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Teacher in Rome
Joined: 09 Jul 2003
Posts: 1286
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 Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 7:47 am Post subject: |
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From re-reading your comments, it sounds very much like you're suffering from burn-out (sorry to state the obvious) - weighed down with admin and hankering after a simpler way to earn money. Plus maybe you're not ready to just settle down in one place, though as you say, taking time out from academia can be career suicide.
One other suggestion comes to mind. In the UK there are specialist environmental agencies (apart from IEMA, that is) who might be able to help - or at least talk over other career options. ACRE resources (I think they're called) are big, and they might have other suggestions for you if you want to stay in the field.
Good luck! |
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Dedicated
Joined: 18 May 2007
Posts: 972
Location: UK
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:12 am Post subject: |
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I would agree with Teacher in Rome. I'm not sure where you are based but have you thought about volunteering/working for VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas)?
Your specialist skills would be greatly appreciated and could make a huge difference in a developing country. As far as I know, they provide accommodation and a subsistence salary and offer plenty of support. This might fulfil your "wanderlust" and give you a different perspective on things.
If you are at a UK university, I think legally they cannot deny you unpaid leave of absence. I work at a top-ranking university in London and currently have 2 colleagues who have taken a year off to do VSO work and escape the increasing pressure of admin tasks and having to produce research.
Good luck! |
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MdSmith
Joined: 15 Nov 2012
Posts: 67
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:21 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for spelling out the obvious TIR. It is obvious, I feel it, I feel like I can't cope, the PhD was psychologically tough enough but is does not get any easier, particularly when I also have to supervise students on top of teaching, admin, meetings, petty politics. There is just no structure to the workload, it is take on as much as possible till you burst or failure. I have hinted it to my line manager but she doesn't seem to understand (partly as she is a self-confessed workaholic). When I complain she says that she is also doing more than she should and that we are under-staffed so I have no choice..! It is not just me I see other colleagues wilting.
Apologies, I am venting a bit now.
But thank you for your suggestions of env agencies in the UK, I will check it out.
Last edited by MdSmith on Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:07 am; edited 3 times in total |
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artemisia
Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 875
Location: the world
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:37 am Post subject: |
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I see; this is not just a recent feeling of dissatisfaction then. I also think specialist agencies in your field are worth investigating. There are bound to be other possibilities and you can�t cover everything on your own. If that doesn�t work out, it looks as if you would have to leave this job outright in order to take on anything else.
28 days� leave p.a doesn�t seem like a lot for a university (no semester breaks as well?) and it�s not much time for a break and to try other things, even if family weren�t involved. You might just have to cut your losses as your job sounds gruelling and the uni not exactly a bastion of innovation and change. If you�re going to go ahead with this, you�d have to work out the next couple of intake dates for M.E universities and then how you�ll live in the interim. I guess the risk is that there might not be anything desirable at a later date, but finishing off this job and beginning another almost right away doesn�t sound feasible with the amount of leave you have - combined with a heavy workload.
You might be able to set up a teaching position abroad � maybe voluntary work - to tide you over until you can find a more desirable one in the M.E in your field or in language teaching. |
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MdSmith
Joined: 15 Nov 2012
Posts: 67
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:51 am Post subject: |
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| Dedicated wrote: |
I would agree with Teacher in Rome. I'm not sure where you are based but have you thought about volunteering/working for VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas)?
Your specialist skills would be greatly appreciated and could make a huge difference in a developing country. As far as I know, they provide accommodation and a subsistence salary and offer plenty of support. This might fulfil your "wanderlust" and give you a different perspective on things.
If you are at a UK university, I think legally they cannot deny you unpaid leave of absence. I work at a top-ranking university in London and currently have 2 colleagues who have taken a year off to do VSO work and escape the increasing pressure of admin tasks and having to produce research.
Good luck! |
Thank you, Dedicated, for your suggestion also. I actually work at university in a more developing country which I think adds to the stress as things can be quite dysfunctional and I really want to help the students here but get so drained by everything. Some of the meetings I've been involved in have been harrowing to say the least. I have on occasion looked at VSO but I don't have any real applied technical skills. I understand aspects of geology and so on but ask me where to dig a drain and the locals would probably know better than me! 
