From: thatguytim@yahoo.com   
      
   Greetings, AI Researchers!   
      
   I'm in need of a bit of career advice. I'm 29 years old, from the   
   States, and considering a career change. I'm unsatisfied with the   
   relatively mundane work environment that I'm in at present, and I   
   yearn for a shift into a more R&D-esque area in AI.   
      
   When I was an undergrad, I took some courses in AI, enjoyed them, and   
   did well. Unfortunately, the Detroit area is "dry" when it comes to   
   R&D jobs, and I ended up doing mostly embedded systems work for the   
   next seven years. Likewise, my employer would not pay for any classes   
   not related to my job, so when I took my Master's courses, I could   
   only take more embedded systems coursework.   
      
   Thus my problem: how do I get an AI-related job without any prior   
   research experience? I'm willing to go out of state (something that   
   wasn't an option before), but most job postings require some previous   
   AI research / experience.   
      
   Now I know there is a certain school of through that says: "don't look   
   elsewhere; inject a little AI into your current job." In my case,   
   that's impossible, as my current position could (unfortunately) be   
   described as supplier management. Unless I could build a robot to   
   attend meetings for me, I'm stuck. :)   
      
   My solution thus far is to go back to school, get a Ph.D in AI   
   (probably concentrating on pattern recognition, machine learning, or   
   autonomous robotics) and then use that as a springboard into an   
   AI-related job.   
      
   The big question is: is this a sane course of action?   
      
   On a side note, I've read accounts of recent Ph.D grads (in various   
   fields) who end up working for pauper's wages in post-doc positions   
   for years on end. Is that a necessary rite of passage regardless of   
   whether you want to get into industrial research instead of a   
   university position?   
      
   I know that most people will claim that the salary "bump" you get from   
   a Ph.D. isn't enough to cover the wages you lose in the years that   
   you're in school. That doesn't bother me, as I'm really interested in   
   AI and want to do this for knowledge as well as career reasons. I'm   
   just worried that I might accidentally consign myself to a lifetime of   
   under-$40k employment offers. As much as I hate it, I have to pay the   
   bills. :)   
      
   Sorry if this is a bit long-winded, but I was hoping to get some   
   guidance before I commit myself to going back to school.   
      
   Thanks in advance,   
   Tim   
      
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