My dream title of professor arrives in January, but only for a short while. I thought it was a reach when I applied for a temporary position at a prestigious liberal-arts college and was elated when I got the offer. It's my chance to test-drive the career I've sought for almost a decade. What could be more perfect?
I am excited about this unique opportunity but, strangely, I still spend far too much time worrying. Accepting this job is a bold step, but I'm already concerned about the next step. If I enjoy the liberal-arts job, I'll still need to do a postdoc, kick-start a research project and then apply for tenure-track jobs at this or other colleges. Although more focused on teaching than research, liberal-arts colleges still expect professors to set up a lab where undergraduates can do semi-independent research. As these jobs don't bring in a lot of grant money or start-up funds right away, this creates a tricky catch. A candidate's research needs to be 'hot' enough for the candidate to get the job, yet cheap enough for him or her to be able to do it at the college.
So, there you have it. The worry circle continues. I haven't taught a single class at the college yet, but already I'm tortured with choosing a research area that will land the tenure-track gig, which I anticipate I'll want. Perhaps this is actually a sign of my confidence? I am confident that next semester will be really fun.