• Question: What part is the most difficult about your job?

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      Asked by anon-283359 on 4 Mar 2021. This question was also asked by anon-287549.
      • Photo: Martin McCoustra

        Martin McCoustra answered on 4 Mar 2021:

        The most difficult part of being an academic is doing administration. Being a professor isn’t just about the fun stuff of doing science or teaching the next generation. Sometimes you have to do paperwork that helps to keep your university running.

      • Photo: Michael Walford

        Michael Walford answered on 23 Mar 2021:

        Dealing with difficult customers. Most are brilliant, but there are always one or two, who either don’t understand simple instructions, or are doing their very best to avoid having to give information or do the test their way. Especially when its for a very quick test, it feels like a lot effort for nothing. To avoid this going forward, once we know a customer is always going to be difficult, we make sure to make instructions much clearer from the offset, and ask for documentation or payment in advance

      • Photo: Jesko Koehnke

        Jesko Koehnke answered on 23 Mar 2021:

        The mountains of paperwork. Completely agree with Martin! Unfortunately it comes with the job…

    Comments

    • Photo: Nikita

      Nikita commented on :

      Sometimes things don’t go as planned – but it’s all a learning experience. It’s difficult when you get restrictions because of budget or law changes, but at the same time it usually opens up new opportunities elsewhere.