Flex Your (Academic) Muscle: Happiness is a Skill

 Flex Your (Academic) Muscle: Happiness is a Skill

1. Boost your happiness in Academia this year by intentionally honing these skills and shifting your mindset. 

    “Stay away from those people who try to disparage your ambitions. Small minds will always do that, but great minds will give you a feeling that you can become great too.” — Mark Twain

You Really Need Recommendations From Faculty Outside Your Department: Academic Job Market 101

You Really Need Recommendations From Faculty Outside Your Department
Academic Job Market 101

This last couple of weeks, I've received a slew of new customers asking my assistance in planning for the Fall 2022 employment market. This thinking and preparation is commendable, and I advise it to anybody who knows they'll be on the market next year. One piece of advise I gave each of these clients was to begin developing a third or fourth recommendation letter writer who was not affiliated with your Ph.D. giving school.

Some of you may be surprised, but having all of your letters come from academics at your Ph.D. institution/committee is a solid sign that a job applicant is "Not Ready For Prime Time." 

It isn't a full deal-breaker, especially if your department has a number of profs who are well-known and important in their own right. In the same vein, if you are an early ABD, the lack of an external letter writer will not be fatal.

The finest, strongest, and most accomplished rivals for the positions you're seeking for–-even ABDs-–will have groomed well-known, prominent senior researchers in their field/niche to write for them from outside your school.

How to be a better Academic Writer (Beginner) 

My former mentor in undergrad gave me the best advice on academic writing. When their advice wasn't misinformed and annoying unhelpful, it was always hilarious (but that's a subject for another time). One day, I went into his office to present them with my most recent conference paper. My lecturer told me, after reading my grad school application statements, "Do or do not." “There is no such thing as a try."  They were also a big fan of Top Gun and those aviator glasses Tom Cruise wore..(was it Tom Cruise?). I realize now looking back at how uncertain and insecure I was about my future research projects, heck, Im still uncertain as a disabled female in Academia.

 

"Do it or don't do it."
There is no such thing as a try."
Yoda's legendary words to Skywalker the young. 

5 Common Email Phrases that seem polite, but to NEVER use in Academic Emails (EVER!)

5 Common Email Phrases that seem polite, but to NEVER use in Academic Emails (EVER!)

To get other Academics to take you seriously as an expert in your research area, you have to be the best at what you do and have to do. You need to know the common colloquialisms and basic etiquette of the professional academic letter format. (This is perhaps the first step in a student's professionalization as an Academic Researcher.) And, despite attempts to sound competent in work emails; missed deadlines, a lack of responsiveness, and high level of stress in responsibilities,  can cause others to become angry and aggressive. The skill of sending a polite email peppered with polite common phrases, the kind that drapes a shiny cover over your underlying frustrations, is one of the keys to presenting a cool façade.

What NOT To Write in Academic Emails

Scroll below to see examples of some passive-aggressive work correspondence and don't repeat them in your academic correspondence!

1) When following up on an issues that wasn't responded to in a previous email to a senior Academic, the rules are: wait for a week to follow-up with an extra email, unless there is a deadline approaching, email again with a followup inquiry after 48-72 hours. Don't ask passively if the Other received your original email.  They didn't. Instead of sending: "Hey,  not sure if you got my last email", instead reply to the original email,  saying "Following up on my request for X last week on Y/YY/YY date. Please kindly respond by Y/YY/YY date, thank you. Sincerely Yours,  <your name>"

Remember,  Academics are all busy.  They also hate answering unnecessary emails.  Make your followup email direct and ask the request or question again with a request for a followup date that is reasonable and actionable. 

2) When an attachment file was lost or missing to/ from Other Academic, the rules are: The Other Academic list the chain of messages that contained the said file everyone is looking for.  Basically,  she/ he is to lazy or dumb to go back and search for the attachment. First,  apologize for the miscommunication (even though it wasn't your fault, it helps make the other person not feel so stupid for losing the attachment in the first place, or, the Other truly thinks you are the stupid one for losing the attachment in the first place. ) Second,  just attach the file and apology in response to the email asking "Can you forward me X attachment?"

We both know that the Other was sent the original message with the correct file attached.  But, as the Early-Career Professor or graduate student, it is your burden to make the faux pas go away and less embarrassing for the Other Academic.

3) When there is a disagreement over email over details or definitions of a manuscript project, the rules are: 1.Don't ask who is wrong in this situation-- it may be that no one is at fault. 2. Apologize for the lack of clarity.  3. Restate your position/ aside of the issue at hand.  4. Give references or back up your information with relevant spring information. Email this instead,  "There seems to be a miscommunication over email.  I assert that X and Y are important. We can delete W. This is in agreement with Jonas' line of work stating that X is important.  I also wanted to add Y to the list." Add in the phrase, "I'd be happy to discuss this over a quick Zoom meeting on Wednesday afternoon,  if you think that would help facilitate this project moving forward" if it is clear that the Other Academic is still unclear about your position on the issue at hand. 

Remember,  Academics are very proud people.  We like being correct, always.  When we are not correct, don't escalate the incorrect-ness. Simply restate your position.  If your position is still not clearly communicated clearly,  offer to hold a quick 15 minute online meeting to discuss the issue and find a way to move the manuscript forward. 

4) When you want to move the manuscript from a brainstorming idea to an actionable project precipitated from a verbal meeting (like over the phone,  or gave to face in the hallway), confirm over email and suggest next steps. 

I actually use this as a confirmation. Typically in a follow-up email to a phone call so that I can get written confirmation of the discussion and ensure we are all clear on what is being done. So do write this one in your Academic emails. 

5) Don't use this phrase,  "Per me last email". It's aggressive-aggressive. Instead,  use the phrase in #4 (Above).

These are just 5 email phrases to avoid if you want to appear professional and respectable in a University position.  Emails are tricky because you are trying to convey information to Another Academic without any verbal cuts for the tone of the email.  Last Tip: Don't read into the tone of the emails you receive in Academia. This to is more geared toward women who are less-than confident in her research abilities,  or graduate students overall.  Seriously,  don't infuse all of your text emails into feelings and emotive.  Even if the email is converting bad news or criticism of your job duties.  Take the email at face fable.  Breathe.  Respond quickly,  with a few words as possible, and send the email.  Ditch the emotional hangover over whether people are mad at you (yes,  ladies,  I do that anxiety pattern of thinking too.) <Comment below if you want more blogs dedicated to emotional hangovers from working in Academia.>

I sincerely hope this blog post helps you on your career path in Academia. Let me know if you want more on conquering emails and writing sussinct emails devoid of emotions that state your position clearly and effectively on your path to grow your Academic Career.

Sincerely Yours xx,

JTTT

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