Why am I still in academia?

[Melalvai]

My boss informed us yesterday morning that he has accepted a position at the University of North Dakota. He offered me a raise to go with him.

I don't have anything against North Dakota. But I really don't want to move for yet another postdoc position. I always thought when we moved, it'd be for a tenure track faculty position. I don't think moving would benefit my husband and daughter.

I have a fellowship which covers 80% of my salary. If I can find someone, or find a way, to pay for my rats and the other 20% of my salary, we don't have to move. That is our first choice.

I am aware that I should be happy that at least I have a job offer--with a substantial raise--to fall back on. I should be grateful for that, but I don't feel particularly happy about the situation. It is all too typical. Even with my own funding a postdoc job is so ephemeral.

[Triskeliongirl]

Go speak with your department chair. Normally when faculty leave, a chair will do the best they can to accomodate his stuff, and if you have a fellowship you should be quite attractive. Also, go personally and speak with prospective advisors in commuting distance with research that appeals to you. Think about labs where even if you must change projects, things are related enough that they may fit into a job seminar. Again, don't underestimate how attractive you are with your own fellowship.

[Pax]

I have a friend going through the same thing right now, he's tired of being at the whim of his professor's research/job changes/etc.. He started his job search for a tenure track faculty position with his own lab (what he's been working towards his whole academic career) and has found the process so disheartening that he's moving away from academia into a private sector job. He works on brain chemistry stuff and the private sector will offer him a job that interests him ( AND pays him well) without him having to write all the grants to pay his salary.

[jobob]

I was in that situation oh, a gazillion years ago.

I ended up going into industry. But industry is no more secure than academia - in many respects, far less secure. But at least the pay & benefits are usually far better.

[alpinerabbit]

I decided beforehand to head for industry right away after my ph.d.

because lingering on in "the midfield", the limbo between grad school and tenure, makes it ever more difficult to get that foot inside the door of industry. It was difficult enough to find the job I really wanted (I have the entry-level position now, after 2 other jobs and 4-5 years); true, it is no more secure. My whole group got axed right after I resigned (*phew*) from my last job. You have to always have a sideways option.

I've seen people with 1,2,3 post docs, even with assistant professorships, nature papers and all ending up in a dead end. I did not want to go there.

[Geonz]

My brother also grew weary of the perpetual job limbo as a research biologist (PhD in biophysics/physiology) - and did not want to be in academia - so he went back and got a law degree and now does intellectual property work for a major pharmaceutical. Had a lot to do with having 3 kids.

[Melalvai]

Interesting that 4/5 people tell me about people who got sick of the same things I'm sick of and got out of academia.

For the current situation I'll try to find another position here, failing that at least I have a job in North Dakota, but as soon as I have the immediate future secured, or perhaps sooner, I'll be hitting the job market hard.

[OakLeaf]

Ah, law school, the last resort of scoundrels with a useless academic degree and no imagination about what to do next - which is about all the personal experience I have with this topic. My sister's a tenured professor, I know she did one postdoc before taking the tenure track position, but I don't know the intimate details of her journey.

But it sounds like you're at one of those deep-breath places. Do you still love your research - or anything about your field? Do you have friends on the tenure track (maybe best if they're in other fields) who can tell you how it's been worth it for them?

[Geonz]

Welp... *I*, on the other hand am in academia and the grant funding half my position (non-renewable) dries up in October. WHile they have said several times "don't worry about positions -we're keeping them" ... that's not in writing *and* I can very easily imagine the "this is hard for us; we are keeping your position but half-time" (as in, no benefits) talk. Now, they like me.. but that doesn't always translate into dollar signs.
However, even if I'm wondering year to year if I"ll still be full-time, I like this job enough to hang on to it. (Not part-time no benefits... and they *know* lots of students and faculty would give birth to bovines if I disappeared.)

[Pax]

Welp... *I*, on the other hand am in academia and the grant funding half my position (non-renewable) dries up in October. WHile they have said several times "don't worry about positions -we're keeping them" ... that's not in writing *and* I can very easily imagine the "this is hard for us; we are keeping your position but half-time" (as in, no benefits) talk. Now, they like me.. but that doesn't always translate into dollar signs.
However, even if I'm wondering year to year if I"ll still be full-time, I like this job enough to hang on to it. (Not part-time no benefits... and they *know* lots of students and faculty would give birth to bovines if I disappeared.)

Hedge your bet and take a couple of tests at UI.

Pssst...I wrote the the study sheet for the Library Assistant test if you want to give it a go.

[Mr. Bloom]

Funny, just yesterday I was talking with someone about how great it would be to be in academia...

Also, remember winters in the Dakotas really stink!

[Triskeliongirl]

Speaking as a tenured professor, its not so bad, but you must assume responsibility for your own career. Yeh, funding is tight right now. Labs move, such is life. But if you are creative and passionate about your science, and willing to work hard, things will work out.

[Triskeliongirl]

By things will work out, I mean just that. Finish your post-doctoral training, get into the job market, and see what happens. If something better turns up in industry than academia so be it. To me that is still success.

Did a post just disappear? I was responding to knot's comment and its gone now.

[OakLeaf]

Also, remember winters in the Dakotas really stink!

Ask me about my history of frostbite... no don't.

[madscot13]

err. a pay raise plus the low cost of living in ND= lot of money but you better enjoy what you are doing.

what is your research field?