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[maidenmoon]

Help! How do you explain to a SC that you were hired ABD a prestigious R1, but didn't make the dissertation completion deadline, and that is why you are on the market again? The dissertation will be complete at the end of November. Will this tarnish my professional reputation?

[atalanta]

It's hard to say what the long term ramifications are, but in the short term, I doubt you will get another offer until after you have Ph.D. in hand. SC's will probably not want to take a chance on you, since some people never do finish.

[msparticularity]

The dissertation will be complete at the end of November.

I think it depends upon what this means. If by "complete" you mean successfully defended, you're in fairly good shape. If by "complete" you mean a full draft will have gone to your committee, you aren't going to look like a good risk yet.

In either case, your advisor needs to address the issue in his/her letter - to explain (if possible) why there was a holdup that couldn't be resolved earlier, and that you really, truly are done and - more importantly - are capable of meeting deadlines in future!

[ruralguy]

I think probably other R1's wouldn't touch you, but maybe some SLACs would. Though, some of us SLACs are fairly worried about the "never finish" types. We (at my SLAC) recently (within 5 years or so) had 3 people finisih well after their first year. We were too lenient. One guy never did any research and didn't get tenure. Another cobbled something together at the last minute, and managed to reverse her negative tenure decision. The third case is the most positive, since he has several articles in the queue now.

[maidenmoon]

Thank you for your responses.
I have publications (book chapters) and presented conferences etc. My research is strong.
But I am not sure if any of this really outweighs the fact that the R1 is not offering me an interview for their advertised position.

[history_grrrl]

How long have you been teaching at the R1? Are you in your first year? Second year?

[maidenmoon]

I have been teaching for one year. 2008-2009 is my second (and final) year here.

[seniorscholar]

If the dissertation will be defended in November 2008 (and your supervisor will make that promise both in the letter of recommendation and when the search committee chair phones to make sure), I'm not sure that it would have any effect, or that you need to explain anything. You say I have taught at Prestigious R-1 for two years. Your c.v. says the same. If your c.v. is strong, many search committees would probably guess that you had a fellowship/post-doc or a 2-year non-renewable appointment, and simply think: wow! publications, conferences, research, 2 years full time experience; ready to be a really productive scholar now. Long explanations from you or your supervisor would be more damaging than helpful.

[mended_drum]

What is your title at the R1?  That is, are you currently considered an "Assistant Professor" or did the failure to complete the dissertation on time turn you into a "lecturer" or "Visiting Professor."  If your title has reverted to one of those (or something similar), we'd probably just assume you were a VAP or other non-tt hire.

[svenc]

If the dissertation will be defended in November 2008 (and your supervisor will make that promise both in the letter of recommendation and when the search committee chair phones to make sure), I'm not sure that it would have any effect, or that you need to explain anything. You say I have taught at Prestigious R-1 for two years. Your c.v. says the same. If your c.v. is strong, many search committees would probably guess that you had a fellowship/post-doc or a 2-year non-renewable appointment, and simply think: wow! publications, conferences, research, 2 years full time experience; ready to be a really productive scholar now. Long explanations from you or your supervisor would be more damaging than helpful.

Ditto what Seniorscholar has said.  Putting this in your application materials will not help you.

Put another way: If I were reviewing your application with a good CV and a current position at a top R1, you will be a strong candidate.  If you (or your references) tell me up front that you had trouble with something as important as finishing the degree in the time specified in your contract, I am a lot less interested from day one.  You want to play to your strengths, not your mistakes.

But yes, you will need a good (and honest) way to explain why you are leaving when you get to interviews.  Just hope that you've wowed everyone enough by then that this is not a deal-breaker. 

For some, it will be.

[the_honey_badger]

One thing I'm not clear on here---were you hired a.b.d. as a t-t Asst Professor? Or, were you hired in another rank and there was an assumption that if you finished in X amount of time you would be converted to a t-t position. I'm confused because you don't explicitly say what the contractual relationship or formal rank was and you say they are not interviewing you for an advertised position in your area. I'm wondering if you are mixing up the formal with the informal.

I think this makes a big difference for disclosure purposes---if you were hired as a lecturer or a VAP on paper but it was *understood* that you'd move over automatically, then it was only a promise and worth as much as the paper the t-t promise was written on (none). You were simply a contract employee they (and you) hoped to turn into a tenure earning line/position. Even if you had earned the doctorate then you might not have gotten an interview if it was all verbal---most of us have seen or experienced that revolting development ourselves.

Then, in terms of applications, if your rank was not TT Asst Professor at R-1, the default assumption by SCs would be that you had a temporary position---because in reality you did. You were/are simply a graduate student who had a two-year job while finishing and it should be presented (and thought of) as that.

If, however, you did get that rare a.b.d. TT appointment well before finishing and are actually terminated after this year, you need to find a way to minimize the truth of that as much as possible. Your advisors or colleagues writing for you and who know the situation might be able to explain extenuating circumstance (heavy teaching load and distant sources) or just plain "spin" it to minimize any damage. You need to talk to them and get a sense of how they are going to talk about it.

I mention this in case you might not be in as bad a position as you think if it was never formally a TT Asst Prof. appointment!

[maidenmoon]

Thank you for your insights everyone. Your comments have helpedto clarify things, particularly those made about my official position at R1.
I was hired as an Instructor and there was an assumption that if I finished in a given time frame I would be converted to a t-t position. On paper, it looks ok; I will keep your comments in mind when I apply.
My main concern now is that academia is a small world and everyone will know even before they read the application letter or talk to my referees.
Thanks once again for your responses!

[svenc]

Well then keep quiet about it!  There is no reason to highlight the "what could have been" aspect of your current position, it will only hurt you.

Working as an Instructor at a good R1 while completing your degree will look like a strength unless you (or your referees) make an effort to frame it as otherwise.  There is no reason to tell anyone that you had expected to be considered for a permanent position if you had finished your degree faster.

[the_honey_badger]

Thank you for your insights everyone. Your comments have helpedto clarify things, particularly those made about my official position at R1.
I was hired as an Instructor and there was an assumption that if I finished in a given time frame I would be converted to a t-t position. On paper, it looks ok; I will keep your comments in mind when I apply.
My main concern now is that academia is a small world and everyone will know even before they read the application letter or talk to my referees.
Thanks once again for your responses!

Then you have nothing to worry about.  You were hired as an instructor and now you are on the market. You don't need to offer more. You are finishing and you are looking at all your prospects. Period.

Sure, a few might know someone well enough to hear this but actually, most would discount it as gossip or even think that "sure, and then when they advertised, they went right for the bright, shiny unknowns...."   Frankly, that's how your situation plays out more often than not even if you HAD earned the degree in time.  First its: "Just finish and stay for life!"   Two years later: "well we have to advertise! That's how its done. Don't worry though."  Then three months later its:  "Well, we'd like to interview you but the competition had X, Y, and Z and you didn't" (or silence and avoidance).

Academia really isn't that small. There are circles but there are a whole lot more schools whose knowledge of what goes on at Harvard or Wisconsin is null.