AMA - I'm a lecturer in social sciences - business

[NChange10]

Been working for 30 years. Ask me anything.
I'm in a Russell group. I'll try to answer.

@Crispynoodle
Do you not think this will impact jobs in future? Less staff needed?

Do you agree that the current housing situation is bad for the economy and therefore for businesses in general? Renters have less disposable income and their landlords have more, resulting in less equality?

Cities such as London, Cambridge and Edinburgh lose out on some of the best candidates for jobs as so many young people can't afford to live there?

Housing insecurity is stressful and contributes to negative health outcomes and potentially less productive workers?

BTL results in private individuals having fewer financial investments in things that benefit the economy and therefore businesses?

Good question @mibbelucieachwell

I am in rural southern England and it is a struggle to recruit people who don’t already live in the area due to the housing situation, and businesses struggle to attract investment from small scale investors in a way they used to.

Those of you hankering after shifting across to HE really should read some threads in the Academic Common Room section of MN or follow some people in posts you’d like to do on #academictwitter

Its not what you think it is, particularly if you don’t have a PhD or a research profile.

Seconded!

I absolutely love my job, my colleagues, even the difficult students aren't an issue to me. On a practical level, as a neurodivergent person, I've found the universities I've worked at to be very inclusive, accomodating workplaces and lasted longer in academia/HE teaching than anything else.

But there's been zero job security. Series of FTCs, two redundancies, cannot secure a permanent contract in my field and it's nothing to do with poor work performance. Phds are now pretty meaningless in my subject/s...this wasn't the case pre-pandemic. To survive, I have to take on work that anyone with a degree can do in the summers or until the next semester can do...school cover work, writing commissions, invigilating, tutoring, EAL summer schools etc. Sometimes I wish I'd trained as a hairdresser or beauty therapist instead and opened my own business - the local salon owners I socialise with are doing far better than me moneywise for less stress overall! Especially if they offer training too.

@PerkyMintDeer
I've often wished I'd not been so academic at school and become a hairdresser! They do seem to do well especially when they have their own business. Same with lads at school who were in bottom set and went on to become successful builders and plumbers.

I’m doing what I’ve wanted to do since I was about 14. But the sector has changed: government neglect and disrespect from the public - often parents of students. We work hard, we e had long years of training (a post-doc researcher is pretty much at the level of training as a consultant medico) but increasing insecurity for those at the bottom, and onerous workloads for those of us at the top- without the salary that equivalent professionals - say, civil servants - receive.

But for me it’s the lack of respect for our expertise that is troubling ( you only have to read the Higher Ed forum here on MN to see that) The only way this country can prosper is as a knowledge economy. UK research punches way above our weight and people from all over the world arr prepared to pay very high fees to be taught by us. But respect in the UK? Crickets ….

I have a social science degree from early 00s. Considering a career change. What careers with longevity would you recommend to students with a social degree these days?

Thank you for your reply. I have qualified in something else since, which I do now 4 days a week, teaching it the other day. I LOVE the teaching, really does fulfil me ('adult' students) however the other job-honestly, I am BORED!

My brain seldom has 10% of itself used during work, I could do this job standing on my head, which leads me into self-destructive habits (nothing dramatic but I mean I stay up late, reading and scrubbing up on knowledge etc, drinking too much wine if I meet someone interesting in the pub)-I want to be learning and 'doing' as a job not just earning money.

Okay-could you please point me toward where to look?
I have heard it is hard without a PHD and I really couldn't afford one, time or money-wise I've supported myself all of life but have never had a 'real' partner or settled down. I feel this is my last shot really, to get a fulfilling career.

Apologies for the overspill. I am just in a particularly frustrating mood at the moment-thinking something must change for me soon.

As the OP suggests upthread do your research on

jobs.ac.uk

it’s where most academic jobs and PhD studentships are advertised.