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Choosing the right supervisor

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by Julian Maier

Choosing the right PhD supervisor is one of the most crucial factors that will contribute to your success and satisfaction throughout this journey. A supportive and compatible supervisor can make a substantial difference in the quality of your research experience and the eventual outcome of your doctoral study. Choosing the right PhD supervisor is a shared responsibility, with students and supervisors each contributing to the success of the academic relationship. Clear communication, mutual understanding, and a shared commitment to academic and professional growth are key to a productive supervisor-student partnership.

Julian Maier, Post-doc

Students'Responsibility:

  1. Introspection
    • Identify Your Interests and Goals: Firstly, you have to identify your own research interests and career goals. This involves self-assessment to determine what areas of study align with your passions and long-term aspirations.
  2. Due Diligence:
    • Research Potential Supervisors: You must proactively research potential supervisors. This includes reviewing their publications, understanding their research areas, and assessing their reputations in the field.
  3. Seek Peer Experience:
    • Get Input from Peers: You should seek advice from current and former students in the department or lab to gain insights into their experiences with potential supervisors. Preferably, you get information from friends (of friends), but you can also contact people you have no connection to. Most will be happy to briefly chat with you.
  4. Establish Contact and Show Interest:
    • Talk to Potential Supervisors: Be it at conferences, after seminars or talks, it is best to establish contact in person and show interest in the potential supervisor’s (field of) work. If not possible, communicate your interest and request a meeting via mail.
  5. Assess Compatibility:
    • Assess Compatibility: It's your responsibility to assess whether there is a good fit in terms of research interests, working style, and personalities. Talking about it with trusted colleagues and friends can help yourself get a clearer picture. Compatibility can greatly influence the quality of the student-supervisor relationship.
  6. On-site impression:
    • Check out the Lab: Kindly ask your potential supervisor to arrange for you to spend (at least) one day in their lab, getting a tour and talking to as many of their students as possible. This will give you some first-hand experience on the day-to-day and the group climate.
  7. Communicate intent:
    • Clarify Expectations: You should ask questions to clarify the supervisor's expectations regarding research projects, milestones, timelines, and the level of involvement expected from you.
    • State your Intention: Communicate what you are willing to bring to the table and what you wish your supervisor to provide. 
    • Establish a Common Goal: Try to find an overlap in what you and your potential supervisor want to achieve.
    • Get support: Talk with potential members of your thesis committee (or other mentors) to get outside perspective and their advice.  
  8. Identify Alternatives:
    • Get another expert to help: Talk with your potential supervisor about the idea of having a co-supervisor from a related field, pertinent to your future project.
    • Backup plan: You should have a backup plan in case your first choice of supervisor doesn't work out. Identifying alternative supervisors or research groups with similar interests is essential.
  9. Don’t (over-)idealize:
    • Long-term insights: While first impressions do matter, know that the day-to-day experience with your supervisor will most often be vastly different from the first period of frequent contact. Nobody is perfect – be prepared to later find out about some aspects of your supervisor that you won’t like.
  10. Make a decision:
    • Trust Your Judgment: Ultimately, you should trust all the information you have gathered and make a decision considering all the factors you’ve assessed.
    • And stick to it: Do not jump ship at the first signs of differences or conflicts but try to brave the storm and find constructive solutions that benefit everyone involved.

What to expect from supervisors (according to the directors of the doctoral school):

  1. Sociableness and Interest:
    • Talk to Potential Students: Be it at conferences, after seminars or talks, it is best if supervisors recruit actively in person and show interest in the potential student’s work.
  2. Clear Expectations:
    • Communicate Expectations: Supervisors should clearly communicate their expectations to prospective students regarding research projects, goals, timelines, and the level of autonomy and collaboration expected. They should not overpromise as this will lead to future conflict and resentment.
  3. Supportive Mentoring:
    • Provide Guidance: Supervisors should offer guidance, mentorship, and feedback to help students develop their research skills and navigate academic challenges.
    • Facilitate Growth: They should facilitate the academic and professional growth of their students, helping them build a strong foundation for their careers.
  4. Availability and Resources:
    • Assess Availability: Supervisors should assess their own availability and workload to ensure they can provide adequate support to their students.
    • Allocate Resources: They should work to secure research funding and provide access to necessary resources for their students' projects.
  5. Research Style and Approach:
    • Align Working Styles: Supervisors should (in part) adapt their working style to align with the needs and preferences of their students, whether it's a more hands-on or autonomous approach.
  6. Transparency:
    • Be Transparent: Supervisors should be transparent about their own research commitments, ensuring students are aware of any potential conflicts or time constraints.
  7. Feedback and Evaluation:
    • Provide Constructive Feedback: Regularly providing constructive feedback on research progress is essential for students' growth and project success. Supervisors should emphasize strengths and resources before addressing potential points of growth.
    • Evaluate Progress: Supervisors should help students set realistic research goals and evaluate their progress toward those goals.
  8. Create a Supportive Environment:
    • Foster a Positive Working Environment: Supervisors should create a supportive and inclusive research environment that encourages teamwork, cooperation and intellectual growth.
  9. Conflict Resolution:
    • Handle Conflicts: If conflicts arise, supervisors should be prepared to address them in a professional and constructive manner, seeking resolutions that benefit both parties.
  10. Use your power:
    • Benefit your Mentee: Supervisors should think about student’s long-term well-being and success, even if this means compromising on their goals. They should establish connections for their students and offer them networking opportunities that benefit them, even if they not necessarily benefit the supervisor.

“The most important quality in a mentor, teacher or coach is not how much they know. It’s how much they care. Caring is more than taking pride in your success. It’s feeling joy as you progress. The people you want in your corner are the ones who celebrate your growth.” – Adam Grant

If you're seeking the perfect supervisor or are on the lookout for one, explore our exciting open PhD positions at https://oc.meduniwien.ac.at/open-phd-positions