Hunter, etc.

[Paul Klanderud]

Greetings,

        Interesting to see all the "internal" messages about the Hunter job
posting, although these requirements really aren't that out of line with
what most academic positions have been demanding, explicitly or implicitly,
for at least a few years now.

(I just received and read Ms. Israeli's most recent posting: as she points
out, Hunter is not alone.)

        Personally, I think it's a healthy sign that even a few people in the
field are actually willing to state publicly what they really feel. I often
wonder how many aspiranty read these occasional discussions of the "job
situation," wishing they too could speak their mind, but fearful that doing
so might stigmatize them (and who needs that when you're one of 150-plus
candidates competing for a handful of positions?).  I don't blame them for
their reticence one bit; if I was still "on the market," I'd likely be the
same way.  Still, it's a shame that there has to be this fear of being
opinionated, because it suggests to me that some of the best opinions are
probably remaining in the drawer or circulating only as samizdat, if at all.

        So being opinionated is left to people such as Genevra Gerhart and a few
others who have "nothing to lose."  Readers of this list will recall that
I've done my share of ranting (but not raving, as I recall). It's actually
kind of fun, and I can flatter myself to think that I've performed some
sort of public service via my "venting."

        Without rambling on too much more, my main reason in writing was to try to
convince the numerous grads, ABD's, recently and not-so-recently minted
PhD's that--no matter how life-or-death the question of getting an academic
position may seem--you really ought to think seriously in terms of what
they might like to do outside of academics.  Or if nothing else, try to
picture yourself enjoying something else.

        If nothing else, it will allow you to be more relaxed if you actually
happen to get interviews, and to relate to the interviewers as someone with
potential beyond the narrow confines of academia.

        Some of you might recall the non-academic jobs panel organized by Frank
Poulin at last year's conference, in which I participated.  At the time, I
had been working as a computer programmer for less than half a year.  As I
said at the panel, I enjoyed my work and colleagues immensely, but still
felt that I might consider returning to academics.  In other words, I'd say
I wasn't fully convinced that I was "out of the loop." And small wonder:
anyone of us, after spending all-too-many years devoted to the study of a
single field, would find it hard to abandon all that in such a short time
span.

        My guess is that most of you haven't even considered the possibility of
getting out of academics (I seem to recall a sense that cosmic justice
would be more likely to smile on me if I ruled everything else out).  But
as I said last year, and as I'll repeat now, there simply aren't enough
decent positions for all the top-notch candidates. The numbers alone
dictate that not every qualified person will get a job.

        In the meantime, there's an economic boom going on in the "real world"
(especially in IS, or information systems [aka "computers"]), and people
like me are beginning to enjoy the fruits of this boom--and not only
financially, but in terms of meaningful work and, believe it or not, peace
of mind as well. (I say "believe it or not" because I recall all too well
the anguish that lingered for months, like a bad case of the flu, before
and after each job season.)

        I am currently in a field where people with no more than a year and a half
of experience can literally have their pick of positions at salaries
significantly above that of people with many more years in academics (and
you don't have to move halfways across the country to do it); where
employers by and large treat their employees with respect and concern (if
only because they damn well have to); where (at least where I work) the
intellectual atmosphere is in many respects more open and refreshing than
in much of academics; and where, if you have the drive and desire, the
opportunities to learn are limitless.  All this is not to say that I don't
miss certain aspects of academics and Russian literature--I do.  But the
rewards of my new profession are so great, and (you'll have to trust me on
this one) the opportunities for intellectual challenges--and challenges
that are genuinely "new," and not just rehashed--so intoxicating, that I
only wish I had embarked on this path ten years ago.

        Ten years ago--that's the paradox, because without my academic background
and the rich experiences I gained, I wouldn't be the same person, with the
same interests, as I am today.  And any of you, I'm sure (if you've read
this far), will be able to find your own path that, if you give it a
chance, will eventually make sense of all you've done.  But you have to be
willing to take that chance.  So give the academic market your best
shot--but know inside that it's not the only game in town, and that if they
can't use you here, you sure will be needed somewhere else.

Paul Klanderud