December 29, 2015

Dropped my first academic job application like a mix tape

It's job application season and I am applying for academic jobs. I have many feels about this - up, down, and in between.

By DNLee

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American

Just before departing for the Holiday break, I completed and submitted my very first academic job application. It was tough for me. Scicurious dropped my a Twitter DM about an academic job that sounded divine...I mean seriously it was if this job was written for me. The position, the objectives, even the city.

Thinking about my career and the things I needed to pull together for the application packet had me like:

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Source: http://www.maguzz.com/4/beyonce-gif.html

I worked feverishly on my CV - completely re-vamping it to highlight my strengths - outreach and service to under-served communities - and my leadership and accolades.

I gathered every teaching and research statement I had ever written before for grant applications and award nominations to find what I wanted to say. I was surprised to see my words I had written nearly 10 years ago outlining my desire for a career in science that simultaneously valued research, outreach, and informal science education. The job I wanted I had envisioned long, long ago didn't exist then. Outreach was a lark. Broader impact was still being gelled. Now here I was pouring over an academic job application that I swear was written from my diary.

But despite all of that, I doubted. I talked myself out of completing that application at least half-a-dozen times. I grappled with the order of my words, the vision of my research statement and my teaching philosophy. I down right protested writing the cover letter.

Source: http://www.thegloss.com/2014/03/28/culture/beyonce-ugly-cry-face-gifs/

I cried. Then I rallied. I made it happen. I filled in all of those boxes at the job website. I cleaned up tha CV and made it shine. I completed the cover letter, the statements and I got them each down to 2 pages. I even pushed submit a whole hour before the closing deadline.

And most of all, I felt really really good about myself and what I presented to the search committee.

I. Felt. Good. about me.

Source: http://www.buzzfeed.com/eurodinaryamerican/15-beyonca-to-get-you-ready-to-take-on-2015-17j81#.nyyP80jjk

Have a Fabulous New Year Y'all!

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