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Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?

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Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?

#31

Post by hackyhacky »

ispo wrote: post #23
ekhaliul wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did that.. and a postdoc. IMHO it's a waste of time and does not get you any closer to your goals. Exception could be when you end up on a project that could become a startup business idea, but that is not what OP is asking.

The OP will easily get a tenured job in any tech related branch after a PhD, while just going directly for teaching (as others advised) would result in long term socioeconomic downgrade.

I have a feeling that you haven't worked in academia.

There are no tenured jobs that are easy to get, for the simple reason that firing tenured faculty is intentionally difficult. Tenure-track positions at any reputable university, and even disreputable ones, are highly competitive are require a history of research, in addition to the PhD. Mostly fresh PhDs need to do at least one post-docs in order to be considered for tenure-track. In particular, the offer of a tenure-track position is contingent on the expectation of future research output, which is not consistent with the OP's goal of taking a few months off.

Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?

#35

Post by madengr »

ispo wrote: post #23
ekhaliul wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did that.. and a postdoc. IMHO it's a waste of time and does not get you any closer to your goals. Exception could be when you end up on a project that could become a startup business idea, but that is not what OP is asking.

The OP will easily get a tenured job in any tech related branch after a PhD, while just going directly for teaching (as others advised) would result in long term socioeconomic downgrade.

No post body was provided.

Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?

#36

Post by ljf »

There are so many non-technical jobs in tech companies, which are so much better in the hands of someone that understands technology. Consider the skills and knowledge you have, and see where else you can apply them.

Often these roles are far less stressful

Re: Ask HN: In mid 40s. What non-tech job can I do?

#38

Post by factsarelolz »

nopenopenopeno wrote: post #25
trashface wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Possibly not great for men: "One of my sons works in early education. He can talk quite movingly about the stigma that you'll face as a man. People will question your motives. At worst, some people will suggest, either jokingly or not, that you might be motivated by pedophilia. "What is it about young kids that appeals to you?" is the kind of question you hear. There are some quite nasty stereotypes around men in tho…

A close friend just moved across the country and back because what he thought would be his dream teaching job turned out to be laced with dramatic and patently insane identity politics as described. He is himself a socialist passionate about helping poor working class people, but his coworkers were snotty out-of-touch liberals with no conception of class divisions at all. They were intent on dividing society along ge…

> but his coworkers were snotty out-of-touch liberals with no conception of class divisions at all. They were intent on dividing society along gender lines.

Unfortunately I have heard the same. I know 3 male high school teachers and the stories I hear are unfathomable, you could never convince me to teach at a high school.

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