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anon
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« on: February 16, 2006, 12:01:57 PM » |
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I was recently invited to be interviewed on the opposite coast. They said they would may for "some" travel costs, including only one night at a hotel and part of my plane ticket. I'm thinking about turning down the interview because I think this is not a good sign of my they treat people. At the same time, I may need this job if nothing else comes through. It would be my last choice based on my treatment so far and it looks like I will have other options, but you never can tell. Should I turn down the interview?
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Anon and on
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« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2006, 12:21:25 PM » |
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That really depends. If you do not have two pennies to rub together (ie., you are so broke that you would wind up in debtor's prison if one still existed), no. If you can't even beg, borrow, or charge that ticket, it can't happen anyway.
My feeling is that it is better to be safe than sorry. You may have other options, but they may not come through. Potentially, this would be a good one or two year job while you keep looking and earn some experience.
Go on the interview. Book an extra night at the hotel and treat yourself (even on credit card) to a fun day in a place you would never have gone to otherwise. Take a cheesy novel and have a good time just for you after the interview. Go wine tasting, be a tourist, go to a beach, visit the silly local museum of chewing gum, whatever. Worst case scenario, you had a 1/2 price vacation (they picked up 1/2 the tab) and you got to relax.
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Pretzel
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« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2006, 01:13:43 PM » |
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Anon and on wrote:
> Worst case scenario, you had
> a 1/2 price vacation (they picked up 1/2 the tab) and you got
> to relax.
I agree with this ... think of it as a half-price vacation that might get you a new job on the side!
Unless you are absolutely so in debt that you can't come up with the extra $500 (???), you should go. You may regret not going ...
[%sig%]
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anon again
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« Reply #3 on: February 16, 2006, 02:03:12 PM » |
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The problem with going on the interview is not just that I can't afford the money, but time is even more scarce unless I really think I want the job. I'll be missing the class I teach, and my children will be with a babysitter.
I'm also wondering how common it is to only cover part of the travel expenses. I'm taking this as a sign that they don't take me seriously. I've already invested way too much money in my PhD to be expected to pay for my travel, and I've had other interviews (still waiting to hear) where they paid for everything. But maybe I'm taking this to personally? Is this standard practice?
On the other hand, faculty candidates are mistreated enough, and this may be my small chance to take a stand and refuse to accept such treatment.
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noway
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« Reply #4 on: February 16, 2006, 02:25:21 PM » |
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Ignore what those first two replies suggested - that you should treat yourself to a half price vacation. The fact that the university/college is not picking up the entire tab can mean only two things - either independently or in tandem: 1) The university simply cannot afford the costs of faculty recruitment; and/or 2) The university does not take faculty recruitment seriously. Either one is bad; both together are worse. I would turn down the interview. Expecting a candidate to cover any travel costs is ridiculous. If they can't foot the bill then they should be doing local area searches.
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Jane
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« Reply #5 on: February 16, 2006, 03:22:59 PM » |
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I agree the reply from Noway. I ran into one situation that one institute in one university which tries to hire one new faculty has failed 5 consecutive years. Why? Based on my poking to the insiders during my interview there and my own obseration, it was due to the fact that it treated its candidates cheap. Don't go if I were you.
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AF
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« Reply #6 on: February 16, 2006, 03:44:55 PM » |
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Although I was always reimbursed for campus visits, it appears that there are some schools that don't. (There are several threads on this, you can search if you like.) The fact that they will cover some of your expenses implies to me that they are cash-strapped but trying to do what they can.
so not a great sign for financial viability, but possibly a sign that they do their best within their means.
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Anon and on
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« Reply #7 on: February 16, 2006, 04:13:07 PM » |
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Yes, there are many CCs that do not pay for visits. They simply can't. It is an issue of how much you want/need the job.
I agree with noway - that not paying is a tell-tale sign of something. But just because they don't is not a reason not to go.
Another example. I have some graduate students who didn't get travel money from the department this year. (Really tight and strapped for cash). They decided to not go to the conference. While this is different than the OP's situation, they too lost some opportunities for networking, possible contacts, and a nice time.
I personally would try to go, but keep everything in mind. Remember, this would be a WORST CASE SCENARIO job.
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Hikls
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« Reply #8 on: February 16, 2006, 07:19:45 PM » |
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HELL NO DON'T GO!.....Actually, do what ever you want. From the sounds of it, this school will likely pay you in pennies and pats on the back...but it's a jobb...I guess. These people are CHEAP!!
anon wrote:
> I was recently invited to be interviewed on the opposite coast.
> They said they would may for "some" travel costs, including
> only one night at a hotel and part of my plane ticket. I'm
> thinking about turning down the interview because I think this
> is not a good sign of my they treat people. At the same time,
> I may need this job if nothing else comes through. It would be
> my last choice based on my treatment so far and it looks like I
> will have other options, but you never can tell. Should I turn
> down the interview?
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LarryC
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« Reply #9 on: February 17, 2006, 04:26:45 PM » |
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Tough call. I work at a skinflint school in a depatment that is on a starvation diet, but we would never consider asking a candidate to pay their own travel. Cheap bastards. But it is a job. If you are thinking about turning it down, call the chair and tell her so, and why. But if it is somewhere you might want to work, suck it up and go.
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repeater
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« Reply #10 on: February 17, 2006, 11:00:37 PM » |
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Klamato King
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« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2006, 07:40:46 PM » |
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Don't do it. It's a TERRIBLE sign of what that place has to offer. Schools like that are in the minority anyway. If they can't run a search properly and don't have the $700-1000 it takes to organize proper visits for candidates, it's not going to get better for you once they've got you hooked. One place where a friend was a candidate wanted him to pay for his own travel, and they'd reimburse him IF they offered him the job and he accepted. Things like that are miserably unethical.
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