Comment on Daily Discussion Thread đ˘đ Monday, August 5, 2024
melbourne_wanderer@aussie.zone â¨2⊠â¨months⊠ago
oof. Advertised for a junior/entry level position in my team (academic research), got 74 applications, many with PhDs. Rough.
Comment on Daily Discussion Thread đ˘đ Monday, August 5, 2024
melbourne_wanderer@aussie.zone â¨2⊠â¨months⊠ago
oof. Advertised for a junior/entry level position in my team (academic research), got 74 applications, many with PhDs. Rough.
Nath@aussie.zone â¨2⊠â¨months⊠ago
I know someone who had this problem about 15 years ago when she tried to get an entry level job. Her PhD made her a less attractive candidate because she was over qualified and employers didnât trust sheâd stick it out. But, she couldnât apply for senior positions because she didnât have enough experience.
It was the worst Catch-22. A very difficult period for her.
melbourne_wanderer@aussie.zone â¨2⊠â¨months⊠ago
this is a difficulty for people who go straight from undergrad to PhD. It can also be a slight warning sign (but absolutely not always) if a phd grad has no experience at all, because usually phd students need to supplement their scholarship/RTP, and supportive supervisors will give good students a boost with some casual work to give them experience/time on the books.
But yes - I often encourage students to get some experience, one way or another, while studying. Often, the type who go straight from one degree to the next are precisely the type who worry that taking a few hours out to do paid work each week will negatively impact their academic performance, etc, and they need to be gently reminded that a well rounded application is stronger than a straight H1 student who has never seen or done anything!
just_kitten@aussie.zone â¨2⊠â¨months⊠ago
I feel like some of this is definitely cultural - where I grew up and went to school, I wouldâve DEARLY loved to hear this advice:
It was always grades above all else because the system there rewarded that. Was a hard lesson in my own undergrad days and Iâm lucky some place gave me a chance in my second year despite hardly any work experience prior. For all the (perhaps partially justified) accusations of mediocrity or lack of rigour in Australian academia, or anti-intellectualism in Australia more generally, Iâm very very grateful for the relative sense of groundedness thatâs encouraged over here.