Asking Professors for a Paid RA Position

[Meggy]

Hello, I'm new and have been looking though the threads here but haven't found anything regarding my question. I am going to graduate with my psych BA in the fall and have been working in one research lab since January and am starting work with another in the fall. Since I'm graduating early (in 3 years and 1 quarter) and would like to take 1 or 2 gap years before applying to grad schools, I would like to continue the work I've been doing with these research labs. The one I have been in longer I will be doing an independent study with in the fall and have 2 poster submissions I've been working on for them. We have also discussed possibly writing a publication. The other lab I will be starting also has poster/conference opportunities.

While I want to continue, I would not want to keep volunteering without pay since I won't be able to receive course credit and I will have my degree. However, I'm unsure how to go about asking professors for paid RA positions. Is this a common path people take after finishing undergrad? Has anyone else here been able to do paid work with professors after graduating? I'm currently working as a manager in a restaurant so I would love to finally leave and do research full-time! ?

Also, I am currently unsure of what grad school programs I want to apply to, but I'm leaning more towards a clinical psych PhD program. I'm interested in researching gender and trauma, and specifically sexual/domestic violence. One of my labs is focused on surveying girls and college women about their interest in STEM and their general experiences as women and girls. The other lab is looking at different things related to sexual/domestic violence. So hopefully both or either of these RA positions would be great boosters on my CV.

[juilletmercredi]

The best way to get paid lab work is to work as a lab manager/research coordinator post-college. It is very common for larger university labs at big R1/R2 universities to have a lab manager or research coordinator. Usually this person is a recent graduate with a BA in psychology who aspires to a PhD in the field. They complete administrative tasks to help get research done in the lab, and often participate in that research, get publications, present posters, etc. Many, many clinical psychology PhD hopefuls (and those in other fields) do this for 1-3 years before entering graduate school.

You can certainly ask your current lab about the potential for a paid research assistant position after college. However, if the lab doesn't already have a history of paying RAs and they only or primarily use unpaid undergraduate RA support, then I'd say your chances of getting one are pretty low in that particular lab. I'd just be direct with your professors once you've established a relationship with them - "I'm graduating in December 2018. I would like to go onto a PhD program in clinical psychology or a related field after, but I would really love to do some research work for a few years yet to learn more about research and help prepare my applications. Do you have/is there a possibility for any paid research positions for recent graduates in your lab?"

If they say no, then your next step would be talking to them and/or other advisors and asking them to pass along any lab manager/research coordinator positions they come across. These tend to start being published in February or March and continue through April and May and sometimes even a bit later - as the previous lab coordinators are getting accepted to doctoral programs and giving their notice. Given your interests, you should look outside of psychology, too. Some psychiatry, public health, or social work labs may also do similar research (although I'd try to work with someone who has training in psychiatry or psychology, if you can). You may also find paid research associate/assistant positions at nonprofit organizations, think tanks, and non-government organizations.

[t_ruth]

A thought: Is there any way you can postpone graduating? For me, there are mechanisms in place to easily hire current undergrads and these mechanisms save me lots of money over hiring someone who is already graduated.

You may have other reasons you need to graduate early, but if you can, it is often beneficial to stay through the spring. You can just take one class or take all your credits as independent study.