STEM Career General - /scg/

[Anonymous No.12606863]

Welcome to STEM Career General!
This thread exists to posit questions regarding careers associated to STEM.
> Discussion on academia based career progression
> Discussion on penetrating industry from academia
> Or anything in relation to STEM employment or development within STEM academia!

Resources for protecting yourself from academic marxists:
>https://www.thefire.org/ (US)
>https://www.jccf.ca/ (Canada)

Information resource:
>https://sciencecareergeneral.neocities.org/
>*The author is seeking additional input to diversify the content into containing all STEM fields (currently only physics is present)

No anons have answered your question? Perhaps try posting it here:
>https://academia.stackexchange.com/

NOTE: Any useful resources relayed in this thread will be included in future /scg/ threads. Additionally, I will be working on a dedicated platform serving as a safe space (unironically) for STEM academics (and academics in general) to discuss taboo subjects without risking their position/tenure. Upon completion it will be announced here!

[Anonymous No.12606930]

>>12606863
how is engineering academia

[Anonymous No.12606932]

>>12606930
money

[Anonymous No.12606981]

>>12606930
For the most part, unless you have a specific goal in engineering that is reliant on graduate training:
>only engineering undergraduates who cannot cut-it in industry, return to the safe-haven of graduate school

[Anonymous No.12607019]

>>12606863
YEAHHHH THE NEW STEM CAREER GENERAL IS BACK ! CMON GUYS GET IN HERE!! WOOO WHOO!

[Anonymous No.12607021]

>>12607019
for real though, I have a theoretical physics phd and need a job. I have an interview this Friday though. I hope I get it! it's for a quantum type research position.

[Anonymous No.12607039]

>>12607021
Exciting news, anon! Tell me about the position and how you're feeling in the build-up to the interview

[Anonymous No.12607052]

5th yr in gen. physics. The end seems nowhere near. I worked in a materials science lab for a year, then quit. Now I'm knee-deep in debt, still haven't graduated, won't get a job, no contacts, it's over.

[Anonymous No.12607122]

>>12607052
How are your grades in the last couple of semesters? Have a strong performance in a specific course and have interest in forming relationship with that prof? That could certainly open some opportunities.

[Anonymous No.12607138]

>>12607052
Mostly failing classes. I should have graduated in 2019, so it's actually my sixth year. Basically I had it all going really well in 2018. Got my name on a paper, my prof. seemed to really enjoy working with me, then I just stopped.

[Anonymous No.12607225]

>>12607138
>I should have graduated in 2019, so it's actually my sixth year
Outside of the economic ramifications this might bring, it’s largely irrelevant with respect to your prospects on future success. That said, you are required to get serious and begin networking now. It’s not too late. Whether you’d like to rekindle the relationship with the prof you mentioned, a new prof, or find an internship - your destiny is in your control. Having your name on a paper as an undergraduate is great!

[Anonymous No.12607414]

>>12606863
>>12607039
it's for the Navy. they have some quantum research going on at one of their labs. the interview will be eight hours long and I have to give a one hour seminar. I'm confident about all the material I know, though I'm not sure how well I would fit in there.

[Anonymous No.12607542]

>>12606863
Is Medicine a good field to get into? Sounds cool and I like the new tech coming into the field but I really feel weird at the idea at wasting my 20s studying.

[Anonymous No.12607708]

>>12606863
PhD holding conservation ecologist here. I enjoy the research and all that comes with it, but I don't get out for field work as often as I used to.

[Anonymous No.12608043]

>>12607542
Seconding this, currently doing a biology bachelor's degree. Was wondering what my options are.

[Anonymous No.12608244]

>>12607414
>it's for the Navy.

bet they ask if you like buoys

[Anonymous No.12608247]

>>12606863
>>12606863
What does /sci/ think of 80,000 Hours?

https://80000hours.org/

[Anonymous No.12608257]

>>12608043
>>12607542
With covid there’s tons of really good jobs now in industry for PhDs. If you’re curious what careers you want to do, go search on a job website “biology” or whatever keyword you want (“cancer”, “organic chemist”) and see what the market looks like.

[Anonymous No.12608275]

How hard is it to move to US as a leaf? What about citizenship? I'm in software engineering, year of experience with defence contractor currently but it seems like the opportunities are so much better across the border. My area of interest is defence and space which is all heavy ITAR so even if I do go over there I think I'd be SOL until I had citizenship

[Anonymous No.12608278]

>>12608247
cringe shit set up by reddit tier strivers

[Anonymous No.12608300]

>>12606863
I just wanna get into UCL for postgrad...

[Anonymous No.12608359]

Which is easier to self-teach? ECE or ME

[Anonymous No.12608489]

>>12607138
Apply to as many job apps as you can get your hands on. You MUST got to career fairs. The first impression when you meet with the recruiters at fairs will serve as a solid foundation for moving forward with candidacy if anything about your academics comes up.

[Anonymous No.12608693]

math looks so comfy, you just need your head, pen and paper

[Anonymous No.12608821]

>>12607414
Interesting. Good luck!

[Anonymous No.12608826]

>>12607708
Is the lack of field work a common complaint in your field?

[Anonymous No.12608990]

>>12608826
Yes, if you have your PhD. Folks with up to their MS can typically find field work positions and opportunities more easily.

[Anonymous No.12609075]

>>12606863
any good US based companies in defense/automotive/medical that I should apply to as a soon-to-be mechE grad? done Northrop, L3, Lockheed, General Motors, Ford

[Anonymous No.12609475]

How can I get into quant finance if I live in the Philippines? I know more about maths than even the top graduates at the best university here (I know because I tutored some of them and the best of the best left this shithole early).

[Anonymous No.12609526]

>>12608359
ECE

[Anonymous No.12609903]

>>12606863
Is there a major that combines math, physics and chemistry?

[Anonymous No.12609911]

>>12606863
What is the typical career path for a research assistant in a STEM-field?

[Anonymous No.12610076]

>>12609903
I am unsure if you can find a dedicated undergraduate major, but courses in physical chemistry (i.e. thermochemistry) utilize applied mathematics to solve chemistry problems which rely on physics.

[Anonymous No.12610136]

M.S Mathematics here. Working in a dead-end admin job at a small college. Got a great academic resume, but a weak professional. I want to be an engineer anons... what should I do? Would it be crazy to get yet another degree if I don't want to work in academia?

[Anonymous No.12610215]

I fail at everything I try. What's the perfect STEM degree for me?

[Anonymous No.12610232]

>>12610215
Meteorology. You can be wrong often and keep your job.

[Anonymous No.12610277]

>>12609903
Materials Science

[Anonymous No.12610295]

>>12610136
You could possibly do an M.Eng ECE in three years if you have physics/chemistry requirements fulfilled for a regular program...otherwise I'd recommend getting an MSCS

[Anonymous No.12610491]

If I want to be a expert-generalist in STEM is double majoring + self studying on my own a good choice. What do I need to do to avoid ending up as a CAD/Lab/Pipette/Code monkey?

[Anonymous No.12611324]

>>12610491
>expert generalist
Why would you want to do that? There will be candidates with greater qualifications for every position you apply to. Unless you want to become a tutor/teacher? Having knowledge in many things is great, but apply effort in specializing in something

[Anonymous No.12611780]

>>12611324
Have high hopes in creating a startup someday but wouldnt mind gathering a few years of experience in the industry.

