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[Cicero]

TBD wrote:

> UT Austin is #13 in sociology.  Hook 'em.


If this is satire meant to point out the inanity of ranking scholarly environments like football teams, well done!

[Tina]

I think I need to explain a little bit on my conversation with the interviewer from the small school. Two days after my interview, on the last day of the conference, she called my cell phone and asked if I wanted to talk a little bit more with her. Then we talked for about 30 minutes in her hotel room. She said she liked my application and very likely will recommend me for a campus visit. Then she said, the job market is very tough this year, even a position in her small school in midwest received over 100 applications, including some from the top schools. But she had some bad experience in interviewing them, saying, "some of them are like doing me a huge favor in applying for this job. One applicant told me that her school is very good and she has applied to positions in Wharton, Stanford, and some other big names. But when I checked her CV, I found there is zero journal publications. "  She didn't mention the name, but I know who she is talking about.

[%sig%]

[anon]

Look, I didn't mean anything negative towards UT.  I have a couple friends doing a doctoral program there and know a couple alums.  It, however, you think that coming from this institution will allow one to assume assurance of a job for that reason alone, you're delusional.  Consider my comments relative to the attitude shown by the woman, which would in fact be excessive regardless of one's credentials.  UT is a good school; it's rep would be a plus for anyone, but definitely won't be what gets someone their job alone.  Or is this statement to "metro" for you?

[Once again]

Dear anon@anon.com,

I don't disagree in the slightest about the candidate's attitude.  It's foolish.  I've seen people from more prestigious schools than UT (say, Yale) do exactly the same thing and for precisely that reason not get a job.  (Actually, I've seen it quite a lot.)

But that's not the point I was making.