Finding a PhD advisor, some of the first steps

After an e-mail exchange with a former colleague, I came with a small piece of advice for those who are looking for a PhD in science. This is it:

Find an active and competitive group, neither too small nor too big, where the professor is still young and will have time for you to discuss and work along the same lines. The distance to embark on a dialogue will be typically shorter and you will learn much more. Big groups with big professors are impressive: they have everything, they're authoritative, they publish like crazy, however, you will rarely receive direct coaching from your future boss and you're likely to be running one of the multiple projects somewhere in a corner. At such point, your social skills will be key to get your job done and your way though with the help of others, namely postdocs and veteran PhDs. There are exceptions to everything, of course.

Make a list with your favorite groups, work hard on your cover letters and spend time to come up with a tidy version of your CV (ask friends or mentors to give it a good, final polishing). It is optimal to customize your cover letter and CV for every group (don't lie!). Go look for options abroad, that'll give you a better perspective of the groups you're applying to. Apply to several places at the same time, in your home country and abroad, get used to make the difference between different groups and professors. Compare and be critical toward your decisions on which interviews to pick (in case you have the option to choose, of course!), remember it's pretty much like getting married, 4 to 5 years of your life entirely devoted to it and you will have to cope on that one way or another.

Prepare for the interviews like a professional, be ready to answer uncomfortable questions such as gaps of time in your CV or your relationship with your previous advisor. Be direct and concise in your answers, they know who they're looking for, and you should also know what your really want. Never hesitate to ask the group's work phylosophy to the utmost detail, it's better to be safe than sorry. Do not assume that not discussing the work policy will keep you safe from your future's advisor judging eyes. Money is a delicate issue rarely discussed (salaries are typically fixed in universities), but it's crucial to assure that the project you're about to embark in has it continuity guaranteed throughout your whole PhD. 

If you received an offer and an advance of the subject you'll be dealing with, be ethical and critical. This means do not diffuse the information with third parties (unless you're explicity told it's okay to do it) and ask yourself whether this is the kind of science you want to work in for the next years of your life.

Finally, be honest with yourself. Be conscious of the effort and input you might be required in the groups you apply, this is normally very straighforward. It's allowed to make extreme PhDs of 7-days-a-week, it's also allowed to do one of 36 hours per week, learn to play the clarinet and enjoy your weekends doing something else. That part it's all up to you. You should actually start there: what I'm ready to offer for a given PhD? Does the work suits my life style? Do you actually want to do a PhD? In your near future you will be surprised by how many people you meet are doing PhD and just found out it's not their stuff.

Oder?