Slashdot Mirror
Moving from Corporate IT to Science?
EdinBear asks: "I've been working as a SysAdmin in an increasingly corporate internet services company, which has been hit hard by the fallout from the .com bust. When I started some years ago, I felt I was helping small and interesting companies get benefit from the burgeoning Internet through useful and attractive web services. However, since the Internet became 'normal', the focus has been purely commercial - and instead of helping an enterprise get exposure in an interesting way, it's all about money and finance. I now feel I want to move into Science to use my skills in a productive, 'big picture' kind of way, rather than just helping a client get more rich through financial services. I'm interested to hear if other people have found themselves in a similar position; is the transfer to Science/Research/Academia difficult? Is the grass greener on the other side? The money is less, but is the job satisfaction more?"
Thisisnotintendedtobeatrollorflame,butisingeneral, thesadtruthaboutScience.Youdidn'tlistyourcurrentcr edentialsoryourcareerplans,soIwillputthisinplainea sy-to-readEnglish.Iwilltellyouexactlythesameadvice myundergraduatechemistryadvisortoldme.DONOTEVENTHI NKofgettingaPh.D.inScienceunlessyouaregraduatingfr omatop-notchgraduateprogram.TheworldisfullofPh.D's workingatMcDonald'sflippingburgersandstockingshelv esatWalmart.ThesadfactistherearenotenoughPh.D.jobs togoaroundforeveryPh.D.ThePh.D.isaterminaldegree,t hereisnodegreehigherthanthat.EvenanM.D.isloweronth eeducationscalethanaPh.D.IfyougetaPh.D.,youwillbei nthesamearenaasyourpeersgraduatingfromIvyLeaguesch ools,andjudgedaccordingly;thesamework/researchperf ormancewillbeexpectedofyou.Andbelieveme,youwillnot beabletodothatkindofworkbecausetheprogramyougradua tedfromdidn'ttrainyouandputyouthroughtherigorsnece ssaryforthatkindofwork.Ofcourse,weallknowthattheIv yLeagueschoolsselectthebeststudentsourgenepoolhast ooffer.Thereputationoftheschoolyougraduatefromwill likelycarryyoufurtherthanthedegreealone,assumingyo ubrown-noseyouradvisororhelphimorherwinthenobelpri ze.MyundergraduateadvisoralsowarnedmethatifthePh.D .isallthatyouareconcernedaboutgetting(fromanyavera ge-JoePh.D.program),bepreparedtospendtherestofyour lifeinpovertypostdocingaroundthecountrymaking$20k/ year.Youwillnothavemedicalbenefits,youwillnothaver etirementbenefits,youwillnothaveannualbonuses,YOUW ILLNOTLIVETHEAMERICANDREAM.Bythetimeyoufinallygeta roundtopayingoffyourstudentloans,andyouwillacquire studentloandebtingraduateschool,youwillbeverynearr etirement,stilldrivinganoldclunker,andneverowningy ourownhome.Unlessyou'realreadymarried,Icanthinkofn obetterwayofbeingchickREPELLANT.