I missed my weekly Friday post yesterday because I had grand plans to make it a video post, but when I recorded the video, I couldn't get it to upload. I ended up delivering my little lecture on tailoring the job letter three times at different … [Read more...] about MLA Job Advice (A Guest Post)
Advising Advice
On Leaving the Cult (A Letter From a Client)
I get a pretty regular stream of fan mail from clients and readers, and I read all of it, respond to all of it, and deeply appreciate all of it. When I get a letter from someone telling me how the reading the blog and/or working with me changed … [Read more...] about On Leaving the Cult (A Letter From a Client)
Chronic Illness, Disability and Heternormativity on the Tenure Track (A Follow-Up Guest Post)
This post is a follow-up to the guest post earlier this week, "The Real Life of a Tenure Track Faculty Person." That post generated an enormous amount of reaction and comment that is still going on. One of the commenters asked to know a bit more … [Read more...] about Chronic Illness, Disability and Heternormativity on the Tenure Track (A Follow-Up Guest Post)
Should You Go To Graduate School?
The “don't go to graduate school” debate has flared up again this past week with the publication of this piece in Slate, "Thesis Hatement: Getting a Literature Ph.D. Will Turn You Into an Emotional Train Wreck, Not a Professor. The author, Rebecca … [Read more...] about Should You Go To Graduate School?
The Imposter Syndrome, or, as my Mother told me: “Just Because Everyone Else is an Asshole, it Doesn’t Make you a Fraud.” (A Guest Post)
Today's post is a Guest Post submitted by a reader of the blog named Phyllis Rippeyoung. Phyllis is an Associate Professor with tenure, and wrote in with a comment about "Imposter Syndrome." I responded by asking her if she'd be willing to write a … [Read more...] about The Imposter Syndrome, or, as my Mother told me: “Just Because Everyone Else is an Asshole, it Doesn’t Make you a Fraud.” (A Guest Post)
Location, Location…what?
This past week the Chronicle of Higher Education posted a column by Alexandra Lord, titled “Location, Location, Location.” Lord is the person behind the site on nonacademic careers, Beyond Academe, and she also runs an online Web journal, the … [Read more...] about Location, Location…what?
The Perils of “Nice,” Cont’d: Recommendation Edition
I got to see a letter of rec this week, and was stunned at the way it sabotaged my client, a SUPERB AND TOTALLY HARD-ASS candidate. It did this apparently from the best of intentions, by burying her achievements in endless verbiage about how "nice" … [Read more...] about The Perils of “Nice,” Cont’d: Recommendation Edition
It’s Not About You
Today The Professor continues her mobilization of low brow pop culture references in the service of the scholarly career by bringing to your attention the sentiment, “It’s Not About You.” This is actually another installment in the “Nice … [Read more...] about It’s Not About You
Don’t Be Nice
I can’t believe I’m going to write this, but I was watching Tony Robbins on Oprah a couple weeks ago. I know. Stay with me here. And although I think that Tony Robbins is really gross, and especially when he starts going on about what women “need” … [Read more...] about Don’t Be Nice
Ageism and the Academy: My Thoughts and a Request for Yours
Regular followers of my Facebook page know that for a number of months now I’ve been soliciting a post on aging and age discrimination in academia. I’ve been seeking such a post because of the constant stream of requests I receive from readers to … [Read more...] about Ageism and the Academy: My Thoughts and a Request for Yours