Chance Meetings
Wandering the town just now, I happened upon my old sixth-form tutor and old head of sixth-form. They were on their way for coffee so I tagged along. And amongst the teasing about my still being here, wandering tramp-like through the streets, was also a refreshingly different perspective. It set me to thinking that what I should really be doing is trying to find something I want to do, something I'd enjoy talking about, something that felt like a satisfying result of the years of study and such.
So of course I'd have to work out what this thing might be, and then hope I'd be qualified for it. For what it's worth, recent news that's caught my eye has included microgeneration (in the New Scientist and an article on the local news about a guy who uses photovoltaic cells on his house to charge his electric Smart car), urban planning (in the local paper, about a large new brownfield development in the town that I'm hoping [somewhat foolishly] will be innovative, environmentally friendly, and well-designed), and of course matters political not least the LibDem leadership. But how could I indulge these (and of course many other) interests in a career, particularly one that a science degree qualifies me for?
Yet again I suspect that a BA really isn't enough. But it's hard to see the value of a Masters or even a PhD in psychology, unless I want to stay in research, which I'm really not sure I want to do. At present at least, I'm more interested in wider issues. And I'm not sure how or why I'd get a Masters in, say, politics or international development or [shudder] management. All the same I think it's clear that the combination of a mere bachelor's degree and a patent lack of experence is a problem.
In a way I'm inclined just to follow up on a few ideas of things which might be interesting, and try to get some relevant experience in them. Yet even then I'm concerned that having a wide variety of experience might be seen as a disadvantage in that it would suggest indecision or a lack of commitment to whatever it was I was trying to get into at that point.
Predictable, vaguely flattering but largely unhelpful standard quotation of the moment: "A First from Cambridge? Surely you can do something/anything/everything with that!" The manner in which I've been more-or-less summarily rejected by everyone (admittedly not a huge number) to whom I have applied thus far (not least the Civil Service, at which I'm disproportionately annoyed) (and would it be too much to ask for feedback from anyone?) suggests, of course, that this simple view is not supported by the evidence.
I've been neglecting my career planning this week, (note to self: devote less time to the crises in your personal life. You think too much about them, too. Oh and you probably shouldn't've watched quite so much Lord of the Rings.) so I'd better get back to it with something approximating a vengeance. Or maybe I'll eat some toast first.
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Tongue-near-cheek Aside to Toby: good job you set me to reading Eliot the day before I met my old English teacher. What next?
So of course I'd have to work out what this thing might be, and then hope I'd be qualified for it. For what it's worth, recent news that's caught my eye has included microgeneration (in the New Scientist and an article on the local news about a guy who uses photovoltaic cells on his house to charge his electric Smart car), urban planning (in the local paper, about a large new brownfield development in the town that I'm hoping [somewhat foolishly] will be innovative, environmentally friendly, and well-designed), and of course matters political not least the LibDem leadership. But how could I indulge these (and of course many other) interests in a career, particularly one that a science degree qualifies me for?
Yet again I suspect that a BA really isn't enough. But it's hard to see the value of a Masters or even a PhD in psychology, unless I want to stay in research, which I'm really not sure I want to do. At present at least, I'm more interested in wider issues. And I'm not sure how or why I'd get a Masters in, say, politics or international development or [shudder] management. All the same I think it's clear that the combination of a mere bachelor's degree and a patent lack of experence is a problem.
In a way I'm inclined just to follow up on a few ideas of things which might be interesting, and try to get some relevant experience in them. Yet even then I'm concerned that having a wide variety of experience might be seen as a disadvantage in that it would suggest indecision or a lack of commitment to whatever it was I was trying to get into at that point.
Predictable, vaguely flattering but largely unhelpful standard quotation of the moment: "A First from Cambridge? Surely you can do something/anything/everything with that!" The manner in which I've been more-or-less summarily rejected by everyone (admittedly not a huge number) to whom I have applied thus far (not least the Civil Service, at which I'm disproportionately annoyed) (and would it be too much to ask for feedback from anyone?) suggests, of course, that this simple view is not supported by the evidence.
I've been neglecting my career planning this week, (note to self: devote less time to the crises in your personal life. You think too much about them, too. Oh and you probably shouldn't've watched quite so much Lord of the Rings.) so I'd better get back to it with something approximating a vengeance. Or maybe I'll eat some toast first.
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Tongue-near-cheek Aside to Toby: good job you set me to reading Eliot the day before I met my old English teacher. What next?
posted by Z31 at 1:36 pm
4 Comments:
Ah well the Civil Service reject even the best of us. How far in the never-ending process did you get?
Don’t worry about feedback anyway, if they rejected you clearly their critical analysis skills are somewhat lacking. For example, from the feedback I got from the Civil Service it seems I got rejected for performance on tests in the second lot. Which is why I got rejected two rounds later. Obviously.
I think you got further than I did. My frustration (apart from getting rejected at all) is in the fact that, first, they don't email you or anything, you have to go looking for their decision. And second, that the sum total of feedback I got was "your score on verbal reasoning was above average. Your score on numerical reasoning was above average. You identified the following as your strengths ... and the following as needing more development". I do have a suspicion that when they tell you to answer questionnaires 'honestly' rather than give the answers you think they want, one shouldn't pay attention...
Aside from the Civil Service, I think the standard emails that say "your qualifications and experience do not fit our needs," or "we shall not be pursuing your application further," or "we really really enjoyed meeting you, honest, but get bent" show a lack of imagination. Though to be fair if I actually received that last one I'd be pretty impressed.
Why weren't Krispy and Ellis at school teaching?! But anyway, yay for them at giving you some good (and useful) advice :~) (why do I always sound like a 10 year old when I post? must be my distinct lack of english ability... sorry!)
Sssh, I was trying to preserve their anonymity! Erm, because it was General Studies, I think was the reason! I'm not sure their advice was necessarily the main thing, so much as just hearing a different point of view for once. Oh and yes, I'd like to confirm that I don't in fact have 10-year-old friends, she just writes like that cos she's a Natsci. [Your English ability is good enough for this context, at least, don't worry.]
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