That’s how many job applications I have sent out. Six tenure track jobs (one R1, one "R2" (a useful if abandoned designation), three research-heavy liberal arts colleges, and one regional comprehensive university with big plans) and one research contract at a university in a lovely country on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. This is about 1/3 of the job listings that I could conceivably apply for, but I am restraining myself and only applying to jobs I want - and only to jobs with a description that is reasonably similar to what it is I actually do. I’m keeping an eye on the job listings but I don’t anticipate applying for more than about 10 jobs.
This is a big change from the Year of 41 Job Applications. That year, I applied to R1s, SLACs, small universities, community colleges, visiting assistant professor positions, research positions, zoos, you name it… my applications were probably on the shallow side and it was probably pretty obvious to potential employers what I was doing, and I am trying not to make the same mistakes. (I do realize that in some fields, like humanities, 41 job applications is pretty normal, but it is definitely not normal in my field.)
I know this is the right way to do it, but it's a bit scary. What if, I think irrationally, I am screwing myself out of a job? Then I look again at the listing for Tiny Teaching-Heavy College, or for Big Scary R1s Where I Have No Chance And Don't Really Want One, or Small College in a State I Call Hell, and I have to tell myself to Chill the Fuck Out.
Because hey, there's always next year. Sigh.
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6 comments:
I hear you on the frustration. I have lost count of how many applications I have sent.
Sigh is right!
Good luck!
I have 5 out and have the same fears as you that I'm not applying enough. Then I realize that I know I don't want to teach 4 classes per term and I calm down!
This is about 1/3 of the job listings that I could conceivably apply for, but I am restraining myself and only applying to jobs I want - and only to jobs with a description that is reasonably similar to what it is I actually do.
This is completely wrong!!! You must apply to every single possible faculty job out there for which you are even remotely qualified, and regardless of whether you would ever take the position.
You are grossly misinterpreting the significance of your failure at your last job search. It had nothing to do with casting your net widely, and everything to do with what you told us: "my applications were probably on the shallow side".
There are a number of reasons to do what I am saying:
(1) Frequently, the job ad does not really reflect what the department will end up realizing it wants out of the search.
(2) You need practice giving job talks for realz, and the lesser institutions that you wouldn't necessarily want to take a position at tend to interview earlier in the season.
(3) Offers beget offers.
(4) You need other offers to give you a strong position to negotiate the offers you really want.
Thank you for inducing my DrugMonkey post for today!!
My job app experience right now is eerily close to yours.
Sigh.
Good luck to us both! :)
Good for you Dr. BH. I have the two body problem, and now two larvae to accompany the two bodies. As a consequence, I have spent the last six years as an Adjunct Faculty at The Institution That Hired My Spouse. Do I love it? No. Do I hate it? No. Number of jobs I have applied for this year. n = 2.
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