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[higherandhigher]

I've been working away on my dissertation and upcoming conference paper, waiting to hear back from the first round of schools.  On a scheduled h-net peek, I found 3 more jobs to apply for. I am happy for the recent listings, and am lucky to have so many in my field this year, but am so tired of applying to schools,  especially since I have only heard back from 2 of over 20.  I have to apply right? Or..should I only apply to the ones that are incredible at this point?

You need to apply. 20 is nothing.

In most fields, a job posting generates 100+ (sometimes +++) applications. Zharkov's Law as discussed on these forums states that you should apply to as many jobs as there are applications received for a typical opening. Yeah, it's not a scientific rule, but the point is that you need to apply to lots of jobs.

[abdbcb]

berkeleygirl, don't hold back. You might regret it in February, when one of the less than ideal positions just announced is your only on-campus (or something like that, I am not trying to say you won't get responses from the jobs you are after!). I am gearing up for a weekend of sending out 5 apps to schools I would really rather not work at, or at least compared to the 5 that I really do want to work at. My plan is to use the apps to refine (even more) my cover letter, etc. We'll see how that goes. But at this point 3 more apps should be easy. Go for it!

[danseuse322]

I agree. I apply for everything that I can imagine would be okay. I refuse to live in CA again so I don't apply there. I check rankings/ratings of schools to be sure that it isn't so poorly thought of within the academic community (I found one already) that it would be bad to go there. But otherwise, if I can imagine living there for a few years and the school looks okay, I apply. A big boon is when they do not require letters sent now. I save those so I do not have to ask my references to write letters all the time. Otherwise, I just apply. I also don't keep track. I figure why bother? If they want me, they will call. If they don't, I don't need a visual of all the rejections. I have a good memory and there is no chance I would accidentally apply twice, so I simply apply, and move on. I think it's better on the psyche. With any break, maybe I will be like the girl I knew last year (in a better job field) who had three interviews by January, got offered all the jobs, and got her pick at an R1.

[berkeleygirl]

Thanks ya'll! Everything you said is right on point.  I haven't held back, so why start now.  Let the cover letters begin!  Good luck to all of you too by the way :)

[this_is_my_username]

 I applied to everything I was remotely qualified as an ABD. The interviews I got were not jobs that were a perfect match on paper, and the job I accepted was in a less than desirable part of the country, teaching stuff only tangentially related to my training. None of my other ABD friends bothered to apply to it, many of whom went unemployed entirely.
 I found that a less than desirable spot is actually pretty fun, and a job tangentially related to my interests is also enjoyable. Point is, if jobs present themselves and you think 'blah', than those are precisely the jobs to apply to as an ABD.

[berkeleygirl]

Apps are out, I am drained....thanks for the advice and encouragement!

[berkeleygirl]

I just got my first written rejection (from a long shot position), and they wrote "your application was rejected"...ouch. There are kinder ways of saying no. Oh well, this will be the first of many rejections this year, and at this point, I'm just happy to know either way. :)

[danseuse322]

Wow, that's harsh. Usually they just say "thank you for...." and they ramble on about how very important your application was for them. That doesn't sound like a fun place to work. Are you either humanities or science? In education we like a lot of fluff that shows the value of each applicant. :-)

[berkeleygirl]

I know right! I'm in an interdisciplinary humanities field.  I have read my share of rejections, and none have ever been that frank.  In truth, I used to make fun of the gushy fluff until now. 

[hobbit]

Wow, that's harsh. Usually they just say "thank you for...." and they ramble on about how very important your application was for them. That doesn't sound like a fun place to work. Are you either humanities or science? In education we like a lot of fluff that shows the value of each applicant. :-)

Check out the thread on Rejection Letters Genres. Some hilarious ones are there.

[danseuse322]

Yeah, fluff helps. I never read it all. Obviously a think envelope says enough. I skim the first line. Words stick in my head like pictures so a letter like that would stink. Humanities (my master's in in that area) can have an attitude like "we are IT" sometimes in making selections. And science tends to be just straightforward "we rejected you." But in education they like to pretend they value the whole person and all the time it took to fill out the application. It's kind of pretentious in its own way but it leaves less words stuck in your head. I think I will avoid that rejection letters section until I get an ugly one. So far I'm only getting the "fill out our what-sex-are-you" letters.

[danseuse322]

I just looked at today's mail. It was a letter requesting EEO info, but it says "The committee plans to begin deliberations shortly after..." I know I read too many legal novels but the jury allusion sort of fits, you know? ;-)

[berkeleygirl]

They should just send you a postcard that says "no" in a kind cursive script.  That would suit me just fine.  I decided that for every rejection letter I get, I will celebrate with a martini, and for any interview invitations I'll have a nice big woodfords manhatten. This way, I can celebrate the good and the bad.  Off to shake the Hendricks....

[higherandhigher]

They should just send you a postcard that says "no" in a kind cursive script.  That would suit me just fine.  I decided that for every rejection letter I get, I will celebrate with a martini, and for any interview invitations I'll have a nice big woodfords manhatten. This way, I can celebrate the good and the bad.  Off to shake the Hendricks....

:)
To be honest, I don't really care what the rejection letter says. There are indeed some pretty poorly-worded ones, but it doesn't really matter. What is helpful, though, is if the letter specifies how many applicants applied to the position. Facts about the job market are useful.

[alleyoxenfree]

I just got my first written rejection (from a long shot position), and they wrote "your application was rejected"...ouch. There are kinder ways of saying no. Oh well, this will be the first of many rejections this year, and at this point, I'm just happy to know either way. :)

Shouldn't there be a wiki at the end of the recruiting year, where everyone posts the rejection letters, and then grades them?  A little public pressure for departments to actually step it up, or at least, be humane, might be entertaining and empowering.