[Anonymous No.12611802]

>>12609903
Chemical engineering or similar but don't do it, there's too many of us as is

[Anonymous No.12612023]

>>12608300
Me too anon...

[Anonymous No.12612096]

Has anyone here done a hardware internship in big tech (Apple, Facebook, Google etc)?

[Anonymous No.12612159]

I'm trying to break into the data science world. I've got a bachelor's in math and stats from a top state school and currently getting a masters in operations research at a meme ivy league. Every job I've applied to requires at least 3 years of experience. I was a sperg in my undergrad and really only focused on pure math endeavours, so I don't have any DS projects under my belt besides my master's degree I'm working towards. It seems like a lot of data scientists say a lot of buzzwords about the algorithms but really don't understand what's going on under the hood. If I do some freelance projects using data from kaggle, will that help me get a job? Or would it be better for me to apply for jobs in the middle of bumfuck nowhere?

[Anonymous No.12612178]

>>12612159
Can't you do some internships?

[Anonymous No.12612202]

>COmputer Engineering
>Don't know where to start.
What math should I know? Etc?

[Anonymous No.12612205]

>>12612202
Don't you have recommended courses?

[Anonymous No.12612209]

>>12612205
Physics, Calc, chem, statistics and a few more.

[Anonymous No.12612235]

>>12612209
Just take what's recommended at first

[Anonymous No.12612245]

>>12612202
Precalculus
Calculus 1-3
Differential Equations 1-2
Matrix Algebra
Probability
Random Processes
Statistics
Linear Algebra with Proofs
Applied/Numerical Linear Algebra
Numerical Analysis
Real Analysis
Complex Analysis
Linear Systems and Signals
More Fourier Analysis
Functional Analysis
Combinatorics
Graph Theory
Abstract Algebra
Information Theory
Coding Theory
Cryptography
Modern Geometry
Linear Programming
Convex Optimization
Algorithms
Complexity theory
Computability theory
Hand waving black boxes and BSing to dumb normies-ology

[Anonymous No.12612278]

>>12612178
I guess I could. So I apply for internships after graduating with my master's and then get into a company that way?

[Anonymous No.12612281]

>>12612278
No, apply during. Can't you do summer internships, for example? It is usually harder to so one after your degree.

[Anonymous No.12612315]

>>12612278
Internships and coops don't exist for those not in school. Most companies have a program where they will hire a certain number of students for those roles (usually some government good boy points for it) so it's now or never. Not sure how it is in data science but a master's is generally considered 2 years of experience, though if they expect you to have a master's probably not

[Anonymous No.12612355]

>>12612281
>>12612315
I see. So apply now for a summer data science internship, then use that internship experience plus my master's to get into a DS job?

[Anonymous No.12612535]

>>12606863
What does work in academia entail? Does it include teaching assistants at college and other similar job posts?

[Anonymous No.12613282]

>>12612535
Some times. It can also be strictly research based with no teaching responsibilities.

[Anonymous No.12613298]

Hope this is the right place to ask.

I found an algorithm or solution to a common problem which I'm sure will affect a field I'm working in. I already spoke to a professor from a different department whom I am friends with and who is literally top of the game in the field with loads of papers and citations, so no bullshittery, and he agrees.
I have a working proof of concept and am thinking now what to do with it.

Publish in a good journal? Or patent it first? Both? If patent, in cooperation with the university I'm working at?

I'm sure the algo is a good basis for a business with lots of interest in the problem it solves. How do I proceed here?

[Anonymous No.12613530]

>>12613298
Patent, then publish. Protect the idea and then disseminate knowledge of its existence. Most universities have existing departments or means to pursue this route. Talk with that professor or university HR - they should point you in the right direction.

[Anonymous No.12613572]

What would let me study stars, or radio stuff like in SETI?

[Anonymous No.12613595]

>>12613282
So pure researchers and their assistants at college count?

[Anonymous No.12613765]

>>12613530
Awesome! Thank you bro.

[Anonymous No.12613914]

>>12613595
Sure, why wouldn't they? I'm pure research, university affiliated, and officially considered academic faculty/staff.

[Anonymous No.12613920]

>>12613765
No problem. Good luck!

[Anonymous No.12615609]

>>12611780
Having aspirations of being literate in various fields is quite a good idea, but attempting to be an "expert" in each of them is an error. There's finite time in a day, use your resources accordingly.

[Anonymous No.12615727]

im gonna start applying to REUs this weekend, bros!

[Anonymous No.12615732]

>>12615727
REU?

[Anonymous No.12615757]

>>12615732
undergrad research at a different uni

[Anonymous No.12615787]

>>12615757
Gotcha. Best of luck, anon! I am submitting similar applications in the coming days.

[Anonymous No.12615824]

>>12615787
good luck to you as well, anon!

[Anonymous No.12615840]

>>12606863
I'm gonna do this engineering specialisation called "engineering science" and it basically seems like applied mathematical modelling
What am I getting myself into lads

[Anonymous No.12615846]

>>12615840
The name of the program isn't critical. What is important is the knowledge extracted and experience obtained throughout your studies. Additionally, what you would like to do following completion of your studies.
Caveat: I have never heard of engineering science before.

[Anonymous No.12615848]

>>12606863
How oversupplied is the labor market for STEM careers would you say, /scg/?

[Anonymous No.12615851]

>>12610491
Double majoring is almost never a good idea. Most undergraduate degrees are very general in nature. If you want to start a successful startup, look at getting your MBA.

[Anonymous No.12615858]

>>12615757
same big guy, I applied to one now I've got to apply to more. I don't think I'm going to get any though

[Anonymous No.12615862]

>>12606981
Is this for real? I love mechE and I just got my first PhD acceptance... am I cucking myself?

[Anonymous No.12615866]

>>12615848
>Oversupplied labour market
It is oversupplied in the sense of simply having a BSc. isn't enough for any coveted positions. STEM is a large category and some fields are quite significantly more employable than others, but if you are proficient make yourself a valuable asset during undergrad (internships, co-op programs, research, etc.), then you are capable of forming opportunities in the labour market.

[Anonymous No.12615867]

>>12608275
It is easier to become American than it is to become Canadian.

[Anonymous No.12615869]

>>12615862
Why is it that you didn't enter industry following undergrad?

[Anonymous No.12615874]

>>12615851
>Double majoring is almost never a good idea.
What did he mean by this?
t. currently a double major

[Anonymous No.12615883]

>>12615869
I did a couple internships (MEP and power plant) and wanted to blow my brains out. I did some research and liked that way better so I figured grad school would be the way to go

[Anonymous No.12615894]

>>12615883
I see. You aren't the case I was referring to. Graduate studies in engineering is a less frequent pursuit versus other STEM fields. This is because engineering is more vocational and can produce strong financial outlook upon completion of undergrad. Accordingly, graduate school is an easy place to hide if you not successful in the job market.
It sounds like you have genuine desire to build a career as an academic. There is of course nothing wrong with that!

[Anonymous No.12615952]

>>12615858
don't sell yourself short, anon!
we're all gonna make it!

[Anonymous No.12615956]

>>12615874
It is great if you double major and then seek graduate degree that incorporates both (I would have done Aero + MatSci, but the MatSci program was full). I work a lot with materials now and I wish I had a better understanding of them in undergrad. If you only use one in your graduate school... well, that sucks and what you are not using may slip from the mind.

