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[bruceleroy]

I recently graduated from a top ten R1 in mechanical engineering. I am applying for professor jobs at teaching focused universities (even some SLACs). However, I just accepted a short-term postdoc, at the school where I graduated, that will not affect a fall 2012 start date. My general sense is that one should NOT contact SCs. I have quite a few applications out and my feeling is that I should wait to inform them until I (possibly) get an interview. I wonder if those in the fora agree or disagree. Thoughts?

[sugaree]

I think you've answered your own question in the thread title.

Unless it's a national, prestigious and recognizable award (and it sounds like this is at least not recognizable as it's one of your home campus awards, even if it's very prestigious and competitive I'm sure), there is no call for an update, IMO, especially since the short post-doc will not affect a fall 2012 start date for another position.

[ruralguy]

I would have no problem with such an update.

Though not a "no brainer", there is no harm in it, and it really is an "extra" that MIGHT change the
game SLIGHTLY.

I can't see any SC being irked by it. Whether they care or not is another question!

The "rules" are really just meant to keep people from cyber-stalking the committee, not from giving genuine information (provided you keep it to that).

[mleok]

I would only contact a search committee with an update if it significantly improves my candidacy for a job. The postdoc you mention sounds like the kind of gap funding that R1s tend to provide to students who graduate in the middle of an academic year by taking their graduate student support and enhancing it by the amount that they would have otherwise applied towards tuition. Honestly, that seems to reflect more on the kindness of your R1 department, than any intrinsic merit on your part.

[bruceleroy]

Honestly, that seems to reflect more on the kindness of your R1 department, than any intrinsic merit on your part.

You are intentionally being rude and/or ignorant of how engineering research is conducted. A professor in my department, not my advisor, needed some additional manpower on a funded research project. End of story.

[plasmodesmata]

Honestly, that seems to reflect more on the kindness of your R1 department, than any intrinsic merit on your part.

You are intentionally being rude and/or ignorant of how engineering research is conducted. A professor in my department, not my advisor, needed some additional manpower on a funded research project. End of story.

What is in the water? I realize nerves are frayed by the tight job market but this is only the latest of several overreactions to fairly innocuous relies. Y'all need to take it down about 20 notches.

[tee_bee]

Honestly, that seems to reflect more on the kindness of your R1 department, than any intrinsic merit on your part.

You are intentionally being rude and/or ignorant of how engineering research is conducted. A professor in my department, not my advisor, needed some additional manpower on a funded research project. End of story.

What is in the water? I realize nerves are frayed by the tight job market but this is only the latest of several overreactions to fairly innocuous relies. Y'all need to take it down about 20 notches.

I agree if you're responding to mleok's rather rude comment. The part about "intrinsic merit" was a bit harsh, probably unintentionally.

[mleok]

Honestly, that seems to reflect more on the kindness of your R1 department, than any intrinsic merit on your part.

You are intentionally being rude and/or ignorant of how engineering research is conducted. A professor in my department, not my advisor, needed some additional manpower on a funded research project. End of story.

I'm sorry that was not my intention. I do know how engineering research is conducted, I got my PhD in an engineering department, and while I am currently a tenured faculty in mathematics, I've had engineering students who themselves have received grants.

I'm not suggesting that you are contributing nothing to the project you're being hired on, but given that it is a short term appointment just after your PhD, which was awarded in the middle of the hiring cycle, there will be a perception (accurate or otherwise) that you were hired as a matter of convenience (you're already there, you need a job, and you are competent to handle the work), as opposed to the appointment being a result of a careful search. As for the person hiring you not being your advisor, in the departments I've been in, it's not uncommon for professors to be supportive of students in their department, even if they're not their main advisor.

Again, what I had intended to say, was that the postdoc appointment is not really going to impress anyone on a search committee, since (rightly or wrongly) it will be perceived as being a "mercy hire," to tide you over until your new appointment begins.

I've had one of these myself over the summer between when I graduated, and when my new postdoc appointment started, and they paid me less than a postdoc hired from outside, and I essentially received my graduate student stipend and the tuition remission they would have otherwise paid. I suspect that if my advisor wasn't able to support me over the summer in this way, one of the other professors in the department would have been happy to do so instead. Indeed, when I was on the tenure-track, and I visited the department I got my PhD from for a quarter, another professor paid for half of my visitor salary, because my advisor had a tight funding situation.

[mleok]

I agree if you're responding to mleok's rather rude comment. The part about "intrinsic merit" was a bit harsh, probably unintentionally.

Yes, it was not my intention to be harsh, or rude, see my clarification above. In particular, I didn't intend to suggest that there was a lack of "intrinsic merit" on the part of the OP, but rather that I wouldn't use the short-term postdoc as evidence of "intrinsic merit."

Edit: On reflection, this is exactly what I had intended for my original comment to read, and depending on your state of mind when you read it, it can be parsed in exactly that way.

[bruceleroy]

mleok - I took the comment more personally than I should have. I am very sensitive to percieved insults to my intelligence (I am often percieved as mentally retarded or drunk due to my disability). I have calmed down and I am sorry for the very snarky response. I do not wish to start a flame war here.

[mleok]

mleok - I took the comment more personally than I should have. I am very sensitive to percieved insults to my intelligence (I am often percieved as mentally retarded or drunk due to my disability). I have calmed down and I am sorry for the very snarky response. I do not wish to start a flame war here.

That's okay, I am sorry that the comment came across as harsh and rude, it was unintentional.

The thing to keep in mind is that we don't know you in person, nor have we looked over your CV, and we only have what you say to go by, so if it seems like someone is insulting your abilities on this forum, you really shouldn't take it too personally, since there really isn't enough information at this stage for them to develop an informed opinion.

[zeeland]

I have quite a few applications out and my feeling is that I should wait to inform them until I (possibly) get an interview.

That sounds like a good plan. It could come across as awkward updating committees with this news (some may not think it is a big enough deal to be bothered with).  Plus if you make it to the interview stage, then you know that you are in the running and it should be easy to work this news into the conversation and gain a positive reaction. 

But if you have other updates (new grant, paper, award), then you can send an updated CV with the new postdoc information too.

[jerseydevil]

What is your disability?

[bruceleroy]

I have a traumatic brain injury caused by a high speed motorcycle crash. I deal with public misconceptions on a very regular basis. My department wrote an article about my academic journey if you are interested in the details.

http://www.me.utexas.edu/news/2011/1111_shimek.php

[mleok]

I have a traumatic brain injury caused by a high speed motorcycle crash. I deal with public misconceptions on a very regular basis. My department wrote an article about my academic journey if you are interested in the details.

http://www.me.utexas.edu/news/2011/1111_shimek.php

I think you might consider establishing a professional web presence so that this article isn't the very first thing which appears when your name is googled. On the first page of search results, the one thing I see which approaches a professional website is your page at your adjunct position.

Your story is clearly one of extraordinary courage, but this needs to be balanced with a professional profile. I would suggest putting together a page describing your research interests, teaching experiences, and downloadable copies of any papers you have. Because, as extraordinary a personal journey this has been, I doubt that this on its own will get you hired into your dream academic job.