What are the tips to make the most of your relationship with your advisor or counselor?

Define mentoring needs. Important academic and career decisions begin with knowing what you want.

Assess mutual interests. Misunderstandings occur when assumptions are made.

Present a plan. An internship or career class certainly helps your career readiness.

Communicate consistently.

Use multiple mentors and resources.

Is it normal to hate your PhD?

It’s entirely normal to hate your PhD from time to time. The further you travel on the PhD journey, the more you start to resent the thesis. That’s natural – spend years working on something, often with little immediate reward, and it natural that you will start to crumble.

What leads to successful advising relationships?

There are particular relational elements that contribute to and promote an engaged advising partnership: trust, communication, and connectedness. Trust has been found to create a bond between individuals as they work cooperatively and explore experiences (Bordin, 1979, 1983).

How do you build relationships with an advisor?

Here are a few suggestions to share.

1. Make sure you connect with the right person.
2. Take the initiative and reach out to your advisor early.
3. Be clear about what you want from this relationship.
4. Work at building a relationship with your advisor.
5. Touch base consistently.
6. Be respectful of your advisor’s time.
7. Be honest.

Is it bad to have a bad relationship with your thesis supervisor?

Having a bad relationship it’s not always your thesis supervisor’s fault. You can dramatically improve the communication with your thesis supervisor if you take a proactive approach to determining the requirements for your graduation.

What should I do if my advisor doesn’t like my project?

When you discuss your project, let your advisor know why you do not think completing this project is beneficial. When your advisor shares his or her viewpoint, make sure you listen with an open-mind. At the end of the conversation make an assessment of how you would like to resolve the situation.

Should PhD students take the ‘nuke option’?

Don’t choose “the nuclear option” straight away; they may not be aware of the problem. It helps to turn to other students for support, says Adam Dunn, an associate professor at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation. “Halfway through my PhD my dad was in jail, my girlfriend left me and started dating the guy in the lab next door.

What should I do when my advisor shares his or her viewpoint?

When your advisor shares his or her viewpoint, make sure you listen with an open-mind. At the end of the conversation make an assessment of how you would like to resolve the situation. Perhaps you decide to work on the project after all, share the responsibility with another student, or defer the project until later.