[Anonymous No.12615975]

>>12615867
I find that really hard to believe with the quality of "Canadian" over in thorncliffe park

[Anonymous No.12615981]

>>12615975
You'd be surprised. The Canadian immigration system may be more streamlined, but it has a far higher bar overall. The American system is overloaded due to its low bar.

[Anonymous No.12615993]

>>12615975
Forgot to add this image. I think it's the best summary of what is up.

[Anonymous No.12616037]

>>12615956
Oh, interesting. Currently studying neuroscience & biochemistry, and intend to study pharmaceutical/biomedical science in graduate school. They should both remain quite applicable in that case.

[Anonymous No.12616091]

>>12608821
just finished the interview. the guy organizing everything said I nailed the technical portion, and some old guy in the audience of my presentation said he hopes I get hired because someone has to fill his shoes when he retires lol.

towards the end of the interview they were telling me it depends on funding constraints so fingers crossed.

[Anonymous No.12617032]

>>12606981
>only engineering undergraduates who cannot cut-it in industry, return to the safe-haven of graduate school
Not the anon you replied to but what do you mean by this?

[Anonymous No.12617179]

>>12616091
not that anon, but good work and good luck anon. From the sounds of it (imminent retirement freeing up funds + impressive performance), it looks like a sure thing for you. Congratulations.

[Anonymous No.12617338]

Chemist here. I fucked up my undergrad and got sub 3.0 GPA. I got a research paper out with my name on it, not first author, during that time. Im stuck in a PhD program where I wasted my first 2 years with an abusive PI and wasted another year transferring to a new lab and slowly learning there. Is it even worth continuing on this track? I can bail with a masters any time. What does the job market look like for a dummy chemist? What other jobs or fields can I jump into by playing up my chemist background? I have zero experience of the real world and hate academia.

[Anonymous No.12617439]

I'm easily bored by topics. So what I do is I create proof of concept designs for many things that have good potential for good papers, but never pull through because other ideas immediately take my attention.
Is it viable in this case to become a professor, create pocs and let PhD students realize them?

Additionally, is it feasible to work on side projects as a professor? I have a few ideas that are suitable for creating a business out of them, but I'm unsure if both can work at once and I feel uneasy about committing to just a single thing.

I also seem to have a knack for teaching, at least the student feedback was always great.

[Anonymous No.12617529]

>>12606863
How do you know if you should go for a part-time or full-time phd?

[Anonymous No.12617691]

>>12615851
Aren't innovations and breakthroughs born from cross-pollination of multi disciplinary ideas.That's what attracted me to double degrees.

[Anonymous No.12617823]

>>12616091
Brilliant to hear, anon! I am very pleased for you. Hopefully funding doesn't prove to be an issue; even if it does, the success in the interview stage is a victory that you can carry forth on its own. The acknowledgement from the old guy and organizer is quite telling.

[Anonymous No.12617856]

>>12617338
Also interested in hearing how industry looks upon subpar cumulative undergrad GPA in general, and in the case of having a graduate degree.

The following input probably isn't applicable to you because I am a current undergraduate student, but it might be helpful for some anon:
A poor cumulative undergrad GPA is seemingly not a barrier for graduate school (at least in Canada). My upper level course GPA (3rd and 4th year courses) is relatively high, whilst my GPA in my first couple years of undergrad is abysmal. I failed half of my classes in my first couple of semesters in university and thought that I ruined my future prospects due to my forever damaged cumulative GPA. It turns out that most graduate schools that I viewed don't have a cumulative GPA admission requirement. They typically state a minimum GPA for your final two years of studies/ most recent 20 courses (Same thing). Accordingly, if you're dreading your past academic performance and are considering an heroing - think again. There is still a chance of redemption.

[Anonymous No.12618259]

>>12617856
Im in the USA. what kind of experience do you have as an undergrad outside of your usual courses and labs? Instrument training, undergrad research, internships, etc? I had to turn down an intership due to pressure from my parents (I had to live with them because money) and I feel like that crippled my chances to get a job. I feel like all I have is academic experience and even that was a wash. Have any of your professors given you advice or something about the real job world? All of mine gave me the usual "theyll take you because theyll teach you" and I dont know how relevant that still is today.

[Anonymous No.12618300]

>>12618259
I am currently an undergrad (third year) and am in the process of gaining additional laboratory experience. Thus far I have worked as a student research assistant in two unique labs and will begin my honours thesis in the very near future (co-supervised by two professors, one of whom I have previously worked for). I haven't discussed life post-graduation with any professors yet, but I am sure that will be a topic of conversation during my honours thesis. At this point I am trying to maximize exposure to various techniques/processes, optimize 3+4th year GPA, and earn favourable reference letters from the professors I work with. I don't foresee me entering industry without a graduate degree. I will try applying to medical schools dependant on my MCAT performance, but otherwise I will enter graduate school with the intent of probing into industry.

[Anonymous No.12618336]

>>12618300
Damn, with all that Im sure youd do great. Thanks for the info, I wish you best on your career

[Anonymous No.12618515]

I'm a rising senior and I'm struggling to choose the best option:
Option 1, continuing my undergrad research internship:
Pros (for continuing)
> *may* publish something with a teacher who has a decent reputation (not a superstar tho)
> May get a good LOR
> I have spent a good deal of time doing bitch work last semester, about to actully reach the "climax" of the project
> I don't have shit for results, so if I leave I may not get a LOR from this teacher

Cons
> Pay is shitty
> Is kinda related (say 60~75%) to what I want as a career but there the research entails a good part (40~35%) that I frankly don't give a fuck
> Because I'm a rising senior and did not pursue industry internships in the past, continuing with this research project means that I will graduate without industry experience

Option 2, an industry internship at a big eletronic conglomerate
Pros:
> About 1.75x the pay
> I will get industry experience
> Looks good on CV for future jobs (I'm a third worlder and I think it will help to signal for international employers that I'm not a low IQ shitter)
> Is in area, as in an academic field, that I *may* actually delve in my career

Cons:
> The teacher heading this project has barely no reputation at all
> Is more a engineering job that an actual research project, so I will not publish at all


Given that my goal is to get into a masters (not PHD) program at a good, innovative( as in where shit actually happens, where teachers have multiple industry contacts, at the fore front of the technology in contrast to my backwater university) Yuro university then get a research-y industry career, what would you choose?

[Anonymous No.12618544]

>>12618515
>masters
>where shit actually happens
>research-y industry career
good luck with that

[Anonymous No.12618579]

>>12618515
>undergrad research
no employer worth their salt will let you touch interesting design work without a PhD;
there are simply far too many PhD grads willing to slave for the company to avoid unemployment

[Anonymous No.12618623]

>>12618336
My biggest dread at this point is the awful academic performance from my early university career that features on the transcript. I suspect many admissions teams would see initially see that and immediately throwaway my application without further inspection.
In any case, I wish you the best of luck in your pursuits, anon. Persevere against the inevitable adversity that will come your way.

[Anonymous No.12618645]

>>12618515
Perhaps get the best of both worlds and gain industry experience whilst volunteering in your current academic laboratory? This would probably require for significantly less hours in the academic lab than you currently spend there, but would bolster your CV. That is, if you can handle all of that commitment. Are you actively studying whilst doing this, or do these internships occur during a semester break?

[Anonymous No.12618679]

>>12618544
>>12618579
I'm decided to get a masters due to immigration purposes and because I legit didn't have a "college experience" (due to depression and when I finally got my shit together the 'rona virus happened), and only a masters because I'm not willing to slave away 4~5 years of my youth for a PhD program. Given that the research prospects after the completion of a masters program is limited, how should I approach a masters If I want to be very professionally successful and get the most value out of it? As a mean to network with teachers? To insert myself in the country I migrate to? To get the feel of what is going on at the forefront of my specific filed?

