Job security

My doctorate degree looks like a 10th failure when a security guard asks me about my job security after 5 years.

When a kid asks a chef why he decorates the food for half an hour if ultimately it is going to be chewed. An artistic chef wants to dismiss the kid's argument by saying that it is a form of art. But, when reality and rationality smile at the chef, his face falls with disappointment. When it gets hard to accept the defeat from a kid, the game is often changed. Chef drives him away loutishly, saying that he is a kid and seldom understands the world.

Something same happened to me today. The desire to talk to a new face got me into a situation of awkward insult. Definitely, the anger must have been against the new director of campus. Lately, the job security of security has become insecure. Nearly 40 per cent of security guards were asked to leave. It was said that the old director was worried too much about security while new one didn't consider it a primary concern. Although, the director's bungalow still has security. I remember suggesting one of the security guards in hostel to get appointed in director's bungalow; the chances of his survival may increase. I was joking at the time, but after second phase of security job cut, I could see pragmatism in my suggestion.

Anyway, the security guard in the story was right to be angry at the director. While we were talking, it started with how depressed and frustrated students are in IISER main building. I was glad he didn't come to h cross. Interestingly, he knew students by their faculty guides. While he was taking many names, he said, even the director is no exception. His students have been frustrated too. I wanted to tell him that this is the part of PhD and a frustrated PhD is like a freshly cooked Cookie, it is so crispy and so fragile that if you just touch it, it will break. They will tell you that their guide is responsible for every misery of their life, even if he is talking to a tree. But I didn't say anything. Why should I be telling this to a guard? Yes, we become miserable at some point in our PhD, but he was not the right guy to share that. 

He told me that everyone in the main building is frustrated. They don't have any job security. I immediately knew that he did not have any idea about the kind of jobs a PhD get. Still, he might have heard this information from the PhD student itself. He might have heard it so repetitively that he was so sure about it. He was telling me in such a tone as I myself do not know about my chances of job. Well, discussion among PhD about our misery is one side, I could not let a security guard thrash my life's decision. So I tried to defend myself just like that chef. I tried to tell him about all kind of jobs PhD get from all stream of science except mathematics. People from the mathematics department are so chill; it feels like they have people waiting on IISER gate for them to complete their degree. The day they will finish the degree, people will catch them like a hungry dog catches a flying biscuit. I told him about private corporate jobs to government jobs, and I even included coaching centres. I specifically told him the amount of salaries received there. So that he can develop some respect for PhDs and I can develop some motivation to continue my course. Needless to say, my explanation of job security could not make up for the doubts he has about my job insecurity. "Damm!! you PhDs"