Why am I still in academia?

[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?