Return-Path: sendmail 8.6.4/UCSD-2.2-sun Sun, 5 Dec 1993 08:40:50 -0800 for socgrad-list Sun, 5 Dec 1993 08:40:47 -0800 for Date: Sun, 05 Dec 93 11:11:05 EST From: Joya Misra Organization: Emory University - Atlanta, Georgia, USA Subject: HIRING POLICY To: SOCGRAD@UCSD.EDU First off, I think the incest taboo is probably a pretty good rule of thumb, in terms of hiring graduates, as long as it's a flexible rule, which it is at most places. I don't think I agree that diversity is easily attainable. Even though I do something that the other political economists in my dept. don't do (political economy of gender), my major approaches to political economy reflect the major approaches of three of my profs. When I goto conferences, when I talk sociology with my friends at other schools, I am aware of the very real differences in approaches. For example, every political economist has a different slant on the state and I should be exposed to as many different slants as possible throughou my career if I really hope to grow as a scholar and be a good teacher. Secondly, I have often heard that getting a job at your alma mater is not just limiting for the department, but as Elizabeth suggested, quite limiting for you - you really need to spread your wings a little, see how things are in the rest of the sociology-world. It's similar to moving out of your parent's home. Things are really different out there in the world. Thirdly, it has been my impression that most programs are happy to hire their grads on a temporary basis, or to teach a class or two while that person is looking for a job. They just are not willing to offer their grads a tenure-track position. Right? Also, most places are willing to hire their grads after their grads have achieved tenure elsewhere. Fourthly, if your dept. respects you enough to offer you a job, you don't have to worry about them treating you like a student. I am good friends with many of the faculty at Emory, and I know they respect my work. I would love to continue working with them, as a colleague. I would be more unsure of the reception from grad stduents, to be honest. Fifthly, this tiered system certainly exists, but it is not binding. This system is probably much more true for the top 10 schools than any of rest of us. Certainly, we don't operate within a meritocracy, BUT I do think it's possible to put together the right credentials to get whatever kind of job you want even if you're not at a top school. Networking remains key though. That's my 2 cents. Please send good get-a-job vibes my way. Joya Misra SOCAK663@EMUVM1.BITNET OR SOCAK663@EMUVM1.CC.EMORY.EDU ********************************************************************* Dept. of Sociology Emory University Atlanta, GA 30322