You must log in or register to comment.
As a kid I was undecided between art and science as possible career paths. I chose art. I guess I was doomed anyway
We need to stop thinking about careers as fields we want to work in and more about the tasks we will be doing. As someone with a stem degree who works in manufacturing there are so many tasks that are more art form then doing any science. If I told you as a kid you could be a fully accomplished artist by becoming an engineer you would have blown me off.
At the end of the day, though, what always ends up happening is we become teachers, negotiators, and networkers. You can do it anywhere. Having a skill only gets you in the door.
I think we need to stop thinking about careers as dreams to be followed, and more as a means of making money. Dreams can be followed in your free time. Life demands money.
As someone who spent ten years attempting to follow my dreams and is now broke because he has a shitty job, it would be a lot easier to follow my dreams now if I had more money to spend and more time off to do it in.
If you have to work all the time just make ends meet, you don’t have time to follow your dreams. Get a good job first, then follow your dreams with all the money and time off you’ll have.
the “art” of engineering only works out if you are solid on the basics and that means a good understanding of the relevant physics, chemistry, biology and math as well as the ability to quantify the whole thing with proper math.
Would you like me to describe the many tasks an engineer is responsible for that does not involve physics, chemistry, biology, and math?
Answering your bosses mail, that the project cannot be done in the ridicolous time the marketing and sales team promised to the customer isn’t exactly an art specific to engineers.
I’ll take that as a no.
There’s plenty of engineers that are bad at math and science. They just worked hard to get where they are (or they got lucky).
Yeah but those aren’t the artists of engineering.
That’s a balanced take, I agree. It doesn’t make it any easier though, I guess it’s why the meme still works as a joke.
more about the tasks we will be doing.
In the US?
“Other duties as assigned.”
I chose art too!
I also realized the economics of higher ed only seem to have good chances of panning out if you go into
- Money business major with focus on capital.
- Engineering / computer science / bio science…but only if favored by the first group.
- Maybe medicine idk?
Academia is a pyramid scheme. There is no changing my mind.
When the job market is good, get a job.
When the job market is bad, get an education.
i don’t want either of those things
Then get a life.
But I don’t want that either
I like the wit of the quote, but living in a country where student debt will amass infinite interest and follow you to the grave pretty much checkmates that strategy lol.
Also: Speaking as a millennial, most of us came of age right about the time corner-office kids were wrapped around the building for a chance to work in fast food.
Job markets were said to be good for like 5 minutes after the Great Resignation…annnd we’re back to 2008 again lol.
Never stop learning. Use a job for as long as it’s useful and nothing more.
When they’re both good, get both.
When they’re both bad, live in your parents basement.
Academia is a scam and in a lot of ways the only reward for locking yourself into it is the opportunity to tell young people to just follow your narrow path to success. And I’m not saying everyone in academia is a trying to scam students, I mainly mean that PhDs lack objectivity on how the world works because they’re so locked into their weird little corner of the world and view of as fine and normal
As a recent PhD, yeah. A lot of people im my department are pretty isolated. When I was a grad student I felt pretty connected to the outside world because I was a worker, now I need to make sure I dont isolate myself
Anyone who worked in a lab as an undergrad knew this. Some of us still chose to pursue it…
As someone getting ready to use grad school to change careers, should I be worried
No. Especially if you have work experience, doing a MA or an MSc will be taken for the career pivoting skills development you sell it as.
Don’t do a PhD, though, unless you’re specifically trying to get into a job that looks for them. That is, unless you specifically want to do the PhD for the sake of doing it. A lot of employers see it the same way a retail employer sees a BSc - a sign that you’re a flight risk.
I’ve actually always wanted one solely for the sake of one. Only took an extra 10 years to figure out which I wanted it to be. However, I EMPHATICALLY do not want to get stuck in academia
Staying in academia is harder than leaving. One just generally cannot reenter academia after leaving.
Work on industry contacts and focus on projects with applications (ideally funded by your future employer).
Because other people said you should get one. That’s no way to choose a career / education path.
I chose this. I’ve got my undergrad and 10 years of work experience. This has been a developing plan for the past 8 years, so it’s not an uninformed decision and it’s not anyone else’s expectation.
But yes, you shouldn’t do something just because someone said so
Oh… I’m sorry, you’re massively overqualified for the position…
“THEN HIRE ME FOR IT YOU MOTHER FUCKER!”
Used to want to do an M.D. Realized I didn’t want to be 400k in debt before I’m even a resident. Thought I’d do a Ph.D in chemE, but didn’t feel like being underpaid and overworked for 4+ years.
Teaching is rewarding. So is connecting with your fellow students. It was a completely different league at CC vs. Uni. Did a lot of research throughout my undergrad. I still like what I majored in, but it took me a long time to adjust after my personality got absorbed and prepared to get fucked by grad school.
deleted by creator
I’m in stage three right now, where are you?
