Minimising Career Risk As A UGC-NET English Literature Aspirant 

There is an old saying in Financial Markets: “Don’t put all the eggs in one basket.”

To gain maximum return on our income, we should explore multiple avenues and diversify our investments to avoid unforeseen conditions.

Well, it can be applied in every aspect of our life, including our career as a literature student. We can minimize the risk of letting our career be affected by circumstances that are not in our control.

Any time, we can get lost and out of opportunity if all our efforts are invested in one endeavor.

On the other hand, avoiding getting on too many ventures is also suggested to dodge the sense of overwhelmingness.

Here are some practical tips that can help you minimise the risk of unemployability as a English Literature student.

Do Not Quit Your Existing Job

Making an academic career is a long-term game, not a sprint but a marathon. 

It requires months, sometimes years, of preparation to crack UGC-NET English Literature. Therefore, consider the cons and pros before quitting your existing occupation.

Try to reduce the risk factor by keeping up with your employment and side-by-side managing time to prepare for studies.

Financial stability is what everyone wants to achieve.

Even the rich folks, who have had their basic needs met for many generations, keep finding ways to earn more money to keep up with their standard of living.

If you are young, and your parents or spouse can support your decision to go all-in with the preparation of UGC-NET English, you can think of leaving the job.

If your job is something that your family relies on, you should avoid risking everyone.

Consider Teaching After Cracking UGC-NET Exam

What surprises me most that many students skip the idea of working as a teacher in college for the sake of JRF.

Yes, hundreds of students overlook the career option of a teacher in a college in their pursuit of JRF.

I have personally talked to many of them who have been trying to crack JRF for two to three years yet failed to make it through every time.

Therefore, it is suggested to consider teaching in a college when one cracks the UGC-NET exam to gain teaching experience and boost career prospects. 

To help the literature community, we have created a WhatsApp channel to regularly update notifications related to Job Prospects, PhD Admissions, and the Latest Competitive Examination Preparation. It’s free. Anyone can join here for regular updates. Click this link.

Failing Repeatedly In UGC-NET? Try This

You should try three attempts with total commitment and under guidance from an expert or qualified student. 

However, if you are someone who has failed the UGC-NET exam on the fourth or fifth attempt, it is time to create a new strategy.

You know it is not working out anymore. There can be several reasons for this. We will discuss the causes in some other blog. 

For now, you must start looking for PhD opportunities or teaching jobs.

Although the salary as a teacher is less if you are not UGC-NET qualified, it adds teaching experience to your resume. 

If teaching is something other than what you want to do, look for PhD opportunities. Many students are doing PhDs without cracking UGC-NET.

There are drawbacks to it:

• You have to apply to as many colleges as possible to create possibilities.
• You have to appear for the entrance test, while UGC-NET candidates are exempted.
• JRF candidates have more chances. But there are few JRF qualified students. So you will only find them sitting in some of the interviews.  

Open A New Possibility Through Research Proposal

If you are UGC-NET qualified, it makes an impression during the interview. However, above everything else, your research proposal and ability to convey your topics matter most. 

Some students have qualified for UGC-NET three times, but the research proposal and the intellectual ability to communicate the topic could be better. No professor or guide wants a liability.

You increase your chance of getting selected even if you are not a UGC-NET-qualified student by making a good research proposal and topic to a point where it becomes unavoidable for the PhD guides.

It is better to publish a few research papers on the same topic to showcase how passionate you are about it. 

Reach A Network

Reach a network of professors and HODs of the department and find the possibility of getting selected.

I know students who have found close connections with someone from the administration department and got admission to PhDs.

It can be the guide, professor, or a known relative who may help you get the opportunity.

Let me share with you an experience.

When I used to teach in a college, I developed a strong bond with the Vice Chancellor and Dean of the University.

I have always been a good-to-go person with others. It is how reading books and novels have shaped me. So, my bonding with friends, family, colleagues, and higher authorities has helped me throughout my life. 

When I talked about my PhD admission with the Dean of the department, he made a call to a HoD of the English Department at Central University and got him in touch with me.

It is another thing that I do not want to pursue academia anymore, but I cannot overlook the lesson that life is teamwork.

Living in harmony with others can make our life more happy and peaceful. 

Again, avoid becoming nice because you want to take advantage of people. Just be you. Also, the most friendly people tend to bear more emotional pain. Be ready for self-sacrifices. 

Invest Time In Less Competition

If you learn more and invest time in building skills, you will be out of the rat race.

We prepare for competitive exams because we can look at the journey’s end. After cracking the exam, it can be a JRF, a private or government job. That is why the number of candidates in competitive exams is significant. 

On the other hand, investing the same amount of time in developing skills will separate you from the crowd. It is the road taken by few.

The only problem with developing skills is that it is not a linear process. It does not give instant results, lacks a clear path, and is generally based on the trial-and-error theory of learning.

You will often think it does not make sense to waste time on something unknown, but as time passes, you find that you are a unique product of nature. 

Reading masters and practicing their habits help you narrow down the learning curve.

Even if you spare one hour learning more about your hobbies or interests, you may find multiple options to enhance personal growth and increase your chances of success. 

You can read more about my journey as a writer here: