Would you take on two external examinerships (programme)?

[murmuration]

After years of being told that I need to get "known", and being asked to be an external examiner could be one of those ways, and doing my best to spread the word that I'd be happy to do this sort of thing so it could (somehow) get to people who don't have any kind of working relationship with me (since that's what you need for an external...), I finally got an external examiner invite last year, which I took up.

And now I've gotten a second.

I sort of feel like it's way too much work to do two - but would turning it down be ignoring a good opportunity?

I'm confused as both of these have come after I was turned down for promotion, one of the points being I needed a better profile in the community. So showing external examiner appointments could show a profile for next time round. But I'm also worried about the workload, and it never occurred to me I could get two when it took ages to just get one... And perhaps just one would suffice.

What would you do?

I'd definitely say no. It's a significant amount of work, and for CV/promotion purposes one 'ticks the box'.

I'm currently doing two and wouldn't recommend it!

I've twice turned one down because I was already doing one. Just be nice about it and say you'd be happy to help in the future. They'll probably ask you again when you've finished your stint with the first place. Def don't try and do two - the meetings will prob clash and it'll be hard to keep all the different regs straight.

Okay, I think I'll say no. Good point about getting the regs mixed up - or even just learning a third set (after my own Uni and the one I'm currently externaling). If I don't find the whole experience terrible, maybe after a year break when the other ends, this one would be up again and I would be happy to do it, so I could suggest that might be possible.

Definitely not for the above reasons. And try and find ways to make yourself known that don’t involve much additional work. E.g. contribute to smaller conferences where you get more exposure.