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[papaya]

I'm a little desperate for some guidance on making a decision that could affect the trajection of my career.  Currently, I'm finishing a postdoc in the humanities and on the job market (my third time on the merry-go-round).  My life changed drastically two days ago when I found out I received a prestigious award that offers two years of employment and provides research support and a small teaching load at some undetermined institution (or if no institution makes an offer, promises at least one year of support).  It is a gift from the gods and takes the pressure off having to find a job.  (There are eleven jobs in my field this year.)  My discipline's national conference recently took place and I'm waiting to hear if I get any campus visits.  There are two jobs in particular that would be a nice fit and I'd be lucky to get.  The rules for the award state that I cannot accept a job and hold the fellowship at the same time and I cannot defer the award.

Here is my question:  Should I inform schools that I have this award or keep it to myself?  I'm not sure if letting them know will help or hurt my candidacy.   I only have a week to decide to accept or decline the award and for now, I plan on accepting since I can decline the award if I get a job offer (this is allowed according to the rules.)

I have received conflicting advise from two senior advisors who haven't been on the job market in more than 20 years.  One told me to take prestigious award and go on the job market again in two years, and the other, told me to take the job first and the award if there is no job offer.  Of course, at this point I have no idea if I will get a campus invite, let alone be the candidate that gets offered a position.  One friend advised that I should let search committees know that I received this award because it might make me a more desirable candidate.  This makes sense to me, but I want to get more advice before making this move.

Let me end this by saying that I realize how very fortunate I am in this job market to have this award and even the possibility of campus visits.  I have several friends who did not get any interviews at the conference and are still waiting to hear about postdocs. 

I appreciate any advice or suggestion you all might have.

Thanks,
Papaya

[oseph]

Maybe I am lacking in comprehension skills, but could you explain the options a bit differently?  I don't think I'm understanding correctly about the terms of the fellowship and how employment affects it.

To clarify:  It sounds like you are not supposed to be employed at a university/college while holding the fellowship.  You are supposed to be an independent scholar.  But then you say this:

two years of employment and provides research support and a small teaching load at some undetermined institution (or if no institution makes an offer, promises at least one year of support). 

If you get a job offer, you can't take it, but it allows you to get two years of fellowship support?  But you teach somewhere anyway?  Am confused...

[t_r_b]

If you get a job offer you like, tell them about the award and ask what arrangements could be made to allow you to use it. If no arrangements can be made, then you'll have to make a difficult choice between the job and the award. But until then, there is not much here for you to worry about.

I think telling the SCs about the award is a good move, though you might want to make clear that you would decline the award if necessary, should they offer you a job. I'll be interested to see what others have to say on this.

Also, as Oseph suggests, be sure to explain the circumstances of the award more clearly when you notify the SC.

[mystictechgal]

I can't advise you, but I think I understand you.  Let me try and if I am correct then maybe others will be able to better advise you:

*  You have been awarded a fellowship.  If you accept this fellowship you have 2 courses of action:

1) You can find a university willing to allow you to use their facilities for research.  You may also teach at this university, funded by your fellowship, for two years while working on your research.

2) If no universtity accepts you the fellowship will fund your research for one year as an independent scholar.

You can accept this fellowship with the understanding that you are permitted to withdraw from it if you later accept a job working directly for a university. 

If you get a campus interview and are offered a job you have 2 courses of action (possibly 3?):

1) You can accept the job with the university and go onto their payroll.  Doing so means that you will forfeit the fellowship as you are not permitted under the rules to be simultaneously employed by a university and funded by the fellowship.

2) You can decline the job and keep the fellowship

3?) You could explain the situation and hope that the university will allow you to defer your acceptance of an actual position on their payroll for 2 years while you keep the fellowship and work under their aegis?  At the end of the fellowship you would then transfer to the university payroll? 

(If scenario 3 is a possibility it would seem to be the best of both worlds, but I'm unsure if scenario 3 is in the picture.)

Am I close?

[georgiaprof]

That's my understanding. 

I would let the SC know about the fellowship offer but add that you sincerely do want their position.  (In this economy - I'd take the job over the fellowship if it is a place I really like.)

[oseph]

I can't advise you, but I think I understand you.  Let me try and if I am correct then maybe others will be able to better advise you:

*  You have been awarded a fellowship.  If you accept this fellowship you have 2 courses of action:

1) You can find a university willing to allow you to use their facilities for research.  You may also teach at this university, funded by your fellowship, for two years while working on your research.

2) If no universtity accepts you the fellowship will fund your research for one year as an independent scholar.

You can accept this fellowship with the understanding that you are permitted to withdraw from it if you later accept a job working directly for a university. 

If you get a campus interview and are offered a job you have 2 courses of action (possibly 3?):

1) You can accept the job with the university and go onto their payroll.  Doing so means that you will forfeit the fellowship as you are not permitted under the rules to be simultaneously employed by a university and funded by the fellowship.

