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[new hire hopeful]

It seems that Senior Profs and other entrenched faculty can behave as they wish.  But for the new and vulnerable, how much does personality matter?

Someone told me that after minimal qualifications (enough pubs, reasonable teaching, proper degree) getting hired and getting tenure is about getting along with people so that they like you and want to have you stay around, and that this matters more than anything else.  That's why instead of just reading your CV they fly you out to get a proper look at you--to see how you make small talk, talk in front of others, and how you behave at dinner with other people.

Does being cheerful, sociable, and helpful really matter that much if I'm smart, talented, and well meaning (if a little introverted and tending toward realistic/pessimistic in my daily outlook . . .)??

[pessimistic introvert]

new hire hopeful wrote:

> It seems that Senior Profs and other entrenched faculty can
> behave as they wish.  But for the new and vulnerable, how much
> does personality matter?
>
> Someone told me that after minimal qualifications (enough pubs,
> reasonable teaching, proper degree) getting hired and getting
> tenure is about getting along with people so that they like you
> and want to have you stay around, and that this matters more
> than anything else.  That's why instead of just reading your CV
> they fly you out to get a proper look at you--to see how you
> make small talk, talk in front of others, and how you behave at
> dinner with other people.
>
> Does being cheerful, sociable, and helpful really matter that
> much if I'm smart, talented, and well meaning (if a little
> introverted and tending toward realistic/pessimistic in my
> daily outlook . . .)??

Well, in my department, pessimistic and introverted are the currencies of the day, so you'd probably get along famously.  Seriously, though, I think, though I may be wrong, that personality is the kind of thing that can hurt but can't really help.  In my R1 department, they have denied tenure to three people in the last five years, all of whom seem to get along famously with the other faculty and graduate students.  They hadn't published a book, and that was the clincher.  So, being cheerful on its own won't get you tenured or hired, but being disagreeable might create an obstacle for an otherwise good candidate.

[Milton]

In my experience, it matters: a lot more at a smaller college or smaller department, less in a huge department at an R1 (but it still matters).

At my grad school R1 they tenured a guy they all hated, on the theory that they could put up with him those few hours a week he was actually in the office.  His research record was phenomenal.

At my SLAC, we have no patience with troublemakers and difficult or unpleasant colleagues because there's nowhere to hide from them... and if they hide, then their absence is felt immediately because someone else has to do their work.

[anon]

In my experience, personality and "people skills" matter a great deal.  Search committees are not just looking to hire people who are qualified, they are looking to hire people who will be good colleagues and with whom they can get along.

[the lunch test]

Milton & anon sound right to me.  They've got to be able to envision themselves eating lunch with you periodically for the next 10, 20, or 30 years.

At the same time, nothing's more pathetic than the terribly nice, seriously underqualified candidate.  If you don't have the qualifications, they probably won't be looking at you in the final rounds.  You can't nice your way in.  It looks like begging and goes over poorly.

[%sig%]

[SLACpsychprof]

Bad news for those of us who do not meet celebrity criteria (myself included).

In my SLAC, applicants are evaluated on extraverstion, appearance and quality on voice. Degrees, experience and research will not cut it in a shy person with small voice, no matter how brilliant.  And we want personality, personality, personality to entertain our "kids". It is not about education that much: it is entertainment, at least here. We would not mind good colleagues as well, but the main current is that we want people who will fit an 18 year old idea of a "cool" person.
And this sucks. I am dead tired of faking happy, or what we call in in my field, "emotional labor". But if I want a job this is that I have to do.

[Lacking a Personality]

To SLACpsychprof:
That's interesting.  At one convention interview, they actually had undergrads there.  Perhaps they were checking out how cool the candidates were.  There goes my chance!  ;)

[natural introvert]

I am not gregarious by any stretch of the imagination, but I try to play up my naturally quiet personality by showing people that I'm a very good listener and that I get along with a broad range of people.  This seems to work since academics love to talk about themselves.

[anon]

R1: you don't need a personality at all -- just pubs

smaller 4 year or comprehensive: I've seen a person with a book and 6 good articles not get tenure because unpopular, and someone with 2 book reviews get tenure on personality.

If you are charming and don't publish, aim for SLAC or smallish comprehensive; if you don't do well at social events but have a great research record, aim for R1; if you don't publish and have a repulsive personality, consider IT.

[How to fake it]

Before your interview, think up a few lively stories you can tell, about academically-related things. Use those stories at lunch and on other social occasions. Then you'll have earned the right to be quiet, to listen and smile as others orate.

You have to be seen as pleasant in almost all situations except extremely high-scholarly R-1. If you're squirmy, very awkward, or unpleasant, that will strike potential colleagues as "BAD TEACHER."

The lively stories can be from current events or books you've read, especially ones related to your field. Behavioral economics is a great subject.

[%sig%]

[mvestile]

Oh, lord. More than you can imagine. Frustration.

[fedscholar]

Disclaimer: I am lowly adjunct, and I have never been on a univ. hiring committee or promotion and tenure committee (I've hired plenty of scientists though).

Global statement. Emotional intelligence is extreme important in most jobs. Not necessarily extraversion/ introversion so much as a sense for how to intuit the feelings of other and act appropriately to the situation. And to build and maintain good relations generally.

However, the relative roles vary with position. In management, for instance, being kindhearted or even overly cerebral are generally considered negatives. Not sure how close university admin. would be to corporate management. For professorships, there also seems to be important variation. I just read a pretty interesting research paper on this topic. According to the paper, the most successful teachers are extraverted, altruistic, and affiliative. The most successful research professors, in contrast, tend to be introverted, highly competitive, and dominant, with a fairly low in altruism. So, personality correlates with position, but it is complex.

I would say that being introverted is not the kiss of death if you seem otherwise emotionally mature and sensible. I wouldn't worry about it, just be yourself and see how it goes.

[egilson]

In honor of this thread's recently celebrated birthday.

[zeeland]

If you're squirmy, very awkward, or unpleasant, that will strike potential colleagues as "BAD TEACHER."

+1.  

In my experience in a STEM department at a lower tier R1, especially with the faculty hired 20+ years ago when the emphasis was on teaching rather than research, personality is important.  The faculty members won't mention personality directly. Instead, they will say comments about the candidate's potential to be a "good teacher", "relate to students", or "fit in the department." The easiest way to get these comments is to come across as someone not interested in teaching undergraduates, someone who thinks s/he is doing you a favor by interviewing at your department given that they graduated from MIT, or someone who is inconsiderate to those perceived to be unimportant to the hiring decision (staff, assistant professors, grad students, etc.).  At an R1 at least, just be a nice person -- no need to have an extremely outgoing personality.

[afm_man]

In honor of this thread's recently celebrated birthday.

HA!  I was thinking this thread was older than my kids.  To be fair, when I first joined the forum, I resurrected a half decade old thread too.