Like, srsly.
I have watched many a grad student or postdoc inform all of their Facebook acquaintances the status of their job search. The academic world is small, my friends. Privacy settings or not, what the hell are these people thinking?
I used to message these "friends" of mine to point out the error of their ways, but I've since given up. Besides, it can be somewhat entertaining, particularly when you suspect that two of your FB friends are dueling for the same positions.
Some keep it vague: "I've got my first interview!"
Others feel compelled to list locations: "Goin' to the midwest and then the east coast for interviews. In ONE WEEK! What what!"
A few on my list name the actual schools. That turned them down. "Guess PrestigiousU is going to be missing out on one AMAZING prof this fall. Losers."
What. The. Facebook.
16 comments:
I've seen people do this too! What a horrible idea!
Ack, guilty! I tweeted/facebooked when I had my last TT interview. I only said one or two vague, happy things and would NEVER name the institution, but I know in my heart you're right.
I've been struggling with this a lot, since my online persona is about me getting a job. Now that things are actually happening there's so much I want to say, but I'm unsure of where to draw the line.
Can I ask why it would be bad to vaguely blog/Tweet/facebook status that you have a job interview? Not mentioning when, where, etc., just merely mentioning that you have an interview at some undetermined point in the future is a horrible idea?
Dr. Becca: Being vague is the key!
EtBr: If it is kept vague, I suppose that it is okay... but you never know who might be a friend of a friend on the admissions committee of another school. Or maybe that is a GOOD thing. Dunno. (It seems insane but it has happened to me. Twice.)
I don't understand what the down side is of being transparent. All anyone needs to do is look at seminar schedules anyway. Lots of people list upcoming and recent talks on their websites, too.
How does it hurt you for people to know where you're interviewing? Maybe I just have a lack of imagination, but *everyone* on both sides of the process knows that one must throw a wide net to get a TT job these days.
Also, there seems to be significant evidence that getting visible interviews and being one of the "hot candidates" is a very desirable thing...
Anon: I think it depends on the type of institutions at which you are trying to get a TT position,
Mind elaborating? I'm applying only to big research institutions, e.g., ivy league and friends. I've been assuming that everyone who cares could easily find out where I'm interviewing and so artificial opacity is silly.
All the more reason to hold your cards close to your chest. Message your family and real friends about it, but keep it out of status updates.
I was very guarded about Facebook and for the longest time most of my friends were non-academics – still are. However, things are starting to change and I do have a few that smudge the line between friend and colleague. Still I do not want to feel pressured into being “professional” on Facebook, but I am aware that it is somewhat public and easily hacked.
Tweeting is another matter – not really warmed up to that one!
I always employ the same principle as when sending personal emails. I ask myself how devastated I would be if I my private correspondence were made headlines news. Slightly embarrassed is ok!
I am naturally introverted, so sharing too much has never really been something I fall foul of all that often. However, my mouth does drop at how careless some people can be - esp. kids who have grown up with social networks!
Everybody I know literally shuts down their facebook account when interviewing.
I feel like I am completely missing something here.
What is the harm in announcing that you have an interview coming up? Do most people have lots of facebook friends that they don't really know, or with whom they would be competing for jobs? My facebook account consists of real friends and family; the only people in science are really those in my lab or friends in my program who would know where I am interviewing anyway (our lab is very transparent about who is interviewing where, and we purposely discuss throughout the program to search for any potential connections). These people would all know anyway, and no one else is involved in science, so I'm completely missing the problem here (which is making me very paranoid that I am missing some huge secrecy aspect of interviewing).
I don't think it's so bad to say that you have an interview. What's a little weird is when people write that they are so nervous, think it went poorly or well, etc., when many of their FB friends are colleagues who they don't know all that well.
A student I met once at a conference friended me on FB, then all his status updates were play-by-plays of his interview process for postdoc positions. I thought that was a tad unprofessional, although there is nothing really wrong with it. It would have sucked had he not gotten a job after letting the whole world know where he interviewed and how he felt about it all.
In my field, people tend towards keeping things about interviews close (though it is often possible to figure things out from seminar schedules). That said, I don't think keeping things vague is a problem.
I do think posting emotional states, reactions, personal details, and opinions about departments/future colleagues is a bad idea. As EcoGeoFemme says, it just seems unprofessional to be putting your impressions of an interview out there where anyone can see it, especially if they are unflattering to you or other identifiable individuals. Some people just don't like reading about themselves on the Internet in any way, shape, or form, and if that person is on the search committee, there is no reason to annoy them unnecessarily.
FWIW, I also think posting to job rumor mills or wikis is OK, as long as it is professional ("I interviewed at InterviewU" not "InterviewU is in the worst location in the world!11!!!11")
A play by play I can see being not so great, but a vague "Yay I got an interview!" I don't really see what's wrong with it. I feel like I'm missing something. When I got my postdoc interview, I did announce "Yay I got an interview!" on facebook, but tried not to state specifics. I figured anyone who would know/say something to the PI in question would say that I was enthusiastic. I still feel like I'm missing something. I guess next time I won't put anything up if it's not a good thing.
I think it also does depend on the nature of your FB account. Most people I know have ~400 FB "friends."
I think it depends on the update; i.e. "I've got an interview" is OK but "Prestigiuos uni misses out on great person" is not so OK (imho).
As in general, I don't understand WHY it's that interesting to other people... and in worst case, it's the discussion about "what can you say and not say about your company/uni/employer on FB without repercussions?" (Something that is clearer than ever isn't clear to people when I look at discussions back in home country....)
And as for interview and eligability, afaik people nowadays look up the person on FB and ask "do I want this person representing my place?". A very "talkative status updater" about work place might not come off as a non-risky employee??
(I might be biased due to extreme regulated internet/media relations at my present job?!)
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