Any good suggestions please?

[kakos22]

Next year I'm finishing my bachelor degree in pure mathematics and i want to continue my master and my doctoral degree in pure mathematics but I know that if i do so, my job opportunities will be minimal.
Do you have any suggestions for finding a good job with a degree in pure mathematics.

What i really want is to be a professor in university and to work in the field of research but i can't count only on that so i would like to know what other options i might have.

I have also thought about doing a master in artificial intelligence or cryptography and after doing a doctoral in maths(of course the ideal for me is to do master in maths too).Could anybody tell me if it is a good idea and what options i could have or maybe suggest an other master related with maths.

[cheesehead]

Originally Posted by kakos22

Next year I'm finishing my bachelor degree in pure mathematics and i want to continue my master and my doctoral degree in pure mathematics but I know that if i do so, my job opportunities will be minimal.

In what country will you be seeking employment? The U.S. forecast looks good.

From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

"Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition"

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos043.htm

. . .

Much faster than average employment growth is expected for mathematicians.

Keen competition for jobs is expected.

Ph.D. holders with a strong background in mathematics and a related field, such as computer science or engineering, should have better employment opportunities in related occupations.

. . .

Job Outlook

Employment of mathematicians is expected to grow much faster than average. However, keen competition for jobs is expected.

Employment change. Employment of mathematicians is expected to increase by 22 percent during the 2008–18 decade, which is much faster than average for all occupations. Advancements in technology usually lead to expanding applications of mathematics, and more workers with knowledge of mathematics will be required in the future. However, jobs in industry and government often require advanced knowledge of related scientific disciplines in addition to mathematics. The most common fields in which mathematicians study and find work are computer science and software development, physics, engineering, and operations research. Many mathematicians also are involved in financial analysis and in life sciences research.

Job prospects. Job competition will remain keen because employment in this occupation is relatively small and few new jobs are expected. Ph.D. holders with a strong background in mathematics and a related discipline, such as engineering or computer science, and who apply mathematical theory to real-world problems will have the best job prospects in related occupations. In addition, mathematicians with experience in computer programming will better their job prospects in many occupations.

Holders of a master's degree in mathematics will face very strong competition for jobs in theoretical research. Because the number of Ph.D. degrees awarded in mathematics continues to exceed the number of available university positions—especially tenure-track positions—many graduates will need to find employment in industry and government.

Employment in theoretical mathematical research is sensitive to general economic fluctuations and to changes in government spending. Job prospects will be greatly influenced by changes in public and private funding for research and development.

When I worked in the computer department of an oil company, we had two employees (out of about 30 in the department) whose degrees were in "pure" mathematics.

Originally Posted by kakos22

Do you have any suggestions for finding a good job with a degree in pure mathematics.

What i really want is to be a professor in university and to work in the field of research but i can't count only on that so i would like to know what other options i might have.

Competition will be high for professorships, but plentiful in industry if you can add something on the side to your "pure" mathematics.

Google "employment forecasts mathematicians".

I have also thought about doing a master in artificial intelligence or cryptography and after doing a doctoral in maths(of course the ideal for me is to do master in maths too).Could anybody tell me if it is a good idea and what options i could have or maybe suggest an other master related with maths.

Once you add something non-"pure" to your "pure" math, you'll have whole segments of industries open to you.

By the time you finish your studies, the world economy will have had time to recover, so don't be dismayed by current employment conditions.

[kakos22]

thanks a lot cheesehead you really helped me. I will be seeking employment in Cyprus since i'am from Cyprus but i have no problem to work some years abroad.The web-page you sent me is about America but i know that what is in America right now will be in Cyprus in the near future. <br>

[cheesehead]

Flexibility is always a great asset in a changing world.

Even if you have to detour your schooling a bit to add some "impure" math to enhance your early job prospects, you can keep your dream of university professorship alive.

When/if you have to go to industry for your first job(s), just keep adding to your education in your dream direction whenever possible. Keep investigating academic opportunities.

(Of course, there's also a possibility you could fall in love with some non-academic job.)

Many folks wind up in a dream job only after some years in not-so-dreamy jobs. I knew a guy who was employed in the oil industry but dreamed of a job in astronomy. Not that he was dissatisfied with his oil company job, but it wasn't his first dream. At about age 50 he got an opportunity to go to work at a major observatory! Later I saw his name on some astronomical research papers.

[CRGreathouse]

I heard that there was this guy who took 30 years off from his research in astrophysics to work as a musician.

[xilman]

Originally Posted by CRGreathouse

I heard that there was this guy who took 30 years off from his research in astrophysics to work as a musician.

Then there was this guy who took 12 years off from writing a book in order that the finished product would look pretty.

Paul

[lavalamp]

Originally Posted by CRGreathouse

I heard that there was this guy who took 30 years off from his research in astrophysics to work as a musician.

It's more common than you might think.