Earlier today, the following question arrived in my inbox:
Good morning, my dear academic friends,
As I am preparing my first apps to go out on Monday, it has been suggested to me that I should "brand" myself to make my image more memorable. The main focus of my research is on women and reproduction and, therefore, a fertility symbol as a seal or near my name and/or signature is what this person has proposed. What do you all think of this idea? Have you seen personal branding used in academia? Does it seem appropriate for job applications?
My thought is no. Don't do it. Being memorable isn't always a good thing. Showing creativity and flair can be beneficial, but as soon as someone looks at your seal or symbol and says "huh? weird..." or worse "wtf?," your credibility goes down.
One other dear academic friend has responded, saying no as well:
I say no for a number of reasons. First, I would be hesitant to brand myself with a fertility symbol; it's a very limited view of your research or potential as a teacher. Second, you are taking a big chance on whether or not they will "get it"; you don't want them to think you are expressing your fertility. Third, academics are still a very traditional environment, best to play the game. Just my opinion......
What do the rest of you think? If not this, is there any way to stand out without endangering your credibility? Personally, I'm going to send out Pink, scented vitaes (by owl post, of course). And my application materials will be placed in a handmade envelope, sealed with wax. At first I was thinking my seal should just be a big, fancy "A", but I don't want people to mistake it for a scarlet letter. Or maybe they'd just think I was a loud and proud atheist.
What would a good seal for a self & identity scholar be? A mirror? Drama masks? Or are seals and symbols a bad idea?
11 comments:
Hmmm...maybe a good logo for a Japanese Sumo Plumber. Or maybe I just have a backwards way of looking at things.
Heh. It does kind of look like a Japanese Sumo Plumber.
I was once on a sociology search committee where the head of the committee made fun of a CV because it was printed on pink paper. The head clearly saw the color of the paper as a sign that the applicant was inappropriate for our department.
I agree with the advice of Anomie and her friend. Don't do it.
I agree - it'd be silly to do this. Totally opening the door to WTF reactions and the kind of branding you wouldn't want. "Oh, yeah, I remember that app - good ol' Dr. Vulva/Butt Crack."
Oh goodness I certainly wouldn't want to be remembered as Dr. Butt Crack"!
Anomie, I think what you have discovered by the feedback is that you do not belong at a number of these departments. Be yourself, stick to your "brand" and find a department that values that brand.
Choosing a logo for a business or a personal brand is difficult and is an ongoing process of revision.
Do not be discouraged by the stuck-in-the-muds who would prefer that you do not stand out... they simply don't want to appear as outdated as they are.
Good luck!
The advice I've always heard about the job market is not to give the committee any reason to place your application in the "reject" pile. It seems like having a symbol by your name (even if your name is Prince) is a way to end up in that pile.
I think that the person that suggested branding has a very limited understanding of what 'personal branding' means. There is a book I read recently "Me 2.0", that focuses on personal branding as a way of linking everything advertising your research, skills, etc with common themes.
The book talks about using identical color schemes on your website & business cards and the same language to describe your goals/interests in all venues where this sort of thing would take place. Your brand is created by giving your audience some idea of what to expect from you based on your carefully crafted activities.
In the case of academia, something like a teaching statement would be a part of your personal brand. Unless I missed it, putting something like a fertility symbol beside your name wasn't a part of the personal branding approach.
As someone who has applied for jobs in academia and the private sector, you want to stand out by what is written in your cover lettle, CV and teaching statment. Anything else will be a fast track to file X.
I know it's hard, I've been battling the job search too. But you have to believe that your skills are what will get you in the door.
Good Luck
Oh my god. Surely the person who sent that e-mail was joking, right? Right? I can't think of any job market for which this would be appropriate, up to and including rock star and prostitute.
You know I actually wondered whether it wasn't a fellow on-the-market grad student in the same general field trying to sabotage an opponent, but my mind tends toward the most nefarious of motives.
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