PhD - yay or nay?

I've been thinking about doing a three year PhD in economics on and off for the past few years, and recently I've had more clarity that it could be useful going forward. Since graduating, I've worked in finance (investment banking and a more economic role), and I'd be very interested continuing my career at a central bank or in the economic strategy/econ research team at a fund. To progress in these areas, it seems like you need a PhD, but I'd be interested in hearing any perspectives. If those roles didn't work out, I'd also be interested in working in portfolio management - would a PhD make me overqualified?

Other pros for the PhD include that I feel my work now isn't deep enough, and I've found myself reading quantitative finance and economics academic research in my own time. Cons are salary, potentially feeling trapped if I don't like the work and figuring out body clock. I'm not even sure I'd get in given I wasn't an economics major in undergrad but it may be worth a shot.

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Why do people hire a phD? In my thoughts this is done mainly because a phD holder is someone who has demonstrated self discipline

 

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