THOUGHTS ON AN ACADEMIC CAREER

Written Nov. 26, 2012

So you are trying to decide on a career path, and you think that maybe being a professor would be a good career for you--or maybe not. Here are some things to consider in making a decision. (I have been a professor of psychology at Brandeis University for 37 years.)

First, I believe that an academic career can be a most rewarding and enjoyable life course. However, to have it be so, you must truly love teaching and mentoring others and research (that includes carrying out studies, writing grant proposals, writing articles and books for publication, and giving presentations at conferences and other events) and reading (keeping up) on the latest research in your chosen field.

You must also be able to tolerate a lack of closure. That is, you must be able to live with not knowing the full answers to your questions, to live with a job that is never quite finished.

Here are some of the criteria for success as an academic (professor): Each type of career, no doubt, has specific aspects that are used to determine the competence and status of those in that career. In an academic career, it is not a matter of how much money a person makes or their job title or their power over others that people care most about. But in this world people do judge each other on how smart they seem to be, how creative, how good they are at communicating their ideas through teaching and writing (publishing), how successful they are at getting grants to fund their research, and how influential their research is on others’ research and ideas.

Here are some benefits to an academic career: More than in most jobs, you are your own boss (you have autonomy in what you teach, what research you do, your writing, and the scheduling of your own time. You never punch a time clock; you get to follow your own interests and passions. You have long and flexible vacations. You have high status (let’s face it, it is cool being a doctor and a professor). Tenure is wonderful, if you get it-- it is a guaranteed job for as long as you want it. You get to associate with great young people and smart people, even as you get older (you are in a “community of scholars”). You get to continually learn. And you even have some travel subsidized (to conferences).

However, here are some drawbacks: Right now, there is a lot of stress in a tight job market. The tenure process and the pressure to publish and get grants can sometimes be intense. In addition, colleges and universities are in flux. Who knows what role professors will have twenty years from now. And you never really “get away.” Instead, you often work evenings and weekends, even if you do have your own flexible schedule. Professors tend to be busy, but most successful professionals in various fields tend to be busy; so that is probably not a distinguishing feature of this career path.

Other things to consider: The pay is OK. It is low compared to most other professionals but high compared to what most people make. Qualifying to be a professor takes a lot of schooling (typically a 5-year Ph.D. program, usually followed by a 2-year internship or post-doctoral fellowship). There are ancillary jobs that often go along with being a professor: in academic administration and committee work.

The Ultimate Rewards: This career can afford you a life of service and striving for social justice, if you so choose. You get to leave publications and research findings that may make a difference in people’s lives and enhance our understanding and the ways we help others. And you get to have a big influence on the attitudes, values and even the life courses of some students. Some of them even become your life-long friends. But the biggest reward should be this: Do you love what you do? Can you get up Monday morning and look forward to going to work?