But seriously I will look more into this suggestion as it might open my eyes to some other area of env sci I could work in. Cheers.
Last edited by MdSmith on Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:28 am; edited 3 times in total |
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MdSmith
Joined: 15 Nov 2012
Posts: 67
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:57 am Post subject: |
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| artemisia wrote: |
I see; this is not just a recent feeling of dissatisfaction then. I also think specialist agencies in your field are worth investigating. There are bound to be other possibilities and you can�t cover everything on your own. If that doesn�t work out, it looks as if you would have to leave this job outright in order to take on anything else.
28 days� leave p.a doesn�t seem like a lot for a university (no semester breaks as well?) and it�s not much time for a break and to try other things, even if family weren�t involved. You might just have to cut your losses as your job sounds gruelling and the uni not exactly a bastion of innovation and change. If you�re going to go ahead with this, you�d have to work out the next couple of intake dates for M.E universities and then how you�ll live in the interim. I guess the risk is that there might not be anything desirable at a later date, but finishing off this job and beginning another almost right away doesn�t sound feasible with the amount of leave you have - combined with a heavy workload.
You might be able to set up a teaching position abroad � maybe voluntary work - to tide you over until you can find a more desirable one in the M.E in your field or in language teaching. |
Thanks, Artemisia, for your suggestions. We get a few extra days off at xmas but the semester breaks are meant to be used for research and in my experience I usually find time to do maybe two week's fieldwork and two weeks writing, then it's back in the grind... and no time to finish writing anything up until that next small window of downtime appears a year later. I think I will just have to sack it off so I can have a mental break, maybe do voluntary work, and then apply from there. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:41 am Post subject: |
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| MdSmith wrote: |
| I could apply now and maybe get a job as an ass prof at a uni in the Middle East but they would want me to start in August/Sept. After giving my leave here and finishing the term off I would have little or no time to do some walkabout, something to clear the head. My current 28 days annual leave gives me headache as I just end up visiting family I haven't seen for one year (I would feel guilty not doing so) and becomes an emotional drain. |
Yes, the universities would want you to start your professorship in August/September. But you might be able to begin at a later start date; there's likely room to negotiate since there's a need in the UAE for PhD holders in environmental science. Why not apply, but be clear in your cover letter as to your desired start date. See what's on offer. |
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MdSmith
Joined: 15 Nov 2012
Posts: 67
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:56 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| MdSmith wrote: |
| I could apply now and maybe get a job as an ass prof at a uni in the Middle East but they would want me to start in August/Sept. After giving my leave here and finishing the term off I would have little or no time to do some walkabout, something to clear the head. My current 28 days annual leave gives me headache as I just end up visiting family I haven't seen for one year (I would feel guilty not doing so) and becomes an emotional drain. |
Yes, the universities would want you to start your professorship in August/September. But you might be able to begin at a later start date; there's likely room to negotiate since there's a need in the UAE for PhD holders in environmental science. Why not apply, but be clear in your cover letter as to your desired start date. See what's on offer. |
Thanks, nomad soul, it is a good suggestion. I should probably use changing jobs as an opportunity to take a break although I'm not sure it would solve the problem long-term. I wonder why there is such a need for env sci PhD holders in UAE? Is this a field locals do not go into or are PhD holders in general thin on the ground there?
