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University Should I pursue my Masters and proceed to, embark on a career in academia?

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TSAquarius33
post Feb 24 2021, 11:45 AM, updated 4y ago

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Hi all, I'm reposting my question on r/malaysia here and looking for more response. I think Education Essentials is the right forum to post this compared to Jobs & Careers since it is more inclined to my choice to further postgrad studies or not at the current moment. You can choose to comment on either here or Reddit, whichever is more convenient for you. Thanks in advance.

Original Reddit Post

After working for a year and taking another gap year or so (partly due to covid) to reflect on what I should do with the rest of my life, I decided that I shall pursue an academic career. This decision simply means I'll return to the university once again to continue studying for my Masters. As I was a Mass Comm. graduate, the most reasonable choice for my Masters would be a research-based MA Degree in Communication; and for that, I have chosen a local university to continue my study.

Classes are starting soon in March. As much as I'm looking forward to being a student again, I'm equally uncertain of my own decision in the meantime. I'm not sure if the academia (in my subject of interest) needs more academics or researchers like me. To be frank, I've been reading a lot of posts in this sub about how a comms/social science/arts-related degree is being regarded as a useless "Mickey Mouse" degree". I'm not sure how much of that notion is applicable to higher/postgraduate degree, but it has surely contributed to my dilemma nonetheless.

In addition, having looked into a possible career as a researcher/academic, I've read about the pressure to publish or perish in the world of academia. I even come across a previous post just few days ago saying how Malaysian academics resort to publish in fraudulent/predatory journals to secure the university ranking as well as their faculty positions. Ngl the more horror stories like these I read, the more I question myself if the academic route is really fit for me or not.

Long story short, if there is any academic/researcher/scholar lurking in this sub, I hope you could chime in and share with me your stories and insights working in the ivory tower in order to help me make an informed decision. Thank you so much!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A context of my previous employment and how it propels me to venture a career in academia

I used to be a content writer in a digital marketing company, just one of the many jobs that having a Mass Comm. degree would guarantee you with (like journalism, etc..). To give you a rough idea, my previous job mainly deals with curating and producing contents (mostly blog articles on my part) to help optimize one or several websites to rank in search engines such as Google (aka make them possibly appear in the first page of search results, thus driving conversions and sales). In short, my job is an essential part of search engine optimization (SEO).

However, after doing that job for about a year, I find no passion in continue doing it further simply because I'm no believer in that tactic. Yes, SEO does work, but only exclusively for big name and top performing companies (think Shopee, Lazada, Grab, etc..). For no-name, small companies like the one I was working for, not even a chance! There's no guarantee of website visibility simply through a few marketing articles or sales copies as there are many other factors to consider like website loading speed, bounce rate, engagement rate, and (insert other digital marketing lingo here). While they are not my specialty but more of that of SEO specialist, I'm still very much concerned by it.

Think about it, let say one day we really manage to make our (no-name) website appear in the first page of search engine, would you choose to buy something from us rather than those big brand names? The answer is obvious. It really takes a long long time and lots of human effort to search-engine optimize a website. Let's face it, we still rely on word-of-mouth or traditional advertising to gain exposure, even more so for companies that are set up in underdeveloped/developing states which I'm living in. SEO is only a sorcery that works in developed states or countries. By the way, this makes me remember I even blatantly blabbered about this very issue to my ex-colleagues last time on our work WhatsApp group lol.

Three months before I called it quits, I remember I ended up copying contents from other websites shamelessly to take the easy way out of my job. I put very little effort to paraphrase just to make them read like they are my own articles. At that stage, I'd lost all motivation to work any longer as soon as I realized we were simply treated as article churning machines. During peak period, we were even tasked to manage the article curation for four to five websites! I didn't understand what makes my ex-company thinks a few articles from only two to three of us could help drive the website traffic. Heck there are even content farms or content mills solely dedicated for this purpose. I don't want to churn out poor-quality articles non-stop soullessly; I want to write articles that HUMANS would read!!! Needless to say, my ex-company had now shut down its operation (long before covid and lockdown somemore!) and the articles that my colleagues and I once poured all our efforts into to craft, had unquestionably turned to dust.

I reckon, if I were to put effort into my writing, why not doing it in academia aka writing thesis or research papers. At least I can find interesting insights during my research in my subject of interest, which is not possible in my content writing job because we just had to write for whatever topics we were assigned. I could feel more valuable of myself and my research could contribute to the society, who knows? Though nobody would really read academic journals, except academics themselves (of course, lol). I'm aware of the fact that the "article churning mechanism" does happen over in academia as well, after reading that news, where the quality of research paper has suffered due to public and perish culture. Since I have yet to step into the academic realm, I might think of this industry too naively or one-sidedly (positive or not) so I need somebody inside to give me a reality check, if possible.

