Student-supervisor relationships represent one of the most important elements of your PhD and it is crucial that you find ways to cooperate with your doctoral mentor.

This is because across all disciplines, a honest and healthy relationship with your supervisor will enable you to navigate the challenges of your PhD with a positive mindset. Despite a range of tools available in Cambridge to help you overcome initial hurdles, it is also important to be aware that sometimes it takes a bit of work to establish a good professional bond with your supervisor. Particular things to consider include:

• How often will you meet?
• How much technical support can you expect?
• What support would you like for career development and training?
• How can you set up a friendly and productive relationship?

This section will help you to make the most of your PhD-supervisor relationship and provide some helpful tips on how to make this happen.

When you start your PhD, chances are that you need still need to work out the best ways of communicating and working with your supervisor. This is entirely normal. Working towards a PhD can be very different from studying towards an undergraduate or Master's degree. In fact, if you do have some work experience, you might also find that your PhD requirements present unique challenges that you've not encountered before. 

One of the biggest challenges that you might experience is that as a PhD student you're expected to conduct independent research. Among the other things, this means that you will need to figure out what kind of guidance you need, what working structure would help you progress effectively, and what type of feedback would be most helpful for you.

Importantly, the frequency of that feedback and any meeting you have with your supervisor is likely to change over time depending on your needs. Students who are at the beginning of their PhD may need more guidance and meet their supervisors weekly or once a month, As you progress, some students may like more frequent communication, while others may prefer working independently and check in only as necessary. 

Whatever the format and frequency of meetings you settle on, be sure that this is clear to both yourself and your supervisor. And finally, be patient. Remember that supervisors often have multiple responsibilities and may have to juggle through deadlines of their own. Planning your meetings in advance and agreeing on the frequency will help you and them to stay on track. 

As outlined in these section of Camguide, every PhD has its own unique challenges and you may find yourself having to deal with more than just the demands of the research. For this reason it is important to manage your expectations as to what you think your relationship with your supervisor will look like.

Your supervisor may not be best placed to offer help for all kinds of issues, although keeping them in the loop about what is happening is generally a good idea. Take a look at the CamGuides section on Wellbeing to know what other sources of support are available. This will put you in a good position should you ever need it.

Second, think about your own commitments. Be upfront and transparent with your supervisor about aspects of your personal life that may affect your work, such as any family or mental health issues. Most supervisors will support you, find the most effective ways for you to work alongside these issues and direct you to further support if required.

Although supervisors will be able to point you in the right direction for training opportunities and assist you in exploring career options, it is important to be proactive and show willingness to 'learn by doing'. Throughout your PhD, you will be expected to:

• Seek advice and information from funders and careers services on career options after your PhD
• Identify a mentor who is not their supervisor or is from outside the University to provide regular impartial advice and guidance throughout a PhD
• Assess your own understanding of your skills and achievements throughout your PhD and discuss your aspirations with your supervisor
• Make sure to keep a record of training you have undertaken, both formally and informally, and review this regularly with their supervisors and mentor
• Maintain a high degree of independence and control over your work. This will enable you to spend more time on understanding what your career aspirations are

Before you start

Before you start your PhD, it is a good time to think critically about how to establish a solid long-term relationship with your supervisor and to reflect on what you might be able to put into place now in order to manage your relationship effectively.

Think about reaching out to their previous students or talking to someone that already works in this research group. It may also be a good idea to start reading around your research area to prepare questions that can stimulate conversations with your supervisor and bring clarity into your project. 

After you start

After you start your PhD, make sure to set some time apart with your supervisor to talk about their expectations, work ethics and how to respond to feedback. These early conversations can go a long way to clarify what each party would like. They can also help you to build a relationship with your supervisor that goes beyond the immediate requirements of your PhD. 

General advice

The type of help you will need is likely to be different from other PhD students. Some people need their supervisor to stop looking over their shoulder whereas others need them to be more involved. This is why it is important to take your time to think about what you need and what you would like from them.

Image credits

CC0 by Shamia Casiano via Pexels