I am so stressed out about my husband finishing his PhD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The[b] federal government [i]is a great place to look for statistician, math, data science careers. Obviously most people want to go into academia because of the work environment and the job security if you get tenure, but that is a hard road to go down especially with a family.

Umm, hiring freeze at Fed.

Not to mention the complete disregard for evidence based facts by the current leadership.

[Anonymous]

I've been there too! The unknown is tough for the spouse, and even tougher for the one finishing their PhD.

Agree with PPs who said to have an open conversation about your deal breakers in terms of places to live. If he's looking only in academia, those jobs can be quite competitive and will likely involve a move. Universities can be in urban and rural areas, and may or may not have opportunities for you. Some universities focus on assistance in helping the spouse find work, more commonly if the spouse is also in academia, but that is not a guarantee.

The great news is that your husband's PhD is highly marketable. There are so many opportunities for statisticians, both in government (if that situation stabilizes), and in the private market. The most likely scenario is that he will have some good choices. Wishing you good luck!

[Anonymous]

In addition to the national academic market (which will cool down soon as offers are going out now), your DH can also ramp up the non-academic search in March (assuming he's defending, or will be soon--I defended in February for a May graduation). The non-ac timeline is shorter and there are lots of think tank / non-profit / association / research / consulting firms that would be a good fit for his background if no academic offers that fit your criteria come through.

When I did the national search, DH and I developed some shared criteria, and I didn't even apply to places that didn't meet them.

[Anonymous]

OP, hang in there. BTDT as a spouse, also had a baby. I would recommend keeping an open mind about location. College towns often have a very liberal feel even if they aren't urban themselves, and you'll likely be able to make good friends who share your values even if the location isn't your ideal. In fact, your DH's academic salary will make you quite comfortable in many college areas, where in the DC area (or other urban locations) it doesn't feel nearly as generous. There are positives to both types of colleges. Best of luck to him (and you!) in the search.

[Anonymous]

I would also have a conversation about a fellowship vs a tenure-track job. Fellowships last only a few years at most, TT jobs are (assuming tenure) lifetime. You need to have a frank discussion about how often you are willing to move. I have known quite a few colleagues who have moved their families multiple times. Is this something that you are willing to put up with?

[Anonymous]

OP here: Thanks for all the support! You have all been so nice. Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would also have a conversation about a fellowship vs a tenure-track job. Fellowships last only a few years at most, TT jobs are (assuming tenure) lifetime. You need to have a frank discussion about how often you are willing to move. I have known quite a few colleagues who have moved their families multiple times. Is this something that you are willing to put up with?

If a TT position is in offered, you have to take it. Those are few and far between (at least in my field).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BIG DATA IS HUGE. He will be fine and making bank soon.

+1,000

And if he specializes in any kind of machine learning, making a million a year is within reach.

[Anonymous]

Been there as well, with a baby and while pregnant. Watched many of DHs colleagues go through the same as well. It worked out for everyone in the end, but is a hard process for both spouses - and I think sometimes moreso for the trailing spouse, especially if you have your own career, since obviously there are implications for that which are out of your control.

Academic jobs can be hard to come by and you and your spouse need to have some conversations about how many sacrifices you are willing to make if that is the end goal for him. On the other hand, it's pointless to fret too much over possibilities that might not come to fruition. I know I spent way too much time looking at real estate and job postings (for me) in various cities that didn't make it to our final options anyway.

We cast the net wide in DHs job search, but he was prepared to consider non-academic options if the end choices wouldn't work for me. There were some bumps, but ultimately he ended up with a tenure track position in a city with great career opportunities for me that we both find livable, if not ideal (yeah, DC!). Ten years out, even friends with a bumpier path have found their place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also have a conversation about a fellowship vs a tenure-track job. Fellowships last only a few years at most, TT jobs are (assuming tenure) lifetime. You need to have a frank discussion about how often you are willing to move. I have known quite a few colleagues who have moved their families multiple times. Is this something that you are willing to put up with?

If a TT position is in offered, you have to take it. Those are few and far between (at least in my field).

This attitude can be problematic. If you are in a field where there are options to work in the private sector, government, or non-profits (such as statistics), then I think this fetishization of professorships over other excellent (and at times more lucrative) jobs you can do with a PhD is a huge problem. While college towns can be lovely places to live, academia offers a great amount of freedom, the job security of tenure is huge, and getting an academic job is few and far between, academia comes with other problems. One big one is that moving to anywhere in the country (including small university towns) can really mess up a spouse's career and cause a lot of tension and inequalities in the relationship. You have to determine all the options and see if buying into the "any academic job, anywhere" mindset really works for you and your family. I have found that professors really push the idea that academia is the goal over all other employment, and this can lead recent PhDs to see other options as a "fall back plan." When in reality, sometimes you make more money, have more control over where you live, and are able to balance career desires with your spouse better outside of academic settings. If you are truly OK with moving wherever (have a portable career, or are interested in taking a step back from work to raise your kids) this can be fine, but it's not fine for every couple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would also have a conversation about a fellowship vs a tenure-track job. Fellowships last only a few years at most, TT jobs are (assuming tenure) lifetime. You need to have a frank discussion about how often you are willing to move. I have known quite a few colleagues who have moved their families multiple times. Is this something that you are willing to put up with?

If a TT position is in offered, you have to take it. Those are few and far between (at least in my field).

This attitude can be problematic. If you are in a field where there are options to work in the private sector, government, or non-profits (such as statistics), then I think this fetishization of professorships over other excellent (and at times more lucrative) jobs you can do with a PhD is a huge problem. While college towns can be lovely places to live, academia offers a great amount of freedom, the job security of tenure is huge, and getting an academic job is few and far between, academia comes with other problems. One big one is that moving to anywhere in the country (including small university towns) can really mess up a spouse's career and cause a lot of tension and inequalities in the relationship. You have to determine all the options and see if buying into the "any academic job, anywhere" mindset really works for you and your family. I have found that professors really push the idea that academia is the goal over all other employment, and this can lead recent PhDs to see other options as a "fall back plan." When in reality, sometimes you make more money, have more control over where you live, and are able to balance career desires with your spouse better outside of academic settings. If you are truly OK with moving wherever (have a portable career, or are interested in taking a step back from work to raise your kids) this can be fine, but it's not fine for every couple.

Agree. I turned down a TT offer in BFE making $38k and accepted a NTT offer making more than double that in a much cooler place. TT is not he holy grail it used to be--especially in a political climate like this (see Wisconsin). And plenty of people leave tenured spots to do interested, more well-paid work in the private sector.