Career progress update

I talked a lot here about the various directions I've chosen to take in my career, and finally setting a year ago on a job that was so-so, in my general field but not directly, with low status, but at least I get to do basically what I do.

I figured it's time for the one-year update.

I've plugged along in the year doing a lot of administrative work that's pretty so-so and below what I can do, but at times along the way I've had the opportunity to do my thing. I've been able to work on some papers, and writing is what I love to do. I haven't had much opportunity to write, but the little bit I've done has wowed them. And apparently my administration has left them pretty happy too.

Now? They're talking promotion. It's a big institution so it'll take a while to come down the pipeline, but they've recognized that I really am an academic, I really am a scientist behind the administrator, and they can use me in a better way.

They're looking at a status professor appointment with no teaching responsibilities - great! They're looking at how to get me a scientist role of some sort - even better!

It's not exactly my field and a year later I'm still crippled by not knowing the literature, but now I need to take responsibility for that and find a way to get up on the literature, even if it's after hours. I'll monitor this closely and make sure I'm not working myself into burnout, but I do want to put a little effort into the lit so that I can eventually call this area of work mine. Somehow it doesn't fire me up as much as my original area, but I can find nuggets of coolness in it that can spur me on.

So, patience is the lesson. Take an opportunity that's almost good enough, do my thing, show them what I can do, and more opportunities will grow. At least, so they claim. I am hopeful that it will actually happen.