Comments on: The myth of merit http://www.escapetheivorytower.com/2010/04/the-myth-of-merit/ Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:51:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: April http://www.escapetheivorytower.com/2010/04/the-myth-of-merit/comment-page-1/#comment-1076 April Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:19:37 +0000 http://www.escapetheivorytower.com/?p=248#comment-1076 [...] Julie at Escape the Ivory Tower hit the nail on the head when she wrote about the Myth of Merit. [...] [...] Julie at Escape the Ivory Tower hit the nail on the head when she wrote about the Myth of Merit. [...]

]]> By: OnTheRun http://www.escapetheivorytower.com/2010/04/the-myth-of-merit/comment-page-1/#comment-123 OnTheRun Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:10:13 +0000 http://www.escapetheivorytower.com/?p=248#comment-123 Very true. Especially in a collapsing job market like the one we see now (and for the last few decades). So few jobs that personal connections become much more important than merit. Unfortunately, I have so many examples of this within the US as well as abroad. Speaking with former academic colleagues that are now in the hi-tech industry and in finance, I was surprised to hear that while these places naturally have inner-politics (with varying levels depending on place), then they were relieved to see it is significantly less of a determining factor in job applications. How much money you make for the company (or any other measurable achievement is much more important than personal ties). As one of them said: if you're not good, personal ties won't help you (from getting fired), and if you're good, you don't need personal ties. Of course there are many companies with exceptions to that, but I couldn't find one academic institute whose hiring policy contradicts this. How foolish and arrogant I was in graduate school, thinking academic life is so pure... but as they say, graduate time is the time to be foolish ;-) Very true. Especially in a collapsing job market like the one we see now (and for the last few decades). So few jobs that personal connections become much more important than merit. Unfortunately, I have so many examples of this within the US as well as abroad.

Speaking with former academic colleagues that are now in the hi-tech industry and in finance, I was surprised to hear that while these places naturally have inner-politics (with varying levels depending on place), then they were relieved to see it is significantly less of a determining factor in job applications. How much money you make for the company (or any other measurable achievement is much more important than personal ties).

As one of them said: if you’re not good, personal ties won’t help you (from getting fired), and if you’re good, you don’t need personal ties.

Of course there are many companies with exceptions to that, but I couldn’t find one academic institute whose hiring policy contradicts this.

How foolish and arrogant I was in graduate school, thinking academic life is so pure… but as they say, graduate time is the time to be foolish ;-)

]]> By: Caroline Roberts http://www.escapetheivorytower.com/2010/04/the-myth-of-merit/comment-page-1/#comment-122 Caroline Roberts Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:32:47 +0000 http://www.escapetheivorytower.com/?p=248#comment-122 This is fantastic. Every grad student should print it out and tape it to her wall. So much luck plays a part in getting an academic gig. We all have to agree that getting a job is a matter of luck these days. I think advisors would serve their students better if they flat-out told their students that they should do their best but they should also be prepared if luck doesn't go their way. -- <a href="http://www.postacademic.org" rel="nofollow">Post Academic</a> This is fantastic. Every grad student should print it out and tape it to her wall. So much luck plays a part in getting an academic gig. We all have to agree that getting a job is a matter of luck these days. I think advisors would serve their students better if they flat-out told their students that they should do their best but they should also be prepared if luck doesn’t go their way.

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Post Academic

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