Talk:Rhetoric/Composition 2012

Demographics
ABD (early):1
 * When you add yourself to one of the categories below, don't forget to add one to the Total number at the bottom!

ABD (will finish this academic year): 19

Ph.D. in hand (one-year, VAP, Lecturer, post-doc): 5

Ph.D. in hand (unable to find academic employment at the moment):

Assistant Professor: 7

Associate Professor: 1

Full Professor:

Lurker: 1

Search committee member: 3

Total: 36

Application Packet Advice:
It's probably too late for many, but I just wanted to offer a few quick thoughts from the perspective of a search committee member who has reviewed scores of applications for our current posting:
 * Read the job ad multiple times. It is not possible that the committee will forget that its ad specifies X, Y, or Z. I know that sounds harsh, but you should assume that the committee put some thought into its ad and is looking to fill defined needs. Please be strategic and smart with your choices about where you apply; it's in everyone's best interests. For instance, if the ad reads, "PhD in Rhetoric and Composition" and goes on to specify needs in Rhet/Comp and your PhD is in British Literature with teaching experience in Intro to Lit, Intro to Poetry, and FYC, the committee member who first reviews your file stops reading in five seconds and places the file in the "not qualified; no further review needed" pile. You cannot finesse a clear lack of specified qualifications, no matter how artful your letter is. Do not waste your time and money. 208.66.176.1 19:28, November 9, 2011 (UTC)
 * Have at least two general templates for your cover letter. Writing 100% custom letters for each application is wildly inefficient, of course, and is not really expected. But sending basically the same letter to each university with zero tailoring to that particular university or program puts you much lower in the rankings, compared with those who make at least minimal effort to connect with the particular audience. The committee is looking for the best person for the particular job at the particular place, not the smartest person in general in the whole applicant pool. Having two templates might be as simple as flipping the order of your teaching and research discussions in your letter and then adding some course names from the particular program (websites have this information). A letter that is obviously generic and shows little to no effort to tailor it to the particular position reads, "I really can't be bothered to investigate your program for 20 minutes and tweak my mail merge a bit." You are applying for a position with a focus on rhetoric: basic context and audience considerations of rhetoric should apply to your letter. If the letter shows what our commmittee has come to call "tone-deafness," your application suffers.
 * Proofread your application. This ought to go without saying, but high-stakes documents need multiple layers of proofreading. Get someone else to scrutinize the apps before they go out--you will be too tired and anxious to be the best reader of them. 208.66.176.1 19:28, November 9, 2011 (UTC)
 * Break out your coursework in a clearly labeled section on your CV. You and your recommendation-letter writers can't talk about every course you took, and nobody expects that. However, we do like to see a complete list of your coursework to get a better sense of your overall fit with our position. Toward that end, please list your coursework in a specific section of your CV. It's nearly impossible to make sense of many transcripts, with cryptic listings printed on eyeball-raping security paper. The listings are doubly cryptic if you took multiple special topics courses, all of which are listed under unhelpful titles such as ENGL 834: Spec.Top. Rhet. Comp./Expl. What the hell does that mean? Your application packet is supposed to be your best case for fitting you to this job, and vice versa. Make it easier for us to see that fit, please.208.66.176.1 16:30, November 21, 2011 (UTC)
 * I find this advice surprising because every faculty member who reviewed my CV (advisor, the faculty placement coordinators, a faculty member at another institution) said to remove coursework from the CV. Why should coursework be included on a CV? And what type of institution are you at? Flutterby916 15:40, November 22, 2011 (UTC)
 * I received similar CV advice, i.e. that one should omit coursework taken, as well as lengthy descriptions of courses taught. My advisers said this is something a committee would ask for in a separate document, if they wanted the details. Azzypoo 05:34, November 23, 2011 (UTC)
 * I too have been given the advice from our placement director (who has chaired several searches at an R1 institution) that listing coursework gives the signal of "student" and not "colleague" to some search members - a really smart compromise (in my opinion)? This may be obvious, but create a cover sheet for your unofficial transcripts file that lists your courses taken all on one page and with specific course titles (to address the issue above when your transcript reads "Topics in Rhetoric and Composition).
 * I graduated from an R1 several years ago, and I was advised to include my relevant coursework in my CV. I think it only helped my application, given my double digit MLA and on-campus interviews (and several offers). I am now on a search committee, and we did not ask for transcripts (as many schools do not). Overall, the candidates who included their relevant coursework either in their letter or in their CV fared better in our ranking, as they took our information needs into consideration (as this typically demonstrated their training in the areas of expertise for which we are looking). I don't think it signals "studentness"; rather, it signifies a conscientious candidate who wants to ensure that their readers know they have the training required to meet our hiring needs.