As to why I study Mass Communication and what is its appeal to me, I want to make an impact to the society through the means of communication and media, I guess. Maybe taking part in the production of a thought-provoking documentary or video that addresses the social issues plaguing the country? Think influencers or youtubers but focusing on societal issues lol, but I don't think I have the capacity of being one as of yet. If all of these are not reachable, I wonder if pursuing a higher degree by research would move me one step closer to my goal, since I could take this opportunity to become a subject matter expert in social issues lol. One fact I couldn't deny is that during my undergrad studies, I do have a strong interest in a particular subject that talks about people, cultures and social inquiries. I could barely remember what I had learned by now since it was nearly three years ago (shit, time flies so fast).

When I took my gap year last year, I did a lot of personality tests to understand my own behavior and find out just what kind of career path is really suitable for me. One test says my public and private behavior is of "The Researcher". Not sure how much does it correspond to being an academic researcher in the university, but it definitely gives me some assurance in my plan to explore the academic route. Also, just for the sake of mentioning, my personality type in the 16Personalities test is Architect (INTJ). If there is one thing about myself I could learn from my previous employment, it would be that I'm probably not somebody who has strong pursuit of worldly success like money, luxury and fame. I have absolutely zero interest in climbing the corporate ladder. Instead, I'm more of a person who put higher priority on personal development and professional growth.

This post has been edited by Aquarius33: Feb 24 2021, 12:12 PM
Capt olympic
post Feb 25 2021, 09:08 AM

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If you keen to explore into academia, you definitely need a PhD.

A master degree will not be sufficient for the next coming 5 to 8 years.

I have a pool of PhD and Master students, and some decided to join back industry after they have completed their studies. The main reason is because they are not satisfied with academia's compensation and benefits.
There is no way to compete with industry's pay scale.

I do enjoy what I am doing right now, but this Pandemic makes me think again about my career. I have 20+ years to go till 60, and I do not wish to experience the same as my other older colleagues.

Due to this pandemic, many of my older colleagues (above 60 years old) were retrenched. Management is hiring fresh PhD graduates to replace them. They are younger, vibrant, tech-savy and come with many other benefits to the company.

So, if you want to stay in academia, apart from obtaining a PHD which is necessary, it is also advisable to build network, develop consultancy skills (this is pretty hard for social-sciences), publications in top journals, teaching and other administration works. I believe there are pros and cons in any industry. Definitely teaching is about passion to pass on knowledge.

Enjoy what you do, and live with no regrets.
TSAquarius33
post Feb 25 2021, 12:44 PM

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QUOTE(Capt olympic @ Feb 25 2021, 09:08 AM)
If you keen to explore into academia, you definitely need a PhD.

A master degree will not be sufficient for the next coming 5 to 8 years.

I have a pool of PhD and Master students, and some decided to join back industry after they have completed their studies. The main reason is because they are not satisfied with academia's compensation and benefits.  
There is no way to compete with industry's pay scale. 

I do enjoy what I am doing right now, but this Pandemic makes me think again about my career. I have 20+ years to go till 60, and I do not wish to experience the same as my other older colleagues.

Due to this pandemic, many of my older colleagues (above 60 years old) were retrenched. Management is hiring fresh PhD graduates to replace them. They are younger, vibrant, tech-savy and come with many other benefits to the company.

So, if you want to stay in academia, apart from obtaining a PHD which is necessary, it is also advisable to build network, develop consultancy skills (this is pretty hard for social-sciences), publications in top journals, teaching and other administration works. I believe there are pros and cons in any industry. Definitely teaching is about passion to pass on knowledge.

Enjoy what you do, and live with no regrets.
*
Yes, it is indeed my plan to continue to PhD after completing my Masters. I'm just looking for assurance from existing Malaysian academics on whether it is worthwhile to pursue an academic career.

I do understand that the academia's pay scale is at the lower end. But coming from a comms background where related jobs do not really have high income potential, I wonder why not doing something I like instead since I'm going to be paid peanuts anyway.

Plus, I do not fancy corporate world simply because I genuinely despise the fact that you will somehow be sucked into office politics (based on my previous job) even you do not actively participate in it. Though I cannot absolutely say it wouldn't happen in the academia because where there are people, there are politics.

Thank you for your advice on what I should do aside from obtaining a PhD, and I love your last line, definitely a life motto and words of encouragement for me!

