I have multiple journal articles, but I do not enjoy conference presentations. Is it bad for my job prospects?

Question

I'm currently a Phd candidate, and I have managed to publish several articles in major journals in my field ( it is within social sciences). I am not quite sociable; I am the kind of person who prefers to work alone and spend time researching and writing. That is why I am not into the practice of presenting at conferences. I am sure I can have like four conference presentations towards the end of my PhD. Do you think it is bad for my job prospects (to get a faculty position) that I do not have many conference presentations and that I tend to prefer tp work on publishing journal articles. I would really appreciate your feedback.

Answer 1

[I am talking from a STEM perspective, not from social sciences, but from what I hear from humanities, interaction may even be more important there than in STEM. However, take it with a grain of salt:]

A faculty position involves interacting with people and giving lectures regularly. Where will you get the practice from if not in conferences?

Assuming even that you get a faculty position. Where will you get your networks that you'll need for tenure and promotion, if not by meeting colleagues at conferences and explaining your work. Yes, some extraordinary scientists may actually achieve faculty positions by their journal papers alone (I am aware of such examples), but they are extraordinary people and very rare.

Better, you face your challenge and get used to learn how to present good talks. We all had to develop this skill and I promise you it will come handy at some point.

Answer 2

This answer will be very general, since the importance of conferences, and public speaking generally, depends on your field. In CS, for example, if you don't go to conferences and present your work, no one is likely to know of you since much of the new work appears in conferences and their proceedings. In math that isn't so much the case, since journal publication is preferred there.

Your question implies that you are introverted, or perhaps even somewhere on the autism spectrum. Those are quite different things, of course. But neither of them should be limiting if you don't let them be.

It takes practice, but even the most introverted folks can learn to "play a part" and become effective speakers and presenters. I'm one of those people, actually, who has moved from a place something like what you describe to one where I can speak effectively in public when the need arises.

But it takes practice and sometimes a bit of help to get there. A couple of the most effective speakers in CS, whose names would be instantly recognized in that field are, in fact very inward looking. I won't characterize them as having a psychological condition, but they much prefer to work quietly and draw their inspiration inwardly rather than from interactions. But they are marvelous speakers and are sought out as speakers. One of them, realizing the issue, joined a theater group and learned to explicitly "play the part" as an actor, without letting his inner personality show through. I once was part of a "self defeating behavior" group in which the members (under the guidance of a counsellor) looked at individual issues and worked out how to compensate for them.

Eventually it just becomes a habit and can flow quite naturally.

So, if your field requires it, you can make it happen. You don't need to be bound by what you think of as "your nature". You can break out. Not easy, but it brings a form of freedom.