[Anonymous No.12618707]

>>12618679
you need to perform very well in your courses and play the game with professors(assuming they aren't too busy) to have them as professional contacts
>not willing to do PhD
this tells the professor at the very best you may be a potential contact in industry, so just make sure they remember you as an approachable and intelligent student who is capable of doing interesting work without being a pain in the ass

[Anonymous No.12618713]

>>12618679
You'll never be professionally successful in research with only a master's degree, you are simply getting suckered into cheap labor. Do something well-paid (or less intensive in work hours) which only requires a master's degree. If you have high IQ, you're probably worth much more than a third-rate research position in which your employer has a now a fake reason to prevent your ascension since "you don't have a PhD".

[Anonymous No.12618737]

>>12618515
Both of those are really shitty options that do not even work towards your goal.

Apply for actual entry level graduate positions instead of wasting time overthinking slave labour options.

[Anonymous No.12618772]

>>12618737
Not that anon, but all desirable positions require experience. To obtain the required experience surely you must apply to shitty jobs?

[Anonymous No.12619597]

>>12608247
>https://80000hours.org/
ROFL did I calc it out wrong? This website assumes you work 38 hours a week and retire at around 60? Nobody in STEM would work hours like that. It's going to be probably 3 to 4 times that number of hours unless you are a lazy ass bastard

[Anonymous No.12619746]

>>12606863
Apologies in advance if the question is retarded.

I didn't do well in my UK education and got a 2:2 (basically 3.0 GPA) in Engineering Science BSc. I kinda was doing a "Machine Learning" job at first that slowly converted to 4 years of C# software development am now trying to get a MEng in Automation in Austria (while employed at a small soft dev firm). I also got a Pass in MSc in Mathematics during my 4 years of jobbing, because I really wanted to understand the subject better.

Basically, how do I end up a proper Control/Automation/Electrical/Embedded Engineer from this position? Do I network more with professors at uni to get industry contacts? Do I do regular jobhunting while doing PLC projects on my own?

Any advice appreciated.

[Anonymous No.12620181]

>>12617338
I’m a 32 year old chemist in industry with nothing to offer you but my own experience. I barely graduated a year late and didn’t even bother applying for grad school. I made zero connections and had no idea what I was going to do after graduating. I had to grind it out as a lab tech in various industries, making less than 60k for several years. But I found working way more fun and rewarding than school, outperformed my colleagues for the most part, and made valuable connections that served me well. In my current job, I’m basically the entire R&D department for a small chemical company. It’s fun, the money’s good, and I got into it with only minimal relevant experience by knowing the right people. So I’d say that if school sucks, stop wasting your time with it and start working. Chemistry isn’t a job, it’s one skill in your repertoire. Find a way to pay the bills while working on your other skills.
And if you hate working too, then I guess you’ll just stay poor. That’s not the worst thing in the world.

[Anonymous No.12620357]

>>12620181
Not that anon, but I appreciate the anecdote. Considering your lack of initiative in undergrad, I am assuming that you didn’t have any relevant research experience or reference letters from professors? I ask this because I am curious how difficult it is to enter industry following undergrad. I noticed most entry level positions require a couple years of applicable experience or graduate degrees.

[Anonymous No.12620387]

>>12620357
No research experience. I at least got my shit together enough my last semester to spend some time with my analytical chem professor in office hours so I could have at least one letter of recommendation. My first job was a temp-to-hire position through a scientific staffing agency that was listed on indeed. It was an analytical lab doing contract hplc-ms analysis for the pharma industry. Pay was shit but lots of opportunities for overtime and a bonus schedule based on accepted sample runs. Getting a job is piss easy, at least in a normal economy. Moving up from lab bitch work takes time and effort. Oh, and ignore required experience for entry level jobs. It’s bullshit written by clueless hr reps.

[Anonymous No.12620421]

>>12620357
>>12620387
And I know this is turning into a blog post at this point, but fuck it, it’s Saturday night and I’m drinking beer and posting on 4chan. I really like my job and make a comfortable middle-class salary doing it, but I realize full and well that if I had put in the work in school and did what I was supposed to, I could have been in this position at 26 rather than 32.

[Anonymous No.12620428]

>>12610491
From what I've seen, people can excel at their science and the ones downhill from it. What I mean is a physicist can do chemistry or a biologist can do psychology. Someone in physics can apply their learning to many Fields. If you focus on something like environmental science you won't have the skills for cross-specialty application.

[Anonymous No.12621348]

>>12620181
Im that anon. Thanks for this.
>>12620387
Im glad to see the required experience is bullshit. I haven't worked with HPLC, GCMS, all the high-demand instruments at all. I've only done bench work and spectroscopy so that makes me feel a lot better.

By the end of this month I'll hopefully have a better idea of what I want to do, my department is failing me and my track to PhD is beyond fucked up with the timing of qualifying tests and ORP.

[Anonymous No.12621855]

>>12621348
I appreciate the information, anon. Perhaps I won’t waste my time with a MSc. and will immediately enter industry instead.

[Anonymous No.12621863]

>>12617439
Bump

[Anonymous No.12622054]

Will be graduating with a bachelors in maths and double major in cs soon and just want to solve puzzles all day and not be poor, also not very interested in code monkeying.
If I wanted to do actuary or finance stuff would it be better to do a masters in actuarial science or financial engineering instead of maths? or possible to get a decent career without just the bachelors?
also anyone know how hard it is to get a related job in china with mediocre chinese skill and next to no experience? I'd do the masters in China if it helps

[Anonymous No.12622378]

>>12617439
you cant even have a phd if you dont finish things

[Anonymous No.12622390]

>>12622054
>If I wanted to do actuary or finance stuff would it be better to do a masters in actuarial science or financial engineering instead of maths?
lol no, for finance you need a finance degree and it's not enough. as usual it is all about t network and this means all about which school/uni you go to

even for actuary you need a network.

if you really want to stay at home, try with going with the flow, ie sell what is sold, buy what is bought, if you feel good enough, try market timing or just stick arbitrage on btc on 2 exchanges

[Anonymous No.12622394]

>>12622054
also dont forget that proprietary trading is dead

[Anonymous No.12622426]

>>12609903
>>Is there a major that combines math, physics and chemistry?
popsci

[Anonymous No.12622449]

>>12613298
well if money is involved, you need to patent first

[Anonymous No.12622467]

I graduated from pharmacy school and am currently unemployed. I'm thinking of tutoring high school students chemistry (probably the only subject I qualify to teach based on my degree). However, I forgot most of the chemistry I learned in high school (except the stuff relevant to pharmacy such as stoichiometry). What should I do?

[Anonymous No.12622506]

i blew my chance at the career i wanted and can't afford to go back to uni, what do?

[Anonymous No.12622563]

>>12622506
How did you blow your chance, flunk out or just get a degree that doesn't work with what you want? Also what degrees and what is the career you want

[Anonymous No.12622592]

>>12622467
It's super fucking easy. It's highschool chem, which barely even scratches on the first 2 semester of general chemistry. Just do a review on it over a weekend and you'll be set to tutor. Anything you dont know you'll just look up.

[Anonymous No.12622611]

Would it be worthwhile getting my masters in Mathematical Sciences after I finish EE?

