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[skinnedknee]

I've applied to a handful of schools this year.  I have had two campus interviews and one more campus interview lined up.

The two previous interviews resulted in frozen searches for economic reasons (or so I'm told by the SCCs).  One of these schools is very similar to the next interview that I have lined up.  Would it be appropriate to contact the SCC and ask for feedback?  I felt a good rapport with the SCC, but don't want to be pushy.  However, I would love to hear their impressions.

[betterslac]

Let me see how I can put this both gently for all those fragile souls pining for feedback, yet clearly enough so that it finally sinks in after oh so many threads:

No, No, No, No

Search committees are not job coaches.

Search committees have no stake in or interest in your job search except insofar as they may wish to offer you a job.

Search committees labor under rules, regulations, laws, codes, staff memos, HR guidelines and general common sense that tells them that they should not comment on the performance of job candidates lest it lead to litigation against the college in general and themselves in particular.

But then again if you think you are special, or if some friend's advisor told your friend that it is a good idea (or your own clueless advisor did), or your family or some how-to-get-a-job book tells you to do so, go right on ahead.

Call me to ask. I will politely tell you nothing, hang up the phone, and think what a clueless chump you are.

[kamiakin]

No.

[systeme_d_]

Would it be appropriate to contact the SCC and ask for feedback? 

Absolutely not.

[voxprincipalis]

No.

Also, see the other 284759348677208523 posts on this subject.

(General summary: No.)

VP

[kamiakin]

(General summary: No.)

Detailed summary: Hell no.

[the_goat]

<shakes shaggy head, puts hooves over eyes in terror>

[the_honey_badger]

Let me see how I can put this both gently for all those fragile souls pining for feedback, yet clearly enough so that it finally sinks in after oh so many threads:

No, No, No, No

Search committees are not job coaches.

Search committees have no stake in or interest in your job search except insofar as they may wish to offer you a job.

Search committees labor under rules, regulations, laws, codes, staff memos, HR guidelines and general common sense that tells them that they should not comment on the performance of job candidates lest it lead to litigation against the college in general and themselves in particular.

But then again if you think you are special, or if some friend's advisor told your friend that it is a good idea (or your own clueless advisor did), or your family or some how-to-get-a-job book tells you to do so, go right on ahead.

Call me to ask. I will politely tell you nothing, hang up the phone, and think what a clueless chump you are.

This is HOF quality.  In all the versions I've read of this over the years on forum, this covers both the why not and the reasons why the seeker's needs are neither the SC's problem nor likely questions he/she can address anyway under the rules of their institution.

[kedves]

Plus, they already gave you their reaction when they said no.

[thisshouldbeclever]

In addition to all the other good reasons why the answer is No, search committees are all comprised of individuals, which means unless you made a particularly glaring faux pas, odds are there's not one particular thing you did wrong that everyone agress is standing between you and the job. Just consider the previous visits paractice, trust your instincts, and be yourself, only the polished version, on future interviews.

[systeme_d_]

Thisshouldbeclever just hit on something important, I think.

Part of the process of presenting oneself as a full colleague (rather than a student) is needing less external validation or critique.  Of course this is a process, but job applicants should definitely refrain from "getting all student-y" with search committees.

[penguinator]

Think of it as a first date with someone you are really into. they call to say they aren't interested in going further. How do you seem if you wail into the phone "but whyyyyyyy? what's wrong with me!!!!"

Like your dream date, the school may freely offer information about your performance, as has happened to me. "We all really liked you, but this person's research fit better with our needs" (for a really open search.) Otherwise, just say it's not a match and move on. The new dept, like a new person, may be wholly unpredictable, unique, different, etc.

[janedoh]

As I posted in another thread on this very topic, I had a very different experience in my job search. I was on the market for 2 years coming from a National Lab staff job in the physical sciences. My PhD advisor was willing to help, but he was emeritus, and had come in with tenure after a prestigious industrial research career, so I was "out of the loop" so to speak with academia. I had a few friends (peers) who helped me out, but they were junior faculty themselves.

My first year on the market, I got 2 interviews, no offers. After each interview, I thanked the SCC, expressed my regrets that it didn't work out for me, and asked if they had any advice they could share in helping me for the future (via email). Both SCC asked me to call back if I wanted feedback, so I did.

One SCC told me that several faculty members thought I didn't do enough research-wise, since I told a pretty narrow research story (ignoring my CV). This was really useful advice--the next year, I still used a focused story, but broadened it out a bit to include more data. The other SCC told me that it was mostly research fit, but also that an offhand remark I made in response to a question became a huge deal when I was discussed. This was a great reminder to be VERY careful with jokes and offhand remarks in the Q&A, where nerves can really trip me up. Both also gave some small pointer stuff, which I appreciated.

So I got really useful and helpful advice from asking. The next year (last year) I had 8 interviews and 3 offers + one in the works (the process had started when I accepted one of my other offers). Now, it is likely the stars aligned for me in terms of research fit, and it is true that my materials were far more polished after another year of refinement. That said, I think my research talk was greatly improved after getting some truly useful advice from the SCCs I contacted. YMMV depending on your field--maybe mine is more helpful than others.

[voxprincipalis]

Both SCC asked me to call back if I wanted feedback, so I did.

This is different. You were invited to do so. This means that the SCCs in your case were not, as betterslac says:

labor[ing] under rules, regulations, laws, codes, staff memos, HR guidelines and general common sense that tells them that they should not comment on the performance of job candidates lest it lead to litigation against the college in general and themselves in particular.

VP

[octoprof]

Would it be appropriate to contact the SCC and ask for feedback? 

No.