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Post by headcount on Jan 28, 2015 12:23:28 GMT -5
I was trying to get an idea regarding assistant professors on the market, and I thought it might be interesting to ask people here for their plans, in general. So, if you are at a tenured or tenure track position, could you answer the following questions:
1- Are you planning on going back to the market?
2- If so, when in your tenure cycle?
3- How widely are you applying?
4- What are you looking for? Better negotiation position with current institution or are you intent on leaving?
For myself, the answers are:
1- Yes
2- Every year starting on my 2nd year.
3- Any positions that would remotely fit me, so very wide.
4- I really do want to leave my current position (low salary, huge teaching load, bad location). I doubt I'd even give my current institution a chance to match anything I get from somewhere else.
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Post by yeppers on Jan 28, 2015 13:34:09 GMT -5
first year on the job market here just trying to just land that first job (like ANYWHERE, PLEASE) here. If Im going to be picking up the scraps in terms of pay/location/teaching load (which looks to be the best case scenario right now), your plan will about be mine very soon...
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Post by Anon prof on Jan 28, 2015 21:59:29 GMT -5
1- Yes
2- 3rd year, took a year off 4th year (had leave 4th year and would have to pay it back if I left immediately), 5th year (now), planning to do every year I see jobs worth applying to from now until who knows. No plans to stop after I get tenure, although I may take a year or two off, especially when I don't see anything I'm interested in applying to. The year I go up for tenure (7th year) I intend to apply much more widely, just in case (and to see what my options are if I don't stay here for tenure).
3- Only to jobs that are in any of 13 states that my spouse and I have agreed would be a step up geographically from where we live currently, and only to a school that is an R1 (I'm currently at an R2). So far it's been about 2-4 a year the years I've applied.
4-Live closer to family, more prestige/grad students/money/time for research. My current institution has very little money so I doubt they would be able to match any significantly larger offer, and wouldn't give me a counteroffer at all unless I went through an interview and had a firm offer in hand. It's not the perfect location or salary, but I like it enough that I'm not going to apply to places I wouldn't actually go to, or that wouldn't be a step up BOTH geographically and ranking-wise. If I want more money I'd rather spend my time writing a grant for summer salary than applying to jobs I have no interest in.
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Post by Not me on Jan 29, 2015 15:53:55 GMT -5
I am not planning to go back on the market. I know there are disadvantages to this, but my god. The thought of putting in all that time, asking advisors for letters, and going through the emotional roller coaster and high stress of campus visits? I just can't bring myself to sign up for that.
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Post by similar on Jan 29, 2015 21:30:44 GMT -5
Yeah, I might try it out at some point, but I'm happy here. Funding is good, I understand the system and I'm in a nice city. Maybe when I'm more senior I'd give it a shot?
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Post by Miss Ann Thrope on Jan 30, 2015 9:56:51 GMT -5
1- Are you planning on going back to the market? Yes
2- If so, when in your tenure cycle? This fall (2nd year)
3- How widely are you applying? Certain geographic locations that would fit with job opportunities for my non-academic spouse, though prefer one city in particular, they may not be hiring.
4- What are you looking for? Better negotiation position with current institution or are you intent on leaving? Would be fine staying if I didn't get an offer anywhere else, but would leave if I got an offer. Mostly due to cultural fit (SLAC, think I would work better at a R1 re: a "cultural match" just in terms of work styles, habits and time management), prestige, network opportunities
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Post by meh on Jan 30, 2015 14:29:08 GMT -5
applied to selected places in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th years. Some campus interviews, but still stuck in a horrible location. Now I've made my peace with it. The bastards won. Good luck to others moving up. I ran out of steam.
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Post by long game on Feb 3, 2015 5:19:18 GMT -5
If you're an AP looking for another job, expect a long multi-year search. I'm in my fifth year at a good university but in a place where I'd rather not live, and I've had zero nibbles on the job market since I became an AP. It does not get easier once you're an AP; it becomes more than ever about the right fit with a department and search committee. Also there's no wiggle room regarding your achievements. If you don't have the right pubs or the right number, there's no imagining your 'potential' - either you have the goods, or you don't.
(as a side note, there are regularly discussions on this board about whether it's better to take a tenure-track position in a less desirable place, versus a limited-term postdoc or VAP position at a more prestigious place. Despite my above comments, I'd still say there's no question that one should take the tenure track job. Whether you're tenure track or a VAP or postdoc, the same expectations hold. Take the possibility of job security while you can.)
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Post by thanks on Feb 4, 2015 14:43:54 GMT -5
nice to hear from all you other ap's back on the market. Me too, second year AP, first time back on market with campus visits but no offers. Long game seems right.
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Post by long game is right on Feb 4, 2015 15:39:21 GMT -5
Long game, I agree with you fully. Many ABDs have potential to be superstars but once you are an AP, you either are publishing extensively in top journals or not. Even if you are publishing in top journals in your area and most of your grad school mates are still in grad school…. With fewer/ worse publications, they have better chances than you. That's the game.
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