[Anonymous No.12622624]

>>12622563
did shitty in HS because of laziness, could only go to a community college instead of a better uni. got a CS degree and I don't hate it but I wish I had done electrical engineering instead.

[Anonymous No.12622681]

How do a CS international student land a summer intern in the US?
I have F1 visa and 13 out of 14 companies rejected my application (or ignored it). The only company who asked me to interview is one in FAANG. I searched around and found out that a lot of Companies don't like F1 students because they would have to pay for their H1B when the students move on to actually work there.
So, do you need to have extreme top-tier profile? Good connections/reference?

[Anonymous No.12622739]

>>12622624
how exactly does a community college compare to a regular uni? you didn't say what specifically in EE you wanted to get into, but a potential path could be take a CS job around where EEs are working (embedded software type work) and then try and make internal movement towards hardware if that's what you want.

[Anonymous No.12622751]

>>12619746
Git gud at C and C++ for embedded development

[Anonymous No.12622755]

>>12622739
>how does a community college compare to a regular uni
they get more shit than they deserve but the material definitely wasn't as rigorous as what I could have done in uni.

[Anonymous No.12622801]

>>12622739
I'm tutoring my cousin who is attending community college.
The syllabus looks the same but the materials are a bit dumbed down.
If you want to compete with students from other schools, you need to build your portfolio on your own.

[Anonymous No.12622809]

>>12622592
Yeah the organic chemistry of high school is just the basic organic chemistry stuff of uni. I forgot so much of the chemistry unrelated to pharmacy though (eg. energetics).

[Anonymous No.12623004]

>>12622681
You have to go back.

[Anonymous No.12623210]

Mathchads, where are you planning on going after graduating?
Anyone know good sources on accountancy or econ that are not written for brainlets, which would give me marketable knowledge? Not sure if I want to be programming for the rest of my days.

[Anonymous No.12623250]

>>12607542
medicine is one of those fields where you'll always find a job no matter what.

[Anonymous No.12623263]

>>12623210
my current plans are to stay in academia, but if that doesn't work I would like to either go for data science or into finance.

[Anonymous No.12623270]

Just realized that this is a better thread for this question.
Can /sci/ give an anon some advice?
I applied to for a PhD position at a top 50 university and got through two rounds of vetting. Now the prof wants to meet on Zoom. It's the first position I've ever applied for. Here's the catch, the work is mostly experimental and on a topic that I'm not particularly interested in. My expertise is in computational mechanics and that's where I'd like to focus. Now, I'm from a shithole and the monthly salary is more than what an engineer with no experience in my country (assuming I could even get a job in this economy) makes in 2 years. Also, if I don't find a position abroad in the next couple months then I'll have to do military service for at least a year and a half.

What should I do? Should I look at the position as just a job and forget about my interests? I don't want to be in school forever and do postdoc after postdoc, trying to find something I'd like to make a career out of, so this will probably be my first and only PhD.
Or should I wait and do the military service and try to get a position abroad then? How much will getting a PhD in an experimental field limit my chances at computational jobs?

[Anonymous No.12623356]

>>12623270
If my understanding is correct, if it's the only bridge to get to where you want to be, you HAVE to do it and yeah, look at it as a job. Maybe you could do military service if you don't get into the program you actually want, try again late, and you'll have that service under your belt.

Conversely, you might also enjoy the new topic. I came into grad school and pigeonholed myself in such a way that I only had one PI to work with and he was abusive as fuck. Transferred over to another one with a topic I had minimal experience in and I'm now loving it because it's challenging and rewarding in different ways, plus expands my previous knowledge too. I also know a guy who got a degree in psychology, a masters in biology, and recently completed a PhD in chemistry, and now works with particles and physics. So your path isn't always linear either.

Hopefully some other anons will have more to say about it, but that's my 2 cents.

[Anonymous No.12623527]

>>12622751
Thank you! That sounds in line with advice I got so far.

[Anonymous No.12623532]

>>12623356
Thanks for the input anon.
> I also know a guy who got a degree in psychology, a masters in biology, and recently completed a PhD in chemistry, and now works with particles and physics.
I don't get how people manage to do this. A PhD in chemistry must require a solid foundation in chemistry right? That's at least 4 years of undergrad knowledge that he doesn't have. Why would any supervisor hire someone like this? And it must be torture to be expected to produce original knowledge in a field you know nothing about.

[Anonymous No.12623660]

>>12622378
Well, I finish some things. Sufficiently many. I let master students do the details.

[Anonymous No.12623853]

I am studying Math&Physics at a pretty good UK university. Because of COVID, I am not in UK but rather in shitty Eastern European country. In which area should I try to find internships?

[Anonymous No.12624292]

>>12622611
You will have a perfectly vocational bachelors degree, why not take advantage of that and begin your career?

[Anonymous No.12624461]

can any EE fags tell me what I'm in for?

[Anonymous No.12624498]

>>12624461
EE is incredibly broad anon, what are you specializing in?

[Anonymous No.12624509]

>>12624498
electronics

[Anonymous No.12624692]

I am so tired of working in biomedical science. I hate how dependent this field is on good mentorship. If you don't have anyone willing and able to mentor you on a variety of techniques, you get fucked so hard.

[Anonymous No.12624939]

>>12624692
I’m 1 year out from finishing my PhD in biomedical science (neuro) and my mentor has been amazing. Still, pretty fucking sick of academia at this point so no idea what I want to do after defending. Feel like my expertise is pretty useless outside of research so I guess I’m fucked.

[Anonymous No.12625241]

>>12623270
>>What should I do? Should I look at the position as just a job and forget about my interests?
i would do this

[Anonymous No.12625401]

>>12625241
Why? I'm interested in how you see the situation.

[Anonymous No.12625440]

>>12623853
>shitty Eastern European country
Just suck it up and finish your degree. You'll go back to UK eventually.
t. from a shitty Eastern European country

[Anonymous No.12625605]

>>12624939
What industry options are available for neurofags? I suspect some positions in pharma pertaining to drug targeting? I am considering studying neuroscience in graduate school as well (probably MSc. rather than PhD), but I just don’t know anybody who has done that.

[Anonymous No.12626619]

JUST GIVE ME THE JOB ALREADY!!!

[Anonymous No.12626637]

>>12623210
>Anyone know good sources on accountancy or econ that are not written for brainlets, which would give me marketable knowledge?
bump

[Anonymous No.12627085]

>>12625401
because you stay afloat a bit more and anything can happen afterwards, which comes either from your personal life, or your personal initiative to self study or on the side of the professionals you work with. It's buying time and having time is always good, compared to go further inside a trap. Military service is even more of a dead end.

[Anonymous No.12627092]

>>12623210
you can always take the coursera course >>12621547

[Anonymous No.12627096]

>>12627092>>12623210

>>12621549

[Anonymous No.12627144]

After dropping out of CS, and jumping around programming jobs then quitting because they made me miserable, I've had a long time to think.

I discovered that while I love science CS wasn't really what I wanted to pursue, I got convinced by the employment prospect meme and some family pressure. I discovered that what I really want to pursue is Medical Bioengineering, any anon in the field that can give me some advice?

I'm already checking my options (not in the US) so public are the best choice, but beyond that is there anything I need to know?

