Re: [ECOLOG-L] What do technicians do in the "off" season?

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 04:41:10 -0800 

Jason and other Jason fans:
I once heard of a teacher who offered an "A" in the course to any student who could ask one intelligent question. Yes, Jason, you do seem to have a knack for asking good questions. 


It seems to me, to pick up on Aaron's line, that if "getting" a Ph.D. 
accelerates your intellectual development more than whatever alternative you 
have in mind, it might be worth the time and expense, but if it's just 
bragging rights you're after, the process might undermine your growth 
instead. I've spent most of my life off the track, and I can tell you there 
can be hell to pay--especially if you expect to be treated kindly by those 
who have suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous academic politics and 
are convinced that anyone who hasn't is ipso facto a lesser being. The trick 
is to ignore those and concentrate on the handful who, despite those bruises 
and wounds, have stuck with it through hell and high water and released 
themselves from bondage--yea, even in the midst of absurdity cloaked in 
pretension. But this will invite being burned at the stake, not protect you 
from attack. You have to shrug that off too, and just go forward. If bussing 
butt is required, move on rather than try to make a silk purse out of a 
sow's ear.



I'm not sure how I might change my life if I had it to do all over again. 
Lordy knows I've made mountains of mistakes. Maybe a better education would 
have saved me all that trouble and grief. On the other hand, maybe all that 
trouble and grief that kept me off the gravy-train got me onto the rods, at 
least, of a Blue Plate Special more to my liking. As you can tell (verbally 
at least), I'm a ramblin' man.



But I could have made more of my life if I had done more in my "off seasons" 
than I did. I should have done more and rambled more, not less. And, if I 
had it to do all over again, I would go to the places where the talent was 
and take courses from the best people I could find and study widely not 
narrowly.


WT


PS: More than a decade ago, I "sold" my 21-year consulting business to a 
young, freshly-minted Ph.D. who ran the business into the ground in five 
years and skipped with a bunch of my gear and the worthless contract we had 
for a teaching job at a university. He didn't return my emails or calls for 
quite a spell, figuring I might sue him I guess. It isn't the Ph.D. that 
marks you as being a success, and it's not a "position." It's what you 
actually DO, and how you do it. That's another dimension of life that is 
often left out of the "equation." Jason, I think you'll do just fine.



"They tell us we are wasting time--but we are wasting our LIVES!" --Eric 
Hoffer





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Aaron T. Dossey" <[email protected]>

To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 6:40 PM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] What do technicians do in the "off" season?



I wouldn't recommend a Ph.D.  The market is flooded with us to the effect 
of our 10+ years in school not paying any dividends for that investment - 
see studies such as a recent one on Florida associates degree holders 
making more on average than those with Bachelor's degrees - a Ph.D. is an 
even more exaggerated example of that.  The years you'll invest in that 
(graduate tech position) and, subsequently, in postdoc after postdoc tech 
position are better spent gaining real world experience and seniority in 
your field.  In doing so, you become more valuable and irreplaceable at 
wherever you work.



And hey, in the mean time, you're working on your own career, not someone 
else's.


Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology




On 2/13/2011 6:32 PM, malcolm McCallum wrote:

There are only two ways to get ahead, but neither gives instant
gratification...

1) keep getting more education whether it means adding courses,
degrees (in same and other disciplines) or what.
I have a phd and just finished a course on using the program R.  There
is always more to learn.  This does not guarantee you will succeed,
but at least you are doing something.  Sitting waiting for your next
gig just keeps you falling behind in both skills and knowledge.

2) publication.  If you can figure out a way to get peer reviewed
pubications out of your work, it will generally lead to permanent
jobs, even if those are not research posts.

Malcolm

On Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 2:49 PM, Wayne Tyson<[email protected]>  wrote:

Jason, David, and John (and Ecolog):

I forgot that when I decided to give up my cushy high-paid job, I

individually typed, on an old Underwood typewriter, forty applications 
to
forty National Forest offices. I got one response, but all I needed was 
one

job. I'm sure glad I didn't stop at 39.