This post has been edited by Aquarius33: Feb 25 2021, 12:54 PM
joe_toye
post Feb 26 2021, 02:47 PM

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QUOTE(Aquarius33 @ Feb 25 2021, 12:44 PM)
Yes, it is indeed my plan to continue to PhD after completing my Masters. I'm just looking for assurance from existing Malaysian academics on whether it is worthwhile to pursue an academic career.

I do understand that the academia's pay scale is at the lower end. But coming from a comms background where related jobs do not really have high income potential, I wonder why not doing something I like instead since I'm going to be paid peanuts anyway.

Plus, I do not fancy corporate world simply because I genuinely despise the fact that you will somehow be sucked into office politics (based on my previous job) even you do not actively participate in it. Though I cannot absolutely say it wouldn't happen in the academia because where there are people, there are politics.

Thank you for your advice on what I should do aside from obtaining a PhD, and I love your last line, definitely a life motto and words of encouragement for me!
*
It depends on your motivation and drive. If your primary motivation is merely an escape from the drudgery of industry life or the illusion of more money, then i would say, the life of an academic is going to be a long boring one. But if you have the passion for youth and teaching - then by all means.

In regards to publications and research - not all universities practice the same ideals. Some universities are more teaching-oriented and some are more publication-drive, While some just maintains a balance of both.

Do not worry about PhD in social sciences. For as long as there are universities offering programmes in these areas, there is a need to have doctorates. And do not worry about the perception of PhD in non-sciences. Unfortunately, in Malaysia - there is a game to obtain titles like 'Dr's and many more. And this is a multiplier effect as well because to get promoted into an Associate Prof or full Prof - you need to graduate (supervise) an x-amount of phd students.

Having said that - obtaining a PhD is an accomplishment in itself. It does not mean that once you get it, you are smarter or reached the pinnacle of your academic life. It is just a passport to the long road of research. You are judged but the quality of your paper and not the quantity of it (although that is also another long speech on that).

And BTW? The world of Academia is RIFE with politics. More-so in public universities where real-world politics are inter-mingled with office politics.
joe_toye
post Feb 26 2021, 02:48 PM

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BTW the answer to this "In addition, having looked into a possible career as a researcher/academic, I've read about the pressure to publish or perish in the world of academia. I even come across a previous post just few days ago saying how Malaysian academics resort to publish in fraudulent/predatory journals to secure the university ranking as well as their faculty positions. Ngl the more horror stories like these I read, the more I question myself if the academic route is really fit for me or not."

It's more evident in Public Universities.
Human Nature
post Feb 26 2021, 03:33 PM

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That article about predatory journals issue is a perfect example to the proverb, kerana nila setitik, rosak susu sebelanga. There are many ethical researchers/academicians in Malaysia too but now getting snide remarks and being lumped together with the culprits.
joe_toye
post Feb 26 2021, 04:00 PM

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QUOTE(Human Nature @ Feb 26 2021, 03:33 PM)
That article about predatory journals issue is a perfect example to the proverb, kerana nila setitik, rosak susu sebelanga. There are many ethical researchers/academicians in Malaysia too but now getting snide remarks and being lumped together with the culprits.
*
Actually - many academics are also forced to play the publication game. Whether it's PAY to PUBLISH (under the guise of article processing fee) or application to be SCOPUS through various methods. It's the same with IPTS and IPTA.

I blame MYRA, SETARA and the entire global ranking scheme.
Human Nature
post Feb 26 2021, 04:28 PM

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QUOTE(joe_toye @ Feb 26 2021, 04:00 PM)
Actually - many academics are also forced to play the publication game. Whether it's PAY to PUBLISH (under the guise of article processing fee) or application to be SCOPUS through various methods. It's the same with IPTS and IPTA.

I blame MYRA, SETARA and the entire global ranking scheme.
*
At the end of the day, it boils down to how ethical or principled one is.
Capt olympic
post Mar 1 2021, 01:13 PM

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QUOTE(joe_toye @ Feb 26 2021, 04:00 PM)
Actually - many academics are also forced to play the publication game. Whether it's PAY to PUBLISH (under the guise of article processing fee) or application to be SCOPUS through various methods. It's the same with IPTS and IPTA.

I blame MYRA, SETARA and the entire global ranking scheme.
*
Those who published in those xxx journals are their choice la. They are aware but they still choose to do so.
I have few colleagues who published over 20+, 50+, and 100+ articles in those journals, and they are Dean/ Prof now.


So, it is your choice to do it or not.

Ralna
post Mar 1 2021, 09:30 PM

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Hi, TS.

I believe my perspective will give you some insights.

---

My background:
- I did a master's in communication (not mass communication, but corporate/marketing communication).
- I'm an INFJ-- just one letter different from your type, INTJ.
- I worked in the academia, as a lecturer, for many years.
- I like teaching, but I do not enjoy doing research. I don't work for research universities.
- I exit the academia last year. I hate the paperwork a lecturer has to do, every semester.
- I have no interest to climb the corporate ladder at all.