[Anonymous No.12627704]

Ive applied to almost 60 internship positions and not even gotten an interview for a single one, I polished my resume with the help of my prof and alumni several times. Is it because Im international? 2.8 GPA? Im Industrial engineering btw

[Anonymous No.12627739]

>>12610215
accounting

[Anonymous No.12627796]

>>12627704
>Is it because Im international? 2.8 GPA?
Yes and yes. I am sorry.

[Anonymous No.12627866]

>Done 4 years of post-doc work in physics/physical chemistry
>Need to start applying for (extremely competitive, poorly paid) permanent posts or gtfo
>No idea how to get into anything besides acamedia
Go with the academic flow or change it up?

[Anonymous No.12627901]

Europoor here. I am getting 23000€ net for my internship in Germany. Life is good. Hopefully this will help me get a real mech eng job in the future. Unfortunately after I graduate i will have to pay taxes so my salary will probably stay the same

[Anonymous No.12627957]

>>12627901
Is it easy to find an internship here? I am studying EE in germany and have to find 6 weeks internship to be able to graduate otherwise i'll be kicked fuckk. Should I apply to job offers online or should I go to the companies and talk with hr department?

[Anonymous No.12628050]

>>12627085
What if my military service were in the form of a project that's related to my specialty? Because that's an option.

[Anonymous No.12628135]

>>12627866
Try your luck at industry, anon. Attend as many conference like events as possible and try to network your way into a position. The post-doc route seems to be a sad one, except for those who don't have a family and like the allure of travelling internationally for post-docs. To each their own.

[Anonymous No.12628235]

>>12618713
>>12618707
So a undergrad research internship has no value at all?

[Anonymous No.12628917]

>>12627957
I'm sure your own uni has some connections or at least a list of jobs they usually work with.

[Anonymous No.12629050]

>>12606863
What's the best path to work with quantum computing? I'm still in undergrad and planning to change courses.

[Anonymous No.12629057]

>>12628235
I too would like to know the answer to this question.

[Anonymous No.12629061]

What does /scg/ think about getting a master's degree in a Western country for the sole purpose of immigration? I really wanna escape my third world country

[Anonymous No.12629157]

>>12627704
Why can't you apply to internships in your own country? Normally I'd say GPA doesn't matter for 80% of internships but if you are applying internationally (which already Hurts you because sponsoring you is a pain in the ass) then you need to be worth it and you're not at that level

[Anonymous No.12629166]

I'm not even anywhere close to getting any degree just yet, but I'm working towards the goal of cognitive neuroscience with a bio-tech twist. What are some dos/don't I should keep in mind as I'm going forward? Do I gun straight up for a masters and hop out in search for a job? PhD? I'm not in it for the money and mostly just have a big boner for brains, so I'm hoping for a research career fucking around with them.

[Anonymous No.12629389]

>>12629061
Do it if you have the money. Three of my friends did this and they have jobs in Canada, Denmark and Norway right now.

[Anonymous No.12629449]

I am honestly stuck and do not know what to do, I like to program and I enjoy it a lot and the math that comes with it too. So I thought CS will be a good pick for me, but I am also interested in electronics and it seems interesting but I don't have much information about it. I don't want to do a major in CS while I could be happier in EE but I simply do not know enough to give judgment about EE.

[Anonymous No.12630438]

>>12629166
>Do I gun straight up for a masters and hop out in search for a job? PhD?
>I'm not even anywhere close to getting any degree just yet
Consider such things by doing independent research and discussing with mentors, but don't shackle yourself. I am graduating in 14 months and still haven't chosen my path. At this point I am accruing as much experience as possible and optimizing my GPA to ensure maximal opportunity, regardless of what path I choose in the future (MD, graduate studies, or industry).

[Anonymous No.12630450]

>>12609903
Materials science

[Anonymous No.12630761]

>>12629449
Think about where you want to be in 10 years. What kind of work do you want to do? Software development? Research on artificial intelligence? Robotics? Take the degree that is closest to your goal(s).
And remember something, having a degree in one engineering field doesn't really limit you if you want to branch out into another, especially when the fields are pretty closely related like CS and EE. You could get a BS in CS and a master's in EE if you want. Focus on what you want to do and gather the skills and knowledge that it requires.

[Anonymous No.12631138]

>>12606863
I'm going to work as a research assistant in a biomedical lab. I've looked up statistics related to biomedical research and read the research papers by published by the team and I don't get a lot of stuff. What should I do to understand statistics related to biomedical research?

[Anonymous No.12631417]

I feel like I have no passion for anything specific anymore, I'm not sure if it's burnout or depression or whatever. I'm a 3rd year PhD student in chem and I feel like all I want to do in life is master out and just run a machine for 8 hours, clock out, and go home to do stuff I really want to do like hobbies. Synthesis and other meaningful work doesn't seem so appealing to me anymore and at this point even working away from my field seems enticing. My brain just feels exhausted and fatigued all the time now. I feel like I don't have a lot of skills despite working in diverse labs and I feel inadequate in what I have to offer an employer, especially seeing what my colleagues do and what the job requirements are.

I don't know what I'm really asking, I just feel aimless and I don't really know what I want anymore. Am I just lazy and need to get my shit together? Did anybody else go through this?

[Anonymous No.12631637]

>>12606863
top right

[Anonymous No.12631777]

>>12631138
Here you go.
http://libgen.is/book/index.php?md5=09D5A1D03B18241F0562DCE9BA03B670

[Anonymous No.12631946]

>>12631417
Keep persevering, anon. I haven't entered graduate school yet, but I don't know anybody who has completed their PhD and hasn't felt that way at some point. Consider the vast opportunities that you will have access to upon completing your PhD. Aforementioned opportunities will be more accommodating and offer a greater salary which will allow you more freedom in indulging in hobbies!

[Anonymous No.12632545]

>>12627144
Not an engineer, but I was under the impression that bioengineering (as a bachelors degree) is typically a bad idea. I believe it is a highly specialized version of mechanical engineering, and doing mech. eng. as a bachelors degree instead offers more flexibility upon graduation (including the ability of entering bio eng). Just my insight though, do your independent research.

[Anonymous No.12632870]

>>12615952
>We’re all gonna make it.
Please don’t use my daughterwife to post lies.

[Anonymous No.12632889]

>>12629449
An EE degree has a lot of coding in it, and EEs regularly get hired for software positions

[Anonymous No.12633032]

I don't know where to start.
I flunked the last 3 years of uni and racked up debt and negative credits on to my record.

I just need to start fresh. Is it even possible to recover?

[Anonymous No.12633051]

>>12633032
yes

[Anonymous No.12633263]

>>12633032
How much debt do you have?

[Anonymous No.12633289]

>>12633263
I haven't checked in over a year

[Anonymous No.12633292]

>>12633289
You gotta do it anon

[Anonymous No.12633301]

Anons what do I write in my statement of purpose if I'm applying for a research internship but don't have any prior research experience?

[Anonymous No.12633391]

>>12631777
Thank you

[Anonymous No.12633401]

>>12633301
Everyone starts with zero at some point. If you've never volunteered in a lab, talk about your interest in research subjects and soft skills. They want attributes such as eagerness to learn (but don't say it explicitly as some employers think it sounds like you're only here to learn and not work) and proactiveness. If they're looking for interns to write part of research papers, they will also want someone with good writing skills.

[Anonymous No.12633427]

>>12633301
Is it a research internship at uni or at a company?

[Anonymous No.12633693]

Does LinkedIn make job-hunting easier, or is it just a meme? It seems like a data-mining initiative, to be honest. I'm trying to land a junior coding job (preferably something monkey-adjacent in terms of difficulty) while in uni, but there aren't many opportunities of the sort where I live. Something I could do remotely would be ideal, but I know that's just my shut-in heart's pipe-dream.

