@writingmonicker@mstdn.social
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writingmonicker

@writingmonicker@mstdn.social

Sociology PhD Candidate (on the job market)

I study race, multiracial identity & whiteness using
qualitative & arts-based methods.

From Colorado ๐Ÿ” making a pit stop in Indiana โ›บ๏ธ

she/her ๐Ÿณ๏ธโ€๐ŸŒˆ

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writingmonicker, to Indiana
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I wasn't all that excited about the eclipse but man that was really something.

image/jpeg

jonathanhorowi1, to Sociology
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Hey @sociology
I had a student ask me about Isabel Wilkerson's book "Caste". Have any of you read it? Is it consistent with sociological research on race and racism? (I'm hoping it is good, could use some accessible writing)

writingmonicker,
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@jonathanhorowi1 @sociology We had a series of events on the book here and there was some healthy skepticism about whether we really need the lens of caste to explain racism. Particularly if we're already thinking of racism as structural.

But I think it's likely that the language of "caste" makes it easier for a general audience to understand inequality as structural (while "racism" is still associated with individual beliefs & more likely to raise hackles).

writingmonicker, to random
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I usually have one writing book in my reading rotation. They vary based on what I need & the state of my writing. My reaction to Pressfield's The War of Art is always the most telling.

As a freelance writer pre-grad school, it resonated deeply. I needed that "get over yourself & get to work" message.

But during other periods, I'm really turned off by it. That usually means I need to slow down, think through tough ideas, and/or seek out guidance.

writingmonicker,
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Currently I'm re-reading Howard Becker's Writing for Social Scientists.

The "Terrorized by the Literature" chapter is a little too spot on. And the Risk chapter (Pamela Richards) hits a lot harder than it did my first year of grad school.

#GradSchool #PhDChat #AmDissertating #Sociology #AcademicChatter @academicchatter

writingmonicker, to academicchatter
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Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket:

(This will be a very long list by the end of the year if I keep it up. We'll see.)

  1. Your statements are basically done after the first few deadlines. I always thought I'd customize extensively for each school.

Nope.

On a week like this (with so many apps due Sep 15), you just don't have time. You have to trust that you already put in the work with your base template. It's a mental shift from fellowship apps.

@academicchatter @sociology

writingmonicker, (edited )
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket:

  1. Between keeping up with application deadlines, keeping up with new job ads, preparing the job talk, trying to not completely halt work on my dissertation, and managing tasks and side projects I should have said no to...

...is the job market really just an elaborate test of my time management skills?

writingmonicker, (edited )
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket:

  1. A friend told me that the job market is a time when all your vices come out. I think about this a lot lately.

#PhdChat #Academia #AcademicMastodon #AcademicChatter #GradSchool

writingmonicker,
@writingmonicker@mstdn.social avatar

@academicchatter @sociology

  1. A few weeks ago someone told me your first practice job is always trash (so don't stress and rip off the bandaid).

I gave my first practice job talk yesterday. Calling it trash might be a little too self-deprecating... but let's just say I've got a LOT of revisions to make. Whew.

#AcademicJobMarket #JobTalk #AcademicJobs #SoTired #PhdChat #PhDLife #GradSchool

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

For those getting edit notifications, I'm only now realizing the last few toots have said #AcademicaJobMarket instead of #AcademicJobMarket ๐Ÿ˜‘ Academica...

writingmonicker, (edited )
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket

  1. A good friend and I are both on the market this year, so I'm so glad to see this article from Paris Wicker and LaShawn Faith Washington.

It's paywalled, but their first tip is "have a communications plan for job-market updates." We've started, but I know the stakes & stress will only get higher. And thinking about it in this context, the job market feels incredibly cruel.

https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-to-stay-friends-on-the-faculty-job-market

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket

  1. Going back to the #JobTalk, I like Betty Lai's advice emphasizing the need to tell a story with your talk.

I generally enjoy presenting my research to an audience (mostly as an escape from writing), but the job talk is a completely different genre. Still learning the rules but getting better.

https://scholarfoundations.com/blog/post/phenomenal-job-talks

#PhdLife #JobMarket #FacultyJobMarket #AcademicMastodon #GradChat #GradSchool #PhD

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket

  1. I told my advisor my brain was full (of stress) and she didn't understand what I meant. So I described a version of the stress bucket model. But an illustration can probably say it better.

Lately my capacity to respond to even minor stressors is noticeably low.

Higher baseline stress = less capacity to deal with any additional stressors.

What a time.

