Out of my Hands

I mailed off two applications this morning - one for an adjunct position and one for an actual associate professor position. Once I got into the lab I managed to get the department fax machine, circa 19wheneverfaxmachinesfirstcameout to send away my transcript requests and that was it - my part is done until there's a new position to apply for. And now I get to wait. I hate waiting and I hate things being out of my control, but such is life.

Speaking of out of my control, I'll use this moment to discuss reference letters. Reference letters are ridiculously important (at least I think so). My transcript can tell you how I do when I take tests, but my references can tell you how long it takes me to lose my temper and how I deal with stress and how well I get along with other and about a bunch of other important things.

Choose your references carefully and have more than the usually required -3- on-hand in case one is out of town or is too busy to get something together quickly enough or just doesn't quite fit the bill in a particular instance. When choosing references who aren't the obvious (your boss, your graduate advisor) try to find the right balance of -they'll carry some weight but still know enough about you to make a personal impact. Also, make sure to keep up with your references. I still ask my college advisor for letters of recommendation all the time and I graduated nearly 7 years ago (ugh). I don't just e-mail him when I need a letter, but make sure to send him an update and find out how he's doing every 3-4 months. It keeps them connected and they're much more aware of what you've been up to when you do need that letter.

This particular position (the assistant professorship) required that have 3 references send in letters. For me, this was an easy decision - Yesterday I told my boss I'd need a reference soon and I'd have the address for him in a day or two and I e-mailed both my college advisor and my graduate mentor and asked for them to mail letters for me. I conveyed as much urgency as I could while profusely apologizing for how quickly I needed these letters to go out. I included an "out" in the e-mail to my college advisor. When all of this went down last week he was one of the first people I e-mailed.....and I got no response. That is so incredibly unlike him that I was fairly certain that he must just be swamped. And sure enough I had an e-mail back this morning that said he could get it together next week at the earliest but if it had to be quicker I should find someone else. I will miss having his recommendation, he knows me well, but I can't tell you how much I appreciate his honesty in suggesting I get a different person. I e-mailed a PI who was on my committee instead and she quickly agreed to have a letter in the mail within a day or two. My graduate mentor was equally easy and let me know today that her letter would be in the mail by the end of the week as well.

That leaves my boss here. I told him this morning when I came in that I had an address for him and I got a fairly abrupt "I can't work on your letter until next week when I get back." (He'll be away from Thursday to Saturday). I'll let you all draw your own conclusions as to how I should feel about that - and how I actually do feel about that.

My application is in the mail though and by the end of the week the college should have my application papers as well as 2 of 3 references and my transcripts. Hopefully that's enough to at least get the ball rolling.