Mildly Amazed

Comment #1: Most people don't get the academic job market cycle and the ways it is different from other job markets.


Comment #2: For the most part, my family doesn't get the academic world. While I wish it were true that after prelims I should be done (it took me three years to convince my dad that this isn't how it works), it isn't. My brother gets some of it - he works in a research lab associated with a medical school with faculty and post-docs - but he isn't in the same game I'm in. And he isn't working towards a PhD - for his work the MS is fine. (although, he has talked about getting an MBA and focusing on lab management)

My point: I was talking to my sister on the phone, and she asked me when I would start looking for a job post-degree. I explained the basics of the process and schedule of events - job posting season, MLA Convention, on-campus interviews, etc. Rather than thinking it is strange, weird, or some other negative, she said that it made sense and that it sounded like a good thing that there is a schedule, since the schedule gives me/job seekers something steady to rely on. Granted, I didn't go into the issues related to finding a job in the humanities, but I was reasonably impressed.

That's all. Just happy that I didn't have to explain something about academia a gazillion times.

And yes, this is the same sister who scolded me for feeding one of her children vegetables!