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Why the glass is half full...
22 November 2009
By Elizabeth Dodson
In my experience, research careers are full of crossroads and I'm approaching one of those now. Shifts in funding lead to changes in projects and in emphasis. In addition, my department is preparing to merge into a larger school where there will be a greater focus on teaching.
So I have to ask myself, what do I want my job to be? How attached am I to my current area of research? How do I feel about new challenges?
I've never had a job before that could change so much while still essentially being the same job. I guess this is where the glass is half full or half empty analogy comes in. I could tie myself in knots about the lack of certainty about my position but I have chosen to see it as an opportunity to reinvent what my career is and where I am going.
The last time I faced a career crossroads, I made the push to better establish my position by gaining chartered status in my discipline. Hopefully this time will be another opportunity to question my direction and focus on new exciting goals.
I think one of the things I like most about this career is the fact that I can't just stagnate, as the world changes around me, I have to move with it. At the very least, it makes life interesting...
Nick Dickens23 November 2009 at 02:05 PM
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Elizabeth, this sounds like a very exciting/stressful time. I hope it goes well and that you continue to post on your experiences. Having just taken a leap in a slightly new direction recently I sympathize. Good luck.
George Whale23 November 2009 at 02:14 PM
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I agree with you Elizabeth on the importance of not stagnating, of keeping an open mind whilst continually updating and extending professional skills. And I admire your positive attitude, which is always a valuable attribute. But the drawback of making substantial career changes every few years is that we can find ourselves continually sliding back to square one, as in a bad game of snakes and ladders. Sometimes the best counter-strategy is to hold out for something worthy of our talents, even if it does mean financial pressure or unemployment in the short term. I believe that eventually there will have to be a general acceptance by the research institutions and funding bodies that even humble contract researchers require some kind of meaningful career path if they are to stay productive and motivated over the longer term. Additionally, I believe that it is going to become very difficult to recruit bright young people if they think that a research career that begins at junior assistant level is likely to end at the same level 10, 15 or 20 years later. On a more positive note, from reading some of the blog contributions here, it is evident that some institutions, some disciplines, are getting the message of the Concordat, and are making significant steps in the right direction.
Sarah Davies25 November 2009 at 04:03 PM
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This reminds me of the (possibly apocryphal) proverb: may you live in interesting times. Great that you're making the most of this interesting-ness as well as dealing with its downsides!
Elizabeth Dodson25 November 2009 at 10:14 PM
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Thanks for your comments. George: I very much agree that there would be great benefits if we could get more support for career researchers in terms of structured career paths (similar to those enjoyed by lecturers). I hope that as universities work towards the implementation of the Concordat, this need may be given more serious consideration - although funding will always be one of the major barriers to overcome. With regards to snakes and ladders, I like to think that I'm still climbing, because although I may need to change direction as old projects end and new ones begin - I'm never starting with a blank slate. This is where our transferable skills are so valuable and why progression should still be possible. I've been lucky to work in a group that tries to hold onto its research staff and values their experience. People in this group don't tend to stay on the same grade for an unreasonably long time, but they are expected to make their own opportunities and supported to do so. I hope this ethos continues and spreads when we merge with other departments next year... :-)