Ah, this is hard. Didn't I mention last year that this is hard??
I'm short listed.
I don't know whether to celebrate or cry. When am I supposed to prepare a job talk? How am I supposed to travel when I'm supposed to be teaching? Do I really want to move to this place? Do I want tenure track, and hence the possibility of tenure, in THIS location? Do I really want to put myself through another 18 hour job interview?
Yes, I guess I do. At least, some of it. So, why are my hands trembling?
Someone pour me a drink.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Collecting tips
I've come across a few tips lately that have made sense and will help me make my job a better one. I don't want to lose them.
The 85% rule : I can prepare to 100% ready for a course in six hours or 85% ready for a class in two hours and the only person who will notice the difference is me. I think I kind of figured this one out on my own. Truth be told, I'm not at 85% these days. Closer to 70% most of the time. But the students don't seem to notice and I'm surviving the year. I must remember this one once 100% becomes a remote possibility.
Taking evenings and (gasp!) weekends off makes you more productive when you do work. I know this one. I maintained it for the most part through my Ph.D. I saw and still see so many academics around me who are "always" working, but yet they're always working at 50% productivity. They've got articles trailing around on the weekend, they feel like they're always on the clock, but they spend so much time in the staff room chatting. We all NEED down time. I work hard during regular office hours and I take my weekends off -- with the occasional exception, but as a general rule. I must remember this. August - October was a three-month exception and I hit burnout. I deserve time off and I should not feel guilty for taking it. Tenure? Who knows. Maybe I'll never get it. Whatever. I've got to live.
I worked hard to get where I am, and now I have the right to make some decisions that put me first. I don't like the old hierarchy thing. My students want to see me? I want to be there for them. I don't want to be that annoying professor that puts himself first. But, you know what? I've worked hard to get where I am. One of the perks of being where I am is the flexible schedule. I can work from home on Fridays. I will work from home on Fridays. If Student XYZ wants to meet with me on Friday, sorry, she can come during my office hours. I'm not on campus on Fridays. This may seem like a no brainer, but I'm only just getting it. I have this instinct to give up what I want in order to satisfy my students. No. This job is hard. It's intense. There are a few perks. Working from home on Fridays is one of those perks. I'm taking it, because I'm the professor and I can. It makes my life a little better, makes me a little less stressed, and therefore makes me a slightly better professor.
That's all for now, but there will be more. I want to keep track of these things I stumble across.
The 85% rule : I can prepare to 100% ready for a course in six hours or 85% ready for a class in two hours and the only person who will notice the difference is me. I think I kind of figured this one out on my own. Truth be told, I'm not at 85% these days. Closer to 70% most of the time. But the students don't seem to notice and I'm surviving the year. I must remember this one once 100% becomes a remote possibility.
Taking evenings and (gasp!) weekends off makes you more productive when you do work. I know this one. I maintained it for the most part through my Ph.D. I saw and still see so many academics around me who are "always" working, but yet they're always working at 50% productivity. They've got articles trailing around on the weekend, they feel like they're always on the clock, but they spend so much time in the staff room chatting. We all NEED down time. I work hard during regular office hours and I take my weekends off -- with the occasional exception, but as a general rule. I must remember this. August - October was a three-month exception and I hit burnout. I deserve time off and I should not feel guilty for taking it. Tenure? Who knows. Maybe I'll never get it. Whatever. I've got to live.
I worked hard to get where I am, and now I have the right to make some decisions that put me first. I don't like the old hierarchy thing. My students want to see me? I want to be there for them. I don't want to be that annoying professor that puts himself first. But, you know what? I've worked hard to get where I am. One of the perks of being where I am is the flexible schedule. I can work from home on Fridays. I will work from home on Fridays. If Student XYZ wants to meet with me on Friday, sorry, she can come during my office hours. I'm not on campus on Fridays. This may seem like a no brainer, but I'm only just getting it. I have this instinct to give up what I want in order to satisfy my students. No. This job is hard. It's intense. There are a few perks. Working from home on Fridays is one of those perks. I'm taking it, because I'm the professor and I can. It makes my life a little better, makes me a little less stressed, and therefore makes me a slightly better professor.
That's all for now, but there will be more. I want to keep track of these things I stumble across.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Random dribble
It's been just over a year since I started this blog. Ironically, I'm in the same spot as I was then. Waiting. Wondering. Pondering. And waiting some more.
I have a handful of job applications out there and I'm waiting for some feedback. I know my application is stronger than it was last year. So, if I got two callbacks last year, I have to get something this year, right? Or maybe not. Maybe the fit won't be right. Maybe I don't have the "right" ones this year. Time will tell. So, I wait.
I wait and I work, that is. Because work is all I do. The course overload handed out to this first-year professor? Ridiculous. There's no way anyone can develop and teach this many new courses and maintain an appropriate university level. It's just a sign that this is a really crappy school and they don't care about the quality of the education they're giving their students.
They also don't seem to care about faculty retention, which baffles me. Really, they could be at least making an effort to keep me. But, they're not, even though they do need someone in my position to keep the program running. I don't get it. Their behavior is really very baffling to me.
All the more reason to keep applying to new jobs.
I just want to know where I'll be in... what, six months? It's deja vu all over again, that's for sure.
My patience is low, my dedication is lagging, my courses are increasingly crap because I haven't had any prep time whatsoever, and therefore my interest and conviction about what I do are.... low, really really low.
But tomorrow is another day.
I have a handful of job applications out there and I'm waiting for some feedback. I know my application is stronger than it was last year. So, if I got two callbacks last year, I have to get something this year, right? Or maybe not. Maybe the fit won't be right. Maybe I don't have the "right" ones this year. Time will tell. So, I wait.
I wait and I work, that is. Because work is all I do. The course overload handed out to this first-year professor? Ridiculous. There's no way anyone can develop and teach this many new courses and maintain an appropriate university level. It's just a sign that this is a really crappy school and they don't care about the quality of the education they're giving their students.
They also don't seem to care about faculty retention, which baffles me. Really, they could be at least making an effort to keep me. But, they're not, even though they do need someone in my position to keep the program running. I don't get it. Their behavior is really very baffling to me.
All the more reason to keep applying to new jobs.
I just want to know where I'll be in... what, six months? It's deja vu all over again, that's for sure.
My patience is low, my dedication is lagging, my courses are increasingly crap because I haven't had any prep time whatsoever, and therefore my interest and conviction about what I do are.... low, really really low.
But tomorrow is another day.
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