4 answers
15
Questions
Updated
297 views
Careers in Academia vs Industry?
Hello all!
Recently, my professor asked me if I've ever considered a career in academia after reading one of my essays... which made me wonder what academia is and what the experience is like (beyond getting a PhD).
I'm not sure what I want to do with my life, I like computer engineering (the idea of building something like a robot, etc), but I also really like forensic studies and the topics. I'm a third year student in university.
So, here are my questions:
If you're in academia, why do you pick it? What's something you wish you knew before starting? Would you work in industry? What are pros and cons of your job?
If you're in industry, why do you pick it? What's something you wish you knew? Would you work in academia? What are pros and cons of your job?
Login to comment
4 answers
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Stephanie
Great thought-provoking question. You have been given some excellent advice and thoughts from other mentors. I worked in the business industry and did a fair amount of work with academics in both research and consulting capacities. I chose business because it gave me the ability to utilize critical thinking and turn it into actionable events. That makes sense because my greatest strengths are futuristic, relator, strategic and ideation. When I had the opportunity to work with those in academia, I found it to be a great combination of discovering what can be and executing those ideas in a practical and meaningful way. It was probably one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. So my perspective on your question is that you can find ways to do both. If you elect to pursue industry as your primary career choice, there are opportunities to engage in academia through research/ideation collaboration as well as becoming an instructor (adjunct professor or guest lecturer). And if you elect to pursue academia, look for ways to engage the business or industry leaders to collaborate. Many colleges and universities have teams that work on collaborating with businesses to expand the impact of the work being done in academic environments.
My very best wishes to you for a successful journey.
Great thought-provoking question. You have been given some excellent advice and thoughts from other mentors. I worked in the business industry and did a fair amount of work with academics in both research and consulting capacities. I chose business because it gave me the ability to utilize critical thinking and turn it into actionable events. That makes sense because my greatest strengths are futuristic, relator, strategic and ideation. When I had the opportunity to work with those in academia, I found it to be a great combination of discovering what can be and executing those ideas in a practical and meaningful way. It was probably one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. So my perspective on your question is that you can find ways to do both. If you elect to pursue industry as your primary career choice, there are opportunities to engage in academia through research/ideation collaboration as well as becoming an instructor (adjunct professor or guest lecturer). And if you elect to pursue academia, look for ways to engage the business or industry leaders to collaborate. Many colleges and universities have teams that work on collaborating with businesses to expand the impact of the work being done in academic environments.
My very best wishes to you for a successful journey.
John Easton CEng FIET FBCS CITP
Design large computer systems for companies
25
Answers
Updated
John’s Answer
Hi Stephanie
I work in industry, but work with academics a fair bit. I've been asked the same question and personally I wouldn't want to work there / would much rather stay where I am.
There are a lot of different roles in academia but to keep it short I will say that there are basically two. Those spending the majority of their time teaching and those spending the majority of their time researching. If you like helping people develop then the former may be for you, but then mightn't you have a bigger impact teaching in a school? If you want to get really deep into one particular area, then research may be the thing for you. Just remember that you will spend a lot of time likely trying to get funding for your research (and unless it's something people really care about that may be very hard).
My "problem" with research academics (and this is just my view) is that because they are spending all their time researching, there is never an interest in finally solving the problem. There is always more research to be done (and more funding to be found) and so actually getting to a definitive answer is not their goal. Let's say you actually solve the research problem. What then? Don't get me wrong, we need people to do this, but personally I like getting to the end of one job and moving on to something different rather than spending years doing the same thing. That may just be me, but I think you need to consider whether you think the same way.
Appreciate that this is just my personal view and others will likely disagree (mostly academics I expect ;-) but you did ask...
I work in industry, but work with academics a fair bit. I've been asked the same question and personally I wouldn't want to work there / would much rather stay where I am.
There are a lot of different roles in academia but to keep it short I will say that there are basically two. Those spending the majority of their time teaching and those spending the majority of their time researching. If you like helping people develop then the former may be for you, but then mightn't you have a bigger impact teaching in a school? If you want to get really deep into one particular area, then research may be the thing for you. Just remember that you will spend a lot of time likely trying to get funding for your research (and unless it's something people really care about that may be very hard).
My "problem" with research academics (and this is just my view) is that because they are spending all their time researching, there is never an interest in finally solving the problem. There is always more research to be done (and more funding to be found) and so actually getting to a definitive answer is not their goal. Let's say you actually solve the research problem. What then? Don't get me wrong, we need people to do this, but personally I like getting to the end of one job and moving on to something different rather than spending years doing the same thing. That may just be me, but I think you need to consider whether you think the same way.
Appreciate that this is just my personal view and others will likely disagree (mostly academics I expect ;-) but you did ask...
Updated
Angel’s Answer
Hey there! Academia lets you explore ideas deeply and mentor students, which many find rewarding. However, it often comes with pressures like publishing and funding. Industry, on the other hand, offers practical applications and immediate impact, but can be fast-paced and less flexible. Many enjoy the collaboration and innovation in both fields! It really depends on your passion—building robots or diving into forensic studies. Exploring internships can help you decide what feels right for you!
Updated
Nicolas’s Answer
I was also pondering this question four years ago!
The advice that I ended up following was that you can work in industry first and then apply to grad school later if you end up not liking industry. If you had a job that is relevant to your field, it may even help your grad school application to have that extra experience when you apply. I ended up taking a full-time software engineering job offer after having a summer internship in industry that I liked.
I had some research I started in undergrad, but I don't see myself ever going back to academia. Compared to my friends that took the academic path, I'm paid more and have a better work-life balance. I also feel like things move faster in industry and my work makes more of an immediate real world difference.
The advice that I ended up following was that you can work in industry first and then apply to grad school later if you end up not liking industry. If you had a job that is relevant to your field, it may even help your grad school application to have that extra experience when you apply. I ended up taking a full-time software engineering job offer after having a summer internship in industry that I liked.
I had some research I started in undergrad, but I don't see myself ever going back to academia. Compared to my friends that took the academic path, I'm paid more and have a better work-life balance. I also feel like things move faster in industry and my work makes more of an immediate real world difference.