Working at the University of Sheffield as a developmental research assistant for the past two years has permitted me to work alongside a variety of people, all of whom have been at different stages of their academic careers.

My time spent at the developmental lab has provided me with a rich insight into both the difficulties faced by prospective students wanting to enter academic research as well as those faced by those already well established in their field.

Before highlighting what I believe to be the main difficulties faced, it is important to describe what I have observed to be the typical pathway leading to a career in research psychology.

The first step for any aspiring research psychologist is to get as much work experience under their belt as possible that is related to their chosen research area. This can be attained prior to the completion of a degree at college/sixth form, during their university studies or even after they have graduated. Once a degree has been attained, a student can then either apply for a masters course relevant to their field of interest or apply for a PhD straight away. Although it is not considered prerequisite to hold a masters degree prior to the completion of a PhD, it often helps bridge the transition. Finally, once armed with a PhD, the next step for a newly qualified researcher is to seek out post-doctorate research positions in order to gain more vital research experience and thus enter the world of academia.

In academia, experience is considered vital. And I believe it is this gaining of experience that can be one of the main difficulties faced by aspiring researchers. Quite often students or graduates face a ‘catch 22’ situation whilst seeking to enhance their skills and experiences. In short, they need experience to get experience and this can cause some serious problems. Consider for a second that in order to get a place on a masters course you need experience, but also that many research assistant vacancies ask for applicants qualified with a masters degree.

Another difficulty faced by individuals at any stage of their research careers is that of funding. Whether you’re a fresh-faced graduate or a high-flying professor, funding for research underpins everything.  On the whole, the number of research related vacancies advertised to graduate students is determined by the success of grant applications made by researchers. As well as this, many researchers are themselves dependent on securing this funding in order to pay their own wages and as a result many individuals in a research team will be on fixed term contracts. Acquiring funding has always been tough and even fully fledged researchers with many publications to their name can be unsuccessful. You will not be surprised therefore to learn that the situation has been worsened significantly by the current economic downturn in the UK and across Europe.

A final difficulty linked very much to the issue of funding is that of job stability. In research, individuals are often required to be highly flexible and be prepared to move to different areas of the country or even different countries in order to keep their research going. Although the situation faced by those working in research can be argued to be disheartening, especially when considered in line with the issues raised here, it should be noted that many academics overcome these difficulties and have highly successful careers. However, in my experience, the successful individuals are those who possess a passion for their research area and the zeal to persist in the face of the difficulties. It is also important to note that, in addition to research psychology, all areas of applied Psychology place an emphasis on experience and so the issue of facing a ‘catch 22’ is a common one.

For students wanting to achieve a career in Psychology, acknowledging the limitations of all fields of psychology will allow them to make a more informed decision, but remember that passion and hard work have the power to overcome any obstacle.

Neil Goodare
Development Research Assistant at The University of Sheffield