Taking Its Toll

I'm not sure if I have ever explained how the academic job market works, but it is extremely different from all others. In the fall August-November most jobs get posted with deadlines ranging from about November-January. So you have to try to apply to all the jobs that are in your area of expertise, in all areas of the country, and these applications are not for the faint of heart. They often have many different elements and some schools want everything plus the kitchen sink. As deadlines pass you wait for a phone interview, sometimes they come two weeks after the deadline, sometimes a month or more. Speed is not a common attribute in academia (which I don't think is always bad, sometimes things need to move slowly to be done right). If you are one of the lucky ones and you get a campus invite that entails a two day interview process where you meet faculty, students, deans, give a teaching demo, and/or show your own work. Plus look around the town where the school is located, so you determine if you can live and excel in the area. And now I also have to consider if my daughter can live and excel in the area. It's exhausting.