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket

  1. Taking care of your emotional health is harder yet more crucial than ever on the market.

I suppose it checks out that my last post in this thread was about stress and then I went silent for two weeks.

Everyone will have their own ways of coping, but lately I've been appreciating group exercise classes (gotta release that stress somehow) & friends who drag me out of the house on weekends.

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket

  1. What to expect in Zoom interviews! I have a few different lists of a) questions you might be asked, and b) questions you might ask. People have varying opinions on these lists. ๐Ÿ‘€

I'll compile what I have once this process is over, but I started out with this one:

https://scholarfoundations.com/blog/post/academic-job-interviews

writingmonicker,
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@DrSuzanne @academicchatter @sociology Oh there is absolutely plenty of fantasizing about different career paths for me too ๐Ÿ˜‚

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket

  1. It's more confusing than I expected to decide how much to share abt your progress. Interviews, rejections, etc.

I'm on the market w/a good friend (see no. 8). We share pretty openly w/ea other.

Beyond close friends, it's trickier. Some people are discreet & respectful. Others are nosy & even judgmental.

You have to figure out your own comfort level.

#PhDChat #GradChat #PhDLife #AcademicFedi

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket

  1. If you don't already have one, consider finding a therapist you like before the job market starts.

Sincerely, someone who doesn't think she has the energy to search for a new therapist right now but could probably use one

#GradSchool #JobMarket #Academia #AcademicFedi #PhDChat #MentalHeaIth #phd

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the

  1. Grief is involved.

Jobs you don't get. Potential futures that disappear. Relationships that change or become strained during this time.

And maybe you don't let yourself fully process the grief yet, because there's no time before the next application, interview, or talk... but I can see how a recovery period will be crucial, no matter the outcome.

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the

  1. Advice is only helpful if you're in the right headspace to receive it. At some point, you have to start taking only what you need. Filter out the rest.

Example: This article was shared with me before my first campus visit. It seems perfectly fine (and I'm choosing to share it here), but at the time it felt like a list of additional stressors.

https://www.higheredjobs.com/Articles/articleDisplay.cfm?ID=3673

writingmonicker,
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@DrSuzanne @sociology @academicchatter I'm glad! Building it up slow & steady.

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the

  1. After a campus visit, don't underestimate the value of... laying around all day in sweatpants.

You might experience a wide range of emotions. You'll have tons of experiences & interactions to process.

But at last, at least for a day, there's no one you have to impress. Revel in it.

Eat comfort food. Watch trash tv. Get yourself a treat. It's part of the process.

writingmonicker,
@writingmonicker@mstdn.social avatar

@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket:

  1. Confidence is so crucial but so difficult to maintain.

I didn't expect to be so shaken during this process. It's grueling. And I'm not sure if I could have made the process any better.

What snapped me out of the worst period of self-doubt was scheduling my first campus visit. No more time for overthinking.

This point is messy because I'm still making sense of it, but find ways to preserve your confidence.

writingmonicker,
@writingmonicker@mstdn.social avatar

@academicchatter @sociology

18b) If I had to take a stab at thinking through what might have helped:

-Limit feedback on your first practice job talk. You don't need everyone's advice all at once; you need a manageable amount.

-Spend time with friends who genuinely hype you up. There's never enough time but getting outside of your own head is important.

writingmonicker,
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@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the #AcademicJobMarket:

  1. Savor your wins for as long as you can.

I tried to stay cautious & realistic for most of this semester. A Zoom interview doesn't mean a visit. A visit doesn't guarantee an offer. An offer doesn't mean the terms are good.

Now I'd say nah. Celebrate everything. Enjoy the happy feelings as long as you can. The next stressful thing will be right around the corner, so enjoy the good parts while they last. ๐ŸŽ‰

writingmonicker,
@writingmonicker@mstdn.social avatar

@academicchatter @sociology

Things I didn't realize about the :

  1. An offer is great, but then you have a decision to make. Fast.

And I gather that it's not uncommon to have to make that decision before you hear about other options.

Generally, I try not to post about a stage (i.e., job talk) until a few weeks after I've experienced it. Time to process and such. But this one is in real-time. And boy it's tough.

writingmonicker,
@writingmonicker@mstdn.social avatar

@academicchatter @sociology

  1. Related to the decision above, someone recently gave me the old "trust your gut" advice.

And I remembered that I wrote a blog post on this once.

It still holds up, though I ramble a bit, and something about the writing could use a little more variation.

tl;dr: You need to distinguish between what you've been taught is "best" during grad school and what you think is actually best for you.

http://monicaheilman.com/academic-gut/

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