search committee blues

It's strange being on the other side of this whole process, having the fate of so many hopeful and highly educated, fine, fine people in your hands.

We narrowed our applications down to 5 today. The process seems so very random to me. Some not strong applicants are getting phone calls just because they can teach a specific course we want someone to teach. Some amazingly gifted scholars and teachers are getting passed over because their case for being able to teach the classes we need is a teeny bit weaker. The job market sucks. I feel for these people.

And then there's the question of whether any of these people are still available or if they'll even want to come here once they hear about how lousy the salary is. (Another assistant prof. in my department is having a hard time paying her monthly bills!)

And now I'm wonder what the committee was saying about me last year. Yikes.