Academic career ladder

As described before in chapter n vs n+1 theory, people learn slowly and need time to experience something before they can do it alone or mentor it.. Each academic level has direct and indirect lessons that are being learned.

• Higher levels can often be “sink or swim or be well connected already”.

• This section might also someday consider junior career paths in industry and analyze how it corresponds to academia, and what we can learn from that comparison.

Why you need to care

• Be aware of what people know and are learning.

• The steps someone goes through

  • Sees it done

  • Modify and improve it

  • Do it yourself

  • Improve the process yourself

• Since different people come from different locations, they may be at slightly different points on the career ladder.

The typical career ladder

Career phase	Currently learning	Should be able to do themselves

What you can do

• Don’t have someone mentor or supervise something they have only learned how to do recently. If they have a bit more experience, they might be able to mentor it with help.

• Be aware that everyone may have different backgrounds and may be at different points of their education, even if they are at a similar academic position.

• Sometimes you get put into a position where someone comes in and lower on the skills latter than they should be.