Clarity,
Office 17622,
PO Box 6945,
London.
W1A 6US
United Kingdom
Phone/ Voicemail:
+44 (0)20 3287 3053 (UK)
+1 (561) 459-4758 (US).
folledeschiele
visitor
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2008
- Messages
- 143
- Reaction score
- 22
Dear all,
After completing my PhD at a top-ranked school, I have gone through six months of agony looking for a teaching/research post or postdoc. Despite all my very best efforts, enthusiastic recommenders, and one interview, I have failed to find more than casual hourly teaching at the university where I earned the degree. I have been demoralized by this dearth of opportunity, and am contemplating leaving academia entirely. My problem is that I don't want to give up too soon. This year I'm teaching and giving papers at conferences, as well as working to publish articles in academic journals and work toward a book proposal to send out to potential publishers. Coming from this place of fatigue and semi-despair, I asked the YI:
--Is it really worthwhile to continue quietly persevering with my academic work, hoping that something will eventually change with due effort and persistence? I got 29.3>48. Sounds pretty grim, but it also seems to be telling me to hold still and not do anything or attempt to go anywhere. Sort of like a "don't thrash around-- wait" sort of message.
--What should I know about my current predicament and my sense of confusion about what path to take, eg stay in academia despite the lack of opportunities, or pursue other paths (I am also a journalist and freelance writer)? I got 20.6>8.
Ok, so it's all about contemplation and keeping still until I have more information? I do have the sense that a big part of this is figuring out whether academia even aligns with my inner sense of values, and my needs. I'm unsure at this point how much sacrifice I'm willing to make to find a good academic post. Scholars often have to chase crappy 1-year teaching posts for YEARS before finding something decent and stable, and then it's quite far from guaranteed such a post will ever manifest. So part of me thinks, give up the ghost now-- there are many ways to be happy and professionally fulfilled. But I also have a history of giving up too soon when I feel professionally thwarted. So I don't want to do that, either.
Aargh! Any help/advice/compassionate perspective very welcome. Thank you friends.
After completing my PhD at a top-ranked school, I have gone through six months of agony looking for a teaching/research post or postdoc. Despite all my very best efforts, enthusiastic recommenders, and one interview, I have failed to find more than casual hourly teaching at the university where I earned the degree. I have been demoralized by this dearth of opportunity, and am contemplating leaving academia entirely. My problem is that I don't want to give up too soon. This year I'm teaching and giving papers at conferences, as well as working to publish articles in academic journals and work toward a book proposal to send out to potential publishers. Coming from this place of fatigue and semi-despair, I asked the YI:
--Is it really worthwhile to continue quietly persevering with my academic work, hoping that something will eventually change with due effort and persistence? I got 29.3>48. Sounds pretty grim, but it also seems to be telling me to hold still and not do anything or attempt to go anywhere. Sort of like a "don't thrash around-- wait" sort of message.
--What should I know about my current predicament and my sense of confusion about what path to take, eg stay in academia despite the lack of opportunities, or pursue other paths (I am also a journalist and freelance writer)? I got 20.6>8.
Ok, so it's all about contemplation and keeping still until I have more information? I do have the sense that a big part of this is figuring out whether academia even aligns with my inner sense of values, and my needs. I'm unsure at this point how much sacrifice I'm willing to make to find a good academic post. Scholars often have to chase crappy 1-year teaching posts for YEARS before finding something decent and stable, and then it's quite far from guaranteed such a post will ever manifest. So part of me thinks, give up the ghost now-- there are many ways to be happy and professionally fulfilled. But I also have a history of giving up too soon when I feel professionally thwarted. So I don't want to do that, either.
Aargh! Any help/advice/compassionate perspective very welcome. Thank you friends.