I am biz-minded. I started my first biz at 30 years old. I am building my 2nd and 3rd one now:
- My first biz is a training company for Gen XYZ. I love training and building people up.
- My second biz is emotional wellness. I'm into counselling and coaching (INFJs are great at it).
- My third biz is a content marketing agency. I love creating content and making videos for biz. Also, people pay me to teach them on how to create content, too.

I enjoy doing what I'm doing, a lot, and I get paid well for it. I am running them simultaneously, building them phase by phase, and then expanding with own manpower/some outsourcing. These are what I will do for life. I may venture into other businesses for investment purpose, but that's for later, in my late-30s/40s.

Also concurrently, I'm test-running my own Youth Mentorship Programme online, through which I teach young adults (age 19-28) practical biz skills. I don't charge my mentees a single cent, but I require them to do some simple tasks for me, in exchange for the biz knowledge/skills that I'm teaching them. This is a voluntary CSR project that I'm doing now, on my own initiative. If this programme runs well, I will monetize it from 2022/23 onwards. I always test-run biz ideas (test the market demand, gain deeper insights from participants/clients, refine the details/materials etc) before I launch them publicly.

In my free time, I also volunteer myself to help other NGOs. INFJs care for people and society, a lot. I happen to be a more biz-minded, success-oriented INFJ, because of my enneagram type 3- The Achiever.

---

That said, I would suggest you to do more career profiling and personality tests, such as Enneagram and RIASEC. MBTI profiling alone isn't enough to discover what you truly wanna do in life.

Also, consider this:
If you don't want to climb the corporate ladder, or you find the academia too daunting/boring, then you need to develop biz skills to be self-employed (freelancer or SME owner).

If you're extremely good with digital marketing + communication skills (speaking, writing, presenting etc), you can earn a lot by doing what you're great at and passionate at. With so many platforms to choose from, you just need to focus on 1-3 platforms to make the most money for you.

I always get along with INTJs. From what I see, you seem so lost and clueless about where you're heading to. I hope you won't be lost in the sea of information you're getting. INTJs can really think a lot and sometimes get lost in their abstract thoughts.

Just sharing briefly, based on my background and experiences in employment and biz. I hope you find it useful.

This post has been edited by Ralna: Mar 1 2021, 09:31 PM
joe_toye
post Mar 1 2021, 09:38 PM

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QUOTE(Capt olympic @ Mar 1 2021, 01:13 PM)
Those who published in those xxx journals are their choice la. They are aware but they still choose to do so.
I have few colleagues who published over 20+, 50+, and 100+ articles in those journals, and they are Dean/ Prof now.
So, it is your choice to do it or not.
*
Unfortunately, there are also cases that they are second or third authors and have no idea they are published in xxx journals. Hahaha. Some universities are taking action now since the scandal hit.
joe_toye
post Mar 1 2021, 09:40 PM

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QUOTE(Ralna @ Mar 1 2021, 09:30 PM)
Hi, TS.

I believe my perspective will give you some insights.

---

My background:
- I did a master's in communication (not mass communication, but corporate/marketing communication).
- I'm an INFJ-- just one letter different from your type, INTJ.
- I worked in the academia, as a lecturer, for many years.
- I like teaching, but I do not enjoy doing research. I don't work for research universities.
- I exit the academia last year. I hate the paperwork a lecturer has to do, every semester.
- I have no interest to climb the corporate ladder at all.

I am biz-minded. I started my first biz at 30 years old. I am building my 2nd and 3rd one now:
- My first biz is a training company for Gen XYZ. I love training and building people up.
- My second biz is emotional wellness. I'm into counselling and coaching (INFJs are great at it).
- My third biz is a content marketing agency. I love creating content and making videos for biz. Also, people pay me to teach them on how to create content, too.

I enjoy doing what I'm doing, a lot, and I get paid well for it. I am running them simultaneously, building them phase by phase, and then expanding with own manpower/some outsourcing. These are what I will do for life. I may venture into other businesses for investment purpose, but that's for later, in my late-30s/40s.

Also concurrently, I'm test-running my own Youth Mentorship Programme online, through which I teach young adults (age 19-28) practical biz skills. I don't charge my mentees a single cent, but I require them to do some simple tasks for me, in exchange for the biz knowledge/skills that I'm teaching them. This is a voluntary CSR project that I'm doing now, on my own initiative. If this programme runs well, I will monetize it from 2022/23 onwards. I always test-run biz ideas (test the market demand, gain deeper insights from participants/clients, refine the details/materials etc) before I launch them publicly.

