In matters of job searches and promotions, confidentiality is paramount in order to protect the privacy and dignity of the candidates and allow committees to do their job without disruption. Great care is taken to ensure that letters of recommendation never pass through a candidate's hands, including such measures as the creation of software and the provision of private emails.
Recommenders can thus submit their thoughtfully written letters, documents of life-changing significance to candidates and departments, in perfect confidentiality to committee members who will print them to the communal copy room and leave them there for hours on end.
Totally unrelated, you guys, but my mentor is going up for Full!
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I've applied to a couple where they expect you to upload your letters directly to their online system. Like I have copies of my own letters of recommendation on my hard drive or something. I have no idea what they were thinking when they set that up.
ReplyDeleteSend us the email address to submit a letter. Martin Bell would be happy to voice his support. http://rateyourstudents.blogspot.com/2007/04/outed_3183.html
ReplyDeleteGreat care is taken to ensure that letters of recommendation never pass through a candidate's hands,
ReplyDeleteThat's not been my experience with some recent letters I've had to write and have the candidate themselves submit to the HR system...
I'm the poster--sorry!
ReplyDeleteIn case anyone is still tracking these things, I sometimes comment here under another name which I'm trying to phase out since it's, well, my real one.
In every teaching job I have applied for, I have always been asked to submit the letter myself. Never had it any other way.
ReplyDeleteAlso, resumes are expected to be 1 page long, 2 pages max. Submitting a 68 page "CV" will probably result in the circular file. Not sure why people think otherwise.
It may depend on the position, or the particular search. For tenure track, we've certainly accepted CVs when I've been been on the search committee.
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