Stressed about Research Project So, I am a first year master student in one of the best universities in my area and I have the possibility of doing a research project in the next semester. I am torn between choosing a topic that is more related to my supervisor's research (and would get much more impact if published; publishing is also likely to happen) and another one that is more related to what I want to do in my master thesis (but would get much lower impact if published). I wouldn't mind doing the first one (I also find it quite interesting and would do both if I could) but if I want to have a chance of getting a position at this university, would it be more likely if I chose the one related to my master thesis?
The topic of a one-semester research project really has little bearing on your future career. You might as well explore something interesting to you, since you’re learning about your field at this stage. It won’t have much impact on future prospects, because you’ll be evaluated for positions based on your research potential at the time of your application. You’ll also be expected to diversify beyond your PhD topic.