In my free time, I also volunteer myself to help other NGOs. INFJs care for people and society, a lot. I happen to be a more biz-minded, success-oriented INFJ, because of my enneagram type 3- The Achiever.

---

That said, I would suggest you to do more career profiling and personality tests, such as Enneagram and RIASEC. MBTI profiling alone isn't enough to discover what you truly wanna do in life.

Also, consider this:
If you don't want to climb the corporate ladder, or you find the academia too daunting/boring, then you need to develop biz skills to be self-employed (freelancer or SME owner).

If you're extremely good with digital marketing + communication skills (speaking, writing, presenting etc), you can earn a lot by doing what you're great at and passionate at. With so many platforms to choose from, you just need to focus on 1-3 platforms to make the most money for you.

I always get along with INTJs. From what I see, you seem so lost and clueless about where you're heading to. I hope you won't be lost in the sea of information you're getting. INTJs can really think a lot and sometimes get lost in their abstract thoughts.

Just sharing briefly, based on my background and experiences in employment and biz. I hope you find it useful.
*
You sound like someone I know. Hahaha. Unfortunately, i cannot divulge my identity and i also respect yours.
Ralna
post Mar 1 2021, 09:50 PM

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QUOTE(joe_toye @ Mar 1 2021, 09:40 PM)
You sound like someone I know. Hahaha. Unfortunately, i cannot divulge my identity and i also respect yours.
*
haha... I've been identified a few times, on lowyat forum. I don't mind being identified; just don't spill the beans/reveal my real ID on forum. I don't want more stalkers, males especially. It's troublesome for me. tongue.gif

TSAquarius33
post Mar 2 2021, 10:23 PM

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QUOTE(joe_toye @ Feb 26 2021, 02:47 PM)
It depends on your motivation and drive. If your primary motivation is merely an escape from the drudgery of industry life or the illusion of more money, then i would say, the life of an academic is going to be a long boring one. But if you have the passion for youth and teaching - then by all means.

In regards to publications and research - not all universities practice the same ideals. Some universities are more teaching-oriented and some are more publication-drive, While some just maintains a balance of both.

Do not worry about PhD in social sciences. For as long as there are universities offering programmes in these areas, there is a need to have doctorates. And do not worry about the perception of PhD in non-sciences. Unfortunately, in Malaysia - there is a game to obtain titles like 'Dr's and many more. And this is a multiplier effect as well because to get promoted into an Associate Prof or full Prof - you need to graduate (supervise) an x-amount of phd students.

Having said that - obtaining a PhD is an accomplishment in itself. It does not mean that once you get it, you are smarter or reached the pinnacle of your academic life. It is just a passport to the long road of research. You are judged but the quality of your paper and not the quantity of it (although that is also another long speech on that).

And BTW? The world of Academia is RIFE with politics. More-so in public universities where real-world politics are inter-mingled with office politics.
*
Thank you for your reply! Will definitely take note of your advice if I happen to be working in the academia in the future. biggrin.gif

QUOTE(Ralna @ Mar 1 2021, 09:30 PM)
Hi, TS.

I believe my perspective will give you some insights.

---

My background:
- I did a master's in communication (not mass communication, but corporate/marketing communication).
- I'm an INFJ-- just one letter different from your type, INTJ.
- I worked in the academia, as a lecturer, for many years.
- I like teaching, but I do not enjoy doing research. I don't work for research universities.
- I exit the academia last year. I hate the paperwork a lecturer has to do, every semester.
- I have no interest to climb the corporate ladder at all.

I am biz-minded. I started my first biz at 30 years old. I am building my 2nd and 3rd one now:
- My first biz is a training company for Gen XYZ. I love training and building people up.
- My second biz is emotional wellness. I'm into counselling and coaching (INFJs are great at it).
- My third biz is a content marketing agency. I love creating content and making videos for biz. Also, people pay me to teach them on how to create content, too.

I enjoy doing what I'm doing, a lot, and I get paid well for it. I am running them simultaneously, building them phase by phase, and then expanding with own manpower/some outsourcing. These are what I will do for life. I may venture into other businesses for investment purpose, but that's for later, in my late-30s/40s.

Also concurrently, I'm test-running my own Youth Mentorship Programme online, through which I teach young adults (age 19-28) practical biz skills. I don't charge my mentees a single cent, but I require them to do some simple tasks for me, in exchange for the biz knowledge/skills that I'm teaching them. This is a voluntary CSR project that I'm doing now, on my own initiative. If this programme runs well, I will monetize it from 2022/23 onwards. I always test-run biz ideas (test the market demand, gain deeper insights from participants/clients, refine the details/materials etc) before I launch them publicly.

