[job hunt] Rejection letters

[astra_nomer]

I haven't posted much lately, mostly because my job search is still going very poorly. I have gotten some interesting rejection letters, though.

1) University of Mountainous State: a handwritten sticky note attached to the letter saying that with some more postdoc experience, I'd be a top notch faculty candidate.

2) Some Fellowship Committee: actual feedback on my proposal!

3) University of City in Mountainous State:

"Because of the large volume of highly qualified applicants, the initial review process took longer than anticipated. At this time, we are conducting on-campus interviews with several candidates whose qualifications most closely match our needs.

We shall keep you updated on the status of our search."

They seem to have forgotten the line saying that I was no longer under consideration, how careless of them.

I also had my reference letters requested by Euphemistic University.

However, I still have no actual offers, so I'm looking at the distinct possibility that I will not be employed next year. I figure we'll can save some money on childcare and commuting costs, so financially we'll be okay. I can work on finishing up papers while the kids are at school, and hopefully get a boost that way. In the meantime, I'm practicing not crying while talking about how badly things are going. It's hard.

Comments

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

I'm struck with how much the job search process in your field/level is like dating.

Yes, it sucks to be rejected. But it doesn't mean there's something wrong with you. It means you're not the right fit for the available positions.

I'm so sorry that you aren't where you want to be right now. But I think you're an amazing person, and I believe you will make the best of whatever happens.

[desireearmfeldt]

And my impression is that it's also like dating at a college wih a gender ratio massively skewed against you. Or auditioning for a play, for that matter. (That is, that not getting accepted says less about your personal suitability and more about the ratio of candidates to positions. Which is cold comfort as far as getting what you want goes, but it does you shouldn't angst over whether the problem is your personal caliber, becuse most likely it isn't. :/ )

[astra-nomer.livejournal.com]

Or maybe they've caught on to the fact that I'm an Imposter to begin with? But I'm so much better an Imposter than all those others!

[astra-nomer.livejournal.com]

Like dating, in that there a a few really sexy people who get all the hot dates, and the rest of us losers just trying to get phone numbers?