In This Issue:
“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both, and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could … Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost
As you navigate your way through graduate school, the culmination of years of study might force you to consider two roads which diverge in somewhat seemingly opposite directions. Should I pursue an “academic” or “non-academic career?”
Just because you are pursuing a Master’s or doctoral degree does not automatically mean that you have to become a professor or ultimately pursue a career in higher education. To help you make a more informed decision or to help you negotiate a better starting salary take a look at the median faculty salaries for 2006-07.
A weak academic job market might encourage you to look beyond the ivory tower. After years of working on your thesis or dissertation you might come to believe that you are “Trained for Nothing”. However, you have aquired some marketable skills:
• Work well independently
• Manage a large project from start to finish
• Outstanding research and analytical skills
• Great professional presentation skills
• Outstanding ability to Multi-task
Nonetheless, finding an academic job is not as simple as sending the perfect cover letter along with the perfect resume. Most academic jobs require a curriculum vita (instead of a resume), letters of recommendations, writing sample/s, copies of teaching evaluations, transcripts, and sometimes a copy of syllabus for a course that you have taught.
Academic jobs are posted in cycles throughout the year, reflective of individual department resources and schedules. As a result, some of the most attractive jobs could be posted before the end of the year. So if you wait until your thesis or dissertation is finished to begin your job search, you may well have your Ph.D. in hand only to find your dream job has already been handed to someone else. You’ll be devastated to learn that the position was posted early and you missed the deadline.
Be sure to read the December 2005 edition of FinishLine for information on how to best prepare for the Academic Job Market. One “must do” is to explore whether the scholarly and professional Associations for your discipline maintain job listings; depending on your current finances, it may be worthwhile to pay the Association membership fee if doing so can produce some good job leads.
In addition, be a frequent visitor to the following periodical links, which include job listings of interest to scholars in all fields. (You can search by state and academic discipline.) Some of these links send daily or weekly updates directly to your email if you register with them. Registration is FREE and you can unsubscribe any time you like.
The Chronicle of Higher Education/Career Network
HigherED Jobs.Com
Academic360.com
Diverse Issues in Higher Education
Inside Higher Education
Science Careers.org
Nonprofits Professional Advisory Groups
If you are interested in taking the road less traveled by PhDs consider reading Gaberiela Montell’s article on Finding a Non-Academic Job, in Chronicle Careers. She provides a list of Web resources where you might find useful information and job listings on a variety of alternative careers.
Email Question of the Month:
Q:
Here is my thesis information that may be useful during your guidance: My title is Sustainable development through urban design in semi arid climate. Now I’m collecting my issues, however I’ve not any idea about my hypotheses and methodology either. Thank you. M.M.
A:
Thank you for contacting us at TADA Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished. You have to have a research question. What about sustainable development through urban design in a semi arid climate are you interested in?
Your methodology is based on what others who have written on this topic have done. Have they done a good job using the methods they used? If so, why not used the same methods or improve upon their methods.
What were their hypotheses? Were they right? Wrong? Almost right or almost wrong? Did they forget to consider something? Where is the gap that needs to be filled in the research?
You are not starting from scratch but building on what others have done on the topic…Have someone else done sustainable development through urban design in a different type of climate? If so, then that should be a study you should model yours after and then figure out how your study is different because your climate is different.
Wishing you all the best and hope that I have given you and answer to help move you forward.
Dr. Carter
TA-DA!™ Graduates —
Congratulations on Your Success
In my dissertation, I acknowledged your contributions (and I mentioned “Ta Da!”). Please feel free to use any of my statements–past, present, and future–as quotes on your web pages or in printed documents. In addition, I will continue to spread word about your effectiveness as a dissertation coach. – Sincerely, Michelle H.
Dear Dr. Carter, I am proud to say that I passed my defense the day before yesterday, and I can now call myself “Dr. G.!” I’m also pleased to report that all four examiners signed off on the paperwork immediately since there were no revisions required. Needless to say, I’m thrilled.
Thank you again for the wonderful TA-DA program. It was so helpful in keeping me on track and motivated. Your suggestions of what to do on days when writer’s block set in were especially helpful. Even on days when I didn’t do any writing, I still made strides towards completion by working on other necessary tasks, and that kept my spirits and my enthusiasm up. Thank you again for your help and your interest. – Dr. Janet M. G. Temple University
I did not post for the Spring Break Challenge, but I submitted my dissertation proposal to my Chair this morning!!! Thanks for your encouragement!! – Kathy P
Thanks to your help and encourgement, I am finally done. – Alan R.
I finished writing my thesis last week and I am waiting for my advisor to send me the corrections. . . I am also looking for a job related to Environmental Science.
- Kam
Sincerely,
Wendy Y. Carter, Ph.D.
email: drcarter@tadafinallyfinished.com
www.tadafinallyfinished.com
About the Author: As a single mother, professor Wendy Y. Carter, Ph.D., completed three masters’ degrees and a PhD. Her motto is a Good Thesis/Dissertation is a Done Thesis/Dissertation. She is the creator of a new innovative interactive resource tool on CD—TADA! Thesis and Dissertation Accomplished. To learn more and sign up for her FREE tips and teleclasses, contact us at info@tadafinallyfinished.com. Privacy is our policy. TADA™ Finishline does not give out or sell our subscribers’ names or e-mail addresses.
This entry was posted
on Wednesday, May 30th, 2007 at 8:14 am and is filed under 10 Graduate Student Mistakes, Waiting to Begin Your Job Search.
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