Thursday, December 4, 2008

waiting for emails

I sent out all my postdoc emails, but, as expected, people mostly won't know about funding until February. That is, those people who have replied--most have not.

The main email I am waiting for now is a reply from my boss. I just emailed him some updates about the postdoc emails and also said I was pregnant. He was great about it last time, but this time I am finishing my thesis and about to start a postdoc so I am worried that he will be concerned about that. Perhaps I shouldn't have told him so early, but I hate going to meetings with him and not saying anything, and I worry about it more because I don't know what he'll say about it. Hopefully he will come back with a supportive email soon so I can stop worrying. I mean, he's never been a jerk to me before but I can't help worrying that he could start any time, and I have very little control over my postdoc recommendation letters and even when I finish my thesis. Cross your fingers for me!

2 comments:

Erica said...

Ugh, I know the feeling. I am waiting to hear about jobs too.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed about the boss. He's generally very loyal to his students (all of them, but especially his good ones, of whom you are one) and I can't imagine this would adversely affect your letters - if anything, he will be impressed by the great work you are doing with him while raising a family at home.

One smidge of advice: don't take a postdoc with anyone who doesn't answer your first email. The boss will tell you nobody answers their emails and it is perfectly normal for them to ignore you until he emails them to ask them to give you a job (at least, that's what he told me... maybe he's learned from my experience). But do you really want to work for someone who starts out by ignoring you?

Tinkering Theorist said...

Thanks, capella. Reading your comment just now days after you left it made me think I should post some updates.
Thanks for your take on the email situation. I agree--it is a red flag and it's risky to work for people putting up red flags when there are other opportunities out there.