How are temporary positions viewed? (for T-T aspirees)

How are temporary positions viewed? (for T-T aspirees)

allanonallthetime (guest) 23 Mar 2010 16:24

So, I'm getting to the end of my job search and have been unsuccessful. A few bites, but no offers for a tenure-track gig. Now I am seeing more temporary positions popping up (sabattical replacement, visiting, full-time temporary). Are these worth pursuing?

I eventually want to find myself in a tenure-track position, but I am thinking my ABD status may be preventing me from landing something this year— given the strong competition. Do you all think finishing my Ph.D. and getting one of these positions would be better for the long haul (i.e., hitting the market harder next year)?

Re: How are temporary positions viewed? (for T-T aspirees)

vd 23 Mar 2010 18:07

What about doing a postdoc? Depending on your field (e.g., cognitive, developmental, social, etc.) and your desired job (e.g., SLAC, R1, etc.), a postdoc may make you more marketable than a VAP position.

Re: How are temporary positions viewed? (for T-T aspirees)

anon (guest) 24 Mar 2010 01:23

VAP positions can be helpful if you need teaching experience and have little of it. The problem is that the teaching loads are often very high and interfere with your ability to do enough research to demonstrate that you have an ongoing program of scholarship. I'm at a SLAC and we have hired people off of visiting positions, but they all worked extraordinarily hard to do all the teaching (4/4 loads) and do research on top of that.

Re: How are temporary positions viewed? (for T-T aspirees)

hello (guest) 25 Mar 2010 03:02

What is your ultimate goal? R-1? Then, try to do a postdoc. SLAC? Then its a GREAT move, I think. I did two visiting positions at top SLACs, and over a couple years they led to interviews for tenure-track gigs at other great SLACs. I landed a t/t job at a master's level place this year, and it was the teaching experience that they were primarily attracted to. I am ready to teach classes AND mentor undergraduate research. I have also had some papers in the pipeline that got finished up, submitted, and came out. Now, I did NOT get much new research done in the past few years, but it was enough to stay afloat.

I had a 2-2 at both places, not a 4-4. Much more reasonable.

For what its worth, these gigs pay well (almost 2x as much as a postdoc) and you (should) get to be an integrated member of the department, which is nice. AND don't forget that it may get converted into a t/t job there! It has not happened to me but I have heard of it happening a lot.

Maybe its dissonance reduction, but I don't regret the visiting gig at all. Good luck.

Re: How are temporary positions viewed? (for T-T aspirees)

guest (guest) 28 Mar 2010 16:15

What about gaining teaching experience at a community college? if my ultimate goal is a liberal arts college do I have a chance of getting a job at a liberal arts college if i work in a community college for a while?