[Anonymous No.12633715]

>start a PhD in quantum computing in 2014
>it's an obscure field that nobody gives a shit about, I only did it because I liked the math behind it and pretty much the only career prospect I had was academic faculty
>fast forward to 2020
>billion-dollar investments from Google, Microsoft, IBM, Alibaba, Baidu etc, designated as a priority research area by POTUS with a dedicated office established by the White House, startups popping up everywhere
>fucking jobs out the ass everywhere because there are not enough people educated in the field so the demand is enormous, can literally pick and choose offers from top companies and startups
>graduated 2 years ago but I still stay in academia because autism

[Anonymous No.12633780]

>>12633715
>quantum computing
I thought this was going to remain a meme until at least the 22nd century?

[Anonymous No.12633898]

>>12633693
mostly a meme imo.

[Anonymous No.12633998]

>>12633693
I am still a student, so I haven't really entered the job search thus far, but it seems to be a meme. The few times that I have viewed it, I noticed that it functioned a lot like a pseudo intellectual Facebook. Midwits post motivational quotes, dress smart, and vapidly show off to one another regarding career progression. Does anybody view LinkedIn as a platform with proper utility?

[Anonymous No.12634079]

>>12633898
>>12633998
Sucks, I was really hoping for an easy out on this one.

[Anonymous No.12634148]

>>12633780
No. It's very real already.

[Anonymous No.12634225]

>>12631417
same, this is why i became a neet

[Anonymous No.12634259]

>>12633715
>dedicated office established by the White House,
just looked it up, the logo is unironically pretty fucking badass

[Anonymous No.12634559]

>>12609911
>What is the typical career path for a research assistant in a STEM-field?
About 2 - 3 rounds as a postdoc, each contract 2 - 4 years long before tenure. If you get tenure, that is. The FAQ has some info. Look out for nepotism and academic inbreeding, it is as epidemic as Covid-19.

[Anonymous No.12634719]

>>12634559
>About 2 - 3 rounds as a postdoc
Is there no way to skip the postdoc slave labour period?

[Anonymous No.12634764]

>>12633693
>>12633998
I've seen MAYBE 3, 2 at most, of my colleagues get some sort of connections on there, but never any direct hires. However they do say keeping it updated and inflating their skills on it helped (retarded bullshit like "GOOD AT TEAMWORK") because the hiring manager looks there first, as shitty as that is.

Remember that most of the people that do the hiring are super boomers.

[Anonymous No.12634771]

>>12633401
>>12633427
It's at a uni

[Anonymous No.12634809]

>>12634719
I'm currently a postdoc looking for tenure-track positions and I dread the responsibilities that come with a faculty job. I don't want to spend 90% of my time teaching, applying for grants, and attending meetings. The postdoc period has been the most fun time of my career and I wish I could do it forever.

[Anonymous No.12634818]

>>12634719
>>12634809
to expand, if you want to make sure you avoid "slave labour", apply for individual fellowships and don't work on somebody else's grant unless you can guarantee (from talking to their previous postdocs etc) that they will give you enough freedom.

[Anonymous No.12634834]

Currently just a couple years from graduating with my PhD (chemistry).
Advisor went crazy during the pandemic and is threatening everybody, I have over 10 publications and I'm being told that I'm stupid and won't get a job on almost a daily basis.
How dumb is it to just quit (or master non-thesis) and apply to other schools?
I won't have a letter of rec but I'll have proof that I can publish.
My mental health can't handle 2 or 3 more years of constantly being degraded by my advisor while I get awards and praise from everyone else.
I know gradschool can be tough but I'm pretty sure this behavior is not acceptable in most circles.

[Anonymous No.12634856]

>>12634834
what country is this lmao

[Anonymous No.12634865]

>>12634834
3rd year chem PhD student here (USA). My colleague was in a lab like that with a ton of work and data but never got her name on the papers because the PI purposefully kept it off.

PI told my colleague that bad things happen, like her parents dying, because of her own actions and karma, and that she'll never succeed. She practically got kicked out and joined my lab. She's in her 7th year, almost 8th, and is still trying to pursue it due to her sunk cost fallacy thinking.

You THINK you're a couple of years away, but they have control and can drag that out for as long as they want. If your situation allows it, bail while you can. Grad school is supposed to be tough, not abusive.

[Anonymous No.12634877]

>>12634834
>>12634865
Same anon here, also keep in mind you can also try to switch labs within your own program and continue your track there. A professor just left and abandoned all the students and my colleague was able to transfer his work to a related field not even in the same department (same college though). It maybe set him back 1 or 2 years but at least he didn't throw out all his work or anything.

You have options!

[Anonymous No.12634903]

>>12634856
America.

>>12634865
Yeah the whole sunk cost fallacy thing is pissing me off, they believe you won't quit after having a couple years already in it.
Moving in the department is impossible, advisor is besties with the admins. Advisor said they were worried I might not be able to graduate with how I'm doing, so I'm well aware that 2 more years might not be true.

I can forgive myself for bailing out now.
I don't know if I can if I stick it out 2 more years and can't graduate. This semester I'm writing up some papers on the sly with professors from different universities that I'm friends with. Hopefully they can give me a letter if things don't work out.

The true concern in the mentality of finishing whatever you started and that quitting is failure. At this point I would be happy to even be a highschool teacher. I appreciate the sentiment that gradschool is supposed to be tough, not abusive.

[Anonymous No.12635080]

>>12610232
underrated

[Anonymous No.12635289]

I have a PhD in ECE. I'm on a telecon with some NASA people right now but I'm bored so I came to 4chins

[Anonymous No.12635675]

I defended my master's thesis a week or so ago, this week I'm going to have a job interview with one of my committee members about a phd position in his group. He probably really wants me for the position (literally called me the day after to make an appointment) but I'm still not sure whether I want to commit to such a long program or whether I want to immediately work in a company instead.

What are some good questions to ask during this interview? Alternatively, how did your job interviews go, /sci/?

[Anonymous No.12636357]

I have a few thousand dollars but am currently a NEET with a high school diploma and a bit of college credit (dropped out of major with bad prospects). I want to make copies of the human brain one day. Current plan is to go in on a 4 year trade apprenticeship that pays middle class wages and use the wages from that to buy a home and pay for schooling and a home lab.
How retarded am I?
Will I be able to educate myself and conduct experiments working full time if I don't have other things going on?
How have you paid for your education?
If you worked as a grunt in your field, did it help, or would you rather have just made faster money?
Thanks guys, particularly for all the good stuff in the sticky.

[Anonymous No.12636544]

>>12636357
I think doing something this cutting edge is out of reach for people that need to ask how to do it. Use your motivation to get a STEM degree and realize something challenging and realistic

[Anonymous No.12636557]

>>12633693
Over the past 5 years I've had 2 offers that actually materialized into an interview. 100s of Staceys spamming me with bullshit default openers. So i'd say 99% meme and what >>12633998 describes. Worth it to stay on but pointless to engage with seriously. Think of it as a background bonus if anything happens.

[Anonymous No.12636571]

>>12607021
Any advice on doing a theoretical physics PhD? My faculty are encouraging me to pursue on since I've been topping my classes in math.

Part of me wants to do it another part thinks it's a wait of time practically.

