Academia isn't like other jobs. Or is it?

Dear Reader,

Academia isn’t like other jobs but sometimes it helps to think about it that way.

For example, it’s common for faculty members, including PIs with research groups, to feel outsized responsibility toward their staff and students. I get it.

If students are only enrolled in a program because your lab funding enabled that, it makes sense that you feel a certain way about maintaining funding to keep paying your trainees.

We can extend this out to responsibilities toward your colleagues in highly collaborative fields (think papers with multiple co-authors).

It’s hard to contemplate just saying “nope, I’m out” to folks who are relying on your input.

But it’s worth doing that contemplation. What would actually happen?

Rationally, I think we can agree that sometimes shit happens and people figure it out. We’re highly adaptable creatures, us humans.

So if you’re the one who’s been adapting for years to a work situation that’s actively ruining your life—or simply keeping you from living the life you want—you have my permission to ask yourself, “What would Chad from corporate America do?”

Chad might be a good guy, but he’s not going to stick it out in a toxic environment for the sake of his colleagues.

He’s going to recognize that the mess they’re in is not of his making, put himself and his family first, and wish his now former employer luck on getting their shit together.

You aren’t going to single-handedly right the ship that is your failing college.

You aren’t in a child-parent relationship with your graduate students or postdocs.

You aren’t married to your department chair, no matter how much he relies on you.

You get to leave; they’ll figure it out. Offer help as appropriate, but after that, it’s good luck, y’all.

What say you?

I’m starting my new job August 26th. Finally getting out of academia. It’s happening.
Thanks for putting together an awesome course, Jen.
I don’t know that I would have done it without the guidance and structure.

Yay! A member of my PhD Career Clarity Program shared this with us in last week’s community call. Congratulations to this (soon former) postdoc and everyone else starting new roles this month!

What’s Happening

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Stop working for free

A perspective for academic researchers →

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Weird academic norms

Add your own to this list →

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Set work hours: Yay or nay?

Non-ac is more flexible than you think →

Thanks for reading this week! I hope you are taking it easy, especially those of you who are starting a very full semester soon.

Cheers,

Jen

P.S. Want to explore working with me? Visit my Services page to learn about options, or reply to this email and let me know what you want my help with!

Jennifer Polk, PhD