NationStates Jolt Archive

OK, so here is the deal. I am defending in a few months and need to start applying for jobs now, before its too late. My advisor is telling me all the joys and wonders of acedemia (ie a faculty position at some run-of-the-mill college, yadda-yadda-ya)

so, here is my question. Acedemia? Post-Doc? Industry? Please, tell me your stories, help me out here! I guess I am hoping to hear from people who have gone in different career paths, what you do, funny stories, anything like that!


poll coming (if I can figure this out!)

and if you post, I might give you a cookie! :eek:

OK, so here is the deal. I am defending in a few months and need to start applying for jobs now, before its too late. My advisor is telling me all the joys and wonders of acedemia (ie a faculty position at some run-of-the-mill college, yadda-yadda-ya)

so, here is my question. Acedemia? Post-Doc? Industry? Please, tell me your stories, help me out here! I guess I am hoping to hear from people who have gone in different career paths, what you do, funny stories, anything like that!


poll coming (if I can figure this out!)

and if you post, I might give you a cookie! :eek:
This is my official advice: if you have a weak immune system and/or anemia, don't go into a job in which you're outside all day long. You're highly likely to pass out and go into shock, after which you might be phased out of the schedule......

Otherwise, I'd say that teaching, whether or not it's run-of-the-mill, seems comfortable.

If you can get grants to do post-doc or combine teaching and researching (And you enjoy it), stick in academia. I have several friends who never want to leave university.

Personally, I look forward to my upcoming graduation and the chance to get out into my field. I might come back for a doctorate in a few years, though, but even then with the intention of returning to the wide world even more qualified.

I can't speak for myself, and I'm assuming grad school is past basic college, but my dad went straight into industry after he gave up on his Phd. Did some major research into something to do with bromine. The only thing I know about it is that a whole bunch of the chemicals he used to synthesise were banned as carcinogenic recently and he was well chuffed. :D

He seems to have enjoyed working fully in industry though - he did it in various jobs until recently and now he works for some private environmental regulation agency or something.

If you can get grants to do post-doc or combine teaching and researching (And you enjoy it), stick in academia. I have several friends who never want to leave university.

Personally, I look forward to my upcoming graduation and the chance to get out into my field. I might come back for a doctorate in a few years, though, but even then with the intention of returning to the wide world even more qualified.

Yeah, I do enjoy teaching, although since I have had to do it for the last year since our funding had gotten pulled, I feel really burnt out with it. COuld be from the fact that I am just trying to get the heck out of grad school so I can get a REAL paycheck. I do love research.....




oh yeah, almost forgot-- here are your cookies :D http://www.myhomecooking.net/chocolate-chip-cookies/chocolate-chip-cookies_small.jpgthanks

"Grad school" being...?

"Grad school" being...?

Sorry, I can be a big dolt sometimes.


Graduate School= School after college- so either getting a Master's or PhD in something (ie Chemistry, History, etc.)

You're going to make more money in industry.

Sorry, I can be a big dolt sometimes.


Graduate School= School after college- so either getting a Master's or PhD in something (ie Chemistry, History, etc.)

If I'm correct in thinking that by college you mean University (in our lingo), then grad school is a postgraduate course?

oh yeah, almost forgot-- here are your cookies :D http://www.myhomecooking.net/chocolate-chip-cookies/chocolate-chip-cookies_small.jpgthanks
Mmm, thanks for the cookies! They were quite tasty.

If I'm correct in thinking that by college you mean University (in our lingo), then grad school is a postgraduate course?

Yeah, in our college (university) we get a B.S. degree (Bachaelor's), after that graduate school would be equivalent to postgraduate course (so, in terms of years, starting from the first grade you would be in like the 17th year of school)

makes more sense to call it postgraduate school than graduate school since you have technically already graduated with some degree

Industry, if you have a master's or PhD, then I recommend going into industry. I work for a pharmeceutical company right now (I'm still an undergrad but plenty of my superiors are PhD's or research MD's) and they love their work.... plus they get paid incredibly well. The private sector rewards talent and hard work and inefficenty isn't generally tolerated (at least where I work), academia is unorganized and frankly isn't any fun (and the money's bad).

Yeah, in our college (university) we get a B.S. degree (Bachaelor's), after that graduate school would be equivalent to postgraduate course (so, in terms of years, starting from the first grade you would be in like the 17th year of school)

makes more sense to call it postgraduate school than graduate school since you have technically already graduated with some degree

Ah ok, seems more or less the same as our system, just with different names. Thanks for clearing that up :)

makes more sense to call it postgraduate school than graduate school since you have technically already graduated with some degree
But it is called graduate school because the students are all graduates...

