Monday, November 19, 2007

Because it's not like I need new shoes or anything.

In our ongoing quest to make sense of the job market for you here at PJMB we're all about the visual aids. Since PGS has already given you an idea of what a representative stack of applications looks like, I'll give you a look at what a representative receipt from the post office looks like. It's over two feet long.

I can't remember the last time I had that much fun spending $76.61.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is there some email address at which people can contact one or more of the people at this blog? (I'm thinking for the purposes of proposing topics, or giving feedback, or, I suppose, offering a job, etc.).

thanks.

Pseudonymous Grad Student said...

There is indeed. E-mail can be sent to philosophyjobmarket -at- gmail -dot- com

Anonymous said...

It seems to me there might be some inconsistency in the way grad programs subsidize their student's job applications. It has been a while since I was first on the job market (about 11 yrs!), but I seem to remember that the department paid the mailing costs for those on the job market for the first time (not just the letters but the whole dossier: we did have to pay to photocopy the dossier paper(s) though). If your program is mailing out your letters, why can't they just mail one package? It won't cost that much more, and if it did cost too much, perhaps they could simply ask the students going on the market to pay a percentage of the costs. It would still cost you less than what you seem to be shelling out.
It might be worth taking a survey of students at other programs to see what of their costs are covered.

Anonymous said...

You shouldn't bother with express mail or certified mail, unless you are mailing right before the due date. When I was still applying, for a batch of say 30 applications, I don't remember having to pay more than $40 or $50 total.

Anonymous said...

I don't really mind the cost so much. After we've all got jobs, we can pay off our debts! Think of it that way! I just keep telling myself: short-term pain for long-term gain! Isn't it that the way with everything? So cheer up all! Next year we'll all be able to afford that little bit of postage we paid out this year : )