tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post2265861107781191821..comments2024-02-28T18:29:41.120-08:00Comments on Not of General Interest: The art of the job letter redux , part 1undinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05589384016564587214noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post-26745100888582454322008-09-10T19:41:00.000-07:002008-09-10T19:41:00.000-07:00There is no way, bardiac, unless there are more jo...There is no way, bardiac, unless there are more jobs. And as profacero says, it is somehow hard to hire AND hard to get a job. That makes no sense.undinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05589384016564587214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post-12489384606931430942008-09-09T00:16:00.000-07:002008-09-09T00:16:00.000-07:00P.S. I have taught English composition, which is h...P.S. I have taught English composition, which is horrifying since the syntax in my comment above is so bad.<BR/><BR/>The worst piece is:<BR/><BR/>"...or are trying to hedge bets, or are confuse what the field is with what they imagine would fit into the department."<BR/><BR/>I mean:<BR/><BR/>"...they are also trying to hedge bets, or they confuse what the field is actually like with what configuration of specialties they imagine would fit into the department."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post-52594283663198301082008-09-09T00:12:00.000-07:002008-09-09T00:12:00.000-07:00Bardiac - no, because the budgets aren't sane, bec...Bardiac - no, because the budgets aren't sane, because the economy isn't sane. And committees not only aren't sure, or are split, or are trying to hedge bets, or are confuse what the field is with what they imagine would fit into the department.<BR/><BR/>Hedging bets: we want an X, but our second choice is a Y, and the bottom line is we want someone good we can all agree on, so if that person is a Y, even though in theory we want an X, we will be happy with the Y, even though we justified the position by defending the value of X to the upper administration, etc., etc.<BR/><BR/>Actual nature of field vs. fitting "needs": people saying things like, I want a person in this field with a second field of that. Why do so few candidates have the combination I imagine, and why is this other combination so prevalent? Why are the candidates with the combination I do not like so much stronger generally?<BR/><BR/>What shocks me about it all is that despite all the applications one gets, it is almost as hard to hire as it is to get a job. "I hope one of these candidates accepts our offer" is a theme I have heard everywhere including at desirable places. That both candidate and institution have to angst on getting a position and getting one filled indicates that the whole thing really is not rationally organized. <BR/><BR/>After all this time hiring and being hired I have figured out one thing, though: the right 'fit' is someone who is familiar with your type of school, either because they went to one such as an undergraduate or as a graduate student, or they have worked at another one. That way they recognize what they are signing up for, and know how to function in such an institution, see where they'll fit in, etc., and be happiest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22001031.post-25419468494318827792008-09-07T20:25:00.000-07:002008-09-07T20:25:00.000-07:00Great post.The art is complicated by the fact that...Great post.<BR/><BR/>The art is complicated by the fact that a lot of committees aren't quite sure what they really want. Or they're split.<BR/><BR/>There's no way to make the job market sane, is there?Bardiachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11846065504793800266noreply@blogger.com