In my free time, I also volunteer myself to help other NGOs. INFJs care for people and society, a lot. I happen to be a more biz-minded, success-oriented INFJ, because of my enneagram type 3- The Achiever.

---

That said, I would suggest you to do more career profiling and personality tests, such as Enneagram and RIASEC. MBTI profiling alone isn't enough to discover what you truly wanna do in life.

Also, consider this:
If you don't want to climb the corporate ladder, or you find the academia too daunting/boring, then you need to develop biz skills to be self-employed (freelancer or SME owner).

If you're extremely good with digital marketing + communication skills (speaking, writing, presenting etc), you can earn a lot by doing what you're great at and passionate at. With so many platforms to choose from, you just need to focus on 1-3 platforms to make the most money for you.

I always get along with INTJs. From what I see, you seem so lost and clueless about where you're heading to. I hope you won't be lost in the sea of information you're getting. INTJs can really think a lot and sometimes get lost in their abstract thoughts.

Just sharing briefly, based on my background and experiences in employment and biz. I hope you find it useful.
*
Thank you for sharing with me your experience and inspirational story. I guess I might emulate you and aim to work in the academia after finishing my Masters. Not sure if I'd love lecturing, researching or doing the boring paperwork, but at this stage I just want to give it a try and see where my passion lies.

I also did the Enneagram test as per your suggestion and found out I'm Type 5 - The Investigator. It says "Fives seek understanding and knowledge, and are more comfortable with data than people", which I think describes my personality well and what I truly want to do in the long run.

This post has been edited by Aquarius33: Mar 2 2021, 10:37 PM
Redshelf411
post Apr 9 2021, 10:43 PM

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QUOTE(Aquarius33 @ Feb 24 2021, 11:45 AM)
Hi all, I'm reposting my question on r/malaysia here and looking for more response. I think Education Essentials is the right forum to post this compared to Jobs & Careers since it is more inclined to my choice to further postgrad studies or not at the current moment. You can choose to comment on either here or Reddit, whichever is more convenient for you. Thanks in advance.

Original Reddit Post

After working for a year and taking another gap year or so (partly due to covid) to reflect on what I should do with the rest of my life, I decided that I shall pursue an academic career. This decision simply means I'll return to the university once again to continue studying for my Masters. As I was a Mass Comm. graduate, the most reasonable choice for my Masters would be a research-based MA Degree in Communication; and for that, I have chosen a local university to continue my study.

Classes are starting soon in March. As much as I'm looking forward to being a student again, I'm equally uncertain of my own decision in the meantime. I'm not sure if the academia (in my subject of interest) needs more academics or researchers like me. To be frank, I've been reading a lot of posts in this sub about how a comms/social science/arts-related degree is being regarded as a useless "Mickey Mouse" degree". I'm not sure how much of that notion is applicable to higher/postgraduate degree, but it has surely contributed to my dilemma nonetheless.

In addition, having looked into a possible career as a researcher/academic, I've read about the pressure to publish or perish in the world of academia. I even come across a previous post just few days ago saying how Malaysian academics resort to publish in fraudulent/predatory journals to secure the university ranking as well as their faculty positions. Ngl the more horror stories like these I read, the more I question myself if the academic route is really fit for me or not.

Long story short, if there is any academic/researcher/scholar lurking in this sub, I hope you could chime in and share with me your stories and insights working in the ivory tower in order to help me make an informed decision. Thank you so much!

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A context of my previous employment and how it propels me to venture a career in academia

I used to be a content writer in a digital marketing company, just one of the many jobs that having a Mass Comm. degree would guarantee you with (like journalism, etc..). To give you a rough idea, my previous job mainly deals with curating and producing contents (mostly blog articles on my part) to help optimize one or several websites to rank in search engines such as Google (aka make them possibly appear in the first page of search results, thus driving conversions and sales). In short, my job is an essential part of search engine optimization (SEO).

However, after doing that job for about a year, I find no passion in continue doing it further simply because I'm no believer in that tactic. Yes, SEO does work, but only exclusively for big name and top performing companies (think Shopee, Lazada, Grab, etc..). For no-name, small companies like the one I was working for, not even a chance! There's no guarantee of website visibility simply through a few marketing articles or sales copies as there are many other factors to consider like website loading speed, bounce rate, engagement rate, and (insert other digital marketing lingo here). While they are not my specialty but more of that of SEO specialist, I'm still very much concerned by it.

