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[lily1]

Hello all.  I am currently a post-doc in a geosciences field.  I am looking for either another post-doc (urgh) or a teaching-oriented position where research is expected but not to the degree of a research-oriented position (I really like teaching and other people tell me I am good at it, so why turn my back on it?).

Anyway, the real problem is that I have a really hard time evaluating myself.  My parents somehow never taught me to do this, or modeled it themselves.  External verification was the only source of feedback.  So now I have difficulty in knowing whether or not I am doing a good-enough job without other people to tell me.  I don't like this.  I want to change.

Can anyone here offer advice on how to evaluate my own work as a post-doc?  And then my work as a tt prof?

[geonerd]

Are you looking for internal validation (in which case that's up to you), or are you thinking along the lines of self evaluation/promotion for use in teaching and research statements for job applications?

For the latter:
Ask senior colleagues if you can read their teaching and research statements. Ask them to read drafts of your statements to see if you are on the right track for the types of institutions you are targeting.

For the former, my random thoughts are:
Are you having fun doing what you're doing?
Do you look forward to going into the field and into the lab?
What were the terms of your postdoc? Are you meeting the expectations listed in your contract?
Are you writing proposals and submitting manuscripts? Are you implementing the constructive suggestions provided by the reviewers?
Do you have fun in the classroom and while preparing lessons?  Are the students getting it? Do you take pride in your teaching?