Those of you who follow me on Facebook know that last week a little debate arose there about whether it was good to anonymously post all the job (and postdoc) offers received by my clients, or if that practice had the effect of making less successful readers feel bad. While the overwhelming majority of commenters voted to keep the offers coming, a few did observe that perhaps presenting them in a weekly digest form might be better. And so, that is what I now do. Last Friday and this Friday, I posted the week’s Job Offer Digest.
I find that I really like giving the week’s offers this way! It gives me a chance to share the news of each person who writes to share it with me, without feeling like I’m indulging in endless daily bragging or self-promotion.
To launch this new feature officially, I’m devoting this week’s post here on the blog to the Digest. Read on for the offers shared by clients and readers, and their thoughts.*
Feb. 27
TT job offer, client, Ph.D., Education, R1. “I can’t tell how much I needed your support. It changed my perspective on the job search and has kept me focused over the past month an a half as our family has weathered a series of losses. The PhD journey is not for the faint of heart and it makes a world of difference to know that you and Kellee are there cheering me on…. I’ve been recommending your site to a number of my colleagues whoa re finishing up right now so you and Kellee may have a whole new bunch of Canadians following you into the next year.”
TT offer, client, PhD., Critical Sociology, R1 “I truly cannot thank you enough for all of the services you provide. Your online guides have been absolutely invaluable, and working with you (even briefly) did wonders for my CV, cover letter, and confidence. Even beyond providing clear instruction on how to prepare for and approach the job search, your blog has gone a long way towards soothing the tremendous anxieties and heartbreaks that often accompany it. Many of my colleagues have succeeded on the job market with your guidance and I cannot imagine how much more difficult it would have been for me without it. Really – thanks.
TT offer, client, ABD, Economics. “You helped me perfect some of my application documents (e.g. cover letter) and I learned a ton from your blogs. You asked during one of your webinars to let us know if we got any offers. I am delighted to have received an offer for an Assistant Professor position in Economics at R2 University. I also received a similar offer from U of X Branch Campus, but it wasn’t as attractive for many reasons (including state politics). I am quite fortunate that the job market in economics is quite a bit stronger than in other fields, and that coming from a modest program does allow a path in academia.
I look forward to recommending your services to other graduate students going forward. I think i’ll buy your book to give to one of my future students. I think you are doing an extremely important job. In appreciation of your work I have donated to your support fund.”
TT job offer, client, Ph.D., Anthropology, University in New Zealand. “your work with me certainly helped me get this job!”
TT job offer, client, ABD, Education, R2. “I want to thank you for your assistance in a successful year on the job market. I’m a long time blog reader and also made use of several of your services (cover letter review, Webinars on interviewing/campus visits/negotiation). After six campus visits (and two additional requests for visits that I had to decline), I’m happy to report that I accepted a tenure track assistant professor position at XX University. I was also able to negotiate a higher starting salary and additional start-up funds as well. :)”
TT offer, client, ABD, Romance Languages, SLAC.
TT job offer, client, Ph.D., Education, R1.
TT job offers, reader, ABD, in Asian history, SLAC. “Being a long-term reader of your articles and attending your webinar on campus visits in December, I had 8 phone/Skype/AHA interviews, 7 campus interviews and received 4 offers so far (2 TT-SLAC; 1 TT-state university; 1 non-tenure, renewable AP-SLAC). “
TT job offer, client, Ph.D., History, SLAC. “I have worked with you in the past and yesterday I “attended” your campus visit webinar. I found it very helpful because it clarified many of the questions I had even after having done a few campus visits! Your discussion of the job talk and the meetings with administrators were particularly useful for me.”
“TT offer, reader, SLAC, Economics, “I appreciated your article about going on the job market for the second time because there is very little or no information about this on other websites.”
TT job offer, client, Anthropology, R1. “I’ve read your blog for years. I’m quite happy to say that I’m moving from a small LAC to a TT position at one of the top R1 departments in my field and I leaned on Pearls of Wisdom for wisdom. What I particularly used it for was diagnosing my problems. I had been getting to the short list or campus visit stage, but not getting offers. This meant that the problem was not the CV but something(s) in person. I had to have a hard heart-to-heart with myself and, instead of being stubborn or “misunderstood,” actually change. For me, the entries on “not acting like a grad student,” the video on interview jui-jitsu, and the general posts on the job talk were the ones that made the greatest intervention.
