Little words about jobs

Just finished the first, and most likely the last EO interview in my life.

To be honest, I feel a bit strange for telling people about my application. Firstly, my competitors are mainly fresh university graduates whose supposed to be under my supervision if they join our research team. Secondly, EO is a general grade position, my training or even my higher degrees will be meaningless and I shall start from the horizon if I really got this job. It is not wondered that my friends asked me to think deeply when I decided to sit for the interview.

When I was very young, I wrote "scientist" as my dream job. Later when I knew more about how this world works, I wrote "civil service" as my target in my friends' contact books. I think I can marginally call myself as a scientist now because of my degree, publications and the number of them being cited. Even it may be a bit later than my expectation, at least part of my childhood's dream comes true. It's time to look into the reality now.

Job security and structured promotion opportunity is the two major reasons that I focused my job seeking in government jobs at this moment. I am willing to work hard, but I want to have a target. It is bullshit or even cheating if you tell someone "You work hard and develop your personal skills now, then you will find a bright career outside!", especially if the outside won't think your working experience in university is value or useful. I worked and paid tax for 8 years already, but most of the outside company will only consider me as a fresh (PhD) graduate.

I like doing research, but it is just too good to be true if you think you can get money and career from your interests. Working in the government or semi-government organizations at least can have some kind of work-life balance, and this is what I want in this stage of life.

Hope all of my friends can have a suitable job in the near future!