[ATTW-L] How Can I Be "Ethically Employed" during the Pandemic? #HireHigherEd

[Eric Stephens]

Joanna,

You make an excellent point. Like you, most academics don't know how
LinkedIn works. We live in a time of algorithms. If you are not present on
LinkedIn while on the industry market, you might as well go back and wait
on the academic market. The industry market doesn't really use letters of
recommendation. You don't show up if you don't work LinkedIn's algorithms.

Those who need jobs need those algorithmic connections, and we need that
network to be strong, which is why we need securely employed folk involved.

This is an event to connect, to make our network visible on LinkedIn. Right
now, it's not, and it's actually sort of sad because we can offer so much.

Other people are getting the jobs we are incredibly qualified for. Not
because we are more or less qualified, but because academics have been
trained on an antiquated job market.

None of us love the academic market. If we don't change it during a global
pandemic, when can we?

Let's keep this discussion going!

ejs

On Thu, May 28, 2020 at 7:52 AM Joanna Wolfe <jowolfe at andrew.cmu.edu> wrote:

> Eric:
> Thank you for this message and your LinkedIn post.  You make a compelling
> case for the ethics of helping out, but I don't understand what good this
> actually does.  This is likely just my ignorance of how LinkedIn operates
> but does anyone know how much these endorsements matter?  Is there anyone
> who would reach out to me on LinkedIn who wouldn't also send me an email
> asking me for a reference?
>
> I am not challenging--I am genuinely asking, in part because as a TC
> professor I should know more about how LinkedIn is actually working in
> today's world.  I will happily read anything you send and, of course, I am
> willing to do anything I can for people who are searching for work.
>
> Joanna
>
> On Thu, May 28, 2020 at 4:19 AM Eric Stephens <esteph5 at g.clemson.edu>
> wrote:
>
>> Hello, ATTW-Listserv! (x-posted w/ wpa-l)
>>
>> One of the things I love about academia is its community. And the ATTW-L
>> is one *gold*.
>>
>> Many of us are contingent faculty with our jobs and livelihoods at risk
>> due to COVID-19. The higher ed market, as you are aware, is being
>> eviscerated. Many graduating PhDs, adjunct faculty, NTT's, and even some TT
>> folk are feeling these cuts.
>>
>> And they're turning to the industry market, which is incredibly different
>> from ours.* By a lot. *We have an incredibly talented, ever-growing pool
>> of top-notch talent.
>>
>> And it's invisible out there.
>>
>> *If you are securely employed, there is something easy you can do to
>> support your community: be active on LinkedIn.*
>>
>> I wrote a short (4-minute) about how staying active on LinkedIn *with
>> secure employment *is the ethical thing to do
>> <https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-can-i-ethically-employed-during-pandemic-eric-james-stephens-phd/>.
>> Please read it, and if it resonantes, share it and/or start using
>> *#HireHigherEd*.
>>
>> *How do you engage on LinkedIn?*
>>
>> 1. Connect with people with similar interests--not just the people you
>> know personally. LinkedIn is different from Twitter or FB. In other words,
>> connect with *anyone* who'd be on WPA-L.
>>
>> 2. Exchange *authentic* endorsements and recommendations for the people
>> you do know well.
>>
>> 3. Be *compassionate* and *empathetic* when people reach out for help.
>>
>> *You never know when you'll be the connection someone needs to land their
>> new career.*
>>
>> And honestly, if enough academics shift, maybe we could shake up the slog
>> that is the academic market.
>>
>> I hope you take a moment to read this sincerely. Connect with each other.
>> You never know when or if you'll need it yourself.
>>
>> If you're on the market and want to workshop your docs, I'm happy to
>> help. No costs or anything. Just doing good. I hope we can connect
>> <https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericjstephens/>.
>>
>> Sending the best of vibes,
>>
>> ejs
>>
>> --
>> Eric James Stephens, PhD
>> Lecturer, Curriculum Designer
>> Central Washington University
>> ericjames.phd at gmail.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> ATTW-L mailing list
>> ATTW-L at attw.org
>> http://attw.org/mailman/listinfo/attw-l_attw.org
>>
>
>
> --
> Joanna Wolfe, Ph.D.
> Director, Global Communication Center
> Teaching Professor, English
> Personal Meeting ID:
> https://cmu.zoom.us/j/7779478424
>
> Posner 148H
> Carnegie Mellon University
> 5000 Forbes Avenue
> Pittsburgh, PA 15213
>
>

-- 
Eric James Stephens, PhD
Lecturer, Curriculum Designer
Central Washington University
ericjames.phd at gmail.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://attw.org/pipermail/attw-l_attw.org/attachments/20200528/fd7e0f23/attachment-0002.htm>