How many people will be applying for these jobs?
This looks great. 86 jobs and not even 20 people on the market...OK what do you think are actually the odds for those of us going on the market this year?Lorenzodow 15:21, September 21, 2011 (UTC)


 * These numbers aren't in any way representative, unfortunately. Most grad students I know have been warned to not visit the wiki (for fear of misinformation). And I think many who are visiting aren't coming over to the talk page. So far my take is that there are quite a few really good, research intensive jobs, but not a lot of the middle tier jobs, which worries me. I know that assistant and associate profs will be going back on the market for some of these jobs, like UIUC. Flutterby916 13:06, September 22, 2011 (UTC)


 * Yes, my post was tongue-in-cheek, but this is my first year on the market. Looks like there were over 200 jobs on last year's wiki..did those all come at once or were a lot of them outside of the JIL? Nobody warned me not visit the wiki, but maybe my department doesn't know about these dangerous waters.Lorenzodow 16:24, September 22, 2011 (UTC)


 * I think the reason to not visit the wiki is that later in the proces there may be misinformation (folks claiming a job has been filled when it hasn't or something like that). I think a lot of last year's jobs came later in the season. At this point I would speculate that we're set to have at least as good a year. Plus, if you're in rhet/comp there's not a lot to worry about. At least there are jobs. Flutterby916 00:18, September 23, 2011 (UTC)


 * This is a question that has been nagging me, as well. There should be a timestamp to note when each position was originally added to the wiki. That, or we should list positions chronologically, instead of alphabetically. Not only would it help us understand the timing of these ads, but it would also help visitors remember which ads they have already read and evaluated. (There are a couple of unsuitable job ads that I have read 5+ times because I notice they are not on my list of jobs to which I want to apply.)
 * Yes, now I notice there are 94 jobs, but it's tough to tell which ones are new. Edit: ah, I guess you just use the history feature. Now I can see which ones are new Lorenzodow 15:57, September 24, 2011 (UTC)


 * On a related note, how many R/C PhDs are awarded each year? I was looking around the net and couldn't find any recent information (i.e. newer than 2003).
 * I think that would be an known unknown. Too many candidates doing rhet comp are not getting their degrees in Rhet/Comp but in English or somethign similar (with or without an official emphasis). some will try for rhet/comp jobs based on their comp teaching, but with not as much actual comp theory background or research. correct me if I'm wrong.Lorenzodow 23:30, September 26, 2011 (UTC)


 * While that is true, I honestly don't think those of us with R/C degrees or emphases are really competing with the lit folks who happened to teach a couple of sections of FYC. Sure, they might snipe some of the really undesireable jobs, but I don't imagine Michigan Tech making an offer for Assistant Professor of Technical and Professional Communication to a Proust scholar, unless that individual is a complete and utter rock star who can also demonstrate competence in the desired field. Let's be realistic.


 * No, R/C jobs want R/C people, and there are enough of us now that a lit person would have to be a super rock star (truly have an interdisciplinary background) to be competitive. There's still this perception (I think) among some lit folks that R/C is still a 'fall back'--I'll get a comp job if I can't get a lit job. Sorry--those days are over. Just because you've taught FYW doesn't mean you're competitive in our field. You're not an R/C expert. Quit applying for our jobs.

New media studies
I know that technical/professional communication jobs focus on an area of expertise that is not mine, an area that seems to have pretty well-defined expectations as far as experience and pedagogy goes. But my impression is that the New Media Studies or New Media composition positions are a little less well-defined. This may be because of my being an outsider. What I'm getting at is, if your research is not necesarily new media focused but your pedagogy is, does that automatically disqualify you from most of these New media studies or new media composition positions?


 * You'll be up against folks whose main area of scholarly expertise is digital media, but I don't think that disqualifies you. You may bring another area they really want and don't have. I'd also think this is a bit different at PhD granting schools and BA granting schools because PhD granting schools would want the person teaching their grad courses in digital media to have that as a scholarly area. Just a guess since this is my first time on the market. Flutterby916 14:27, September 24, 2011 (UTC)


 * ok that's what I figured. Where are those digital media folks coming from? certainly not my institution :-)
 * There are quite a few schools training folks in Digital Media--in fact, I'd say *most* of the PhD programs I'm familiar with have someone doing digital media: UIUC, Ohio State, Michigan State, Miami of Ohio, Utah, Texas, Michigan Tech. I know grad students who do digital media scholarship at Louisville, Pitt, U Iowa, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, even though I wouldn't say it's what those programs are known for. Flutterby916 22:43, September 24, 2011 (UTC)


 * Yes, I guess to be clear, what I mean was that my institution, for the most part, does not have graduate coursework in digital media (not so much that no one does digital media scholarship). So if you do things with new media, you have one or two professors interested in that but that it is not built in to the curriculum.

