When my time came to be “on the market,” I wasn’t. I never applied for an academic job. This wasn’t so much because I decided not to; rather, the thought of doing so made me cringe. Big time. Luckily, I’d gotten some decent scholarships, lived cheaply, and at the end of my PhD could afford to be unemployed for a while. The pressure that might well have forced me to put aside my disgust wasn’t there.
I can’t speak for others, but I know the above wording implies I think some people are forced by financial circumstance into applying for jobs that make them cringe, too. I do. I also think there are other forces at play that send talented, accomplished PhDs into “sessional hell” or whatever you like to call it. Per-course adjuncting, full-time contract teaching, and even tenure-track positions are applied for and landed by people who might opt differently if they were freer to chose. This is what I think. And it’s really a shame.
I’m reminded of this waste of resources whenever I see things like this, a project co-sponsored by the Chronicle of Higher Education to track adjunct per-course salaries. The numbers aren’t awesome. Here in Toronto, the situation is better: instructors who have the time and energy, and who receive contracts to teach a few courses a year, should be able to earn enough to make ends meet. But, just like in the US, pay rates vary widely across departments and universities. A “contractually-limited term appointment” pays pretty well at the big universities here, but I know someone doing the same thing elsewhere could bring in only a fifth as much.
Don’t get me wrong: I know my fellow PhDs aren’t stupid and they generally have enough self-respect to make appropriate (for them) choices. Sometimes that means a low-paying job in a less-than-ideal spot is a great opportunity and will be the start of a fantastic career and fulfilling life. We all take risks in hopes of future rewards. Academia is no different.
That being said, I’d like to live in a world where we didn’t feel pressured or forced into bad situations. Part of the solution is giving PhDs the confidence, knowledge, and resources to enter the world of employment better prepared for all the academic and non-academic options out there. Many people will still happily choose adjuncting and the like, but I suspect a great many others would—if they could, if they knew—go elsewhere to find fulfillment, happiness, and a decent income. The path beyond the ivory tower isn’t nicely paved, well-lit, or clearly marked, but it is pretty well-travelled and leads to a whole big world of exciting places.
Well, here’s hoping, anyway.
