Question about assistant prof application process

[jdawg2017]

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been asked and answered before. I was searching the forums and could not find a clear answer so I figured I would reach out.

Long story short, I am starting my two-year fellowship in clinical neuropsychology in September. My partner and I both love where we have moved to for fellowship (family nearby, great CoL, etc.). I was looking at the psych jobs wiki and debating applying for a couple of assistant professor jobs that are near-ish to where we live now (one would require a small move or a long commute). Both position are open calls in clinical science, with one program being in an R1 with several neuropsych faculty and the other in another R1 that has no neuropsych faculty. Apps are due in Sep/Oct, which allows me time this month to get materials together while I have time off.

I know I am going to be competing against people who have year(s) of post-doc and their license under their belt. I feel prepared, though, and have a strong CV (research heavy, excellent clinical training, and a few courses of record for teaching).

My main question is that I want to be upfront with the search committees that I am putting my hat in the ring for a position beginning fall of 2025 (that way I can be board eligible and complete my fellowship). Would it be frowned upon to apply for these positions now and state the deferral request clearly in my cover letter? I am sure there will be jobs at other sites next cycle, but I am worried that if these two positions get filled they won't be hiring next cycle.

Any thoughts or advice is appreciated! Thank you in advance!

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[R. Matey]

I'm really curious about what others will say. But if I were in the position of a hiring committee, I can't really see an advantage to waiting on someone for a year if equally good candidates were available, which I imagine would be the situation at any decent R1. If you were to go through with it, I guess a question you'd want to answer is "why are you worth waiting for?"

 

[futureapppsy2]

You can ask, but IME, it's very unlikely that they would defer a whole year, as faculty lines (positions) are approved on a year-by-year basis. That's why if a search fails, there's never a guarantee that they can re-run it the next year.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Funding typically drives open positions, so I agree with @futureapppsy2. Usually if $$ isn’t used, it can more easily be cut or allocated elsewhere. Could a position get bumped to the next year, yes, but it is not common.

If it were an endowed appointment, then maybe there is a reason to wait for *the* candidate who checks all of the boxes, but those are almost always senior positions, so not likely for someone coming out from fellowship.

 

[szymk1sm]

I wonder if reaching out to the neuropsych faculty and / or networking with someone with similar research interests at the institution(s) over the next few years would be in your favor?

I took a mostly research position after my clinical neuropsych postdoc that wasn't advertised but was the direct result of networking. Happy to speak about this more back channel if you're interested.

 

[Ollie123]

AMC....ehh, not ideal but I'd throw your hat in the ring and see. Hiring is just a much more fluid process in those settings, not bound to academic calendar years and there is just generally more money floating around. Psychology department...I think odds are near-zero. Only exception I can think of would be if they were desperate for neuropsych faculty and either you were the only candidate or your CV absolutely blew everyone else who applied completely out of the water.

I think chances are high if you apply with that in your cover letter you don't get interviewed regardless of qualifications solely because of that. Were it me, I might reach out backchannel to someone on the search committee to feel the situation out. They might have insight into whether new positions are likely to come available or they are willing to wait. The latter can make a difference just because it makes you a topic of conversation, which I think is the best shot. If its left to "Everyone rates the candidates independently and we pick the best from the pool" I think your score gets tanked because of the deferral and you never even get discussed. Search committees function different ways though, so it really depends how they structure things.

Long story short, I don't think anyone holds it against you to try this, but I wouldn't bank on it working out.

Edited to add: If you genuinely want to stay local, are open to academic medical settings and willing to see patients with at least some of your effort you should have options as a board-eligible neuropsych. University-side gigs are harder just because they are fewer in number, but faculty positions in medical settings are plentiful, especially NTT (which still will likely pay better than TT in a psychology department). If 100% committed to staying in the area, I'd probably throw my hat in the ring for these and ask about deferrals as I outline above, submit a K and/or find some other way to hang around the local medical school for the next ~5 years while schmoozing with local psychology faculty departments and apply as positions come open.

 

[jdawg2017]

Thanks, all, for the replies! I really have appreciated how helpful you all are with folks across the training and job search spectrum over my years as a member. The honesty is very helpful.

I think I will reach out to the coordinating faculty of both of the searches at these R1s and will send my CV along to see if they would even be open to a deferral and/or how much a neuropsychologist fits into an "ideal" candidate. I figure there is no harm in asking, and I do have the time to assemble materials now. I will of course make the time around a year from now but will likely be sitting for the EPPP and jurisprudence around the same time, so that'll be a fun few months.

I definitely have a K-award (and pilot grant first) on my radar, too!

 

[Ollie123]

I definitely have a K-award (and pilot grant first) on my radar, too!

Good. Besides being lucky, bringing in funding is pretty much the only way to be picky about where you live as a researcher. With a K, you can pretty much pack a suitcase and knock on the front door of any AMC and they'll welcome you in as long as they have a place they feel like they can put you. Doesn't mean it is a good idea as may not provide any support and won't hesitate to usher you back out that same door as soon as your funding dries up (unless you want to see patients 10 hours/day).

Feel free to ping me if I can help.

 

[futureapppsy2]

will send my CV along

Please don’t do this without being asked. At best, it can come across as “pick me”. At worst, it can create HR headaches for the chair (assuming this isn’t an AMC). Send a brief inquiry asking and explaining the situation and then if they ask to see your CV, you can send it then.

 

[bcliff]

Please don’t do this without being asked. At best, it can come across as “pick me”. At worst, it can create HR headaches for the chair (assuming this isn’t an AMC). Send a brief inquiry asking and explaining the situation and then if they ask to see your CV, you can send it then.

This is interesting -- Mind if I ask why / how this could cause an HR headache?

 

[futureapppsy2]

This is interesting -- Mind if I ask why / how this could cause an HR headache?

HR is very strict about the application process, at least formally, going through the same channels for everyone, at least for a TT, junior faculty position. Depending on the university, HR could potentially look at it as the chair reviewing application materials outside of the official channels, potentially introducing bias. Is it dumb? Yes. Does it happen? Also yes, and running afoul of HR could cause issues with the search as a whole.