Thursday, August 21, 2014

Offer from another

Those following this blog will know that I'm starting a job at an R1 (or very high whatever...) a year from now.  I was at a conference recently and a faculty member at a lower tiered university mentioned they were looking for faculty with my exact background. They asked that I give a seminar at their school to explain med device design and some of the things I've done the past few years. I obliged because I love giving talks.  In hindsight I should have realized it was an interview for a job I didn't apply to. Sneaky. 

I recently gave it and the head came forward with a job offer.  Roughly the same salary, bigger starting funds, cheaper city that I adore, but it's a lower-level school (not as highly regarded as the school I'm supposed to start at next year).  It seems shady they pursued me even though they know in starting at another school. Like dating someone you know is married. Though I'm thinking this is as common as people dating the married. 

This university is trying to expand their name and get more into R1 status. Their past few years have had an explosion of growth which I feel I can help them with. The department is also pretty laid back which is pretty important to me. So this has been weighing on me. I hate making bad decisions, and this school seems like I could do very well with. I don't feel like I'll jump ship before I begin, but now I feel bad about saying 'no' to this department.  

I'm thankful, but I probably should've realized something nefarious was going on behind the scenes. I wouldn't have come otherwise. Saves me from thinking about this situation. 

4 comments:

  1. Meh. "Feeling bad about saying no" isn't a reason to say yes. If you think there has been any bad behavior, it hasn't been on your side, so it doesn't seem as if there is anything for you to be embarrassed about.

    The thing about R1s is that you can get much better graduate students there. This makes a huge difference. It sounds as if you have made up your mind about what to do, but if you are still weighing your options, that is something to add to the scales.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Coming from industry you must be used to this happening all the time, right? What would be your perception if you accepted an industry job and someone else recruited you?

    ReplyDelete
  3. but it's a lower-level school (not as highly regarded as the school I'm supposed to start at next year)

    That's the end of that, really.

    And it is shady that they pursued you before you even started at your new job.

    Go with the commitment you already made. Poaching before someone starts, after they have already committed is really bad form.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm pretty set on staying with the offer I accepted. Saying no just kind if sucks for me. I was pretty heavily recruited coming out of grad school by industry and each offer I had to turn down was tough for me. I hate disappointing people. This does happen all the time in industry but it's still shady to turn back on an offer already accepted. It actually happens all the time, and it's annoying. So indefinitely wouldn't do the same...even though I do feel really bad. And having better students will make me feel better about this...

    ReplyDelete