How to move as an associate prof?

[Unsettled]

I'm up for tenure, but I am unhappy in my current position. I have been on the market this year, hoping to land something else while I'm still eligible for assistant prof positions. I haven't had any luck yet, and at this point I'm not expecting anything will pan out this year. Can anyone share experiences/insights on looking for jobs as an associate professor? There seem to be so few job postings! Do you still apply for assistant positions? If so, how do you signal in your materials that you're willing to "step down" to take the job? Thanks!

[industry]

I haven't done it myself. I just keep hearing how hard it is these days. I think you'd be better off trying to switch into industry than finding another associate job within academia. That's what I would do if I ever became unhappy with a TT position.

[anon prof]

I got a campus interview this year by applying to an assistant prof job and saying I would be willing to give up tenure if I got it in my cover letter. I also put in a strong justification for why I wanted to move to the job/location (which did not really mention how bad my current position, although I mentioned some of those details on the interview..,maybe too much as I am now overthinking everything). Still no word on if I got the job though and I'm kinda losing hope on that. So idk. But at least I got to the campus interview stage.

I've also applied to jobs that come with tenure and been shortlisted at a few over the years but those are much more competitive and there are very few of them. One thing that has definitely helped my applications as a tenured prof is getting a major external grant and keeping up with like 3-4 publications a year over the past few years even though my current department only requires 1 a year. So keep writing if you want to move and write to the level of the jobs you want, not the job you have. Actually even with all those pubs (9 in the past 3 years + more before that) my one campus interview was at a place that also requires 1 paper a year...but that's how competitive it is to get those positions these days even at the assistant levels...

[Unsettled]

Thanks for sharing, and good advice! I hope you get the position.

[Assocprof]

I’ve been an associate prof for a few years. In that time I’ve sent out a half dozen apps for a mix of assistant and open rank jobs. Only one resulted in any traction (campus interview) and it was open rank. If I apply for anything in the future, It will only be for open rank or associate or higher since I got 0 traction with the assistant level positions.

[one other path]

There's ome other path I've seen, which is to become someone who could clearly chair a department, and apply for jobs where they're looking for an external chair or another senior prof who could do real institutional service. But it's somewhat at odds with improving your research, naturally.

[been there]

Jan 15, 2023 11:48:54 GMT -5 one other path said:

There's ome other path I've seen, which is to become someone who could clearly chair a department, and apply for jobs where they're looking for an external chair or another senior prof who could do real institutional service. But it's somewhat at odds with improving your research, naturally.

I tried that .. .but moving as an associate professor even being a chair an doing a ton of other admin has not worked for me. (for context I am at a SLAC)

[Newly tenured]

I am newly tenured but our institution is in some tough times. Is it unusually to openly say I'd be willing to go back to Assistant with years on the clock? For context, I'm at a 4/4 teaching-focused institution.

[Implied]

Many tenured professors apply for more junior-level positions. I have been on several search committees and I have yet to see a pool without such applicants. And I must admit they are often viewed with a bit of skepticism and wariness, even though they are are outright dismissed.

What is most important (from our end) has been a set of positive reasons somebody has for leaving — or, more specifically — why they would be willing to take a status cut to come to our university. Emphasize the opportunity, and do not even hint at trouble where you are at. Focus on the pull forces instead of the push factors. Trashing your current employer is a bad move at any stage of the process.

In my experience, we assume when you applied you are willing to give up tenure if you receive and accept an offer from us. Because you are certainly not going to get it here automatically. So no, it isn’t necessary to say that out loud. At least where I am at.

[Implied]

^ I meant to write that those applications from tenured profs are NOT automatically dismissed.

[some experience]

I have been tenured (associate level) for several years and after tenure, I have gotten two offers at the associate level. In general, I keep my productivity every year to make sure my research trajectory continues to move forward. During my campus visits, the feedback I received is that the search committee is impressed with the productivity and mentoring graduate students. I try to have 2-3 first/sole author papers every year. Another thing is that my area is in medical soc and health disparities, which seem to have more opportunities than other areas. I agreed that it is hard to move after earning tenure, especially from one decent program to another comparable one (moving down is slightly easier).