31. "If I Wasn't A Researcher, I Would Be...."
- Bianca Blanch
- Oct 2, 2020
- 2 min read
If you kept your research skills, but could no longer be a researcher, what would you choose to do? I asked you on Twitter, and this is what you said.
My Experience of Careers Other Than Research
As an adult, I have had only two full-time careers, admin and research. Once I started being a researcher, I found my passion and stayed. I loved learning, I loved having a project, I loved speaking to patients, I loved asking a question and using data to find the answer. I didn't love manuscript writing, but I learnt how to do it. I didn't love the rules to have a successful research career, but learnt how to play it.
I never questioned whether I would be a researcher and my career path, until I left academia. (See 'Embrace the Unexpected' to read about why I left).
I entered the start-up world and the certainty I felt about being an academic fell away. My roles still centre around research, but I am off the academic research track and finding a new way to do research that I am equally passionate about.
The Options of Other Careers
To find some more inspiration, I asked Twitter 'if you kept your research skills, but tomorrow you could no longer be a researcher, what would you do?'
What do you think the most common response was?
Over 166 comments, 243 jobs were listed (108 unique jobs).
The most common answers were:
Writer (n=18)
Data Scientist/Analyst (n=14)
Science Communicator (n=13)
Teacher/Tutor (n=13)
Science Communicator (n=13)
It seems researchers have certain jobs to aspire to:
Writing (science communicator, novelist, speech writer, journalist)
Coach (social media, career, life, rowing)
Teaching (tutor, teacher, lecturer)
Social good (politics, social work, social media advocacy, grant/proposal writing
Creative flair (baker, chef, artist, actress, director, graphic designer, photographer, mixologist, web designer, videographer, wedding planner, winemaker)
As I know you are all keen researchers, here is the tweet link of you want to check out the raw data:
Do these answers surprise you? What is your Plan B? What career would you pursue if you couldn't be in research anymore? Let me know your experience by leaving a comment below or emailing me at AuthenticResearchExperiences@gmail.com
BB
Photo by Brian Ceccato on Unsplash
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I am also an avid reader of start-up stories, or research a passionate person has embarked upon any topic. Click here if you want some new book recommendations.
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