Halp! - Job Timing

[dfagdfsh]

Ah **** me, job timing issue

Last week I interviewed for two positions - an in-person interview for an administrative position, and a phone interview for a faculty position.

Both pay the same, although the faculty position has slightly better benefits.

After my phone interview, they called me back the same day to schedule an in-person interview, which takes place this Monday.

Today I got an email from the first job (administrative position), informing me I was a finalist and asking me if I was still interested in the position.

What should I do?

The faculty position is in my career path, and is something I would much rather do. The administrative position is much more of a job job -- it'll pay my bills, it'll let me keep going to school for free, but it won't be useful on my CV and I wouldn't really be making good connections.

From talking with other people, I know that the interview process for the faculty position is very involved. It takes approximately a month to go from candidate selection to offer. My plan right now is to reply to the administrative position saying yes, I'm still interested (I don't think they're offering me the job quite yet), and then on Monday talk with the head of the hiring committee for the advising job, who I'm friendly with, and explain my situation and ask her if she could at least let me know if I am taken out of contention.

Thoughts?

 

[VinnyMac]

I don't understand the problem. You've got an interview for one position and an interview for another position. Where's the issue? Unless you're not interested, go to the interviews.

 

[aravenel]

Yeah... Interview as far as you can with both. Don't torpedo one just because you are more interested in the other--the other one may fall through.

 

[Joffrey]



Ah **** me, job timing issue

Last week I interviewed for two positions - an in-person interview for an administrative position, and a phone interview for a faculty position.

Both pay the same, although the faculty position has slightly better benefits.

After my phone interview, they called me back the same day to schedule an in-person interview, which takes place this Monday.

Today I got an email from the first job (administrative position), informing me I was a finalist and asking me if I was still interested in the position.

What should I do?

The faculty position is in my career path, and is something I would much rather do. The administrative position is much more of a job job -- it'll pay my bills, it'll let me keep going to school for free, but it won't be useful on my CV and I wouldn't really be making good connections.

From talking with other people, I know that the interview process for the faculty position is very involved. It takes approximately a month to go from candidate selection to offer. My plan right now is to reply to the administrative position saying yes, I'm still interested (I don't think they're offering me the job quite yet), and then on Monday talk with the head of the hiring committee for the advising job, who I'm friendly with, and explain my situation and ask her if she could at least let me know if I am taken out of contention.

Thoughts?

Tell the admin position folks you're still interested. IT's not like they want you to accept an offer.

 

[dfagdfsh]

well, here's the dilemma in a nutshell: the administrative position is going to let me know on monday, and from the conversations I've had it seems clear they're going to offer me the job ("we just want to check on your references"). this job has always been a fallback/back up job, but I won't know the results of my dream job application until long after I'm going to have to respond to the administrative job offer.

 

[landshark]

Take the admin job, keep working on getting the dream job.

Professionally give notice you have an offer for a new position and thank them for the opportunity to work with them. If they are truly just a "job" they'll get it and find someone else.

 

[Rambo]

Do you need the money or can you wait it out for the job you REALLY want?

 

[dfagdfsh]

well, I need a job. I lose my funding may 15th, and while i have a job lined up for the summer, i'd rather start a real job ASAP. i will hear back from the dream job before the end of the semester regardless.

 

[VinnyMac]

Do you need the money or can you wait it out for the job you REALLY want?

...a bird in the hand. If he doesn't get the job that he want, then he won't have any job at all. I'm not sure what OP's financial situation is, but most people would rather have income.

 

[brimley]

What is the faculty job? If the pay is the same as the other job, I'm inclined to think it is an adjunct, but then you call it an advising position, which makes me think high-level TA.

Don't get me wrong, if you have a realistic shot at a non-adjunct faculty position then a few lean years are worth it, but I'm assuming you know the odds are stacked heavily against you and the payoff (depending on your field) may not be worth the losses.

Just speaking as a guy in the same boat in a different field.

 

[dfagdfsh]



What is the faculty job? If the pay is the same as the other job, I'm inclined to think it is an adjunct, but then you call it an advising position, which makes me think high-level TA.

Don't get me wrong, if you have a realistic shot at a non-adjunct faculty position then a few lean years are worth it, but I'm assuming you know the odds are stacked heavily against you and the payoff (depending on your field) may not be worth the losses.

Just speaking as a guy in the same boat in a different field.

It's an advising position that for benefits and salary is considered a 'faculty' placement (instructor level), but it's not a teaching position. It's a 12-month appointment. Sadly it pays more than most associate professors in my field (LOL HUMANITIES).

With whatever job i get, I'll start working towards a Ph.D. in Education (probably in administration or counseling), which will be paid for as part of my benefits.

 

[JayJay]



It's an advising position that for benefits and salary is considered a 'faculty' placement (instructor level), but it's not a teaching position. It's a 12-month appointment. Sadly it pays more than most associate professors in my field (LOL HUMANITIES).

With whatever job i get, I'll start working towards a Ph.D. in Education (probably in administration or counseling), which will be paid for as part of my benefits.

Glad to hear you're still planning to pursue the Ph.D.

As for the job interviews, keep your options open, but given that your goal is to continue with the Ph.D., I'd be inclined to follow the "bird in hand...." way of thinking. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

[brimley]



It's an advising position that for benefits and salary is considered a 'faculty' placement (instructor level), but it's not a teaching position. It's a 12-month appointment. Sadly it pays more than most associate professors in my field (LOL HUMANITIES).

With whatever job i get, I'll start working towards a Ph.D. in Education (probably in administration or counseling), which will be paid for as part of my benefits.

Well, don't call that a faculty position to anyone who is actually on faculty. IE, postdocs are faculty-track employees who have actually finished their degrees, but you would never ever call a postdoc a faculty position. Benefit and salary match to instructor level is not the relevant comparison.

If you are going to do your PhD in education administration it seems like an administrative job fits the story fine. Is your primary career goal research, teaching, or administration? Go with whichever job will give you more time to publish, network, and gain service experience (teaching if you want/expect to teach, administration if you want to administer).

 

[dfagdfsh]



Well, don't call that a faculty position to anyone who is actually on faculty. IE, postdocs are faculty-track employees who have actually finished their degrees, but you would never ever call a postdoc a faculty position. Benefit and salary match to instructor level is not the relevant comparison.

If you are going to do your PhD in education administration it seems like an administrative job fits the story fine. Is your primary career goal research, teaching, or administration? Go with whichever job will give you more time to publish, network, and gain service experience (teaching if you want/expect to teach, administration if you want to administer).

I mean, it's literally listed under 'faculty vacancies' and involves an identical hiring and vetting process to tenure-track faculty positions. The difference is that it's a 12-month appointment, but comes with an equivalent faculty rank. It is higher than a post-doc. The Director of the department, for example, has the rank of a full Professor, even though she doesn't teach courses. My primary goal is administration, but the advising position is actually a better vehicle to higher positions because it speaks directly to the particular areas my university is concerned with (student engagement, retention, on time graduation rate).

 

[dfagdfsh]



Glad to hear you're still planning to pursue the Ph.D.

As for the job interviews, keep your options open, but given that your goal is to continue with the Ph.D., I'd be inclined to follow the "bird in hand...." way of thinking. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

At this point I want to pursue a Ph. D. not to teach, but to be able to break into the upper echelon of administrative positions. That's part of the reason I want the advising job -- good place to start climbing the ladder, and it's also work I'd enjoy (and have a lot of experience with). The Ph.D. in Education is just the easier degree for where I want to go. A lot less time than a History Ph.D (and also not full time).