2014. 9. 9.

Postdoc diaries: academic jobs are scarce but we're optimistic | Higher Education Network | Guardian Professional
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Search
Dean D'Souza: it's been a pretty successful six months. Photograph: Birkbeck, University of London
DeanD'Souza,PhDincognitiveneuroscience
Remember childhood? Job-hunting seemed to be so much easier back then. I recall that
I didn't even want my first few jobs. One day, my uncle told me that I needed
"toughening up". So he gave me a job in construction that was actually more boring (eg
mixing cement) than physically demanding.
For my second job, my friend convinced me to apply for work in silver service waiting
with him. We learnt some valuable life lessons ("food is served from the right-hand side
of the guest"), but we spent all our meagre wages on the fuel we needed to get us to work
and back. (In frustration, we later set up our own company, so we could work on the
things that we felt were important and would actually excite us.)
Although searching for or creating postdoc opportunities can be a stressful experience, I
have really enjoyed the past six months. My data has yielded novel findings, I drafted
my PhD thesis and a date has been set for the viva.
I also found a principal investigator (the head of a lab in Oxford University) who likes
my research enough to apply for funding with me. An organisation the Williams
Syndrome Foundation has also agreed to fund my research until the end of the year.
This gives me half a year to analyse and publish the extra data I have collected.
I am learning new techniques, building up a body of research and accumulating ideas. I
think this is important, because the market is so competitive that people don't stand a
chance of even being invited for interview at a top institution unless they look extremely
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Postdoc diaries: academic jobs are
scarce but we're optimistic
Forsixmonths,we'vefollowedPhDgraduatesMelandDeanin
theirhuntforajob.Thefinalinstalmentseesthemfeelingpositive
aboutthefuture
Mel Rohse and Dean D'Souza
Guardian Professional, Wednesday 18 June 2014 05.17 EDT

2014. 9. 9. Postdoc diaries: academic jobs are scarce but we're optimistic | Higher Education Network | Guardian Professional
http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/jun/18/university-academic-jobs-scarce/print 2/3
good on paper.
In other words, even the best person for a job has no chance of being discovered by the
selection panel unless that applicant has many publications, a significant amount of
experience, and contacts or potential collaborative partnerships.
I now fully appreciate why people claim that networking is essential. It's important to
meet people. For me, "networking" feels contrived. But I have to think of it differently;
it's an opportunity to meet (and work with) people you like. I'm going to do more of this,
starting with the talk I'm giving at a conference in Berlin next month.
But all in all, it has been a pretty successful six months. Over the next year, I hope to
analyse more data, publish more papers, develop research proposals and generate new
questions, meet new people in my field and obtain further funding to continue my
research.
Mel Rohse is planning
to stay involved in the academic community. Photograph: University of Bradford
MelRohse,PhDinpeacestudies
The five months since I submitted my thesis have flown by, and although I have been
involved in several projects, not all directly related to my job search, I have learned a
great deal both about the current job market in academia and myself. It appears that it's
even tougher to get a job in academia than I first thought there's a distinct lack of
entry-level jobs available (in the social sciences at least).
The sector faces concerns about the prevailing audit culture and mental health issues
among academics as well as worries about equality and diversity, which have led some
to leave higher education altogether.
I know it's only early days for me my viva was only five weeks ago so in the current
climate it's perhaps not surprising that I haven't been invited to an interview yet. Faced
with the difficulties of securing a position and the potential challenges once in a job, the
future can feel uncertain.
Last week I went to a conference and it was great to meet people from various
backgrounds, talk about my research and hear about the research others were doing.
The opening address by a professor who talked about the projects she had been involved
in during her career was inspiring and I left invigorated.
So as I reflect on the journey so far and on why I am pursuing a job in academia, I am
reminded of how passionate I am about doing and teaching research. I am now looking
for a job with my eyes more open than in January, but also with renewed determination.
I am going to keep applying for jobs but also concentrate on publishing my thesis and
working on a couple of papers, including a joint one with fellow peace studies graduates.
Indeed, at this point, I feel it is important for me to stay actively involved within the
academic community. As I graduate soon, I won't be affiliated to an institution any
longer and it could be easy to become isolated, when sharing ideas is at the heart of the
research endeavour.
2014. 9. 9. Postdoc diaries: academic jobs are scarce but we're optimistic | Higher Education Network | Guardian Professional
http://www.theguardian.com/higher-education-network/blog/2014/jun/18/university-academic-jobs-scarce/print 3/3
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I want to focus on being part of a community of thinking to engage with the research
ideas that matter to me and study new ones with other researchers. That way, I hope to
develop new avenues to explore and to keep sight of what it is that I enjoy about
research. First though, I can't wait to put my gown on next month and celebrate with the
friends and family who have supported me throughout the PhD process.
ThisisthelastinourseriesfollowingMelandDeanintheirhuntforajob,butweplan
toreturnforacatchupinsixmonths'time.
JointheHigherEducationNetworkformorecomment,analysisandjob
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