How times flies

I've established that you're never going to get a job in the academic world if you complete a PhD without having published something - either an article or a chapter - beforehand. That was one of the topics at today's seminar. Whereas 10 years ago it was still possible to complete the PhD, apply for a lecturer's job and then publish your first article, today's that's all changed.

I also recall looking at some of the PhD requirements from that period as well. You could start one without necessarily having a Masters degree, while it was similarly pointed out that not attending any conferences or networking during your time as a PhD student nowadays would be professional suicide.

It's at times like these that I think I should have just started the PhD programme after I first graduated, in 1998. Life seems to have been a lot easier then...