Post by aa on Sept 4, 2009 16:35:27 GMT -5
Dear colleagues:
Like most of you I am in the middle of the job application process.
Among many other things, I am confused with printing pages and pages of material to mail to the schools: my CV, my cover, my teaching portfolio, my articles. More than a hundred pages total!
I believe all schools have the technology to accept applications online. Why don't they? It's faster, cheaper and environmentally-friendly. Why do we have to keep printing the same hundred pages over and over again, make a trip to the post office, pay money? One should not forget the staff on the receiving end, of course. They end up spending hours to sort the paper applications.
If they are not able to accept applications online, for some reason that I cannot think of, then perhaps they should ask for less material. Most schools will eliminate a large portion of applicants on the basis of the information provided in the CVs and cover letters anyway. So why do they ask for the other 90 pages at the initial stage?
Could we perhaps add a section on the wiki that says "Green Departments" and list their names (Stanford, Michigan, UC schools...etc. ) so maybe others will be encouraged to follow the practice?
Just a thought...
Like most of you I am in the middle of the job application process.
Among many other things, I am confused with printing pages and pages of material to mail to the schools: my CV, my cover, my teaching portfolio, my articles. More than a hundred pages total!
I believe all schools have the technology to accept applications online. Why don't they? It's faster, cheaper and environmentally-friendly. Why do we have to keep printing the same hundred pages over and over again, make a trip to the post office, pay money? One should not forget the staff on the receiving end, of course. They end up spending hours to sort the paper applications.
If they are not able to accept applications online, for some reason that I cannot think of, then perhaps they should ask for less material. Most schools will eliminate a large portion of applicants on the basis of the information provided in the CVs and cover letters anyway. So why do they ask for the other 90 pages at the initial stage?
Could we perhaps add a section on the wiki that says "Green Departments" and list their names (Stanford, Michigan, UC schools...etc. ) so maybe others will be encouraged to follow the practice?
Just a thought...
