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^^^^ I think Crazyweasel was saying he couldn't access your resume. Link is useless for me too. Recently I've gotten into a quandary that I would appreciate having some goonpinion on. I've worked for two years in 'research' and analyst type positions. A couple of days back I've successfully interviewed for a job that would pay me 30% more, and the company seems more likely to give raises than the previous ones I've worked for. Downside is, the hiring manager was very adamant about me sticking with the company for at least 3 years. I guess if I quit within 3 years, he'll make things difficult for me in that particular industry. Complicating matters is the fact that some of the many half-assed PhD interest checks I've sent out over the past few months are actually starting to bear fruit. I have two applications for comp sci related positions scheduled to start in Fall 2013 that I have good vibes on. The admissions committees are taking their sweet time deliberating now and I think I should know by next month if I'm successful or not. Both schools' reputation are middling at best. Basically, I don't want to burn any bridges, but I'd also like to hedge my bets. My 'career' goals lean heavily towards whichever option boosts my chances of leaving the third world shithole I currently inhabit. The way I'm seeing this is: Option 1: Take job, work for 5+ years, save up enough money to get a master's, go for it, get good references and apply to top schools for PhD. Option 2: Chance it with getting a PhD from half-decent schools in hopes that it'll help me land a postdoc or real job in some faraway land. Option 3: Take the job. Work for 2-3 months then quit if I get accepted to the PhD programs.
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Apr 18, 2013 07:07
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Xguard86 posted:I have no advice specifically but don't do number three. Morally, its a dick move and hangs your employer out to dry and practically it will bite you in the rear end in the future. I hear you. If I were to actually take Option 3, I'd take comfort knowing that psychopathy is highly correlated with managerial success.  I really want to get into Prof A's program. I just wished I knew if the professor was stringing me along or something, maybe so that he can pad out the number of applicants, or maybe he just feels sorry for me. I have contacted Prof A before but found out that the position he advertised for was filled up. A month later, he suddenly sent me an email asking me to apply for an opening ASAP because the application deadline was the following day. But, when I recently asked him if he could honestly tell me my chances of getting into the program given what he's seen so far, he gave me the evasive 'this program is highly competitive' answer. Don't really know how to read between the lines here. I will be forced to make a choice between Option 1 & 2 in a couple of days and if I haven't made up my mind I'm flipping a coin. huhwhat fucked around with this message at 11:07 on Apr 21, 2013 |
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Apr 20, 2013 15:16
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greatZebu posted:As a recent PhD, I'd advise you against 2 unless you're extremely excited about doing research with the advisor you've got lined up. The outlook for research funding is very bad right now, and anecdotally the attrition rate for PhD students who were on the fence about joining the program is incredibly high. Hmm, mind if I ask what program you're in? I admit that I am on the fence. The stipend, not taking into account the local cost of living, is about 2 times what I'll be making if I accepted my new job offer, and that stipend is guaranteed for the duration of the program. While I'm not extremely passionate about the research area, I do like it because it's the kind of niche that will be in demand internationally, and it still has some ties to machine learning which I love. Edit: Oh hey, I thought, with Decision-Day drawing closer, there's nothing to lose by being honest. Thought I should try deferring my job offer (by 2 months while waiting for admissions committee to make up their mind  ) by telling my sob story to the hiring manager and hoping to get some sympathy, but phone calls to the hiring manager did not go through both times. OK, I thought maybe I should try this honesty thing with the prof instead. After some back-and-forth emails, I finally got him to weigh in on my chances, and it's basically "don't wait for the program to make a decision, they are really selective". My fence-sitting behavior no doubt factored into the advice he gave me.
huhwhat fucked around with this message at 10:45 on Apr 23, 2013 |
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Apr 23, 2013 10:21
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LogisticEarth posted:So, am I crazy for considering dumping my good but soul-crushing job, for an easier gig so I can re-tool myself? For what it's worth, my fiance has said she'd rather see me make less money and be happier, than be miserable where I am. But there's no guarantee I'd actually be happier in the new place, and I'd feel like a huge chump if it didn't work out. If you aren't being hyperbolic on how much you hate your current job, then change your job. Usually, it's the organizational flaws that get to me and make me switch jobs. Every job change allowed me to meet new people, learn new skills and opened me up to new career opportunities that I've never even considered. You may end up not being happy in your new position, but I'm sure you'll have the time (no more long hours!) to figure what you really like and what's the next step you should take to grow your career.
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Apr 23, 2013 16:00
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