Careerchat III

[Datepalm]

I found the old PhD thread but 'tis dead and locked I feel like opening some sort of PhD check-in thread is just a call to jinx things.

I'm drowning a little at the moment - I've got two papers in final manuscript stage, one of which I've been sitting on for like 1.5 years and another which just got rejected from a special issue. Possibly it wasn't a great fit, but this group was also the one who shepharded it from a concept note, and it probably wouldn't have made it to a whole paper without them. That said, they also kept pulling it in a direction I really didn't think was interesting. But the main thing is really that I just didn't have the time/focus for this, so I feel I flubbed it rather. It would have been a good issue to be part of. Oh well. But anyway, that's two manuscripts that need about a day's work each, and to be submitted somewhere, and I'm not getting to it. Then I've got a third that's in a middling-draft stage that I should knock into shape by the end of the month for a conference deadline. And then...ugh, not sure, a lot of side-hustles happening each of which would be better justified if I could get a paper out of it - the Small African Country Project, the Housing Thing for That Class, which I'm excited about but might take a few years to get together enough data for, a few different Gender-related things that are emerging that I'm not sure how to make come together, and then I've got a few more weeks fieldwork here I feel I could probably open up another project on, but I'm not sure what, and what of this to relate it to (maybe the gender stuff, actually...I have an idea there, but no idea if its doable...) and then some ideas for my actual PhD proposal have been coming together in the back of my head and need to get written down during the Fall. Oh and also my written candidacy exam I'm trying to push for in early-mid fall, so I can take my oral early spring.

 

 

[DMC]

2 minutes ago, Datepalm said:

Oh well. But anyway, that's two manuscripts that need about a day's work each, and to be submitted somewhere, and I'm not getting to it. Then I've got a third that's in a middling-draft stage that I should knock into shape by the end of the month for a conference deadline.

Cam almost exactly empathize with this (in terms of my three papers that constitute the diss).  I'm just so sick of all three at this point - after so many years spent on them - it's really hard to finish up.  And I'm probably just scared of the next step and it's psychological.  The light at the end of the tunnel is blinding when you get close.

[Datepalm]

30 minutes ago, DMC said:

Cam almost exactly empathize with this (in terms of my three papers that constitute the diss).  I'm just so sick of all three at this point - after so many years spent on them - it's really hard to finish up.  And I'm probably just scared of the next step and it's psychological.  The light at the end of the tunnel is blinding when you get close.

God yes. I can barely bring myself to look at some of it at this point. Which is all the more reason to have it be done, but if only that was how that worked.

The psychology of it is also, um, not helpful - I finally got my MA degree only like three weeks ago, because I had put off submitting a 1-page assignment that I needed for the one class. This thing had obviously gained all the weight of the whole, like, last 3 years of my life on it at some point.

[Iskaral Pust]

@Starkess congratulations.  It sounds like this process moves slowly but that’s a huge milestone.

@Jaxom 1974 that’s a pretty tough ask to fulfill. At least you have one recent former boss as a reference.  I know I would be wary of asking five people to be a reference because it really increases the chances that it eventually gets back to my current employer if I didn’t actually make the move.  You can use Linked-In to search for people with whom you lost touch.  I think most former bosses would be willing to do this for you, but you would prefer to have a relatively recent boss who saw you operate in a senior role. 

For myself, I’m still dissatisfied about this latest re-org at my firm.  I met with several senior people at a quite different type of firm about a quite different type of role.  It could be an interesting career change to make at this point, although it would require relocating (my wife is supportive but our son doesn’t want to move).  They want me to come back for another round in greater depth.  It might not result in anything but I’ll continue to explore it with them.

[Starkess]

Thanks everyone!! It does feel really good to be past this milestone, even if I still have a long way to go.  

DP, I feel you. The last push on my paper was like torture at times. I told my advisor I was just getting so damn sick of it, and he laughed and said that was how I should know it was almost ready. I believe you'll get it done!

