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  • Advanced Training in How Not to Get a Job

    By Scott McLemee December 30, 2008 11:18 am

    More from Rate Your Students on MLA interviews that do not exactly go what one would call well. Here are some favorites:

    Candidate 1: Admitted that teaching was relatively low on his priorities. "I really don't want to lose the momentum I have in my own work." Also apologized for arriving late because he assumed the time we set for the interview was his local time, not the time in San Francisco.

    Candidate 3: When asked about working on our magazine (which is nationally distributed and mentioned as a duty in our ad), said, "I think there are too many literary magazines already."

    Candidate 4: When asked if she had any questions for us, asked, "What time zone are you in?"

    Candidate 6: Asked the chair how close he was to retirement.

    Candidate 7: When asked about his most current writings, said, "I have an idea for a new sort of short fiction, but I'm waiting to find out about patenting the forms before sharing it with anyone."

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  • Posted by cts on December 30, 2008 at 9:35pm EST

  • 1) Kept referring to our college as 'your university.'
    2) Said, "Yes, I can teach that, I guess, but I'm not really interested in the area" - this, after a cover letter (responding to our very specific ad) in which s/he proclaimed an undying love of the 'area.'
    3) "My advisors and mentors are the most important people in this field. You simply cannot find anyone comparable to me." (Hard to take from a 30 year old)
    4) "I live in [another] state. Would have to move?"
    5) "I see that you are the Director of [Center X]; is there any chance of replacing you in that role?"

  • Posted by LB on December 31, 2008 at 9:50am EST

  • The site you're referencing is actually RYS, Rate Your Students.

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