On the personal statement: career goals

[TheMercySeat]

I figured it would be prudent to consult the masses on this one: what is the 'wrong' response for career goals? 

 

I am under the impression that (1) leaving academia is frowned down on, and (2) the outlook for reasonable, full time professor gigs is grim. Here is an uplifting link in reference to the second point: http://northwesthistory.blogspot.com/2011/11/open-letter-to-my-students-no-you.html

 

I am asking this because I want to be a research scientist, but I fear the implications for stating such on a PhD application. I would happily... stretch the truth by stating that I would like to be a professor, but I do not ad comms thinking that I am delusional, either. 

 

 

Thoughts? 

 

I have not been in academia for four years, two of which I have spent in industry research. My perspective on this is limited, hence why I am consulting folks on this forum...

Edited November 4, 2014 by TheMercySeat

[juilletmercredi]

This is a touchy topic that will vary from department to department.  In many departments, academia is the only acceptable answer even if that's unrealistic to expect.  In others, research scientist positions in tandem fields (like the federal government or think tanks) is okay but industry (like consulting or market research) is frowned upon.

 

I think that you can hedge your bets/be safe by saying that you'd like a career as an independent researcher in X field ("X field" being your subfield/research area).  You don't need to say you want to be a professor.

 

For what it's worth, in my own statement I said that I wanted to be a research scientist at a government agency, but I was applying to a joint public health program and that was a common post-PhD destination (and my departments were quite amenable to non-academic research jobs).

[TheMercySeat]

This is a touchy topic that will vary from department to department.  In many departments, academia is the only acceptable answer even if that's unrealistic to expect.  In others, research scientist positions in tandem fields (like the federal government or think tanks) is okay but industry (like consulting or market research) is frowned upon.

 

 

Such a shame!!! There is some breathtaking research in the private sector, evidenced by Google and private-sector grant recipients from IARPA, DARPA, and the like. I do some pretty cool stuff at my current job that does not involve scamming the general public. In fact, when I accepted my current job, my options were either to work abnormal hours for slave wages to scrap saliva off of tongues at a university, or to accept a private sector job that would cross-train me for several high-profile, federally funded, innovative projects with guarentees of publications, conferences, and the like. Seemed ike a no-brainer    

 

Back on point, thank you very kindly for this feedback.

I think I will say that I want to be a research scientist or a professor... just to be safe. It will be a half-truth because the idea of being a PT prof in addition to a research job does appeal to me and further, the bulk of prof gigs are PT, anyway. Becoming a professor is a career path that I would never want to rely on for a stable, livable salary, though. 

Edited November 5, 2014 by TheMercySeat

[lewin]

I think you can say you "would like to" or "plan to" be an academic even if you're realistic about the probability of it happening being low. I can think of two reasons why some programs only take people who plan to be academics. First, profs are evaluated base on the success of their trainees and it's more prestigious to say you trained someone who went on to be a notable academic. Second, they put 5-7 years into training you but if you go into academia it's more likely that you'll be a career-long research collaborator and they'll get long-term benefits (i.e., be an investment that pays off).

 

 

 

 

 

 the idea of being a PT prof in addition to a research job does appeal to me and further, the bulk of prof gigs are PT, anyway. 

 

Strictly speaking, professors are tenured or tenure-track employees who research and teach, and always full time. Part time faculty are not styled as professors and often just teach.... and I agree that contract teaching is not usually a career path with good stability or salary.

[psych face]

I figured it would be prudent to consult the masses on this one: what is the 'wrong' response for career goals? 

 

 

From what I hear, the 'wrong' response is the one that is a lie. My professors told me that if you choose to tell them what you think they want to hear, they will eventually figure it and that won't be good for you.

[TheMercySeat]

From what I hear, the 'wrong' response is the one that is a lie. My professors told me that if you choose to tell them what you think they want to hear, they will eventually figure it and that won't be good for you.

Naturally,I started researching this topic further, and started reading some horror stories blogs about PhD candidates coming out to their committees and advisors about wanting to be a research scientist.

The nonprofit research firm I work for hires and contracts professors constantly. People here vacillate between academia and industry here alllll the time, so I'm so far removed from having a holistic, clear understanding the attitudes professors have about industry research. I just don't want to get locked out of all options for saying I REALLY like research, and I'd really like to elucidate complex social problems with it

I like academia too, but there's little evidence that professorship jobs are keeping up with the number of awarded PhDs.

Edited November 6, 2014 by TheMercySeat