Who are you?
Hi! My name is Esko Suoranta, a literary scholar and Judas Priest fan living in eastern Helsinki.
What is your job title?
I kinda have two right now. My PhD dissertation just passed pre-examination, which makes me a doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki. However, I also started at a Kone Foundation research project in February, called "Imagine, democracy!" There you would call me a grant researcher and through it I'm affiliated with Tampere University. And by the end of the year I should be Dr Suoranta for all eternity!
What does your job entail?
Scholarly work is extremely versatile and no two days are quite the same. Some days I have an editor's hat on, looking at other peoples' academic writing and thinking of ways to polish their texts. At other times I'm almost like a student, attending lectures, seminars, or conferences, and hearing about current research in my field. Often those include presenting my own work as well - and that work is of course based on writing about fiction and theory that I've read and thought about. Wait, I didn't even mention teaching? That's a thing too!
What pros and cons does your job have?
The combination of versatility and freedom is amazing in my work. I get to choose what to focus on and how, and follow my own curiosity in picking my topics. I set my own hours and can freely decide whether to work from home or an office. I also enjoy working with some amazing colleagues both in Finland and internationally. And when I'm doing my best, I know I'm doing something worthwhile, contributing to a living field and participating in a scholarly discussion that spans space AND time. I will also mention teaching again -- the feeling when someone's eyes light up when they figure out the convergence of theme and form in a poem or really connect with a short story in their writing is a privilege to be a part of.
As for cons, the absolute biggest is uncertainty. The academic career is made up of luck, competition, and limited resources in large part -- and all such things one can have very little effect on. That means that no matter how good work you're producing, you might still miss out on career opportunities or funding for further work. For most researchers, the comfort of a steady job is not something they have -- and those who have a permanent position can easily get overwhelmed with the requirements their employers have for them.
How did you get employed at your current place of work?
For the salaried position of Doctoral Researcher, I applied four years in a row, before which I had been accepted to do a doctorate in the first place by my supervisors. I produced a research plan for the dissertation and did my best to present it and my competences at interviews with the Doctoral Programme board. It was a tough competition, there are only a few places open per field per year, so even getting to the interviews was a big deal. But so was the disappointment the first three times I didn't make it.
For the research grant with my project, I had been lucky and smart enough to network with skillful and supportive researchers senior to me. I was asked to participate in the application process and we produced an amazingly good proposal for Kone that matched their thematic interest areas for the year.
What skills do you think helped you get employed (studies, previous work experience, etc.)?
Getting to this point in my career has definitely been a combination of various skills and competences. A definite forte were my studies, I did well on my MA thesis, which is pretty much a prerequisite for getting into a PhD programme anyway. I also learned a lot in my previous career (see below), especially about managing projects, working in a team environment, and the ins and outs of sitting down and getting stuff done.
I've also been persevering despite all kinds of adversity. Possibly the most important asset in that has been my support network. At various stages, I have needed people in my life to carry and support me, when my own energies have been low. I can't stress this enough, make sure there are people in your life that are there for you when the going gets rough.
What has your current career path been like?
I would say I'm in my third career now at the age of 35. Before getting into academia, I worked as a fundraising specialist at the Finnish National Committee for UNICEF. I started as a telemarketer when I was studying and ended up running the organization's school fundraising. Working outside academia has definitely helped me with all kinds of requirements that the independent research work lays on you.
In 2015, I was accepted to do the doctorate, but I did not get a single penny of funding until 2019. The years were difficult, doing research part time, working part time, which meant that neither was going swimmingly -- or I neglected resting. Getting the salaried position for four years, I finished my dissertation work and felt very determined through the period. Now, I have funding until the end of 2025, meaning that I'm in a good spot for someone just about to defend.
When did you study at university?
I began studies as a fresher of 2007 and graduated with my Master's in 2014. The PhD appears to have taken almost as long!
What did you study?
I'm a good ol' English major! So English philology was my major with teacher training and life stance education as my minors. I did find a literature focus in my English studies. My BA thesis was on the gothic novel, MA thesis on the works of William Gibson. On my exchange semester in Vermont, I did contemporary fiction, the graphic novel, and creative nonfiction. With life stance education, I got to dip my toe in philosophy, anthropology, and comparative religion. I also got the qualification to be a teacher in English.
Did your eventual job match the expectations you had in the beginning of your studies?
It certainly did not. Coming in to the university I was fairly certain I'd be an English teacher at a high school after I graduated. During teacher training, however, I noticed that even though I liked teaching quite a bit, the school environment and all the societal pressure put on schools and teachers sounded like too much for me. Around the same time I started realizing that I was pretty good at reading books and writing analytically about them. By the time I was doing my MA thesis, I started to inquire about continuing for a PhD. With a university career I get to combine my interests in teaching and scholarship -- and I swapped the societal pressures for schools for those of the university.
Any tips for current students thinking about their careers and looking for employment?
Take your chances, but also take your time. When opportunities come by, it is better to give them a go than to wonder if one should've. At the same time, most of us will not be in the occupation we find after graduation for the rest of our lives. It is more than ok to change one's mind and to change course. Employers (and society) seem to be more and more demanding on employees, so it is important to demand a great deal from them too. Work should not be the be-all-end-all of our lives, nor should it make us miserable on a regular basis.
Do your best to network (for the lack of a better word) with like-minded people too. This does not mean that you should treat people instrumentally, but that the groups you hang out in can often lead to hearing about unexpected opportunities that you might not run into scrolling through job listings. Nurture open communication, respect, and watching each others' backs when it comes to discussions about working life.