OCD English Majors Doing Math
All things being equal (which they never are), I am speculating the following (because I'm OCD and nothing new has been posted on the wiki in a while):


 * Let the projected number of jobs to be posted this year equal x.


 * Number of jobs posted at this time: 232


 * Number of jobs posted on this date one year ago: 139


 * Number of total jobs posted last year: 217


 * 232/x =139/217


 * 139x = 50344


 * X= 362.18…

Discussion: I see some problems with this projection, such as the fact that last year's r/c wiki was updated well into Fall 2011. This could throw the true number of jobs off considerably. However, it looks like very few 2012 jobs were posted on the 2011 board, and many that were have been removed by later editors. That said, having spoken to quite a few people on the market last year, jobs kept coming out well into the summer, as funding materialized. Could a 360 job season really be in the works? If so, what does that mean? Do we all get to eat and have roofs over our heads in 2012, or do a lot of searches start getting canceled when the first five batches of candidates all take better gigs?

O, math, how you elude me!

Azzypoo 08:15, November 8, 2011 (UTC)


 * I've been pondering similar questions. One thing about your 360 projection: as you say, there were a lot of late add jobs last year; given the influx of jobs at the beginning of the season, I doubt we'll see as many spring/summer positions open up. Flutterby916 15:17, November 8, 2011 (UTC)


 * That's a distinct possibility. I remain optimistic, though, since we have already surpassed last year's job total, and it's only the beginning of November. I would bet November and December still have quite a few new jobs to offer. Well, here's to hoping, anyway! Azzypoo 23:38, November 8, 2011 (UTC)

San Jose State
Comment from 11/19/11 on San Jose State job: "The dept just decided (after 4 great years) to not tenure their current comp/rhet person because her pedagogical theories differ from some of the older faculty's methods for running the comp program. It's not a friendly place."

Paying the Piper
Having recently consulted my credit card bill, I realize now that I have sent dossiers to an absurd number of schools (some of them two times or more!). This leads me to wonder:

How Many Applications Do You Imagine You'll Send This Season?

Less than ten: 1

10-25: 2

26-50: 1

51-75: 3

76-100: 0

100-125: 1

More than 125: 0

Total Respondants: 8

Poll created by Azzypoo 10:50, November 24, 2011 (UTC)
 * 100+ strikes me as just wild. I mean, I want a job too, but that is incredible. Hope it pays off for that soul, though. Jobz4uNme 08:59, November 29, 2011 (UTC)
 * It is wild. So is 50 or 75, when you consider some application packets can grow in excess of 120 pages (including student evals, writing samples, etc.). I guess, once these applications have damaged one's brain and broken one's spirit, there is nothing left to lose. haha In all seriousness, though, folks without geographic or institutional bias could probably have qualified for nearly 200 jobs on this list, so far, if they have solid experience in tech/pro or wpa/wac/wid. I would love to correlate this poll with end results to see if there is a quality/quantity issue at stake, or if a wider net really does catch the most fish. Azzypoo 02:48, November 30, 2011 (UTC)
 * Yes, I'll be happy if I hit 30, but this is my first time on the market. I'd go pretty much anywhere, but I've been selective, mostly based on limitting myself to places where my work fits the best. I would love to have a sense of how many applications most jobs are receiving. Jobz4uNme 08:25, November 30, 2011 (UTC)
 * I feel pressure in my department (we are integrated with Creative Writing, Liteature, and Rhet/Comp) to apply for anything I'm baseline eligible for because for my lit peers that number is sometimes as low as 15 if they don't look at generalist positions. At the same time, I have friends who have approached the 100+ number in Rhet/Comp and, although incredibly flattered by the number of requests for more materials, were also overwhelmed handling as many requests (that can ask for very specific materials you have to create) they fell behind on some of them and felt overwhelmed. 98.212.148.220 23:45, December 2, 2011 (UTC)



Hope College
Note relocated from main page:

Candidates should be wary. Hope College has doubled down on bigotry in recent years: see http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/hope-college-amends-sexuality-policy-after-pressure-from-alumni/30134 and http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/hope-college-blocks-sexuality-discussion-featuring-milk-screenplays-author/8604

Wiki Obsession
Just an observation: as a group, we seem less obsessed with the wiki than last year's job seekers. Also, seems like most interviews will be scheduled over the next couple weeks. I suppose we should get ready for the emotional rollercoaster. :)