At What Price? Emotional and Financial Costs of the National Job Search

Lore editors Beth Burmester and Nels Highberg were fortunate enough to land tenure-track jobs for the 2004-2005 academic year after undergoing the arduous process of conducting a national search. Here they reflect on their experiences and offer advice to future job seekers. Nels discusses the strategies he used to organize his search, which began as soon as he entered graduate school, and how he tried to keep a balanced perspective throughout the months of not knowing what his future would be. Beth spells out the financial costs, often hidden, of her search, which included, among other items, postage, a trip to New York for the MLA Conference, and a wardrobe that would make herself presentable for her interviews.