to ask what people's impressions are of academics/the job role

[anotheracademic]

I see there are quite a few of us and also see from the recent money and salary threads how much people are earning, working conditions and qualifications .
Im wondering what non academics impressions are of what we do, what they think/thought we earn and what we are like.

My experience is in health so thats what I can give as examples. General HOD nhs departments, the social workers next door but 1, my friend who is a pharmacist, husband physio. my dentist.

I wish I knew how pay was worked out, never got to a senior enough level to be involved in decisions like that, but I believe it's quite a dark art! I started as a graduate so there was a standard starting salary for the whole class, but that increased each year, and how much it increased was decided by management but presumably based on performance and how badly they wanted to keep you, and what they thought your expectations were. Bonuses were performance-linked as well. For hires from other firms I guess salary would be negotiated as part of the recruitment process. Not directly linked to hours in any way though.

I thought academics, traditionally at least, aren't in this career for the monetary rewards but for the love of the research. I think if money is important and you're clever you go into investment banking instead.

I hope your red mark wasn't for me OP, I don't like being patronised

Thats really interesting ephiny and a bit woolly isnt it. I just get paid for a capped 18 hrs, no more no less.

Of course not April. :)

Or you get a job in the US. Senior academics can eran more than 100.000 dollars a year there.. or is it an urban legend?

By the way, I dont do any research in my post.

Well i just wish I was a modeler. Seriously, if you can model shit then go into biology and you'll be snapped up, get paid loads and all of them I know are barely in the office.

What is a modeler?

Like someone who can do demographic population change modeling. It's important in all areas of biology- for conservation knowledge/ virus movements around the globe, global change modeling etc etc

I think in US a postdoc gets around $40000 atm equates to ~ £26000?

peppapighastakenovermylife - The OP asked for opinions and I gave mine and used a post to illustrate one of the ways I think academics are removed from reality.

I don't think those in academia being removed from reality is always a bad thing. Sometimes you need to be outside of reality to think of ways to do things differently.

Some of the other professions are not that well paid. If I worked in the UK I would earn about 60% of what I make now and it would be less than what most academics with similiar experience get paid. Also, when comparing salary you need to include benefits such as pension, sick days etc etc. The only pension I get is what I put away for myself. Engineers are terribly paid on the whole considing the skills required.

the hours/payment thing was a problem for me (ex-academic) because the sums just don't add up. I have friends who work stupid hours in the city - one is a banker and one a lawyer - and they have several nannies so they can work basically any hours they are required to and will have cover. If you're an academic you're unlikely to be able to afford to pay for more than a normal working week's worth of childcare, with nothing on weekends, bank hols, etc, but universities often ignore bank holidays and conferences are generally held on Saturdays.

you don't have to spend much on clothes, though, as an academic

I am an academic. Drives me mad when my neighbours say "so you're on your holidays then?" out of term time. No I am not. "Holidays" are when I have valuable time to get research done/papers written/funding proposals submitted! I know that teachers get the same thing - "you only work 9 till 3:30, don't you?"

My opinion of them depends on the discipline.
It's not a well thought out philosophy as it's not something I'm overly bothered by but I'd imagine my ill-thought out valuations would place more importance on an academic of economics or law then one of philosophy due to their contribution to the real/economic world.
Although as I say this has been dreamt up in the last 30 seconds because until i saw the thread title I'd never really thought about it.
Academics are alright in my book, fair play to them. They add to a body of knowledge and produce some interesting work.

Yes, SybilBeddows, cue me running off to buy suit No.2 when I had a second interview for a job

I get asked the holiday one all the time too. My in laws just dont get it that we just have the usual 4 weeks a year or whatever and have to book time off like other jobs and work all year round, even when students arent in. In fact I had more leave in my previous job

Sybil but money saved on clothes goes on purple hair dye

I hink perhaps the semantics of 'research' is misleading. It sounds like some really enjoyable hobby.

Yes in theory finding out new things that you are interested in is great. But the whole writing reports, trying to get someone to publish, the funding nightmare, trying to get it out before someone else does, getting your work stolen by senior colleagues...

See what I mean about engineers?

You could have a few engineering lecturers on here annie :)

What's good about it is the flexibility but the hours can be brutal.

This year, I didn't have a day off - literally not a single day - between Boxing Day and when we broke up for Easter. At the end of last term I was getting the 7.09 bus into work, the 8.01pm bus home, and bringing c. 2-3 hours' work home with me every weekday except Fri and working at least 10-4 or 5 on weekends and often later. Thank goodness for Easter break when I can work more normal hours!! I don't know how anyone with DCs does it.

BUT I get to work on stuff I'm really interested in; no part of my job is boring. The students are mostly great. And it is varied and challenging. Today I spent the morning digging around in an archive and I think I've uncovered a little piece of history which has never been written about before. Then in the afternoon I was holding the hand of a student who had OD'd on amphetamines whilst trying to write her essay and then trying to redesign the departmental website to make it more efficient.

It is such a good job because you are never micromanaged and people give you the professional respect to let you get on with your own work. That's what's really good about it, the intellectual independence.

A double whammy!

I do get it really. I did a PhD and did not fancy postdoc-ing at all (and not just because I realised that actually I wasn't that hung up on research after all). I have friends who are academics and researchers and I know what it's like. But my own view is jaundiced by my supervisor. She had it down. We did the lab work - I never saw her wield a pipette in all my time there - she got the publications. She travelled the world marketing the university to overseas students and would leave contact details such as "Shangri-La Beach Hotel, Koh Samui". She did a bit of light lecturing, attended lots of conferences and generally had a blast. Those were the days! I know she did work like a dog to get there though.

revolting I am micromanaged to buggery

Bloody hell, i think thats my HOD annie.
Judith Chalmers

My dream job was one I could wear jeans to work for

So I am happy :)