Think about it, let say one day we really manage to make our (no-name) website appear in the first page of search engine, would you choose to buy something from us rather than those big brand names? The answer is obvious. It really takes a long long time and lots of human effort to search-engine optimize a website. Let's face it, we still rely on word-of-mouth or traditional advertising to gain exposure, even more so for companies that are set up in underdeveloped/developing states which I'm living in. SEO is only a sorcery that works in developed states or countries. By the way, this makes me remember I even blatantly blabbered about this very issue to my ex-colleagues last time on our work WhatsApp group lol.

Three months before I called it quits, I remember I ended up copying contents from other websites shamelessly to take the easy way out of my job. I put very little effort to paraphrase just to make them read like they are my own articles. At that stage, I'd lost all motivation to work any longer as soon as I realized we were simply treated as article churning machines. During peak period, we were even tasked to manage the article curation for four to five websites! I didn't understand what makes my ex-company thinks a few articles from only two to three of us could help drive the website traffic. Heck there are even content farms or content mills solely dedicated for this purpose. I don't want to churn out poor-quality articles non-stop soullessly; I want to write articles that HUMANS would read!!! Needless to say, my ex-company had now shut down its operation (long before covid and lockdown somemore!) and the articles that my colleagues and I once poured all our efforts into to craft, had unquestionably turned to dust.

I reckon, if I were to put effort into my writing, why not doing it in academia aka writing thesis or research papers. At least I can find interesting insights during my research in my subject of interest, which is not possible in my content writing job because we just had to write for whatever topics we were assigned. I could feel more valuable of myself and my research could contribute to the society, who knows? Though nobody would really read academic journals, except academics themselves (of course, lol). I'm aware of the fact that the "article churning mechanism" does happen over in academia as well, after reading that news, where the quality of research paper has suffered due to public and perish culture. Since I have yet to step into the academic realm, I might think of this industry too naively or one-sidedly (positive or not) so I need somebody inside to give me a reality check, if possible.

As to why I study Mass Communication and what is its appeal to me, I want to make an impact to the society through the means of communication and media, I guess. Maybe taking part in the production of a thought-provoking documentary or video that addresses the social issues plaguing the country? Think influencers or youtubers but focusing on societal issues lol, but I don't think I have the capacity of being one as of yet. If all of these are not reachable, I wonder if pursuing a higher degree by research would move me one step closer to my goal, since I could take this opportunity to become a subject matter expert in social issues lol. One fact I couldn't deny is that during my undergrad studies, I do have a strong interest in a particular subject that talks about people, cultures and social inquiries. I could barely remember what I had learned by now since it was nearly three years ago (shit, time flies so fast).

When I took my gap year last year, I did a lot of personality tests to understand my own behavior and find out just what kind of career path is really suitable for me. One test says my public and private behavior is of "The Researcher". Not sure how much does it correspond to being an academic researcher in the university, but it definitely gives me some assurance in my plan to explore the academic route. Also, just for the sake of mentioning, my personality type in the 16Personalities test is Architect (INTJ). If there is one thing about myself I could learn from my previous employment, it would be that I'm probably not somebody who has strong pursuit of worldly success like money, luxury and fame. I have absolutely zero interest in climbing the corporate ladder. Instead, I'm more of a person who put higher priority on personal development and professional growth.
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It seems that a lot of media and communications graduate are not able to find a sustainable and well-paying job after graduation. I was a media and communications graduate here too from one of the private universities in Malaysia. I've been through several job changes in the last few years due to several reasons. I also have the same thought as you do: go back to university to do a Masters and PhD, then go into academia. The only problem here is one that people haven't exactly addressed yet: the fact that there are so many media BA grads who worked for 2-5yrs before going into academia are exactly like you. The bigger problem? When they've completed their MA/PhD, they weren't able to get academically published. As a matter of fact they have higher chance of getting published when they are working with a media company. In short: there are many like you, and the field is over-saturated and way too competitive. In fact, back in my university years, a lot of my media lecturers are also working in major newspapers like The Star, Malau Mail, etc. They also did a myriad of jobs and gig to make that extra money. So if you wish to pursue this line of of work, I can only say good luck as you are not just competing against people in your batch, but also people from before.