[Anonymous No.12636579]

>>12636557
>Stacey's spamming me
Why do you think that is? You job title? I've never had a LinkedIn so no idea if that's normal.

[Anonymous No.12636585]

FUCK stem, BUY gme

[Anonymous No.12636605]

>>12636579
Probably job title. Never talked about it so I assumed it's normal for STEM

[Anonymous No.12636681]

>>12636605
What's your job title? I'm surprised chicks give a shit about Stem titles (unless it's medical)

[Anonymous No.12636693]

>>12636571
>wait of time
If you have no interest in jobs which required a PhD, then don't do it

[Anonymous No.12636712]

>phd in reddit informatics
>any stock i want
>300% gains starting

[Anonymous No.12636731]

Immigrant in states, E&CE MSc with 3 years of work experience (no, really) and arrived for a CS PhD that I hope to turn into green card going the full slave labour route
I really wanna stay in the US but the specific lab I'm in sucks dick (advisor has been nepotised more than anyone I know of, lab mates are pajeets and/or spics that can't string 3 words together and spend 14 hours a day at the lab basically living there - Netflix, Spotify, the works. Very hard to actually focus there)
Any options other than
>applying elsewhere (already done)
>go back home filthy yuropoor (fuck yurop)
>stay here and suffer for 4-5 more years
I don't really care for getting anything above an average salary, academia and industry don't interest me. I don't even want to live in any remotely expensive town (I just wanna fuck off to the middle of nowhere)

[Anonymous No.12636755]

is biotech engineering good?

[Anonymous No.12636764]

>>12636693
I don't know what jobs require a theoretical physics PhD.

[Anonymous No.12636765]

>>12636731
Marry a local

[Anonymous No.12637050]

>>12636764
You seem clueless. If that's the case, don't do a PhD.

[Anonymous No.12637073]

>>12636764
I would probably stomp on my own mother's head to be in your position and you don't even know what to do with it.

go fuck yourself moron

[Anonymous No.12637088]

>>12636731
Go to Canada and get a job there then try to transfer to the US?

[Anonymous No.12637229]

>>12628235
bump

[Anonymous No.12637235]

>>12637050
>>12637073
How about you guys start answering the question instead of getting butthurt over anon's position?

[Anonymous No.12637254]

>>12636764
>https://sciencecareergeneral.neocities.org/
I am not involved in physics, but it is briefly touched upon in the green text of the post. It seems that theoretical physics is a difficult field to gain employment.

[Anonymous No.12637268]

>>12637235
How about you take a year, work a job where you are paid min wage to clean human shit (and they would pay you less if they could get away with it) and use that experience to gain some perspective about what you want to do in life in a way only cleaning HUMAN SHIT can

Alternatively work in a FUCKING CALL CENTRE EVEN THOUGH YOU GRADUATED FROM A TOP 5 UNI WITH A DEGREE IN MATHEMATICS YOU FUCK

[Anonymous No.12637272]

>>12612245
Or, watch a java tutorial on youtube, which is the actual level of most computer scientists

[Anonymous No.12637277]

>>12622809
As long as you remember pH... don't forget that.

[Anonymous No.12637402]

>>12607052
i am in my 4th year of computer engineering but have 3 more years to go because i am so behind i got terrible anxiety problems when it comes to deadlines

[Anonymous No.12637916]

So, what does it take to get an job in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering in the the US?

I want to get a Bachelor's in one of them, but everyone is like "have a minimum of several years of experience" or the demand is so low that it ain't worth spending money on college and traveling

[Anonymous No.12637950]

>>12636544
Thanks for the thoughtful post. Any advice on paying for degrees? Jobs that give experience?

[Anonymous No.12637957]

Thoughts on technical sales? Im graduating April, have 16 months experience as a business analyst and plan on working for one year before going to grad school. Tech sales seems fun and I think I'd be good at it, also am a math grad so would try to get a position with data company.

[Anonymous No.12637982]

>>12637957
Also have 12 months experience as undergrad researcher so I'm really trying to develop myself as a multi faceted professional, both academically and professionally strong. I feel tech sales is fun, I'd be good at it, and would help me succeed more in industry as it seems like an accelerated way to learn the ropes

[Anonymous No.12638095]

>>12634834
>10 publications
your advisor is retarded, don't take it personally

[Anonymous No.12638129]

What do you guys think about working 1 or 2 years afters msc degree before applying to phd? I'm going to be joining a company in March working on robotics/CV after recently finishing my msc. Does having work experience help or hurt my chances of getting accepted into a phd program? I assume the experience is a plus but I wonder if profs see you as a weak candidate for veering off a bit from academia. My grades for undergrad and msc are fine but I haven't published anything yet, though my advisor has asked me to write a paper out of my thesis. I know publications are important but I haven't worked on anything publishable yet. I'd appreciate any advice on how I can make the most out of my industry days ahead so I can become a strong candidate for phd application?

[Anonymous No.12638303]

>>12634903
To add onto your "At this point I would be happy to even be a highschool teacher" comment, I heard from someone else online about their progress in their career and how miserable they were in their PhD program.

They said "I like chemistry, I like playing guitar, and I like smoking weed. I only had time for chemistry in my PhD. I left with a masters, now I'm teaching highschool chemistry, playing my guitar, and smoking weed."

That changed my outlook on what a career REALLY means to me. Best of luck anon. You sound like you know what to do and you have some good footing to get to where you want.

[Anonymous No.12638393]

>>12638303
Jesus christ this post is going to sound like reddit but that's definitely the boat I'm in.
I like chemistry, environmental science, violin and smoking weed. Now I'm just doing chemistry and don't even have time to read articles about chemistry, only to just slave away.

[Anonymous No.12638707]

>>12635289
get a load of this based guy

[Anonymous No.12638735]

>>12636571
theoretical physics can be pretty cushy of you study the right things and keep your nose clean.


getting a faculty job in theory at an R1 school is next to impossible.

data science is also an option but is getting harder.

finance used to be easy enough to get into but is now almost as hard to get into as faculty is.

getting an industry job is pretty easy as long as you can code. especially if you are an American citizen with no record. you can get a security clearance and work for the dod or NSA or something. So few american kids are doing theoretical things at good schools, there is a real talent vaccuum in the defense space for theoretical phys. Just make sure to take a computational phys class at some point and work some numerics into your project.

[Anonymous No.12638759]

>>12636571
Do the PhD if the faculty are encouraging you. You'll be called Dr for the rest of your life and you'll get to study something you like really deeply. So few people get to do that. Most people push projects through that the don't give a fuck about.

[Anonymous No.12638847]

>>12638393
am I right when I say that playing violin or smoking weed now makes you feel guilty for not doing chemistry instead?

[Anonymous No.12638849]

Have a bachelors in biochem and was thinking of either doing a masters in some cybersecurity stuff (what i did in the military) or a masters in some applied chem like food chemistry to work in industry. What would actually be a more useful degree? I know Cybersec would make more money but i'm not as interested in it

[Anonymous No.12638868]

>>12638847
yes

[Anonymous No.12638898]

How is the stuff learned while working as a research assistant different from the stuff learned while doing a PhD?

[Anonymous No.12638996]

>>12638847
>>12638868
Not the second poster, but yes.
Always feel guilt for not doing work, and we have too much work to get done so there is never a moment where something is finished or even close to being done.

Was shouted at for being friendly to a new student just now, apparently I'm not professional (said hi and asked what they're interests are).
Pretty done with all this.