My younger brother is a screw up. He started to get his life more together the past few years, but he's still got a lot of growing up to do. I love mentoring kids (part of why I want to get back into academia), and I'm concerned this kid won't grow up to greatness because of his parents. So I fly down pretty frequently on weekends (a 2hr flight). I wish I could see them more, but it's not possible. If only I could find a job in OCT.
Oh wait! A faculty posting just popped up at OCT University! The search head has said my application would be very strong, but I heard it's bad to become a faculty at your PhD school. Is this true? Why? A friend of mine that did her BS, MS, and PhD from the school she's a assoc prof and said it's because reviewers see it as you can't separate from your advisor. She had to really reach out of her school to make sure she could prove her independence. Not sure if that's the actual reason-just what she told me.
My brother will be graduating with his BS soon and he's looking for a job in two places: OCT and City I Have an Interview at for TT Job. I'm going to do what's best for me and hope my minor involvement will help keep the kid on the righteous path. But, I wouldn't mind working in OCT. It's my favorite city ever.
The search head has said my application would be very strong, but I heard it's bad to become a faculty at your PhD school.
ReplyDeleteIt's not that big of a deal. It would be much worse if you never left, but you did, so it's fine to come back. You just have to be extra careful about collaborating with old advisor on the tenure track, avoid it as much as you can, tis all.
I'm not sure it's bad for the individual to become faculty at the PhD school. Yes, it is important to show independence from your advisor, but this is true whether you change schools or not. You run a heightened risk of being condescended to by those who remember you from your student days, lessened if you have been away for a while.
ReplyDeleteIMO the reason it's frowned on is that it reflects badly on the school, as though they are nepotists or can't attract anyone from outside to work there. Pragmatically, bringing in someone from elsewhere has a better chance of introducing new ideas and styles, keeping the school fresh.
Some schools have a policy against internal hires, others are just cognizant of the stigma and count that against the candidate. In your situation, I would apply and let the search committee worry about whether an internal hire is a good idea or not. (And anyway, depending on how long you've been away, you might not be seen as an internal hire in the first place. Your outside experience counts heavily in your favor here.)
I was kind of thinking that my years in industry in a different state would help them realize me more as an external candidate. OCT has had multiple faculty members that got their PhD there, that don't offer an outside experience. I think I would offer something completely different: a biomedical faculty that has actually made medical devices that are in people.
ReplyDeleteI'm not too concerned about being treated like a lesser person because during grad school, and right now, I get emails soliciting advice and offering me to come into town for guest lectures.
Your comments have gotten rid of some of my concerns. So I'm planning on throwing my name into the pot!