The Job Market
Refreshed from a nice summer holiday, I am prepared to jump into my next adventure. I need a new job. Soon.
I did my very best to figure out what I want, but I have not arrived at a solution yet. It is a bit scary to admit, but I am likely to quit the academic world. I don't think I love my subject so much that I can bear it to continue to sit in a room alone for the next three years writing some more papers who nobody really is interested in. I don't want to move into a foreign country. I don't want to have the same problems again in three years, i.e., that I will be running out of funding. I am sick of all the people who keep envying me because I am sucessful. Right now, I just don't know why I should go on.
The alternative is that I will pick up some job in the industry (not related to my PhD subject). Maybe I'll find some researchy thing to work for, but not as academic as the university. This would give fixed working hours, money and vacation.
The thing I am not sure about right now is: is it a pitty that I give up my scientific career because I am good at it and I should fight for my position? I should care less and move to another country (but then, at some point, I will need a tenured position and there is none around my home town).
I did my very best to figure out what I want, but I have not arrived at a solution yet. It is a bit scary to admit, but I am likely to quit the academic world. I don't think I love my subject so much that I can bear it to continue to sit in a room alone for the next three years writing some more papers who nobody really is interested in. I don't want to move into a foreign country. I don't want to have the same problems again in three years, i.e., that I will be running out of funding. I am sick of all the people who keep envying me because I am sucessful. Right now, I just don't know why I should go on.
The alternative is that I will pick up some job in the industry (not related to my PhD subject). Maybe I'll find some researchy thing to work for, but not as academic as the university. This would give fixed working hours, money and vacation.
The thing I am not sure about right now is: is it a pitty that I give up my scientific career because I am good at it and I should fight for my position? I should care less and move to another country (but then, at some point, I will need a tenured position and there is none around my home town).
posted by Wanna Be PhD | 1:00 PM
4 Comments:
I understand with the moving part...I don't want to move to a different state at all. I got lucky this year, and will fight to keep the position if I can. Is there a chance of something opening up in your hometown in a few years?
This is the core question. I do not know (and nobody can know that) whether there will be a professor position in my home town once I finished my tenure-thesis. This will be in five to seven years. Nobody knows what will be then.
This must be the whining, crying post of a doctoral *student*. Man up and handle it. If not, jump the hell out.
I'm an ABD transitioning into "the real world" outside of school.
It's always scary, you just got to take the risky road.
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