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[athinglikethat]

I have a (likely idiotic) question: I'm about to fire off an application for a postdoc at an institute where one of my dissertation supervisors is the director-- director both of the entire institute and of the project for which a postdoctoral fellow is sought. The application asks for a list of three references, of course-- do I still list the director as a reference in this sort of situation, or do I sub in one of my other people?

[inthelab]

You know you ask people to agree to be references for you, right? So you ask your former diss advisor if he/she would be a reference for you, since you are applying for the job at his/her place of work.

[athinglikethat]

Yes, I asked all my references to be references (I do know some people who just assume, so I see why you ask). The policy of each of my committee members is to write tailored letters for all TTs, but for postdocs, to use more general letters, which I have on file with Interfolio. I therefore haven't been asking them specifically about each postdoc ref-- but I see your point about asking this person specifically about this particular case, so I suppose that's what I'll do. I was just a bit worried there might be some kind of Unwritten Rule of Academic Etiquette covering this matter! Thanks for the input.

[inthelab]

In my field, we ask for specific letters, not for any general letters that are kept on file.

Good luck to you.

[svenc]

I was just a bit worried there might be some kind of Unwritten Rule of Academic Etiquette covering this matter!

There is.  When you suspect a conflict of interest for one of your references, you should ask that person if he or she is comfortable providing the reference.  The fact that you already have a generic reference letter from this person in hand does not change this.

[frenchdoctor]

Personally, I'd ask another person to write a reference. This way, you kill two birds with a stone :

- it will appear more professional, honest, in a "treat me just like any other candidate" way.
- since the director already knows you, his opinion will be a fourth reference anyway.

[womanofproperty]

When you suspect a conflict of interest for one of your references, you should ask that person if he or she is comfortable providing the reference.

The above is fine, but I prefer Frenchdoctor's take on this.

Personally, I'd ask another person to write a reference. This way, you kill two birds with a stone :

- it will appear more professional, honest, in a "treat me just like any other candidate" way.
- since the director already knows you, his opinion will be a fourth reference anyway.

[athinglikethat]

Thanks, all. Think I will go with Frenchdoctor's prescription.