←
→
purplecthulhu: (Default)
Add MemoryShare This Entry

Many four letter words

posted by [personal profile] purplecthulhu at 03:36pm on 17/12/2003
I had an interview at a well known London college yesterday for a lectureship in astophysics. I've just received an email saying that, while impressed with my presentation, they've decided that they should expand into theoretical rather than observational work, so I haven't got the job.

The usual banality 'I am sure that you will soon get an offer of an academic job' is included. I've been getting such insulting nonsense for the 10 years I've been failing to get a proper academic position. If they're so sure why don't they arrange for a fucking offer themselves?

This is all such a pointless waste of time and effort.

So what do I do? Do I decide to chuck it all in, and tell UK astronomy where they can stick their idea of a career structure?

No, I fill in another fucking job application.

But I do really begin to wonder what the point of this is.
Mood:: 'pissed off' pissed off
←
→
There are 13 comments on this entry. (Reply.)
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] purpletigron.livejournal.com at 07:52am on 17/12/2003
Bah :-(
[link] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] purplejavatroll.livejournal.com at 08:25am on 17/12/2003
Boo, hiss. And hugs.

pjt
[link] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] purplecthulhu.livejournal.com at 08:41am on 17/12/2003
Any job opportunities for non-Canadians openning up over there? At some level it would please me to thumb my nose at them and drop the idiot astronomers of the UK in it by abandoning the current projects and hoping they screw up. That's petty petulence I know, but it has its attractions.
[link] [parent] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] puppytown.livejournal.com at 04:02pm on 17/12/2003
Tons! Nothing in astronomy, of course, alas.

But, who doesn't want to be a space physicist?

I'm kind of shocked at the number of deanships still open. Me old department, too.
[link] [parent] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] puppytown.livejournal.com at 08:26am on 17/12/2003
Grrr!

My standard suggestion is to "Borrow PJTs laser and shoot 'em."
[link] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] purplecthulhu.livejournal.com at 08:39am on 17/12/2003
I have my own, but its just not powerful enough to reduce their building to slag from here.

[link] [parent] [reply]
ext_2918: (Default)

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] therealjae.livejournal.com at 08:35am on 17/12/2003
I'm so sorry, Dave. It's hard not to get cynical when things like this happen, but try to keep in mind that it had nothing to do with you.

And do something nice for yourself tonight.

-J
[link] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] purplecthulhu.livejournal.com at 08:48am on 17/12/2003
You've not heard the rest that makes me really cynical about this post, now I know more about what's happening.

The new prof is from A Major British University with a large astronomy group. He's (mostly) a theorist. Of the 5 shortlisted candidates, there was myself and another observer from The Other Major British University, and three theorists from the new prof's own department.

So it begins to feel that I and the other observer were just there to make up numbers and make the process appear less nepotistic.

And I waste several days work for this charade, not mentioning any of the other effects.

Cynical? Yes, and getting more so. I begin to think that my only chance in this field is that some local nepotism will kick in when they get some new appointments here.
[link] [parent] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] overconvergent.livejournal.com at 10:28am on 17/12/2003
It does look as though they didn't really want to advertise the job, but were forced to in order to comply with Major British University rules.

Have you considered the USA? I realise that you have to solve the N-body problem, but there seem to be some jobs available there.
[link] [parent] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] purplecthulhu.livejournal.com at 11:02am on 17/12/2003
Oh yes - I've applied to the US and Canada many times in the past. Even got interviewed at U of Arizona once. Still no job though... But that's what academia is like. I doubt maths is much different from astrophysics. Lets hope I can get some earth shattering papers out before I fall off the end of my current contract...
[link] [parent] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] bazzalisk.livejournal.com at 11:41am on 17/12/2003
Earth Shattering papers - I assume that's metaphorical ...

... then again ... maybe not ...
[link] [parent] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] overconvergent.livejournal.com at 04:34pm on 17/12/2003
"Mass Disruptors for Fun and Profit"

"Destroying Life As We Know It in 10 easy steps"

...
[link] [parent] [reply]
 

(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] major-clanger.livejournal.com at 01:38pm on 17/12/2003
Gah. I would like to tell you to hang in there, but in all honesty I can't say I see things getting much better. The best of luck with future such applications, but if you want to change tack I can't say I'd be surprised.

MC
[link] [reply]

December

SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
  1
 
 2
 
 3
 
 4
 
 5
 
 6
 
7
 
 8
 
 9
 
 10
 
 11
 
 12
 
 13
 
14
 
 15
 
 16
 
 17
 
 18
1
 19
 
 20
 
21
 
 22
 
 23
 
 24
 
 25
 
 26
 
 27
 
28
 
 29
 
 30
 
 31