As a job candidate, you may wonder about characteristics that set you off as different from others in the organization you're interested in working for. Women who are candidates in mostly male departments, people of color seeking positions in a virtually all-white institution, gays and lesbians, people over 50 or 55 -- all wonder at some time what the impact of their difference may be.
I am not talking here about discrimination in the legal sense, but about subtler issues of climate. This is a complex question but one that is likely to be on the minds of many readers. I would like to offer some observations as you think about your own situation and your career plans. Underlying each of the discussions are some basic principles:
- Learn all you can about the job you're looking at and its organizational context, and make a careful evaluation.
- Decide what kind of setting you are seeking -- some people prefer comfort, some prefer challenge.
- Be reflective about every aspect of your presentation of yourself -- everything you do and say sends a message, so be aware of what it is. To a great extent, it's up to you to decide what you want to disclose about yourself.
Gender difference:
In spite of signs of improvement in gender equity, certain searches are likely to present the appearance and in some cases the reality of inequity. (I'll focus on women in male-dominated environments, but men entering female-dominated environments may experience the same things.)
Try to evaluate how hospitable the climate is likely to be for women in the job you're interested in. Take a look at whether there are women at or above the level of the position you're looking at, women on the search committee, women on the board of trustees, and a culture that values certain kinds of accomplishments that seem to you to be gender-linked. Based on this appraisal, you may decide that there is a chilly climate. But consider then whether you're suited to that kind of climate. You may thrive on being a trailblazer or standing out among your colleagues. There are certainly advantages to this situation as well as hazards -- sometimes it may cause you and your ideas to be overlooked, but at other times it may make your presence or your contribution even more noticeable and memorable. Some opportunities intended as tokenism can be turned to your advantage.
How can you manage this "different" identity in the search process? Should you highlight the fact that you're not "one of the boys" through the examples and metaphors you use as you answer questions? Should you use visible signals that emphasize your identity as a woman (e.g., clothing, hairstyle, door-holding) or should you attempt to blend in among the men? Each person has to make an individual decision.
Think in advance about what you want to communicate about yourself, and what actions are available to you to send the message. Some people prefer to do whatever seems natural; I would just urge you to be aware of the messages that you're sending by whatever you do.
Sexual orientation:
Gays and lesbians can also try to determine whether the position they're seeking is in a pervasively straight department or institution or community; a place that is generally quite ignorant about gays and lesbians; or even a homophobic setting. Is there a network, either informal or formal, of gays and lesbians who provide mutual support and address issues of concern? (In some cases, if you have no personal contacts, you may be able to learn something about this from the Web.)
Does the institution provide benefits for spousal equivalents? Has the press reported homophobic incidents? These questions can help you evaluate the climate, and then you'll need to decide what range of climates let you be comfortable and effective. Some people like to be involved in educating others, and some don't. Some can tolerate some isolation, and others can't.
But gays and lesbians face a very different kind of issue as well -- deciding whether to be "out," and, if they decide to let others know their sexual orientation, when and how to do that. Without giving advice, I can recount an experience I had that seemed to me one sensible way of approaching the question.
A candidate for a senior position went through an extensive process of interviews and did very well, and he was moving toward the point when a decision would have to be made about extending an offer. I was the person who would make the selection, and in his final interview with me, he said that he wanted me to know he was gay so that he could be sure there would be a general acceptance of his identity, and no surprises later. I appreciated his giving me this information before an offer was made, but after I and others had had the opportunity to form impressions of him without regard for his sexual orientation.
Others will take different approaches that may suit them better. Talk with others about how they have handled it and craft an approach that works for you. You can manage this situation in a variety of ways, and you should think consciously about what approach you want to take.
Race and ethnicity:
People of color face very complex issues in an age when many institutions seek and highly value diversity, but affirmative action is under fire. Even if there is a public claim that diversity is being sought, is the commitment really there? Does support for diversity appear to be integral to the culture or an "add-on?" How can you know if you're just a token and wasting your time?
There is no simple answer to these questions. And I believe that even if you could discover whether a search committee is comfortable with candidates of color, you would still want to consider the value of being a candidate, having the opportunity to interview and learn from the experience, and possibly surprising the committee itself by the quality of your skills and your character and turning out to be the strongest candidate.
If you don't come into the search, you're certain not to be chosen. You may gain something by taking the risk of participating, even though the odds may seem to be against you.
Age:
Age is a difficult issue because it has so many layers -- including both appropriate concerns about performance, and inappropriate pre-judgements. There are many questions raised in the minds of a search committee by candidates who are, or appear to be, over 55 (just to take a round number).
Some committees make assumptions about candidates over 55. They assume the candidate will not or can not really make a five- or 10-year commitment to an institution. They assume reluctance to take on a demanding travel schedule. Other committees will ask these questions of the candidate or the references. The important point is that, if you are over 55 or so, it is likely that the committee will be wondering about your age (although they cannot legally ask how old you are) and whether your age limits your ability to do the job.
As in all the preceding observations, you should think about how you will manage the issue of your age. Will you tell the committee how old you are or at least list your year of college graduation, or will you try to mask it? (In my experience, masking annoys committees and doesn't keep them from guessing.) How can you convey energy and long-term commitment? Are there things your references can say that will help a committee to evaluate you as an individual rather than make assumptions about you?
All these examples of difference can raise difficult personal questions and in some cases legal questions. Candidates may feel subject to forces of institutional culture and individual values that are beyond their control. Think and observe carefully before you make the decisions, both subtle and obvious, that are very much in your control.
Jean Dowdall is vice-president at A.T. Kearney Executive Search, which handles searches for senior academic administrators. In the last year, she has assisted with searches at Northern Arizona University, Rowan University, and the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. She has also been a faculty member, dean, vice-president, and president at both public and private institutions.
Ms. Dowdall regrets that she is not able to respond to individual questions. However, she welcomes suggestions for future columns at movingup@chronicle.com
