to be hired.

[doubtful]

if you want to stay in the academia you should definitely look for a post-doc..

otherwise, if you have the money, why not an MBA in the US? I am sure that after an MBA you can easily find a lecturship somewhere...

[Pinks]

Hey Astraltraaveller,

I think you have made a good point here. My PhD isn't from a top ranked institution and that is what I am worried about. I am stil looking for options to get into academics here. As for post-doc, then the place where I am at has a no current openings in that field..but i'll keep looking.

Thanks for your answers

[AstralTraveller]

Originally Posted by Pinks

Hey Astraltraaveller,

I think you have made a good point here. My PhD isn't from a top ranked institution and that is what I am worried about. I am stil looking for options to get into academics here. As for post-doc, then the place where I am at has a no current openings in that field..but i'll keep looking.

Thanks for your answers

Best of lucks
AT