22 hours ago, DMC said:

I'm not sure what discipline you're in, but so basically you mean you're now what my guys call "ABD" (all but dissertation)?  Congrats!

I'm in science (Astronomy & Astrophysics), and that's not a super common saying although I'm familiar with it. Technically yes! Although I haven't even come up with an idea for my thesis yet, let alone started to carry out any of the research. I'm just glad I've decided on my subfield (exoplanet dynamics).

21 hours ago, Altherion said:

Congratulations! If you already have a paper, with luck you might be able to do it in 2-3 years rather than 3-4.

Thanks! 2 years would really be pushing--stats for the past few years in my department have an average of 6 years to finish. 3 years more is my goal (which would be 5 years total), but we'll see. Having one paper already certainly helps, but it's probably not going to directly be part of my thesis, which I still have to define.

[Jaxom 1974]

18 hours ago, Iskaral Pust said:

@Starkess

@Jaxom 1974 that’s a pretty tough ask to fulfill. At least you have one recent former boss as a reference.  I know I would be wary of asking five people to be a reference because it really increases the chances that it eventually gets back to my current employer if I didn’t actually make the move.  You can use Linked-In to search for people with whom you lost touch.  I think most former bosses would be willing to do this for you, but you would prefer to have a relatively recent boss who saw you operate in a senior role. 

For myself, I’m still dissatisfied about this latest re-org at my firm.  I met with several senior people at a quite different type of firm about a quite different type of role.  It could be an interesting career change to make at this point, although it would require relocating (my wife is supportive but our son doesn’t want to move).  They want me to come back for another round in greater depth.  It might not result in anything but I’ll continue to explore it with them.

Eh. Turns out to be irrelevant, as I got word yesterday, before all my references came back, that I wasn't being advanced to the next round...damn.

[HexMachina]

On 7/19/2019 at 4:50 PM, Jaxom 1974 said:

Eh. Turns out to be irrelevant, as I got word yesterday, before all my references came back, that I wasn't being advanced to the next round...damn.

Damn, sorry Jaxom, that sucks. Did they give any feedback as to why or?

 

Small update, i’m loving my new job. The firm is great and willing to give responsibility to new starters (me) from the start (obviously as im new there is a little more stringent qc’ing of my work before it is finalised). The staff are fantastic, really helpful, full of tips for making the most of the job as well as tips for a legal career in general. And i just love the work. Sometimes i hit end of day and dont want to leave. Im a sad act like that.....

[Jaxom 1974]

2 hours ago, HelenaExMachina said:

Damn, sorry Jaxom, that sucks. Did they give any feedback as to why or?

 

 

Just that the actual hiring manager, not the HR person who had been screening me and thought I was a match, did not think I was a match 

I actually still worry that my current Director is hearing that I'm looking and she's scaring people off...she has connections around town through an association related to catering professionals that I have thus far refused to join because it isn't the networking group she claims it is that one can build one's business with, it's an excuse to go drinking...

[Datepalm]

6 hours ago, Jaxom 1974 said:

 it isn't the networking group she claims it is that one can build one's business with, it's an excuse to go drinking... 

...are you sure those aren't synonymous?

[Jaxom 1974]

7 hours ago, Datepalm said:

...are you sure those aren't synonymous?

They should be. But it's continually presented to me as a place to get new business...when I know she just wants to go drinking.  And since I don't want to pay hundreds in membership fees to drink, I'm still passing...

[Iskaral Pust]

On 7/19/2019 at 4:50 PM, Jaxom 1974 said:

Eh. Turns out to be irrelevant, as I got word yesterday, before all my references came back, that I wasn't being advanced to the next round...damn.

Sorry Jax.  I really hope it’s not your Director sabotaging you. 