WT


PS: "Tis friction's brisk, rough rub, that provides the vital 
spark!" --A.

R. Martin


----- Original Message ----- From: "John Winkowski"
<[email protected]>
To:<[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, February 13, 2011 7:56 AM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] What do technicians do in the "off" season?



I graduated in 2007 from St Lawrence University with my B.S. (double 
major

in Biology and Environmental Studies) and was in the same boat.
Essentially,

as soon as you are hired and begin one seasonal job, the best thing to 
do

is

start applying, or at least looking, for the next. You are competing 
with
1,000s of people that are struggling to have continuity in employment 
as
entry level biologists. You need to apply to many positions to keep 
your
options open and hopefully have some options to work with. If you end 
up

getting hired onto a project (and you hopefully like that project) keep

contact with your boss upon completion of a season because this could 
be a
great option for next year. Generally, supervisors like to hire 
employees
back due to the fact that you are already trained with their protocol, 
you

know the backcountry where field sites are, they know you've managed to

complete a season before, and you can help train new employees. I 
managed

to
sort of cycle between 3-4 jobs throughout a 3 year period and it worked
out
really well.


It is quite the struggle and I suggest meeting a lot of friends along 
the

way to be prepared to couch surf. It's a period of time that you always
have
to be on your toes and most likely live out of your car. Between short

seasons, layoffs, etc you need to keep your options open and always be 
on
the hunt for new positions if you really want to have work throughout 
the

year (it is possible!).

Although frustrating and challenging at times, the process is necessary
and

I thought very enjoyable. Once you begin to build on your 
post-graduation

experience you will notice interviews will become more common and job

offerings as well. I found that my experiences took me to places I 
never
would have gone before and I was able to see the most beautiful parts 
of
this country while being paid. I saw the time I spent working 
seasonally

more as an incredible experience than anything. I wouldn't trade those
times

for anything. In fact, I kind of wish I was applying for jobs and 
thinking
about where I would be this summer instead of sitting at my desk 
analyzing

data now! Trade-offs!

Hope this helped a bit,

John Winkowski
MSc Candidate
Memorial University of Newfoundland



On Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 1:36 AM, David Moldoff<[email protected]> 
wrote:



Let me start off by saying that I am in the same boat and hope we both
get

some worthwhile answers here. I recently graduated and have an 
internship
from April till July but after that I'm completely lost as to what 
would

help my employment chances. I have a few friends with wildlife degrees
and
the way they have been handling "off season" is by finding a job that
pays

the bills and then volunteering for wildlife organizations. I know 
this

isn't a great alternative but hopefully other people post some better
ideas.

David Moldoff

On Sat, Feb 12, 2011 at 4:29 PM, Jason Hernandez<
[email protected]>  wrote:


I see that the surge of recruiting announcements for the seasonal
technician jobs is underway.  It looks like a lot of important and

exciting

projects, as I would expect.  But it is impossible not to notice the>
time
frame: usually just spring and summer, some only spring or summer.


I cannot really complain; I am fortunate in that my current job 
began>

in
January, instead of having to wait for April or May.  Still, it does>
end

in

July, about the time so many other jobs are also ending.  This means 
I

will

have to compete with all those other temporary and seasonal 
technicians

for

my next job.

Which brings me to my question: what does someone like me do in fall>
and
winter?  Granted, based on my current qualifications, someone I work>
with
predicts I could have a permanent position "within two years."  But I

must

still make a living DURING those two years.  What should I be 
looking>

at

now

to maximize my chance of being employed come this fall and next 
winter?


Jason Hernandez
Biological Science Technician, USDA Forest Service





--
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to
everything in the universe."


-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1435/3440 - Release Date: 02/12/11







-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1435/3441 - Release Date: 02/13/11























					Reply via email to