I am toying with the idea of looking for another job. I started perusing the job ads and websites. Here are my...
Top Ten Complaints about Faculty Job Ads
10. Spellcheck the damn ad, would you?Yours truly,
9. A few departments advertised in print but not online. Enjoy reviewing your eight applications (including mine) because nobody reads the print ads anymore.
8. Stop bragging about your school in the ad. Most applicants are desperate for a job so they really don’t care.
7. I see that you are reusing the job ad from last year. Fine, just change the application due date next time.
6. You want five references? FIVE? If I knew five people that liked me at my current school, I probably wouldn’t need to look for a new job.*
5. Hey, I know the guy in charge of this search committee! Never mind.
4. A diversity statement? Fine. I am fully supportive of hiring faculty from groups traditionally underrepresented in science, starting right after you hire me.
3. It’s not a good sign when the web link to the school’s HR department in the ad doesn’t work.
2. “May we contact your current employer?” Hmm, that depends. What are you going to ask them?
1. Why do the big-name schools waste their money on these long job ads? Just say, “We’re Princeton and we want somebody in this field. Go!”
Beaker Ben
* This isn’t a big problem because my college’s webmaster is a friend of mine. We can set up a few fake school webpages for administrators who don’t exist but really, that’s such an unnecessary hassle.
#5.....Snort.
ReplyDeleteand for the applicants: If the ad specifies they want someone who specializes in X, don't apply if you have a different specialty, especially at a small school.
ReplyDelete