Project Reinvention 2012: Former Academics and The "Real" World

Even though I have yet to apply for non-academic jobs "full-throttle" since I'm still finishing out my U contract, I have been reading a ton of job ads. As I read, I've been thinking a lot about the whole issue of being "over-qualified" for a lot of entry-level jobs while, at the same time, being simultaneously "under-qualified" for them.

Reading A Post-Academic in NYC's experience registering with a temp agency, and then reading the responses to her experience, have been especially interesting in this regard.

In particular, one conversational thread that has been niggling in my mind deals with the idea that former academics are over-qualified, but lack little "real-world" experience. Simply put, this idea infuriates me.?

Color me delusional, but as I read many job ads the only way in which I seem "under-qualified" is that I haven't been working in that particular industry for the past 3-5 years. So while I may not be familiar with the particular grant-writing software a company uses to store its files and information (under-qualified), I understand the general principles of locating grant monies, researching and writing proposals, and acting as a steward (qualified). Given a teensy bit of orientation to the culture/methods/practices of your individual office space, I'll be fine. I am "qualified", perhaps "over-qualified" (or at least compared to an undergraduate fighting for the same entry-level slot) for any jobs that require written communication, public speaking, teaching, a knowledge of publishing, sales experience (my pre-academic life), etc. And you know what? We ALL are.


How could someone suggest that A Post-Academic lacks "real-world" work experience? Is this based on the idea that she simply hasn't spent enough time in an office culture doing filing work?? I imagine that, like most of us, Post-Academic has plenty of transferable skills to the "real-world" because...gee...oh...I don't know...she has spent the past 20-30-40 some-odd years of her life working and living in the FUCKING REAL-WORLD!!


What is this magical "real-world" I've been existing independent of? Because, trust me, I haven't been traipsing through a magical University wonderland, riding a unicorn who shoots rainbows out of its ass. I've been dealing with demanding and entitled bosses, haggling over publishing rights, editing people's prose for journals, revising resumes, and teaching students. Sounds like the real-world to me, eh?


Being a graduate student and an instructor, or a graduate student and a research assistant IS the real-world. In fact, it's a "real" working world that puts one in a very difficult position when dealing with the other "real" worlds of eating, staying clothed, keeping a roof over your head, paying for health insurance, negotiating relationships while being grossly over-worked and grossly under-paid. By the time I hit this supposed "real-world" making something like 35k and not being worked to an emotional, physical, intellectual, and spiritual nubbin', something tells me that I'll be able to cope. Fuck it. With 35k I should be able to money manage myself into living on a yacht, drinking nightly bottles of Cristal, since I've been subsisting on about 20k less than that for the past 7 years, thankyouverymuch.
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Source: http://projectreinvention2012.blogspot.com/2012/02/former-academics-and-real-world.html

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