"In my twenties, I thought spending my time immersed in research and writing sounded like an awesome life plan. So I went to grad school, only to discover after borrowing six figures in student loans that a doctorate didn't guarantee a job. These days, it seems to me that universities are graduating so many students with Ph.D.s that scoring a full-time tenured position can feel a bit like winning the lottery."
"I've worked as an adjunct (part-time, non-tenured) faculty for 17 years now. Many times over the years, I've thought about leaving academia altogether. My Ph.D. in mythology, which provides insight into how cultures think and what they value, would surely be a asset to any corporation's marketing team in my mind. But then I had a baby. He was born in early summer, and thanks to working as an adjunct instructor, I was able to take the entire fall semester off for maternity leave."
The narrator pursued a Ph.D. aiming for a full-time professorship but found the academic job market highly oversupplied and uncertain. The doctorate in mythological studies did not translate into clear tenure-track openings, and six-figure student debt compounded the challenge. The narrator has worked as an adjunct faculty member for 17 years and has often considered leaving academia for industry roles such as marketing. The adjunct position provides flexibility and extended time off, enabling a full fall semester of maternity leave after a summer break, which proved decisive in choosing to stay.
Read at Business Insider
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