Fred

Senior Member
Oct 2, 2003
41,113
The only caveat I would offer is that the job market bad, and getting worse. You are only unfireable, as IZ says, if you get tenure, and unfortunately in the humanities these days tenure-track positions are becoming more difficult to come by. The majority of the folks I work with are on limited-term contracts (some of as low as 10 months, where they are never guaranteed their job at the end), and that seems to be the growing trend in North America.

BUT, if you're good at what you do, and persistent, then your chances are naturally higher. You just need to publish, publish, publish :D
I never knew you worked in academia?

Was always under the impression that you were an MA student.

and ya publishing in journal articles is indeed very important.
 

Kate

Moderator
Feb 7, 2011
18,595
I never knew you worked in academia?

Was always under the impression that you were an MA student.

and ya publishing in journal articles is indeed very important.
I am, but you are essentially starting your career here. If I don't do well, and publish, during these years then I am at a huge loss later on. You are pretty much doing the job from day one, but people are more forgiving towards you. For a while.
 

Fred

Senior Member
Oct 2, 2003
41,113
Eh no, it's the only thing that matters in that jungle :D
I am, but you are essentially starting your career here. If I don't do well, and publish, during these years then I am at a huge loss later on. You are pretty much doing the job from day one, but people are more forgiving towards you. For a while.
You still didn't finish your MA and you have to publish already? :shocked:

I guess the environment is kind of different here, while publishing your research is still important in the larger universities, most faculty get away with not publishing much in most other universities. Higher education institutions here are viewed more as knowledge transmitting institutions than knowledge creating institutions. Faculty would frequently have to teach 12, sometimes even 15 credit hours per semester, so there is hardly enough time left for research with that load.

Its probably why we don't have any prestigious universities here*, universities haven't developed that strong research culture yet.

*other than branches of prestigious Western universities, who most of the time are just money making arms of their parent organization.
 

Kate

Moderator
Feb 7, 2011
18,595
You still didn't finish your MA and you have to publish already? :shocked:

I guess the environment is kind of different here, while publishing your research is still important in the larger universities, most faculty get away with not publishing much in most other universities. Higher education institutions here are viewed more as knowledge transmitting institutions than knowledge creating institutions. Faculty would frequently have to teach 12, sometimes even 15 credit hours per semester, so there is hardly enough time left for research with that load.

Its probably why we don't have any prestigious universities here*, universities haven't developed that strong research culture yet.

*other than branches of prestigious Western universities, who most of the time are just money making arms of their parent organization.
If I want to get good funding for my PhD/look good on the job market later, then yes. Hopefully by the end of this year I will have two, but you never know. It is very much publications and research that get you jobs here, not teaching. In fact, if you teach too much you can shoot yourself in the foot (with experience you gain a "value", and you can eventually become too expensive to employ, all without having achieved many publications!) But teaching does not get you tenure, publications do, and it is getting to the point where you need to have written a book, not just a bunch of articles.

But it is also different by country. In France, for instance, publications while at graduate level are discouraged, and the job market is ever worse (much more about who you know, even worse than abroad).
 

swag

L'autista
Administrator
Sep 23, 2003
84,754
Feck yeah!

Just got an email from Jason Calacanis that he and the LAUNCH team selected my little start-up that could for promotion and showcasing at their LAUNCH Education & Kids conference next month. :weee:

They are requiring me to present at two rehearsals, including one in L.A. at the LAUNCH studios there where I'll also have dinner with the founders.

Damn, like Andy sez, I better not forget to brush my teeth.
 

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