Last week we linked to a post by Gina Barreca on how to survive the early years of academic life. Today Barreca offers advice on how to survive the untenured years. Here are her tips:
1. Very rarely will you advance in your academic career because you are a great teacher.
2. Introduce yourself to everybody.
3. Cultivate your allies
4. Let your department know when you do something noteworthy.
5. Pay attention to the accomplishments and work of your colleagues
6. Go to every meeting. Sign up for committees.
7. Don’t take time off for your personal life.
8. The students don’t think you are one of them.
9. “You think you deserve to work at a better institution? Good for you. If you tell this repeatedly to other people, however, you probably won’t end up working anywhere at all.”
10. “When you screw up, admit it; when you succeed, accept congratulations with pleasure and humility; when you’re able to help someone, do it with alacrity, enthusiasm, and grace; when you’re tired, keep it to yourself.”
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