Resisting the Dogma of Academic Job Market Advice

Yes, you should understand conventions, but don't always need to follow them.

Photo by Nik on Unsplash

The academic job market—ah, a labyrinth of uncertainty and opportunity—is a place where dreams and realities often collide. You have probably been bombarded with advice, some well-intended and some dogmatic, all promising to be the key to success. It is easy to become overwhelmed by the cacophony of conflicting suggestions in a world where there are more candidates than positions.

But let me tell you a little secret—there's no one-size-fits-all formula for success in academia. My dear readers, you already know that I am constantly encouraging folks to question convention and dogmatic advice. I think you should be aware of convention, yes, but I don’t think you should adhere to it at all costs.

Today’s post is here to acknowledge that sometimes breaking the rules or following your gut is exactly what you need to do on the academic job market.