I have two lazy web requests.
Online job applications
I am in the process of filling out my first fully online job application and it is not pleasant for so many reasons. Complaining is not my point here, though.
The main issues are that in several places there is not enough room to add the information I need to. For instance, in the section for references there is nowhere near enough characters in the lines for the reference’s organization and title. And let’s be honest, academics and their institutions have lengthy titles.
For instance, I run out of room at Graduate School of Library. So, should I just type as far as I can and stop? Or should I try and do some abbreviating? For instance: GSLIS, UIUC; or, Graduate School of LIS; or, ….
After filling in a million form fields, I will be able to upload either pdf or Word copies of my résumé and letter of application. Thus, there may be some mitigation of the above issue but I have no idea how those copies will or will not be employed or if they will even be viewed since I have to put much of that info into those million form fields in the first place.
Any suggestions?
Also, what is the best salutation for a woman? I do know her rank from the library’s web site. Somehow “Dear Associate Professor X” sounds a bit stilted to me, though. I could address my letter to the Search Committee Chair, I guess, but I do have a specific name.
Any suggestions for this?
WordPress comments and LISHost
This one is for anyone using WordPress that has email notification of comments turned on and is on LISHost.
After the wonkiness this past weekend I am no longer getting email notifications for comments or comments in moderation. I have checked my WP install and those options are still checked and I even forced a refresh of them to no avail.
I have spoken with Blake and he thinks that perhaps what he had to do might have had an effect but he also undid those changes last night. He wants me to get back to him if the situation does not go back to normal and I certainly will. But I was wondering if anyone else is having this issue all of a sudden. If so, perhaps it might help Blake pinpoint the issue(s) causing it.
If you have lost your email notifications from WordPress all of a sudden feel free to comment here but, more importantly, please let Blake know.
Thankfully this is not a crippling issue but it does cause a definite inconvenience. Getting those email notifications is a much faster way to know whether someone has commented than checking the blog or blog admin panel.
And, yes. I have received several comments this weekend, to include a couple after I spoke to him last night. Nor is my email spam filter grabbing them all of a sudden.
‘ “Dear Associate Professor X” sounds a bit stilted to me, though. I could address my letter to the Search Committee Chair, I guess, but I do have a specific name.’
Use “Dear Professor X”. Gender and rank are irrelevant here. And good luck!
Dear Professor X, Dear Dr. X, Dear Members of the Search Committee, …. I’ve never seen the Associate part used as a term of address. see: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/639/01/
I absolutely loathe filling out online applications. My solution to the short form field is to abbreviate as coherently as possible. If that only leaves room for an acronym, I use the acronym. I’m uploading my resume anyway, so if they want to know what it means, they’ll reference that document where I do not use acronyms.
In the same vein, any form field that requires me to input a descriptions, like “job duties,” gets a “Please see resume” and that’s all.
And finally, there is nothing natural about a cover letter. So I always stick to the most gender neutral address. I have never applied for a job with someone who’s title I knew, so I alway stick to “Dear First Last.” Also “Dear Members of the Search Committee” is good.
I hope any of that is useful!
“Dear Professor X” or “Dear Members of the Search Committee” are probably your best bets. No need to note that Professor X is an Associate rather than full professor.
As for your WordPress problems, I seem to be getting email notifications okay, but I get so few comments that it might take a while for me to notice a change.
I agree that you don’t need “Associate.” If you know the Search Committee chair has a doctorate, use “Dr.” If not, use the more universal “Professor,” which I tend to use for any faculty member, whether an instructor or a full professor or anything in-between.
As for the other, I always think of the application form–online or paper–as something that must be fulfilled, but look to the c.v. or resume for the real info–only problem is if the information isn’t consistent.
Thanks all!! Nice that everyone pretty much agrees, too.
Now I just need to finish it in the next day or 3.
Odds are that the appropriate title for an Associate Professor, regardless of gender, is “Dr.”
But look her up on the web and see how she’s referred to, odds are you’ll find at least one reference.
Those job applications through enterprise HR systems are _awful_. Technology being used for evil, without a doubt. When I was applying for jobs, about 20% of the time I had to call the HR department for manual intervention. And I’m not someone who is easily confused by websites!
I was going to suggest Ms., which is what I use for just about everything (and what was used by the faculty at my hoity-toity undergrad college), but I think these people may be more on target with Professor or Dr. (I recoil at using the latter for anything other than an MD, but I’m in a distinct minority on that one).
Thanks again, all! Good to see my intuition was right. [I didn't necessarily ask my question in an unbiased way.]
Laura, Ms. was my toss-up option if I drifted from Professor, but I had my reservations.