More on my postdoc application
The application I sent for the postdoc was pretty informal- a CV, cover letter and reprints. It was sort of fun to write the cover letter. I am in the thick of wrapping up data collection, analysis and writing up projects so bringing the focus back to the big picture was refreshing. It was the first time I have been able to come up with that 3 sentence sound bite of my work. I'll take that as a good sign that everything is coming together! Writing the description of myself was enlightening as well. Like many others, I am not good at 'selling myself' but it will be a key skill in this postdoc hunt, and someday- job search. The declaration of "I am a something something-ologist interested in big idea one and big idea two" and sending it to someone else is pretty powerful. It is like I really am that description for the first time. I always thought of it as what I do, not what I AM. That was the only common advice from everyone I asked as well. Over and over, I heard "Give yourself a label." My involvement in job searches in my department supports this as well. We always talk about candidates as 'that tiger lady' or 'the caddis fly guy**'. Now I have one too!
Of course, there was major anxiety in sending the whole thing- just like submitting a paper. I heard back by the time I got home from dinner and will hear if I'm a finalist in a few weeks. That terminology makes it much more competitive than I had thought of.* Or like a raffle. You've been selected as a finalist!
It was pretty anticlimactic, really. We'll see how it goes and what I hear back. That will be the exciting stuff.
**To explain the randomness of this label, I asked V to name an animal for this example. This was his response.
Of course, there was major anxiety in sending the whole thing- just like submitting a paper. I heard back by the time I got home from dinner and will hear if I'm a finalist in a few weeks. That terminology makes it much more competitive than I had thought of.* Or like a raffle. You've been selected as a finalist!
It was pretty anticlimactic, really. We'll see how it goes and what I hear back. That will be the exciting stuff.
**To explain the randomness of this label, I asked V to name an animal for this example. This was his response.
Labels: postdoc
posted by DancingFish at 2:58 PM
2 Comments:
I see a similarity in this with your father sending resume's to airlines every 6 months. He used to brag that he had been turned down by the best of the best....that was until he got hired by #1. I may actually still have all the rejection letters somewhere.
love, Mom
my comment to you would be follow up. it is a tough thing to do...believe me. but can be informative. so IF you don't get this position (or in future "rejections") try to follow up and ask why you were not selected and if they have any suggestions/advice. one of my favorites was for a part time "goffer" type job when i arrived at lubbock...they told me they couldn't remember why they didn't choose me over the other person...nice...so i was like you flipped a coin and chose the other person. so close :) ha!
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