I am full of thoughts but never have any time to type on a real computer and between the tiny touch screen keyboard and the inconsistently rogue autocorrect.... it's all an exercise in frustration, is what I'm saying.
However. Onward!
There is a job opening at Mountain U for someone doing science career stuff. They want someone with an advanced degree, lots of professional contacts, and job experience outside academia.
They also want someone full time.
I know full well that predicting how I WILL feel in a few to many years is essentially impossible. Will I want a full time job in two years? I don't know. Right now I would say no. I want a part time job for forever. I am lazy, I don't want to work full time, I don't have to work full time, and I'd rather have no job than work full time (however, I haaaaate not having a job and what I really want is part time).
I am teaching one lab at Pseudo Military U next semester. In an incomprehensible move, the chair posted the job for this fall in January, when Sweetpea was three weeks old. Clearly he was trying to hire the no-PhD dude who replaced me (state hiring laws would make it difficult to hire the less qualified candidate). So.... what the hell was that? But then he asks me if I'd be interested in teaching a lecture some time. As in a whole class. Again, what the hell was that? In an ideal world I'd be perfectly happy to adjunct a few labs a semester for forever (see: lazy). But... there's no guarantees, because adjuncting plus a What The Hell chair equals confusion.
While (standard disclaimer!) I love my kids, I still don't want to be around them all the time. Nobody wants to be around the same people all the time. Sometimes people just want to go to the bathroom alone and have, like, three hours in a row to NOT mediate any he annoyed me/ he hit me/ now we're both waking up the baby.
But I'm still too lazy to take a full time job. (By which I mean, I personally find it extremely difficult, tiring, and stressful to juggle two full time jobs, three children, and the inevitable illness and sleeplessness that come along with the children, and we can get by without the income.)
Is the science career thingy a new position? Could you talk to them and say "Hey, I'm so qualified and competent at this sort of thing, I could do it in 3 days a week instead of 5"?
ReplyDeleteIt is, and I'm going to- in fact, my pal the former HR person who now stays home with little people is introducing us- but the U is in general quite inflexible about this sort of thing. We'll see!
DeleteUmmm, no amount of not wanting to work 40+ hours a week is going to make you lazy, because it's not like you're trading that for lying on the sofa. I wish you were, frankly. You deserve a few years on a sofa.
ReplyDeleteHey, I work part time, under the anything less than 40 = PT notion. Sure, I have to work quite hard to get everything done in 4 days a week and avoid nights and weekends work, but the point is, I appreciate the importance of work life balance. It sounds like there's a good chance you'll be able to put together your ideal life of adjuncting bits and bobs for a while.
Well, I feel lazy because I'm all like, I don't want to WORK that much, it sounds HARD. Blaaah. Also, this job, I'm pretty sure I could *do* it in 25 hours/week- I worked in a high-pressure IT job and did it in 45 hours a week! you're seriously telling me calling alumni and talking to undergrads has to take 40 hours/week? But... we'll see.
DeleteYes, all of this. My lovely husband makes enough money that I don't *have* to work, and honestly, I'd rather get my house and yard in order. It's easier if someone is home for sick days, summer vacation, and the times when DH has to travel.
ReplyDeleteDo I occasionally feel guilty that I'm not *using* my Masters of Biochemistry? Sure! But the I explain to my children how insulin is made, and feel a bit better about the whole thing.
Besides, I'm young still, I have quite a lot of time to go back to work and make a name for myself, if I so desire.