h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have been considering a change of direction career wise, well, more changing to have a direction. I found something I loved then clung to it like a blanket but it’s time for a change.
I have two options; I can do something with more management or something more academic.
More management has the advantage of more money and less teaching but I don’t like any of the management tasks that I’d have to deliver. It would be less of what I like and more of what I hate.
More academic has the advantage of doing more of what I love but for less money. The less money would be partly countered by more holidays and less travel.

A job has come up in the one University in the UK that I really want to work for (they do what I specialise in). It’s a teaching focused lectureship. It’s kind of commutable, it’s not as little money as I feared, and I’d get to do my PhD. I meet the criteria on the person spec.

I don’t know if I should apply or not.

I could manage with less money. I’m very wasteful.

But what if I got the job and had to go somewhere new and meet new people…

What if I’m not quite as clever as I thought I was and can’t do the PhD….

What if I loved it….

If I can do a PhD.. surely you can. Not that I've done one.

Just apply for it, you'll kick yourself if you don't. I find academic to be a very very intellectually stimulating enviroment, which is something that would be hard to replicate elsewhere.

I think you should apply, you can always say no if you get an offer but don't think it is for you

Would you not enjoy going somewhere new and meeting new people? It is just that I would have thought that was that was something you would find quite appealing.

You strike me as clever enough to a PhD

Peanut

My new step-mum is a couple of years older than me and has just finished university. She’s just trying to figure out what she wants to do. I feel a bit jealous because I’ve done what I have done (I like it, they pay me well). Now I’m considering starting again I feel very scared!

She wants to be a teacher but forgot to check the necessary qualifications before she started her degree and now finds it isn’t quite relevant. She also doesn’t have maths GCSE which has led to many family conversations on ‘why do you need maths GCSE to be a teacher?’.

I’m worried I’ll find I don’t have maths GCSE. Although obviously not maths GCSE I know I have that

Would this be starting again though, or would it be an extension of your current career?

Do you know anyone in your new career you can have a coffee with and have a chat about whether or not you don't have a Maths GCSE?

Also I found I didn't have one whilst going academic, but I have made up for it.

Yes I do know someone who has made the same move but to a less prestigious university. He alternatively says ‘go for it you’ll love it’ and ‘you’ll find the atmosphere less dynamic don’t do it’. He also says that some of the stuff I do as part of my job now (reviewing books, being an external examiner) I could be paid for and so make up some of the loss of income.

One of the advantages of my current job is that I get to do international development work occasionally but I’m no longer so sure about that. The people in Nigeria have asked me to come back and I’m a bit terrified.

My mum used to work in academia and she says it’s very competitive and back biting and hard for women to succeed because you feel like you are having to run for president every day. She thinks I’d fail.

I’ve sort of decided not to apply but have started making notes on how I meet the person spec.

I’m a bit confused because it asks for teaching experience at advanced level (essential) and at HE level (desirable) in either financial statement analysis, audit or financial reporting. I’ve taught all of these in the professional qualification which has been assessed as NVQ level 5 (postgraduate equivalent) and I’ve taught on an MBA programme at Warwick Business School but I’m not sure where the distinction falls between advanced and HE?

I still can't decide... Closing date Wednesday ...

On the plus side

I've written a personal statement and it seems a shame to waste it...

Negative

I'm not sure it's commutable

Positive

Someone from my book group does the same commute we could share petrol

Negative

I have to fill in the form

.....argh what to do? It's possible I will drive myself crazy before the deadline thus avoiding the problem...

Fill it in! Just do it, once you have the interview you'll be better placed to make up your mind.

be a shame to waste a personal statement like that, go on fill it in, post it, see what happens

I have done it!

In the end I decided that
I'd asked some random people on he internet what I should do
they were sweet enough to reply
and it'd be rude to ignore their advice.

Obviously the next stage is to wait and see if I hear anything...

I once applied for a job and on not hearing anything I assumed it was one of these rude companies who don't send rejection letters so I phoned to complain.

They were planning to offer me an interview...they were just very very slow...

Note to self; don't do that again.

and I'm pleased to hear that you didn't waste that personal statement

how do you feel about it now?

Really smug! Even if it doesn't go any further (maybe especially) I feel as if I've achieved something in applying for this job.

well, you have, so you deserve that smug feeling

for filling out the form and posting it

I didn't get an interview. Word on the grape vine is that they didn't interview anyone. I have very mixed feelings about this but a new opportunity has come up in my present job (Bangladesh) which I think I prefer.

well they missed out there then didn't they, the fools, sounds like more of a procedure exercise to comply with the law, I think you have to advertise certain jobs don't you, I'm not sure

you put yourself out there and that was a step for you take

and with a new opportunity for you to consider, a preferable one to boot, as they say as one door closes, another one opens, at least you are knocking

I was going to leave , then remembered your wetsuit, so leaves an

how is the diet going and what did you do with the cottage cheese in the end

The diet has become amusing. The first two weeks were good- I lost 6 pounds. The last two weeks I've made no attempt to stick to it (very much travelling) but have been weighing myself daily. As of yesterday I hadn't but the 6 pounds back on but yesterday I broke the bathroom scales so I can nolonger watch my weight in morbid fascination whilst taking no action.

I came to the conclusion that the cottage cheese was some kind of diet talisman but my inability to go shopping overtook; I had the cottage cheese with pasta and spinach (which was delicious), cottage cheese with baked potato and chilli, cottage cheese with aubergine curry and cottage cheese with marmite (but don't bother about the bread said Pooh).

Can I add you to my friends?

well the cottage cheese diet seemed to work for you.

Just out interest I wonder if while you haven't been dieting as such is that you are doing something different, portion sizes, changed your snacks or something like that.

of course you can add me to your friends, thank you. I don't have one, I didn't realise there was one for about 8 years, not very observant me

I am applying for another! I've got over the 'I want to work for THAT university' hyperboyle and I'm applying for another.

The boss is closing down our office and making us all home workers which is both good and bad but definitely time for a change or at least the begining of a change.

I read your contemplation thread today and wondered if you had been perusing vacancies, seems so

How does working from home suit you and do you know what you are doing yet preparing for a trip or authoring like fury?

Still waiting...

Nothing happens...I've opened the blinds so I can see the sky, I've written to people whom I still right letters to, I've done my filing.

I'm considering how exactly one would die of boredom, would bodily functions gradually shut down...

I'm considering jobs in more improbable places (Bangor? Saudi?).