Just In Case You Didn’t Hear…I Recently Received (and Rejected) a Job Offer :)

Alright, I know a lot of you have been waiting for a blog about my recent job offer, so without making this too boring for you with all the specifics, here is the gist of how I got (and then rejected) the offer.

As most of you know, I had given up on getting a job for the 2009-10 school year. Thus, I was very surprised to hear from Middle Tennessee State University exactly 2 weeks ago, that they wanted to talk to me about their temporary one-year opening. I was even more surprised (and flattered) when they offered me the position just 3 days later. And I was the most surprised that the offer was more viable then I would have expected that late in the year (mostly because it was an good I/O program that focuses on teaching and there was a chance of getting hired on as tenure-track). However, once the surprise and excitement of just getting any job offer after a year of rejection wore off, I realized it wasn’t the right opportunity for me at this juncture. There were several reasons for this decision, some of which included:

-I never got to visit or formally interview with the school, and it was hard to commit for a year (or beyond) that I had never been.

-I just moved in with the bestest girl in Tampa, why would I want to give that up to live by myself in a place where I don’t know anyone?

-I would have had to start about 3 weeks after I had gotten the offer.

-I would have had to teach 5 classes a semester (probably at least 3 different classes), leaving me only those 3 weeks to prep for said classes (while trying to organize a move, of course).

-I was (and am!) looking forward to spending one more year hanging with all you fantastic Tampa peeps who read this blog!

-Teaching so much would have severely limited ability to get more publications out and prep my job applications, which I would have needed to keep doing since I wouldn’t have been sure that the MTSU job was permanent.

-While the money offer was pretty good, once you took out taxes, moving expenses, paying for 1.5 apartments, plane tickets to see previously mentioned bestest girl and fantastic peeps, I really wouldn’t have made too much more than I will teaching 1 class a semester here.

-Not sure I could work at a school that actually uses the above mascot! (Kidding, of course)

So there you have it. My decision was made, with lots of support, advice, congratulations, and confirmation from many of you loyal readers. They really are a great school, and I hope that they open a tenure-track job that I can apply for this year. I am so happy that this decision is over though, and every day that goes by I am more and more sure I made the right choice. It is still nice to know that I am marketable enough to be get an offer, which makes me more confident that I will get a tenure-track job this coming year. I already have about 20 schools where I might apply, and more come out every day. So stay tuned, applications will be going out as soon as the end of this month and through October and beyond. I will keep you all posted on my top choices, and more importantly, schools that show interest in me!