Really glad for this opportunity and for your no-nonsense approach. I probably owe you a drink at the next AAAs.”
A mid-search update: I had 8 Skype/phone interviews and got invited to 2 campus visits, both are taking place this month. I am nervous but working with Kellee will certainly help. I am positive that without the guidance of TPII I would not have landed any of these because I was on the market last year and got 0 interviews. I will keep you updated and wish me luck!
Feb. 23
TT offer, client, Ph.D., Sociology, teaching college. “I have fabulous news! I have been offered and accepted an Asst. Professor position with XXX University. The work I did with both you and Kellee was invaluable. Thank you so much!!! I am beyond thrilled and so ready for this next chapter…”
TT job offer, client, Ph.D. American History, R1, “The position is as near a perfect fit for me as I could have imagined; certainly the best fit of the jobs I applied for this year. I also had 12 first round interviews out of 23 jobs for which I applied–by far my best success rate to date. So thanks for getting me kickstarted this cycle!”
TT job offer, client, Ph.D., Asian Studies, R2. “I am happy to say that your advice paid off, and I received and accepted an offer for a TT assistant professor position. I have been fortunate to have a great group of advisors and mentors at my institution who helped me to prepare for the job market, but, in all honesty, it was your blog, webinars, and cut-the-crap advice that really guided my preparation. You touched on every aspect of the job search, the interviews, etc. in your posts and webinars, and I followed your advice every step of the way. Thank you.”
TT offer, client, Ph.D., Education, R1. “My thanks again to Kellee for her help getting me ready for the visit!”
TT job offer, client, Ph.D., Information and Library Science, R1. “I was just offered a TT position at a Research I university after receiving excellent help from Petra in a Skype Intervention for my job talk last month!”
Multiple TT job offers, client, ABD, History, SLAC. “I ended up with 6 campus invites. I received offers from all three of the first three schools that I visited, which is nothing short of astounding as far as I’m concerned, especially in my field. The schools were all great places too. Because of this good fortune, I withdrew from the last three visits in order to give those schools enough time to invite other candidates to campus. I also received two post doc offers. Because I had multiple job offers I was able to negotiate with my top choice, a small and well funded private university in a great city that happens to also be within about an hour of one of my favorite cities in the country. … Needless to say, I’m ecstatic about all of this! Thank you so much for your help in revising my materials for the market. It was my first year job searching and I am still ABD, so this outcome seems nothing short of miraculous to me. I know the personal advice you gave me on my materials, as well as all of the great advice you have on your blog, helped me enormously.”
Postdoc offer, client, Ph.D., Asian History.
TT job offer, client, humanities. “Karen (if I may), I took your campus interview webinar last November (I believe is the date) and I must admit, I was a skeptic. What can she tell me that I haven’t learned from the past 3 years of unsuccessful campus interviews? Therein lies the answer, doesn’t it? This was a search for my second job in the humanities and I am in the final stages of negotiations (the written contract after emailed back-and-forths with dean via the chair) with a highly ranked S-STEM-C (not liberal arts) that is an excellent fit and a vast improvement in my professional life. Thank you for showing me that the devil is in the details of interpersonal communication. I will continue to testify of your good works and pass your blog and services on to folks in need.”
TT offer, reader, Ph.D. Engineering. “You do not know me, but I wanted to thank you very, very much. Your blog is, by far, the most useful resource I have found through the process of preparing my application package and preparing for the job interviews. (I will not even start comparing the usefulness of your posts to the in-person advice I have received!) I would NEVER have gotten this offer without your help. So, in case you ever wonder about the impact of your work on all these people who do not let you know how extensively they are reading your blog through the process, be assured: It is enormous!”
*Please note that I have the outcomes ONLY of those clients and readers who write to let me know. I don’t track them, and I don’t pursue clients after the fact to provide me with updates. I’m hoping to do a survey this summer of all clients who have worked with TPII (about 3500 at this point) to get some systematic results, but right now I don’t have those.
I’ve read your blog religiously for 2 years now, and while I never bought a product or time from you, I just wanted to say thank you because after whiffing 2 years ago I received multiple interviews this year and just accepted a job offer from The Juilliard School. Their system lacks tenure, but it’s a continuing/permanent position with the title Asst. Prof of Philosophy. I’ll be in their Liberal Arts department and will stand for promotion in 7 years to Assoc. I get to stay in New York and actually make a version of my professional dreams a reality. Thank you Karen!
Congrats!!! that’s great news!