It's really, really easy to fall back on high-school dating metaphors when you're thinking about the job market. And, I claim, not entirely inappropriate. There's the anticipation, the desperation, and the fear--to say nothing of sweaty palms, humiliating yourself, and ultimately, stone-cold rejection.
But this e-mail, which was sent to PJMB friend (and non-philosopher) D, makes me think grade-school dating metaphors might be better. . . .
But this e-mail, which was sent to PJMB friend (and non-philosopher) D, makes me think grade-school dating metaphors might be better. . . .
Hello! [Seriously. An exclamation point. --PGS]Let me introduce myself; I'm [Weirdly Non-committal Prof] and I Chair this year's search at the [Better Than Decent State University]. We are very interested in your application. . . . If you were offered an interview, what's your availability between [such and such date and such and such date]?
[Weirdly Non-committal Prof.]
So, um, like, if I said I liked you, what do you think you'd say?
3 comments:
How odd.. it is kind of like when my husband quasi-proposed to me by saying, "What would you say if I asked you to marry me?"....
Or, like when a philosopher wrote "It isn't the case that there won't be adjunct sections open next semester."....
At least she/he didn't punch your friend on the shoulder and run away.
Maybe they should pass notes from other search committees: Do you like University X, or do you like like University X?
Charitably, it might be that while the Search Committee knows who it wants to interview, it hasn't yet formally agreed on the candidates, and so it can't make formal offers of interviews yet, even though its members want the process to start moving forward asap.
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