You Get What You Ask For

For the record, I really, really, REALLY want to have a tenure-track job next September.

Unfortunately, I hate, hate, HATE looking for this job.

The job descriptions calling for perfectly rounded scholars who can teach any class and publish groundbreaking research on any topic make me feel like I will never know anything and, thus, will never have a job.

And asking for reference letters from established scholars who will know which schools didn't want to hire me also makes me feel incredibly inadequate and, thus, will never have a job.

And writing cover letters that essentially serve to package me as The Only Candidate That Schools Will Need to Consider offends my idealism so much that I want to stop writing them altogether.

But, then I will never have a job.

But Best Friend is right (as she almost always is): I didn't work this hard for this long only to be unemployed because I didn't look at job descriptions, ask for reference letters, and write cover letters that will hopefully result in job interviews, campus visits, and, of course, a job.

And so, I suppress the inward groan and grit my teeth and continue on my quest for employment.

Because I really, really, REALLY want to have a tenure-track job next September.