Last edited by MdSmith on Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:41 am; edited 2 times in total |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:21 am Post subject: |
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| MdSmith wrote: |
| I wonder why there is such a need for env sci PhD holders in UAE? Is this a field locals do not go into or are PhD holders in general thin on the ground there? |
The United Arab Emirates is unique due to its diversity; expats outnumber nationals and English is the language for business. You definitely need to read up on the UAE. Moreover, they're investing their oil money into improving the country's infrastructure and use of man-made and natural resources. Case in point, the Ministry of Higher Ed recently made a huge push toward incorporating iPads for learning in the major universities as a way to move into the future but also to cut down on paper waste. |
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MdSmith
Joined: 15 Nov 2012
Posts: 67
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:52 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| MdSmith wrote: |
| I wonder why there is such a need for env sci PhD holders in UAE? Is this a field locals do not go into or are PhD holders in general thin on the ground there? |
The United Arab Emirates is unique due to its diversity; expats outnumber nationals and English is the language for business. You definitely need to read up on the UAE. Moreover, they're investing their oil money into improving the country's infrastructure and use of man-made and natural resources. Case in point, the Ministry of Higher Ed recently made a huge push toward incorporating iPads for learning in the major universities as a way to move into the future but also to cut down on paper waste. |
Okay, that is interesting, thanks. |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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Dear MdSmith,
There is a "need" for Ph.D holders in the UAE because the region is generally "degree-crazy."
It's almost always strictly a "status" thing.
Regards,
John |
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MdSmith
Joined: 15 Nov 2012
Posts: 67
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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| Okay, thanks, John. Just out of interest, if I did decide to teach english in the ME instead of env sci (as I perceive, perhaps incorrectly, that this would provide a better work-life balance), would my env sci PhD be of any value? Or would they still probably (quite rightly?) expect an MA TESOL etc.? |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
| There is a "need" for Ph.D holders in the UAE because the region is generally "degree-crazy." It's almost always strictly a "status" thing. |
LOL! I just said the same thing in my PM to MdSmith!
| MdSmith wrote: |
| Just out of interest, if I did decide to teach english in the ME instead of env sci (as I perceive, perhaps incorrectly, that this would provide a better work-life balance), would my env sci PhD be of any value? Or would they still probably (quite rightly?) expect an MA TESOL etc.? |
Getting an EFL teaching position will depend on what your TEFL quals (academic + valid TEFL cert) and experience consist of. However, I doubt your PhD will be taken into consideration since it's not relevant to TEFL. Moreover, there's likely to be issue if your TEFL experience isn't recent. This is why I suggest you focus on your enviro-sci degree and experience if you're interested in the region. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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| MdSmith wrote: |
| artemisia wrote: |
I see; this is not just a recent feeling of dissatisfaction then. I also think specialist agencies in your field are worth investigating. There are bound to be other possibilities and you can�t cover everything on your own. If that doesn�t work out, it looks as if you would have to leave this job outright in order to take on anything else.
28 days� leave p.a doesn�t seem like a lot for a university (no semester breaks as well?) and it�s not much time for a break and to try other things, even if family weren�t involved. You might just have to cut your losses as your job sounds gruelling and the uni not exactly a bastion of innovation and change. If you�re going to go ahead with this, you�d have to work out the next couple of intake dates for M.E universities and then how you�ll live in the interim. I guess the risk is that there might not be anything desirable at a later date, but finishing off this job and beginning another almost right away doesn�t sound feasible with the amount of leave you have - combined with a heavy workload.
You might be able to set up a teaching position abroad � maybe voluntary work - to tide you over until you can find a more desirable one in the M.E in your field or in language teaching. |
Thanks, Artemisia, for your suggestions. We get a few extra days off at xmas but the semester breaks are meant to be used for research and in my experience I usually find time to do maybe two week's fieldwork and two weeks writing, then it's back in the grind... and no time to finish writing anything up until that next small window of downtime appears a year later. I think I will just have to sack it off so I can have a mental break, maybe do voluntary work, and then apply from there. |
I would suggest finding a contract lecturer position teaching in your field or maybe a course in scientific English at a university in a non-English speaking country.
It may not be the best move financially, but you may be happier in the end. It may take some looking, but I suspect that with your skill set, there are contract positions out there that would allow you to teach and not publish. |
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likwid_777
Joined: 04 Nov 2012
Posts: 411
Location: NA
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| Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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| It's a hard decision. If you don't like it, or even if you do, it's going to be touch to pick up that career/financial situation back home. |
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