I’ve got a company, business cards, a number of websites and, as of yesterday, five clients in total (so far). It’s going very well and I truly am so much happier. I’m not making much money yet, but I’ve got a budget to live on while things pick up. After a few months, I think … Continue reading »
Going, Going . . .
I have been extremely busy setting up my freelancing business and it’s been really enjoyable. I’m networking with lots of people I never would have met in academia and it feels really good to have a practical service to offer. When you tell people, I research nineteenth-century whale watching, no one says to you, o0000h, that’s … Continue reading »
D-Day Has Come and Gone . . . ?
My notice has been delivered to two members of senior management, dispensing with the usual proceedure of notifying my line manager directly. I have informed senior management of the state of affairs in my department–an exit gift to the people I still respect and, have to admit it, it’s a little bit of revenge on … Continue reading »
A New Job (?) and My First Encounter with Magical Thinking
Not long ago, I was expressing anger and frustration that I had interviewed for a job but had not received any communication afterward even though I emailed to ask whether I’d been rejected or not. Turns out I did get a response only a couple hours after I sent my email but it had gone … Continue reading »
Toxic Departments and D-Day Approaches
I’m currently working in what’s called a ‘toxic’ department in the States and I’ve been there for quite a few years. Toxic is such a fantastic expression—the dreadful dynamics of these departments quickly infects and poisons all the other aspects of your life. To be fair, my department only really became properly toxic about a … Continue reading »
Tales of Horror from the Academic Interview Room
I’m not happy again. My interviewers may have made their promised decision-by-the-end-of-the-week about who they would hire, but they certainly did not inform me of the outcome of that decision. I’m pretty pissed off, more pissed off than I should be, and I’m sure it’s down to some sort of lingering subconscious resentment of the … Continue reading »
Academic Myths Dispelled: Teaching
Since I’m still waiting to hear back about the results of my interview (they said they’d make a decision by the end of the week), I’m having a terrible time concentrating on anything at the moment. Given the big changes taking place in my life at the moment, my mind gravitates toward the things I … Continue reading »
My First Non-Academic Interview in Seven Years
It was just as easy and conversational as I remember them to be. There were two people interviewing me, not six or seven or eight. I didn’t have to meet all the other candidates, have lunch with the entire department (plus all the other candidates), nor did I have to spend hours waiting in the … Continue reading »
An Interview, Academic Dissatisfaction and Thank You
Yet another really eventful week—like a roller coaster again. I look forward to the day that I do not start my posts with a sentence like that. Last week, I decided I was going to accept my fate as a career changer by learning all sorts of new skills, doing a mass emailing of CVs/cover … Continue reading »
Job Search Update: So Much for Transferable Skills
It’s been another relatively tough week so I don’t really have much energy for writing anything more than a brief update at the moment. There was a small amount of good news, if it can be called that: my pension investment will be returned to me in my next pay check. Or so I’m told … Continue reading »
