I had thought that I had plans in placed for a seamless career transition from teaching to accounting, but a wrench just got thrown into the plans. I had been *informally* told by my department chair that, if certain things happened at work, they would be able to offer me one more additional full-time contract for the 2008-2009 year. It looked likely that those things would come to pass, and indeed they have, but I just learned that they are planning to hire a post-doc (whom they can pay $10000 less than they pay me even after they cut my pay by $9000 this year) instead. I was never even told directly but learned this by being on the department email list, where they have been discussing how much they would have to pay such a person. The chair seems to have forgotten what she said back in September. This has induced an instant panic attack--my heart is still beating wildly an hour & a half after opening that email. I've sent a note to the chair, but it sounds as though this new plan is too far underway for them to turn back. Now I don't know WHAT to do for the fall--do I apply for more adjunct teaching, which pays very low, or do I hope that, even though I'll still be two classes shy of the coursework I need, that I'll be able to find an accounting job for this fall? Things would work out so seamlessly in the career transition if I had another year in academia 2008-2009; if I have to fully transition in 2008, I'm much more unsure...and frankly, terrified. And angry.
Panic Attack!
December 27th, 2007 at 05:24 pm
December 27th, 2007 at 06:08 pm 1198778884
December 27th, 2007 at 06:14 pm 1198779264
December 27th, 2007 at 06:42 pm 1198780933
Well, try to hold on until you hear back from her about what your status really is. Maybe there's some info you're missing that will help make this whole situation more doable.
I would fully pursue accounting jobs opportunities based on your current skills and classes taken cus i guess i wouldn't feel really good about them if they already cut your pay by $9,000.
Learning about a job loss, or even possible job loss, is always a scary thing. Being single and feeling vulnerable, when i learned about my own job layoff, i freaked and 2 days later had applied to 2 jobs online. Amazingly, i got interviews at both companies and i accepted a job offer from one a few weeks later. I kind of have my whole life, from a financial perspective, mapped out and planned. So the loss of income, even for just a few months, was definitely not something i wanted, cus that would throw a big kink in my whole timetable. You might say my job layoff was one gigantic kick in the butt becus this was a place i had been "coasting" at for several years, meaning the pay was pretty low, but becus it was so close to home, i figured it was worth it for the lifestyle benefits. I probably would have remained there forever if i could have, but i think i would have been giving up a lot of income by doing so.
December 27th, 2007 at 10:35 pm 1198794924
December 28th, 2007 at 02:50 am 1198810257
This sort of thing I think is not legal is Australia. It's so unethical.
December 28th, 2007 at 07:10 am 1198825842
Man, that is SO shitty.
On the bright side, should you be in the mood to sue, I'm willing to bet a few dollars that other emails coming from that server will be quite incriminating. Clearly your department isn't very smart - there has to be at least one email describing why the post doc will be more cost effective.