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[drspouse]

Just wondering which of the forumites who have been asking recently about US/UK application differences might be on our departmental shortlist for a new lecturer post - there are 6 on the shortlist and 2 reserves, of which 7 (all of the shortlist and 1 of the reserves) have at least their PhD from a US institution (though at least 3 are currently working this side of the pond). The 8th also has a non-UK PhD; are we exporting all our PhDs or just not producing anyone suitable, I wonder??!

I guess it's more likely that I will realise who they are than vice versa. At least no-one's specifically mentioned SpouseU in the recent queries.

[chaosbydesign]

You know posting this is going to make all the non-UK applicants here paranoid, right?

[sandgrounder]

The 8th also has a non-UK PhD; are we exporting all our PhDs or just not producing anyone suitable, I wonder??!

It may be subject specific. I was on a committee last year and none of the surprisingly numerous US-based candidates made it onto the shortlist (lack of publications / relevant teaching experience when compared to UK/European candidates at the same career stage) and we appointed two UK PhDs in the end. But I feel sorry for the UK PhDs - they have to finish in 3-4 years to meet research council expectations and keep our completion records looking good, but then we compare them on an equal basis to candidates in systems that have been allowed to take years longer and thus rack up teaching and publications. It's pretty much essential for them to do a postdoc to compete on equal terms and as we all know they're harder to come by these days.

[drspouse]

You know posting this is going to make all the non-UK applicants here paranoid, right?

*rubs hands*

I think it's what sandgrounder says - and indeed within our discipline, it's sub-discipline-specific. This is a sub-field that we have a departmental strength in, but isn't common in the UK.