Academics Chat Thread Mark II

[SignsofSpring]

As the one who didn't look and then managed to close the last thread, I'm going to be the one to start this one! All thoughts, rants, ideas on being an academic especially in Covid-19 times are here...

Gosh @Marasme I’m fuming on your behalf! Once bitten, twice shy, hopefully. It seems that hardly anyone respects boundaries any more. I was properly off for Easter last weekend, and several of my students ignored my Out of Office message to ask questions about the end of term exam, which luckily for my blood pressure I didn’t see till I switched on the deluge Tuesday morning.

i usually don t mind when i know the other person would reciprocate another time - but in these 2 cases, they have form.

Just popping back in with a smidgeon of good news - I’ve just heard I got the job I interviewed for in February 😃

Woo hoo KA - where/when/what etc. etc. as much as you can reveal?

Ha nothing I’m afraid, I shouldn’t even have said!

I feel your pain @moimichme, also paper writing on leave as the only time I can do it properly. It's enjoyable isn't it when not shoe horned in. Hope the marking got sorted, so many unrealistic deadlines.

Oops, missed page two! Congrats @KeflavikAirport, well done to you. Excellent news.

@Marasme, I am so sorry to hear that, both the meeting and grant sound utterly cheeky and just unfair.

congrats @KeflavikAirport!!!!

Congrats, keflavik!

Ugh, Marmase, sounds really not fair. I dread the "just for an hour/15 min/whatever" as due to my disability I really can't break up my rest time that way (as I'll then find myself out sick for several days a week later - I got much more productive once I realised I had to protect my time off). But I feel it's really the culture in academia - that you can always push a bit harder and do a bit more. I always feel quite tense leading up to holidays afraid that something will come up that I'll have to explain I can't do.

Right, wise friends, talk to me about remuneration.

I've been invited to be an associate editor on [insert vague statement refusing to specify if it's a journal series or book series, for purposes of thinly-veneered anonymity].

Are there any situations in which it would not be cheeky to ask if they have any funding to pay me?

TIA.

I'm AE on a fairly well known journal in my field and they pay me but I've not been paid before. Books seem to be based on royalties. You can only ask!

That's a good question re AE. What sort of fees are for AEs on journals? Asking as I saw a couple of journals advertising for new AEs and was tempted.

@goingpearshaped

I feel your pain *@moimichme*, also paper writing on leave as the only time I can do it properly. It's enjoyable isn't it when not shoe horned in. Hope the marking got sorted, so many unrealistic deadlines.

It's fun doing research but I do wish we could do it during work instead of while on leave!

The marking is nearly done - I've done my bit anyway. Phew!

Congratulations and well done, KeflavikAirport!

In my daydreams I want to become an editor instead of an academic. Had no idea you could get paid for AE roles. Good luck Thin.

I receive a small (think really, really small) honorarium for my role as a book reviews editor but not for any other editorial position. I am an editor of a book series and I did get a lump sum (about £250) when the series kicked off but that's the extent of it. I wouldn't expect payment for being on an editorial board or committee otherwise.

Thanks all, very much. That is entirely in line with what I thought, but I wanted to be sure!

Mine for being an AE is a bit higher than that.

My model isn't converging. I am waiting for it to iterate. Off to have a coffee to see if that helps. Research never felt more rock and roll than it does today.

Good luck with your model @DrGilbertson!

Still iterating.

Marking projects. Part time working, feeling unwell various times, and having to take a couple of day's AL soon mean I suspect this will be a job for in front of the TV most evenings this week and next. Gah.

Vaguely thinking of applying for a new job. DH and I love the area we are in but it may not be the best for the DCs for educational reasons, mainly, as it's quite isolated. Looking at house prices though in the potential new area I can see that we have it very easy here! New area is near my elderly DPs which may be an advantage but may not be (they aren't always easy, they are not in need of care yet and we could probably risk that not happening till I retire as they were young when I was born, but they are a bit too old/set in their ways to be much help for childcare).

The job I've seen would suit me well in specialism, and I already know a couple of colleagues (indeed have collaborated with them). I am going to put out informal feelers in any case.
I have not applied for a new job for a while though I tend to get interviews but not the job itself which is a worry.
However the list of essential/desirable is, er, broad. At SL/Reader level do you evidence everything out of a list of 20 or so explicitly? Or lump them together into groups? Bullet points for the hard of reading?

Do you mean in the cover letter? Some of the essential/desirable qualities I would have in my cv eg PhD, FHEA, membership of learned societies or professional associations, Ed boards etc and some would be on my pubs list. I would reserve the cover letter for the more intangible things eg “international profile in field”, “evidence of teaching innovation” and I would split the letter into three sections headed Research/Teaching/Service where I would elaborate on how I meet their criteria. In the past when I have applied at Reader/Prof level I would say that my cover letter would be about 2pp.

I perversely enjoy applying for jobs (when already employed). It’s a bit like writing a love letter to yourself about how fab you are!

I do mean in the cover letter. I want to make their tick boxes easy for them!

In my university the list of requirements is populated automatically by HR based on job level. The academic selection panels don't take all of these very seriously and will judge holistically on the whole portfolio, with research strength being the dominant factor. Stronger evidencing of the list of requirements would never win out over being a higher achieving researcher.

That is reassuring - TBH the "desirable" looked pretty "essential" to me.
Have a call in with the head of the research group I'm interested in for next week.
I'm just thinking of the times I've shortlisted and had to fill in that endless table of ticks....