Member-only story
A Professor’s Confession: the Pros, Cons, and Complications of the Job
There are times of rewarding moments, but also times of s*t hitting the fan, like a student from hell — or a student too attractive
What is it like to be a professor? Is it worth it? What are the challenges?
Well, to be honest, there were times I was so pissed I seriously considered leaving academia for good. But after weighing the pros and cons, I stayed.
If you ask me, this job is very unique. Not a lot of other jobs can provide the same level of flexibility and job security. But not a lot of jobs require so much investment either — years of education for a terminal degree in most cases, then another 5 to 6 years of nail-biting wait for tenureship.
Further, none of the other jobs require you to teach so many adults with so many differences. And this can be a source of headaches and problems.
Let me quickly show you the pros, cons, and complications of being a professor.
PROS
Freedom
This job-search website, this career guide website, this professor in a business school, and this professor in a social science field all list a big pro for being a…