My only advice for you is to actively work in media field while you study. Build up your contacts and get more jobs. This is one of the many downsides of being a media grad. Perhaps start your own LLC media company? Do a 1 man show first, which means you will have to do everything yourself. Web design, writing and publishing, graphic design, etc. If it didn't work out then I guess it's best you have to change your life direction, and do it fast.
Redshelf411
post Apr 9 2021, 10:48 PM

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From: Krypton

QUOTE(Capt olympic @ Mar 1 2021, 01:13 PM)
Those who published in those xxx journals are their choice la. They are aware but they still choose to do so.
I have few colleagues who published over 20+, 50+, and 100+ articles in those journals, and they are Dean/ Prof now.
So, it is your choice to do it or not.
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I guess this is the price to pay for these now-professors and lecturers. If you want to climb the ladder, then you gotta pay with something (in this case money). From my past observations, the people who are now lecturers and professors are the ones who came from wealthier families. So yeah they have the money to spend.
ike.tan
post Apr 11 2021, 02:04 PM

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QUOTE(Redshelf411 @ Apr 9 2021, 10:43 PM)
It seems that a lot of media and communications graduate are not able to find a sustainable and well-paying job after graduation. I was a media and communications graduate here too from one of the private universities in Malaysia. I've been through several job changes in the last few years due to several reasons. I also have the same thought as you do: go back to university to do a Masters and PhD, then go into academia. The only problem here is one that people haven't exactly addressed yet: the fact that there are so many media BA grads who worked for 2-5yrs before going into academia are exactly like you. The bigger problem? When they've completed their MA/PhD, they weren't able to get academically published. As a matter of fact they have higher chance of getting published when they are working with a media company. In short: there are many like you, and the field is over-saturated and way too competitive. In fact, back in my university years, a lot of my media lecturers are also working in major newspapers like The Star, Malau Mail, etc. They also did a myriad of jobs and gig to make that extra money. So if you wish to pursue this line of of work, I can only say good luck as you are not just competing against people in your batch, but also people from before.

My only advice for you is to actively work in media field while you study. Build up your contacts and get more jobs. This is one of the many downsides of being a media grad. Perhaps start your own LLC media company? Do a 1 man show first, which means you will have to do everything yourself. Web design, writing and publishing, graphic design, etc. If it didn't work out then I guess it's best you have to change your life direction, and do it fast.
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Sorry - but getting published in academic papers has nothing to do with whether you are in the industry or in academia. It has to do with your academic research paper. There are several routes to publications - you can either pay to publish (usually termed article processing fees) in usually open access publications. There are also various tiers of free journals but the review time can range anywhere from three months to more than a year. There are also conferences which will has the potential to publish your paper (in various affiliated journals) if it meets a certain standard - the conference itself requires some level of payment.

Again - i must stress, it's what you publish and the level of research (novelty, originality, validity and all).

Having industry experience however, especially in academic for private universities is an added advantage. But at this stage - most universities are NOT hiring new lecturers. There are exceptions though.

And btw - some universities pay for their academic's publications and papers. There is a fixed budget as long as the paper is affiliated with the university. This is to increase the research profile for MYRA and SETARA rankings.
ike.tan
post Apr 11 2021, 02:09 PM

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QUOTE(Capt olympic @ Mar 1 2021, 01:13 PM)
Those who published in those xxx journals are their choice la. They are aware but they still choose to do so.
I have few colleagues who published over 20+, 50+, and 100+ articles in those journals, and they are Dean/ Prof now.
So, it is your choice to do it or not.
*
Some universities have put up a KPI for academics to publish an X-amount of papers per year. Private universities as well.

And to qualify for academic promotions to the various grades of senior lecturer, associate professor and full professor - publications in high-index journals is a must, and is gauged by the quantity and quality of these papers.

If you want to stay and grow in a research-based university, it is not a choice. If the University is a teaching-based one, then yeah. Dean's is an administrative position and does not require publications. Some IPTA appoints Deans on rotation. Professors are an academic grade and requires journal publications, supervision, grants and so on.
Redshelf411
post Apr 11 2021, 05:15 PM

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From: Krypton

QUOTE(ike.tan @ Apr 11 2021, 02:04 PM)
Sorry - but getting published in academic papers has nothing to do with whether you are in the industry or in academia. It has to do with your academic research paper. There are several routes to publications - you can either pay to publish (usually termed article processing fees) in usually open access publications. There are also various tiers of free journals but the review time can range anywhere from three months to more than a year. There are also conferences which will has the potential to publish your paper (in various affiliated journals) if it meets a certain standard - the conference itself requires some level of payment.

Again - i must stress, it's what you publish and the level of research (novelty, originality, validity and all).

Having industry experience however, especially in academic for private universities is an added advantage. But at this stage - most universities are NOT hiring new lecturers. There are exceptions though.

And btw - some universities pay for their academic's publications and papers. There is a fixed budget as long as the paper is affiliated with the university. This is to increase the research profile for MYRA and SETARA rankings.
*
Well from my understanding of OP's post is that s/he wishes to take MAs so they can go into academia, hence mentioning that they wish to do research writing and all. But generally yea, I don't think it's that simple if anyone who hasn't worked for a while wanting to go into academia thinking it's a bed of roses (read: easy life). Academia is a whole different ball game and I don't get why so many people think it's easy to be academia/education.

 

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