Article in The Guardian - leaving academia

[HercShipwright]

www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/may/01/academic-anonymous-leaving-academia

It's quite sad. The comments below (at the time of posting - I expect there will be a lot more comments in the next few hours) make interesting reading too. It does seem that in some areas of science (lab focussed) supply at post doc level is now far outstripping demand in the higher levels. Something to think about maybe for people considering an academic science career?

Some of the issues mentioned by the anonymous author are issues I recognise from experience (my own and that of family/friends) in other disciplines though. It's clearly not just science that has problems...

It does seem that in some areas of science (lab focussed) supply at post doc level is now far outstripping demand in the higher levels

I think this is the case in many areas. But not everyone wants to stay in HE of course. Many people I know did a post-doc to get more experience before moving into private sector research jobs.

The adverts for post doc appointments at HEI s look for candidates with strong research potential, a proven record of publications ,some want previous post doc experience and they make it clear that it involves work of high intensity and international contacts. Industry/labs as well offer post doc research fellowships - not just universities and appears that doing a post-doc is needed to get a job in science not just in HE.

Very interesting. I'm a postdoc in a rg uni, just writing fellowships. I am very good, false modesty aside, tons of first author high impact papers etc, but I am really REALLY struggling to get motivated. If I get a fellowship (and success rates are about 5%) I'll have to write one every three years for the rest of my career. Ugh. And I want to see my children more :(

Really toying with part time editing or something from home. Only thing stopping me is competitiveness with my peers, really.

When I left academia there were apparently 600 or so applications for every job in my field (300 of those were 'viable'). And then if you got the job you were treated like crap... meanwhile in the upper echelons, there 's more and more professors being made, doing no teaching or admin... leaving a ridiculous workload for post docs and new lecturers.... :(

But what else are we trained for (except being batman's evil nemesis )

Mmm.

I have a lot of sympathy with the author of that but it also got up my nose.

No one who finished a PhD recently wouldn't know postdocs are normal. Describing them as 'purgatory' bothers me.

Maybe sciences is much nicer and less pressured (!?), but I don't follow why this person thought they'd suddenly have masses of free time after the PhD? I'm probably reading into things here as I've always been told very clearly that you get a shitload of new responsibilities in a postdoc and you will look back fondly to your seemingly stress-free PhD, just as you do every time you move up a level in anything.

Though I do see why this person is complaining, presenting this as new and unexpected actually minimizes the issue, because it implies this is all very new. I really find that a bit crappy.