I don’t know yours in particular but most networking groups/events are rubbish.  They’re full of salespeople and job seekers, so senior people with buying or hiring power will rarely ever attend, unless they want some free drinks and a pandering audience.  There’s just no value for their time at those events to be on the receiving end of dozens of pitches.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

I briefly skimmed the thread and couldn't find me asking it, so I'll do it now and apologize later if I already have. Is it worth it to use one of those services that really makes your resume pop a lot more? My friend showed me his, and while I think my school and work experience is better, his was definitely more eye catching. They also set up a really nice LinkedIn for him. Speaking of which, I don't think I've been on that site in years. Probably going to have to fix that because it's job hunting season.

[Kalbear]

On 7/23/2019 at 3:10 PM, Tywin et al. said:

I briefly skimmed the thread and couldn't find me asking it, so I'll do it now and apologize later if I already have. Is it worth it to use one of those services that really makes your resume pop a lot more? My friend showed me his, and while I think my school and work experience is better, his was definitely more eye catching. They also set up a really nice LinkedIn for him. Speaking of which, I don't think I've been on that site in years. Probably going to have to fix that because it's job hunting season.

Unless you're really desperate and competing with a lot of people, probably not. Depends a lot on your field, but I would think these days having a better LinkedIn profile, having better contacts, and having relevant experience matters a lot more than formatting. 

Also, speaking of LinkedIn this message amused me:

Quote

I was searching LinkedIn and thought your skillset matched a great client I have in Seattle. It is also a Sr. level position and has no budget for salary.

NO BUDGET FOR SALARY? SIGN ME UP

[Inigima]

I... have to assume it means there's not a defined upper bound, right? Unless it's a nonprofit looking for volunteers...

[DMC]

.....People still use Linkedin?  It's entirely worthless in my experience, so I guess at least in my discipline.  Sure it's probably different for others, who am I to say?  Anyway, I've always viewed it as kind of a joke, even when I was on it.  (Suppose I still am, maybe?)

[Datepalm]

Had a totally random encounter with someone at the next table at a cafe a few days ago who turned out to be working on something I could sort of contribute to a brainstorm on. They are a good bit more senior than me in this field, and apparently Linkedin is still a thing and is used both to check up on people and for actual recruitment purposes. I specifically asked whether they were serious about Linkedin because it sounds silly to me, but apparently not. This is in sort of international development type consulting stuff.

[Inigima]

15 hours ago, DMC said:

.....People still use Linkedin?  It's entirely worthless in my experience, so I guess at least in my discipline.  Sure it's probably different for others, who am I to say?  Anyway, I've always viewed it as kind of a joke, even when I was on it.  (Suppose I still am, maybe?)

I've never really used it other than adding former coworkers in case there's a professional reason to contact each other, but yeah, a lot of people absolutely do get jobs singlehandedly with LinkedIn. 

[Iskaral Pust]

On 8/10/2019 at 4:40 PM, Inigima said:

I've never really used it other than adding former coworkers in case there's a professional reason to contact each other, but yeah, a lot of people absolutely do get jobs singlehandedly with LinkedIn. 

Same.  I use it to stay in touch with industry contacts after they’ve changed jobs.  I ignore all the marketing, 95% of the connection requests, and almost all of the desperate job-seekers. 

[HexMachina]

Had some great feedback lately at work, and today i stepped out of my comfort zone too. We had some training for a new process that our particular office has never done before this week, but that we will be getting a lot more of in coming months. I was one of the three who worked on what we got this wee so had more context than most in the training. It meant i had some ideas on how to improve, how to make the training clearer, some handy advice for others etc. I was apprehensive to share this as ive only worked here for 6 weeks now but i approached a manager and put forward my basic ideas and comments. She was thrilled with my suggestions and i have been put in charge of a group to create a suitable training exercise for this process and oversee its implementation! Bouncing off the walls i was so chuffed

[Derfel Cadarn]

Finally got a start date for my new (internal) job. 3 weeks from now.

I’ve worked for the same public service organisation since 2002 (agency temp until Jan 2004 when i became permanent).

I’ve been in Resourcing since 2015 (forecasting emergency call demand) and am now moving to workforce demand.