Job Search Thread

[Mr.Zebra]

Finishing up the first year of a 2 year master's degree, and as I look around at potential jobs, I'm reminded what an idiotic choice I made for my degree and that I'll probably not land a worthwhile job with it.

[JMarkJohns]

Might be a small glimmer of hope, either for a lecturer position, or a waiver.

After the first internal candidate was contacted on Monday, the next wasn't contacted until today. So this goes with the theory that they are taking the jobs in waives, examining which positions absolutely need a permanent fill, and which classes can be scrutinized. If demand is there, they will hire up to four lines. If demand isn't, they'll likely go three, reexamine available courses, trim the fat if necessary, and then maybe reassess waiver hire lines.

Given that any classes will be in my degreed, industry-experienced, already-taught-within program areas, I'd be a strong candidate for the fourth lecturer or 1st Waiver.

At this point I'd accept anything offered, and then spend the summer prepping for GRE and applying to PhD programs, and the next year applying for other positions in other states.

Whichever opportunity presents itself as most ideal next year, be it a permanent position here, a PhD opportunity, or a permanent position elsewhere, that's my next course.

[JMarkJohns]

I'm done at NAU.

Pretty much official. Sucks. Very weird year and conclusion.

But I'm not alone in the screwing over. Even a PhD whose worked in the departments of hire for four years was passed over for someone else.

Very odd. No loyalty at all.

[Longhorned]

If NAU is anything like other institutions, they aim to turn over their non-tenure-line instructors with regularity. Long-term instructors in that capacity can organize too efficiently, if you know what I mean, and salaries go up.

There's no such thing as loyalty to individuals, though there's the general expectation that the individuals be loyal to the institution.

[JMarkJohns]

If NAU is anything like other institutions, they aim to turn over their non-tenure-line instructors with regularity. Long-term instructors in that capacity can organize too efficiently, if you know what I mean, and salaries go up.

There's no such thing as loyalty to individuals, though there's the general expectation that the individuals be loyal to the institution.

I know of a dozen non-tenure educators who have been at NAU for a decade and another half dozen going on 5-6 years. I'd always been told to wait things out and all that security would be mine.

Weird how people can be so wrong, or situations so different.

I'm genuinely at a loss.

But what you say about organizing is true. Prior to and initially during budget cuts the non-tenure faculty all were discussing options to seek increased pay opportunities, etc.

I never cared about that. I just wanted the illusion of security.

I really feel like I was steered wrong by advisors years back. Feel like I will need to make a radical employment shift or refocus with maybe more schooling, or that I'll be paying for this wandering for several years as things get figured out.