I've got a BS in Chemistry. I'm a non-profit Accountant. Don't ask how that happened. *rofl*

I only advocate this if you absolutely hate Chemistry (me) and really don't care if you make crap money (also me).

Industry.

- Predictable hours
- Longer/Safer contract
- Work stays at work
- Big sexy cash

It's not really a decision. Academia is only for those who have mastered the subject but lack business acumen.

Academia is only for those who have mastered the subject but lack business acumen.

Or those who enjoy learning.

And/or can't be arsed getting a proper job.

Hmm, not sure what to tell you...

Research, research is the key in academia...publish or perish...

In terms of industrial jobs (As a Chemical Engineer Ph.D) presently it seems you need a minimum of five years industrial experience for most job openings in the CPI unless there is a major posting place I've been missing.

Of course the question becomes what area did you do your Ph.D. in?

OK, so my PhD in in Inorganic Chemistry/Organometallic Chemistry, pretty much useless except for the fact that all my work has included a lot of organic synthesis and heavy use of NMR (was on the tech support team for it so that is a plus too)


ahhhhh, and if what I wrote to above sounds like Greek to anyone else, its ok, some of it still greek to me, and I have been working on the project for 4 years

there are some industrial positions that I have applied for, mostly NMR stuff, and the money looks great- but I want to do research at these companies (protein structure stuff) AGGGGHHHH...just way to confused right now to figure out what I want to do.....



oh yeah, cookies for everyone thanks (http://silverlanddesserts.com/images/2003%20Pictures/Cookies,%20Large,%20Tin,4x3.jpg)

If I'm correct in thinking that by college you mean University (in our lingo), then grad school is a postgraduate course?
Quick lesson in under-stated English snobbery: I got kicked out of my first degree course at a college (Imperial, London University);and got my Masters at school (LSE, London University). Refered to as 'college' and 'school' respectively by their students. ;)

Or of course, if you really want to make money, you could do like half the chemistry graduates I know, and go into accountancy or finance. Boring as all hell, but the pay's good apparently

OK, so my PhD in in Inorganic Chemistry/Organometallic Chemistry, pretty much useless except for the fact that all my work has included a lot of organic synthesis and heavy use of NMR (was on the tech support team for it so that is a plus too)


ahhhhh, and if what I wrote to above sounds like Greek to anyone else, its ok, some of it still greek to me, and I have been working on the project for 4 years

there are some industrial positions that I have applied for, mostly NMR stuff, and the money looks great- but I want to do research at these companies (protein structure stuff) AGGGGHHHH...just way to confused right now to figure out what I want to do.....



oh yeah, cookies for everyone thanks (http://silverlanddesserts.com/images/2003%20Pictures/Cookies,%20Large,%20Tin,4x3.jpg)

You maybe able to get an entry level chemical synthesis job...really I've been ignoring those since ChemE's tend to think in the large scale versus the small scale synthisis.

But my work in developing a new research device related to LIF hasn't done me a bit of good. Nor has my job of developing pilot plant scale equipment as part of my job for the NSF.

Oh MU?

Oh MU?

yeah, Marquette University (in wisconsin)....


maybe I should just send off a bunch of CV's and then hope and pray for some offers- either post-doc or industry-- and worry about actually graduating.....

LIF? (i hate acroynyms sometimes) I am assuming NSF is National science foundation??

Yup,
Laser Induced Flourecence(sp there but I'm too tired to care) I sort of did what everyone knew needed to be done but couldn't figure out how to make it work or prove that it did work.

And NSF you were right on...

Word of warning on just sending out your CV. It seems these days you need to tailor your resume to what the little people in HR put in their computers.
Example if it says experience in computer programming, you can't say experience with C++, why because HR's rather limited geek knowledge doesn't know that C++ is a programing language.

If HR puts down NMR, you makes sure you say NMR
if they say Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (sp yeah tired here) you put down the whole blasted thing.

Really there is a great job that I'd be perfect for at Dow, problem is that they want someone with more fluid dynamics modeling than I have (Although between my experience in Chaos modeling and programming background I doubt I'd find it all that difficult) since my work is primarily experimental. So I'll never get past the gates of HR....:(

Joke of the Day
Questions I have been asked:
-So have you worked with chemicals?

It's not really a decision. Academia is only for those who have mastered the subject but lack business acumen.

It's this kind of thinking that has eroded America's educational standards AND our standing in the world.

Strip.

It's this kind of thinking that has eroded America's educational standards AND our standing in the world.
TG's from the UK and bullshit anyway.