Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Flip-flop

One year has passed since I started seeking jobs outside academia in earnest, and it is a good time to re-evaluate.  This morning I was trying to count the number of applications that I submitted to academic jobs - and by that I mean 'real' applications for open positions and not just cold-calling by sending CVs to people that I have some links with.  I could only count 6.  Only 6!  All this time I thought I had submitted at least 20 to academic positions, and it was actually only 6.  In addition, it seems my earning power (see last post) is still the best if I were to become a professor.  I don't think 6 applications is enough to judge whether or not I could land an academic job, and I actually had a phone interview for one of them.  It seems (although the sample size isn't big enough to be conclusive) that I haven't given a professorship a fair shot, and that I may have better chances than getting an industry position.

So, the questions are:  "Do I want to be a professor", and "Am I ok with living somewhere (anywhere, really) else?"  The first question is pretty easy - I have been trained to be a professor, I am good at research and writing, and I really do like the work.  So yes, I would be happy with a professor position.  The second question is a bit difficult.  Unfortunately, there will never be an opening in the place I truly want to live (by family and friends), and given my failure at getting an industrial position there also, this means:  if I truly want to live where I want, I should just pack up now (quit the postdoc) and concentrate on settling there and hope that something works out in industry.  And it doesn't make sense to keep getting postdoc experience - it is best to get there and start figuring things out.

I guess I have established that I haven't tried securing academic jobs hard enough (and I don't think I am just saying that because I am falling back on the familiar, but this is always a concern) and that the real question right now is:  "How important is the place where I live?"  I know I am not overly comfortable living as far away from family as I am right now, and it seems to me (right now) that this is very important because I don't want to just show up for funerals.  I also know that being a postdoc has intensified this as I have no means of visiting family and friends because I don't have the budget for it.  Maybe, if I was making more (as a professor or otherwise), it wouldn't be so bad as I could make the trip back for visiting.  Unfortunately, this is not something I will be able to test in the near future, and I will only know it after making the leap.

Also, unfortunately, none of this takes into account the lack of professor jobs.  But, I think I can convince myself (with having over 80 unsuccessful applications) that industrial jobs are no easier to come by.  I need to make a choice.  My current thought process of leaving academia and going the industrial route is seriously hampering my current postdoc production, and is very hard on my mental state as I have become quite depressed lately.  I either need to decide to move back to family and friends and my home city, or I need to temporarily give up the industrial job search and concentrate on my current 'job' and a future professorship.  And this decision needs to be made soon (end of March) so that I can give my notice, quit messing around with my postdoc, and get on with my life.  Hmmm, not sure about this one.  Any advice?

6 comments:

  1. My advice?: Just quit and move with family, at least the rent is forgotten.

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    1. I always used to wonder how someone could be in there mid-thirties and still be living at home with their parents. I guess this isn't too hard to answer now...

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  2. I would say that having shared your degree of ambivalence towards the profession as a graduate student but taking on a tenure-track job anyway, that it would make it more difficult for you to gain tenure and keep your job in the long run (regardless of your teaching/research record while there). My advice would be to tackle your depression and think really hard about what you want out of life. Sure, I'm way past year 1 of the non-academic job search and haven't yet found a new career path, but I sure as hell am a happier person now that I don't have those academic pressures!

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    1. I hear what you are saying. The problem is, I tried the whole "I am done with academia, I need to find something else" and that is how I got into this depressive mess in the first place. Before that, I was doing ok (other than frustrated with not getting an academic placement). I just feel I can no longer go down the road of a new career, if that makes any sense. I think for now I will be less depressed/frustrated if I can concentrate solely on the academic route, but again, what do I know?

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  3. Realistically it's just about as hard to get a PhD job in industry as it is in academia, but academia is probably going to get even harder because of budget cuts and the sequester. Focusing on only one is doing yourself a disservice because of the paucity of positions out there. I know it's difficult, but you really need to be applying to industry, academia AND everything else (medical writing, consulting, etc.) to land a job with a reasonable career path, all while keeping up with your postdoc work.

    Have you talked to any recruiters? They can help you find some alternative career positions. I was using one to actively try and find a medical writing position before I managed to find an industry job. It's good to keep as many options open as possible, especially if you're looking to live in a particular place (I was geographically limited myself).

    The post-postdoc job hunt is really hard and it may take years to find a good one (it took me two years of applying) - all you can do is keep your chin up, keep working on your projects and find someone to talk to about your depression. Might be a good idea to have someone look over your CV and cover letter too if someone hasn't already done so. But have hope - there are good jobs out there for those who are persistent and prepared.

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    1. I haven't talked to any recruiters. I agree, keeping all options open (especially if I am geographically-limited, which I am not sure I am) is the best route, but I don't think I can hack it anymore. I have given too much of myself to this process over the last year and have got nothing back (other than rejections and depression). The thing about academic jobs is, I don't have to change who I am or my personality for applications - I already know what they want and what I can offer as this is my training. Unfortunately, I think I have figured out that I can't do both, which means I either have to quit my postdoc job (I am not ready for this) and go all out in industry/other, or I have to keep going here and apply for professorships. If I have learned one thing over the last year, this is it.

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