2) You can decline the job and keep the fellowship

3?) You could explain the situation and hope that the university will allow you to defer your acceptance of an actual position on their payroll for 2 years while you keep the fellowship and work under their aegis?  At the end of the fellowship you would then transfer to the university payroll? 

(If scenario 3 is a possibility it would seem to be the best of both worlds, but I'm unsure if scenario 3 is in the picture.)

Am I close?

I think you're right.  If so, why would the OP want to teach if s/he didn't have to?  (The part about "you may also teach at this university").  Would that be if the department wanted to hire the person but needed someone to teach immediately?  So the OP would take the fellowship, do research at the institution, teach (because that is the condition of getting the job once the fellowship is over) but get paid by the fellowship, not by the school.  Is that why the teaching option is there?  Or is it so that the person can establish a teaching record?

[verbena]

Congratulations on the fellowship! That's terrific. You should definitely accept it.

If a school does offer you a job this season, it might well be possible to defer the start for a semester or a year so that you may complete just one year of the fellowship; this is an excellent and not uncommon arrangement. You're not asking a favor if you ask for this; some lucky person gets a one-year (or one-semester) position while the school saves money by paying that person much less than they would have paid you. Everyone wins.

You could let schools know now that you've received this great news but are nevertheless interested in the position, but I'm not sure why you'd bother. I think it's something to bring up if and when you get a campus visit.

Good luck!

[oseph]

I assume the OP would want the schools to know because they would think "Wow, this person can get really prestigious fellowships, we should have him/her here."  And they'd do what you said - be happy to defer the start date by using cheaper labor until the fellowship was completed and they could have the OP as an official hire.  Also, it sounds like the OP could teach maybe one course a term, on the fellowship's dime, if s/he wanted to.  So by contacting the search committee, the OP would be saying:

1. Hey, I am capable of getting a big, shiny, national fellowship!  You should hire me!
2. The catch is, I can't officially work for you for at least a year, maybe two.
3. However, I would like to be affiliated with you and use your workspace.
4. I can even teach a class or two for you, and the fellowship pays for it - not you guys.
5. So you could hire an adjunct to cover the rest, and when fellowship is finished, you get ME, the person who can win fancy research fellowships.
6. It's win-win - I am assured of a job when I finish, and you get a rising star!

Is that it?  I don't know why this is giving me so much trouble.  I'm going back to my own work.

[papaya]

My apologies for my confusing explanation.  I guess I'm being a bit paranoid about identifying the award organization or myself in the process.  (I'm not a techie person so I don't know how easy it is to identify someone in the forum.)

Mystictechgirl has it right, except for scenario 3.  The award is a new program designed to help new phds gain both teaching experience and advance research.  The teaching load is incredibly light so it does not get in the way of publishing.  The list of awardees is forwaded to universities who will then decide if they want to make an offer. If an awardee does not receive an offer, then they are guaranteed only one year of support as an independent scholar at a much reduced salary level.  The choice is between the award or the job; there can be no combination of the two by deferring the job or the award.

I too think taking a good job (if offered) is the way to go in this economy. Most of you seem to think that I should notify search committees.....  I just wasn't sure if there is some reason (that I hadn't thought of) for not telling them of the award.  If they know I can opt out for the award they may not bother to invite me for a campus visit.  I also want to make sure that I let search committees know in an appropriate and professional manner so that I don't end up ruining my chances at a job.  I'm somewhat paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong decision, of making a bad move.....that little voice in your head that tells you you better not screw yourself out of the good luck that come your way.

[papaya]

I'm sorry Oseph! But thank you for your input.

Verbena: I had not considered this strategy!

I think it's something to bring up if and when you get a campus visit.

Anyone else have an opinion about waiting until the campus visit?

[oseph]

I'm sorry Oseph! But thank you for your input.

Verbena: I had not considered this strategy!

I think it's something to bring up if and when you get a campus visit.

Anyone else have an opinion about waiting until the campus visit?

No worries - I'm still confused, but I know that forumites with better reading comprehension skills can offer good advice.  Best of luck and congratulations!

[t_r_b]

I'm sorry Oseph! But thank you for your input.

Verbena: I had not considered this strategy!

I think it's something to bring up if and when you get a campus visit.

Anyone else have an opinion about waiting until the campus visit?

Tough call. Is this a job where bringing in external fellowships would be considered a good thing, or is it a place where that would be seen as pulling you away from teaching (and placing an added burden on the department)? If it's a 4-4 type job, then you might want to hold off. If it's a 2-2 job with high research expectations, you want to let them know ASAP, since (as Oseph points out) it marks you as a promising researcher and grant-winner. In other words, telling them about the award could improve your odds of getting an on-campus invite. Without that, the whole question is moot.

[larryc]

I would take the award and follow through on the interviews. If you get a job offer, tell the award people you can't take it after all.

[spork]

A tenure track job is potentially a job for life.  The fellowship is for 2 years at most.

[verbena]

If they know I can opt out for the award they may not bother to invite me for a campus visit.  

This would not be true of, say, the University of Chicago. 

It might possibly be true of, say, Macalester College.

It would certainly be true of the community college down the road.