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Post by HelpMePlease on Sept 14, 2014 17:42:42 GMT -5
I'm asking for any and all advice on the following question. Here's my situation: Was assistant professor at one place for 2-4 years (being vague on purpose). I moved to a new place for several reasons that people normally move from a place (e.g. family, better fit, money, partner job, etc.). I'm in my first year at the new place and things really suck. Information about job expectations was withheld from me during campus visit and partner and I hate location more than we could have imagined.
Here's the question: Can I move to another place (assuming good teaching, pubs, letters, etc.) after 1st year? I know it would look bad to some but with the right narrative can I get out? Or will the 1 year thing turn everyone off? Advice/thoughts...please...
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Post by two cents on Sept 14, 2014 18:52:21 GMT -5
Tough situation. While I think jumping ship after 1 year is frowned upon, especially later in your career as your reputation solidifies, I do think that everyone gets one chance in their career to make the case that a mulligan is warranted. Not sure how complicated this gets given that you're further along, but, like you said, framing is everything. Good luck!
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Post by depends on Sept 14, 2014 20:23:23 GMT -5
As an assistant professor who applied for jobs my first year in, let me offer you some thoughts:
- I assume this is your first year at the place you dislike. Are you sure things are that bad? It is common after a move like this to be nostalgic for other places. The reason I say this is because you are what, 3 weeks into your first semester there?
- That said, if you are sure you absolutely must leave, the first thing to keep in mind is that if you are determined to leave, the main thing to worry about is what the places you are applying to would think of you. If you are applying to a place that is a clear step up career wise no one would bat an eye at the fact that you are applying just one year in (my former post doc supervisor moved every two years for about a decade, but each time it was a clear step up - they moved from small teaching school in the wilderness to top research place in a desirable location). The main difficulty will be when you are applying to places that aren't clear upgrades. That is when people are going to wonder why you are jumping around so much.
- Which is where you have to really think about how to market yourself. Avoid saying anything bad about the current place at all costs, find the best way to spin things positively, etc.
- If your current colleagues find out, you will be very, very unpopular. Discretion is key here.
- You have to do what makes your family happy, and if location is a big deal maybe consider non-academic jobs where leaving after one year wouldn't be seen so negatively. That said, keep in mind that even if you can't move your first year, there is always the second, etc. More specifically, frequently when we are in a bad situation we can let desperation take over. Just because you may end up not leaving after your first year doesn't mean you are stuck there forever.
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Post by HelpMePlease on Sept 15, 2014 10:10:38 GMT -5
OP here: Thanks so much for the 2 thoughtful comments. I really appreciate them.
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Post by torpedo on Sept 15, 2014 18:42:49 GMT -5
It's corny, but you only live once. If you are unhappy, you should go on the market this year while the iron is hot. Being a sociologist is great, but it isn't so fulfilling that it is worth risking staying in a place you hate for the rest of your career. You're still in job hunting mode, still have the fresh cover letter, so do it. Talk with your partner and tell them you are doubling down on your research this year to get the heck out of Dodge. Get some manuscripts under review to show this isn't a slack year, hit heavy on the social capital, and find another job.
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Post by postdoc on Sept 4, 2015 15:29:41 GMT -5
a new question on this subject: I am a postdoc going into my second year. I only applied to very selective positions last year and couldn't even get short-listed (which gives me the impression that my CV was not that competitive back then & the market is so competitive, probably both ). In the meantime, I published 1 journal article, 1 under review, did some fieldwork and did some other academic organizing activities.
There is a TT position in a high-ranked research university in my field. However, the university is in a real bad isolated location. The question is: should I apply and go anyways (if the job is offered) just to leave after 1 or 2 years? Or should I wait in my postdoc another year and get a few more pubs and possibly a book and look for my dream position?
Is it better to apply as a fresh TT faculty or as a post-doc?
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Post by mabae on Sept 4, 2015 16:46:13 GMT -5
a new question on this subject: I am a postdoc going into my second year. I only applied to very selective positions last year and couldn't even get short-listed (which gives me the impression that my CV was not that competitive back then & the market is so competitive, probably both ). In the meantime, I published 1 journal article, 1 under review, did some fieldwork and did some other academic organizing activities. There is a TT position in a high-ranked research university in my field. However, the university is in a real bad isolated location. The question is: should I apply and go anyways (if the job is offered) just to leave after 1 or 2 years? Or should I wait in my postdoc another year and get a few more pubs and possibly a book and look for my dream position? Is it better to apply as a fresh TT faculty or as a post-doc? A number of your questions are unknowable. Fresh TT or post-doc will depend on a number of different factors (how prestigious either are, how fresh your phd is, how productive your postdoc has been). It is common for faculty at research universities to move around, and it is easier to move from a research university to another, so getting a job at a research university won't hurt your chances of moving from it. Additionally, it is easier to move from research university to research university. So getting an R1 job with the idea of moving away from it is common. That said, apply away. You are overthinking this. Don't struggle over whether to accept a job you haven't even been offered yet. Even research jobs at terrible locations will likely get triple digit applications. |
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Post by leave of ab? on Aug 18, 2017 18:02:08 GMT -5
Maybe you could take a one year leave of absence at your current hell hole and do a visiting gig somewhere else. Maybe an adjunct slot at the hypothetical place your hypothetical spouse teaches will turn into something permanent. If not, your hypothetical methods course will still be waiting for you at the former dump. And maybe the hypothetical psychopath in your department that makes everybody miserable at 'that end of the hall' will have moved on to greener pastures in the meantime. It might turn out just fine.
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