Job application reward system

[rebeccmeister]

Sometimes, getting myself worked up to work on a job application is incredibly difficult. I wasted spent this morning trying to wade through a bunch of miscellaneous "academic job search" pages to find something I read once about how to handle the search, mostly in vain, before finally giving up. The main part I remember is that it suggested calling the institution conducting the search to ask a couple of specific questions, but I can't remember the specific questions, dangit. I *do* remember thinking the questions would be valuable to ask, and would help me deal with some of the emotional barrier I experience when applying for things, if that makes any sense. Sigh.

And meanwhile, here are two things I read:

1. The story of someone whose soul got crushed in academia but who is still dedicated to helping others succeed

and

2. The UC-Berkeley Career Center pages on the academic job search, et cetera

Application formats all have their own special little quirks. For this one, I need to fit a lot more information into the cover letter, but I'm going to make it fun information, goshdarnit, because it can all be about the stuff I really enjoy in insect physiology. If they don't want me for who I am, it's probably a place too closely aligned with the description in item 1, above, and that isn't where I want to be. I desire to be in a place where people are happy humans, not in a place dominated by obsessions over rank and prestige.

Comments

[twoeleven.livejournal.com]

The first piece is doing wonders for my sense that not becoming an academic was one of the smartest decisions I ever made.