life, apparently

What a season, huh? Double digit job talks. Enough rejections in one week to cause consecutive days of crying. Multiple offers in the following 2 weeks. I believe I'm just now moving past the exhaustion and mindfuck that is the academic job search. Here is the first in a series of posts about the whole process.

Let us start with rejections. Despite my sizeable experience with the topic, I really have no advice for job seekers. Everyone and their brother will tell you not to take it personally. Of course that is impossible. IM-POSS-I-BLE! I have zero advice on how to maintain sanity during rejection-o-rama. If that is the goal, I failed miserably. I do, however, have advice for the department chair, search committee head, or other contact person to make the whole process less repulsive.

Be respectful and forthright. Do not send mixed messages. For example, this is not OK: I received this query from #1 "The department has met and we are near a decision. I'm writing to find out if you are still available to consider a position here?" I replied. I was expecting an offer, why else would you ask? I told people about this and everyone agreed that indeed I would receive an offer shortly. A week or two later I received another email claiming that they were still gathering paperwork. Six weeks passed and I received a rejection. (In the interim I figured out that I was most likely not getting an offer given the timeline.) The process was misleading and just plain rude.

Let me know when you've offered someone else a position, even if you want to keep me hanging on in case they decline. If the offer comes my way and I end up accepting, I'll eventually find out that I was the 2nd (or 3rd) choice, so tell me now and let me get over it before I'm on the tenure clock. Some departments are upfront about each step of the process and I cannot express how thankful I am for that. It is calming to know where you stand, even if the news is not pleasant. And calm might be as good as it gets during the search. Others (see above) play these ridiculous games and others say absolutely nothing at all. The fact is that your reputation as a department and as a person is on the line here and reputation is everything in academia. People talk. Even without words I can convey enough to make others shudder at the thought of you(r department).

When you send the final rejection, please tell me who you hired. I'm going to find out anyway and it often makes the rejection less painful. In some cases I looked up the CV of the person who was hired (of course) and thought that the department hired the right person (which obviously was not me). I was actually happy to be rejected and happy for both the department and the newly hired person because it was right. It gave me hope that the (hypothetical) world can be perfect (on paper). If this person can get their perfect job then I can get my perfect job. In the midst of rejection we all need hope. (Of course other times, I thought geez what a bunch of idiots I can't believe you hired person B. I don't want to work with such a bunch of fools anyway! But honestly the vast majority of my responses fell into the former category.)

I don't think any of these suggestions are unreasonable. The glut of PhDs, the insanely long duration of the entire search process and the votes based on the elusive "fit" make the job search painful enough (even for those of us who are relatively successful). Clear, honest and respectful communication between the chair and the candidate does wonders to subdue the agony.

Labels: job search

As you might imagine, I've been reading (actually, trying to read -- I can't find many relevant articles) about negotiating and I found a quote in this that I found shocking:
"According to Pinkley and Northcraft, only about 25 percent of job applicants attempt to negotiate. Women are often more reluctant to negotiate than men, and this disinclination accounts, in part, for continuing wage discrepancies between the sexes."

25%! that is insane! 25% in academia or in all professions? Sheesh people.

I asked for a raise at my first job at the produce store. I was 16 years old. I asked for summer money in grad school. I negotiated my postdoc salary, conference funding, and computer situation. I guess I've always been a negotiator. My postdoc advisor called me aggresssive (when I enforced our previously negotiated terms) which made me (REALLY) angry but also proud. He said he didn't want to give me more than other people just because I asked (and I thought, hmmm well someone should tell them to ask). Nobody is just going to hand you things. Money does not fall from the sky because you think you deserve it. Especially in academia.

Ok, back to negotiating!

(Note to people seeking advice: start with salary but don't forget teaching reduction & course assignments, summer salary, start up funds, moving expenses, grad student support, start date, child care, office refurbishment, lab space, etc.)

Labels: job search, negotiation

I'm drinking a chocolate martini and eating kettle korn (I know strange combo) while I attempt to select the path to happiness. You see I now have the misfortune of receiving 3 job offers (yes THREE!!!) and two of them showed up in my inbox within 10 minutes of one another. What a crazy 10 minutes! More later. For now, cheers!

Labels: job search

Dear apparently,
I write to let you know that we remain enthusiastic about your
candidancy in our department. I hope to be able to pursue some
definitive hiring conversations with you next week. At the moment we are
still on hold.
Best wishes,
Chair

This is from interview #4. They offered the job to someone else after an "excruciatingly close" vote but said that they would offer the job to me should the other candidate decline or try to get a second line from the dean for me should the other candidate accept. I've received a few emails asking me to please not make any decision without consulting them and promising information ("one way or the other") "in the next few weeks." Weeks have come and gone. I have no idea what this most recent email means. I think it sounds promising but so have the many other emails I've received (admittedly not as positive as this one), so we shall see. How do I respond to this? I feel like saying:
Dear Chair
Thanks (I think)?
apparently
but somehow that doesn't quite seem appropriate.

In the meantime, I've received an invitation to interview at AcrossThePondUniversity. The interview structure is so very different than what I am used to. It is not so much an invitation as a statement of fact: I have booked a room for you at XX hotel for XX dates. Your interview is in room XX at XX building at XX pm. I guess I now estimate my chances of being jobless next year at a mere 70%.

Oh and did I mention that I've been officially rejected by BestJobEver? They sent a very gracious letter indicating that the decision was based on content area. They are very strong in my area (hence, the BestJobEver) and decided "after much anguish" to add strength to a new content area rather than my area. Boo hoo. On a positive note, I've been rejected so many times that I barely noticed this one, otherwise I might have been crushed.

Labels: job search, whining

We decided to declare all interviews/rejections/etc thus far as the PreSeason. I still have 2 interviews and that is the standard number (at least in my estimation). And, as TheHusband so often tells me, you WANT your team to lose during pre-season so you can see your own weaknesses and your opponents' strengths. In preparation for the official beginning of job season, I've thought about two more potential problems with my interview skills (or lack of). 1) When I'm around people I really admire (for their research) I tend to be meek and diminutive which is the exact opposite of my real personality. I smile, nod, and say "yes" to everything. I act like more of an undergrad than a postdoc. I don't know why I do this and my behavior quickly changes once I know the person. I'm not exactly sure how to change this or how it might negatively impact the outcome of my interview. I just plan to be aware of this and try to be my best self at all times during these interviews. 2) I've been thinking long term during the PreSeason. I am sick of moving. I am sick of living with white walls and cheap carpet. I want to have my own space. I want to make decisions that do include thinking "well, I'm going to move soon" Why might this hurt my interviewing? Because all departments have problems, that is just a fact. But when you think long term, even small problems seem big. I think "Oh my, could I really live with this problem for the REST of my ENTIRE LIFE?" And I'm sure this gives off a negative vibe. So, I've decided to think in terms of "starting my career" What great resources, collaborators, lab space, etc with which to begin my career! I don't have to stay forever. I will buy a house/apartment/condo or some space. I will paint it vibrant colors and fill it with furniture I love. So what if I have to sell it in a few years and move. Any department, any department at all, must be better than my "plans" if I don't get a job this year.

The score is 0-0, let the games begin!

Labels: job search