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It's getting harder and harder for me to rationalize staying in STEM. I'm currently ABD, hoping to graduate next spring. My boyfriend of two years has an amazi

It's getting harder and harder for me to rationalize staying in STEM. I'm currently ABD, hoping to graduate next spring. My boyfriend of two years has an amazing job, and I have trouble finding it fair to force him to move around with me should I bounce from postdoc to postdoc for the next three to five years, especially when we currently live close to both of our families. When I started my Ph.D., I was out to my peers because I figured anyone who was this high up in academia wouldn't care. I chose my adviser carefully, and we have a good working relationship, but I still haven't come out to him, or my coauthors. It just seems like too big of a risk when the rest of my career is on the line. At the same time I have no idea what I'd do if I left. It's not like my programming knowledge is solid enough to pass a technical interview. Blerg.

bpodgursky 13y ago
> It's not like my programming knowledge is solid enough to pass a technical interview. Don't convince yourself of that. A ton of companies are looking for smart people with good number and data skills who are able to expand their programming skills as needed. Being able to learn new skills IMO is a lot more valuable than being a 10 year expert in a particular language.
WalterSear 13y ago
There are chopshops here in silicon valley that are taking entirely non technical people and placing them in jobs after a nine week crash course. I wouldn't recommend the 'schools' or their 'graduates' to anyone, but the fact that they exist and are placing people demonstrates the demand there is.
- thebooktocome 13y ago
  Neither of us wants to move to the valley. I've seen startup culture before; it's not for me.
  - WalterSear 13y ago
    I don't think the demand is just here. If anything it's probably greater in areas where there are fewer techies, but harder to find.
jowiar 13y ago
The past few years' trend of "data science" positions make for an awesome landing ground for people who are trained in science but don't want to do science anymore. The programming/statistics/analysis/visualization skill set is broad enough that nobody starts as a star in everything, and the value is in being able to create value with the skills you bring, and get better elsewhere.
- HillRat 13y ago
  Oh my God, yes. It is ridiculously hard to find good data analysts, because companies have recently come to realize just how much data they have, and how much can be done with it. And professional statisticians aren't always the right people to throw at the problem! Add machine learning -- where a solid math foundation is more useful than straight coding knowledge -- into the mix and you've got a pressing need for mathematicians. Or you can hit the financial market, where a graduate math background and some F# will land you a quant position in any major market you care to name.
  - jowiar 13y ago
    Based on your name I'm assuming we're trying to find them in the same city...
  - rprospero 13y ago
    Where are you looking for data analysts? Coming out of academia, it always seems strange to me that people can't find data scientists. I could throw a baseball and hit someone who has a masters in physics, hates their job, has written production code in at least three languages, and thinks $60k a year is an ungodly huge sum of money. I would guess that, if you sent a recruiter to the graduate lounge in any physics building on any campus and mentioned that you're hiring, you'd get at least three resumes from disillusioned students who'd love a change of pace. Hell, my resume would have been on that pile if you'd done it before this month.

bpodgursky 13y ago

> It's not like my programming knowledge is solid enough to pass a technical interview. Don't convince yourself of that. A ton of companies are looking for smart people with good number and data skills who are able to expand their programming skills as needed. Being able to learn new skills IMO is a lot more valuable than being a 10 year expert in a particular language.

WalterSear 13y ago

There are chopshops here in silicon valley that are taking entirely non technical people and placing them in jobs after a nine week crash course. I wouldn't recommend the 'schools' or their 'graduates' to anyone, but the fact that they exist and are placing people demonstrates the demand there is.

thebooktocome 13y ago
Neither of us wants to move to the valley. I've seen startup culture before; it's not for me.
- WalterSear 13y ago
  I don't think the demand is just here. If anything it's probably greater in areas where there are fewer techies, but harder to find.

jowiar 13y ago

The past few years' trend of "data science" positions make for an awesome landing ground for people who are trained in science but don't want to do science anymore. The programming/statistics/analysis/visualization skill set is broad enough that nobody starts as a star in everything, and the value is in being able to create value with the skills you bring, and get better elsewhere.

HillRat 13y ago
Oh my God, yes. It is ridiculously hard to find good data analysts, because companies have recently come to realize just how much data they have, and how much can be done with it. And professional statisticians aren't always the right people to throw at the problem! Add machine learning -- where a solid math foundation is more useful than straight coding knowledge -- into the mix and you've got a pressing need for mathematicians. Or you can hit the financial market, where a graduate math background and some F# will land you a quant position in any major market you care to name.
- jowiar 13y ago
  Based on your name I'm assuming we're trying to find them in the same city...
- rprospero 13y ago
  Where are you looking for data analysts? Coming out of academia, it always seems strange to me that people can't find data scientists. I could throw a baseball and hit someone who has a masters in physics, hates their job, has written production code in at least three languages, and thinks $60k a year is an ungodly huge sum of money. I would guess that, if you sent a recruiter to the graduate lounge in any physics building on any campus and mentioned that you're hiring, you'd get at least three resumes from disillusioned students who'd love a change of pace. Hell, my resume would have been on that pile if you'd done it before this month.