“Bob” was working in the administration of a high-profile president. The president was very generous in his mentorship of Bob, and one day, out of the blue, Bob himself was invited to interview with a presidential headhunter.
Over a very expensive lunch, the headhunter told Bob that his president was one of the hottest properties in all of higher ed and that several institutions were looking for someone who was a chip off the old block.
“Everyone tells us that you share your president’s skills and sense of vision,” the headhunter said. “We’d really like to explore establishing a relationship with you as a candidate.”
Bob decided not to close any doors, so he agreed to provide a complete CV to the headhunter’s group.
A month later, Bob’s president resigned amid allegations of financial improprieties. Bob never heard from the headhunter again.
Bob’s story makes me think about what one of my mentors once told me: Always be careful about hitching your wagon to someone else’s train. You might find that train going over a cliff one day.
What advice would you share with young faculty members and administrators about working with career mentors?
Follow On Hiring through your favorite RSS reader: