Time off Between MA and PhD- non academic, full time work

[teafortwo971]

Hello all, 

I've just finished an MA in Comp Lit, which I did immediately after finishing my BA in English. I am planning to apply for PhDs for Fall 2016, so that will be two years off between the MA and PhD (really just about 1 between finishing the MA and applying for the PhD) I know that (especially based on some of the other threads on this board) that time off is often considered a good thing; I am worried about what I will be doing with my time. 

 

I did my MA in the UK (I am a US citizen) and am keen on staying over here for a bit to work before returning home. If I do of course manage to acquire one of those impossible visas,  I will very likely be doing job that has nothing to do with my degree (most likely something administrative or in consultancy/grant/bid writing). There are no guarantees that if I were to go home I would be working within an academic field though I would have the freedom to try to get some kind of work within a university (no work restrictions!). I am planning to try to publish no matter what, and continue to submit to/attend conferences. I am just afraid that doing 'non academic' work for 2 years is going to reflect poorly on me. 

 

I guess my question is really, am I setting myself up for disaster if it appears I 'abandoned' academia to work for a few years? Is it going to make me incredibly less competitive.  I know Literature is a particularly difficult 'field' to work in, regardless, but if I am not involved with teaching, books, or academics at all I am afraid I am going to look less dedicated.

 

I know I need to time to apply because I would never get everything together by this December, but would it be best for me to pick up some odd jobs here and there that might tie in more with my future plans, rather than an unrelated, salaried position?

 

sorry this is so convoluted, but I really appreciate any advice! I feel like I need to make the major decisions Right. This. Second, though I know I still do have some time. 

 

thank you all so much! 

[lifealive]

You're overthinking the process. Adcoms really don't care what you did during your time away from the university. In other words, they don't care if you were running a successful business or working at Starbucks or writing serious pieces of journalism or saving whales. None of that will affect your application for better or worse. To be honest with you, they probably won't even notice what you did.

 

Taking two years off is no big deal either. Your degree will still be considered "fresh." When more than 5 years go by, then things get tricky. The field often changes in five years, making your research less up to date. Columbia even recommends that people who have been out of school for 5 years should take additional classes to produce up-to-date research and get recent letters of recommendation. But two years is considered a short span of time.

[teafortwo971]

Thank you for that--I do have a habit of overthinking everything. A lot of my MA cohort applied for PhDs whilst still finishing up the MA and I felt a bit behind. 

[Scottstein]

Don't worry,there is a fraternity of people out there,including me, who have fallen behind,with you.

Edited November 20, 2014 by Scottstein

[ProfLorax]

I guess my question is really, am I setting myself up for disaster if it appears I 'abandoned' academia to work for a few years? 

Nope!

[ComeBackZinc]

God, no. Take the job. 

[1Q84]

 working at Starbucks

 

Phew. Glad to know I won't be looked down upon.

 

And to teafortwo971, it may even appear to your benefit. Not that you put the fact that you're taking time off front and center in your application, but I have been told by numerous faculty members from all different schools (as it has been an anxiety of mine) that time off often correlates in their experience with more mature, committed and level-headed students, something that you can use to your advantage. My 2 cents. 

[lifealive]

Phew. Glad to know I won't be looked down upon.

 

 

Absolutely not. My friend poured coffee for a year and got into Harvard. I ran a non-profit and didn't get into any of my top choices.

 

They honestly don't care. Unless you've got *amazing* work experience that intriguingly intersects with your research (and you can write about in an SOP in a way that doesn't sound hokey or forced), it really won't make any difference.