Employment questions for those that hire

[martini]

I was talking with my boss here a bit ago, and the discussion turned to school and work required and the ability to take that school practice and apply it to working situations. Specifically, the ability to do research on 'new' subject matter and having that work published prior to being hired at a job. Her argument is that any research done in school needs to be published to show that a potenial employee has 'proven' themselves in a public manner.

Now, I realize that a graduate student hire is supposed to function on a higher level than an undergrad hire. That's a no-brainer, really. But requirement that a masters hire be published? Seems like there's some REALLY high expectations there that will be difficult to meet/deal with. Something I'd honestly rather not work with/for. I just don't need that kind of pressure in my life. NOTHING I see in life is worth working to an unattainable goal(a bosses ideal of perfection).

 

[Repo Man]

That is a bit much, in my opinion unless the job your are applying for is at a college, a research firm, or some policy think tank.

For a job as a consultant or as a public sector planner, being published doesn't mean crap and I would think it wouldn't matter to 99 percent of all employers out there. Now there may be some employers who have themselves been published and have some notion that they are better than us lowly planners who aren't published.

To me, "proving yourself in a public manner" means something entirely different than being published. You prove yourself through experience and a track record of results. I would think that if you successfully implemented some policy that solved a major problem in a City, that would be far more impressive than writing some article on how sprawl is the root of all evil or how on the availability of affordable housing impacts the workforce.

 

[ludes98]

To me, "proving yourself in a public manner" means something entirely different than being published. You prove yourself through experience and a track record of results.

Bingo, especially true in the consulting world. A huge case of what have you done lately? Results count, being published is academia. Does't mean you wouldn't want to get published, but it isn't essential.

edit: fixed sp. error

 

[martini]

And I could care less about academia(sorry college prof's) and all its bravado. I'm not much of a theorist, though I do realize its importance. All I want to do is plan. To leave my impact somewhere, whether that impact is positive or not remains to be seen though. Thanks for confimring my suspicsions.

edited for clarity.

 

[PlannerByDay]

I agree with the above comments. Having a paper published and putting it on a resume does not hold as much water in my eyes as a good report or class project.

If you have a couple class projects you did either alone or with a group bring it to your interviews. It is a product that you produced, if it was a class project it shows you can work with others which is essential in planning in the "real world"

I brought a brownfield study, a neighborhood redevelopment plan and some sample staff reports to my interviews and every potential employer loved them and it showed I can produce a product.

 

[H]

And I could care less about academia...

While I agree that a published paper has little to do with practitioner planner qualifications, academia can serve a great role in leading research that in turns leads to better planning practices.

Academia and practitioners would both mutually benefit from a closer relationship.


NOTE: I dont hire.

 

[Cardinal]

I want to see something you have written. I would prefer an actual plan document to a published article. Frankly, I think it is a bit much to expect that even a graduate student would be published (at least in any refereed journal).

 

[H]

I just realized that many more planners than we think are published authors. Most anyone with a Master’s degree is a published author because his or her thesis is a published work.

So by the employer seeing your thesis he knows: A) you finished your program and B) you can follow strict writing guidelines.

There are many people from the program I went to known as ABTs, which of course is when one finishes their classes, “All But Thesis”. Many of them have been planners for years and hold senior positions. So it certainly does not affect their planning ability.

 

[salomondesignboarder]

Masters Degrees

Considering all the discussion here on thesis, the importance of showing your work...I was wondering what the all of your thoughts are about going straight to graduate school from an undergraduate program. I am currently looking at going straight to graduate school to get a masters degree. My reason for this is promote myself furhter to private/consulting firms that hire planners/designers. I am more interested in going into the private sector then public...thus the reason for my madness.