I don't think you should be pessimistic. I think you need to be realistic. Here is what you need coming out:
1) Teaching experience as the lead instructor (especially things like A&P) 2) Publications before graduation (Even small and minor ones are important, don't be fooled) 3) Successful grant proposal writing experience (anything from Sigma Xi to NSF/NIH/EPA etc. will help, getting funded will help a lot!). 4) PResentations at scientific meetings, (Present at all levels from state academies to national and international. this is how people see you can speak). 5) When at meetings present yourself in the most professional manner that is possible and avoid as best you can gaffs and fauxpauxs (sp?). 6) Meet every deadline in graduate school. 7) get you stuff done promptly, do not allow yourself to sit in grad school for an excessively long period. The hoops are there, jump them and move on. Anything I missed? malcolm On Mon, Oct 22, 2012 at 2:36 PM, J B <jeb...@ymail.com> wrote: > As a graduate student, how > pessimistic should one be about obtaining academic employment after completing > a PhD? Many articles I’ve seen present a > rather pessimistic picture, although most of these are not specific to > ecology, > but address STEM in general: > > http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-pushes-for-more-scientists-but-the-jobs-arent-there/2012/07/07/gJQAZJpQUW_story.html > > http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=does-the-us-produce-too-m > > http://www.economist.com/node/17723223 > > http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/24301 > > http://wuphys.wustl.edu/~katz/scientist.html > > http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/05/12/workforce > > -curious grad student -- Malcolm L. McCallum Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry School of Biological Sciences University of Missouri at Kansas City Managing Editor, Herpetological Conservation and Biology "Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive" - Allan Nation 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution. 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction MAY help restore populations. 2022: Soylent Green is People! The Seven Blunders of the World (Mohandas Gandhi) Wealth w/o work Pleasure w/o conscience Knowledge w/o character Commerce w/o morality Science w/o humanity Worship w/o sacrifice Politics w/o principle Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.
