19 Twenty-six Rejection Letters

As I've been clearing out my files, I ran across a folder of job rejection letters.  Either I only got twenty-six or I only saved twenty-six (in my memory it seems like I received more).  As with most competitions, there are more losers than winners on most academic job searches.  I've decided to choose one of the most interesting sentences from each letter.  I had forgotten that I'd sent packets to some of these colleges just because I wanted to work there, not because they had an ad in the Chronicle.  Most begin with the "Dear Ms. Huck," salutation, but not all.

All letters from 1988.

January 11 Dear Ms. Huck ..... While your credentials are impressive, the Committee feels that your background and experience are not entirely appropriate for our needs at this time.- Oregon Institute of Technology.

February 2.... I regret to inform you that we have no appropriate openings in your areas of expertise.- The Evergreen State College

February 2, Dear Karen . . . At the present time we have no vacancy in the area of your preparation. - Blue Mountain Community College

February 11, [no greeting]  Although we do not maintain potential applicant files, we have enclosed a card for you to complete and return so that we may contact you should an opening arise within a year. - Linn-Benton Community College

February 19, Dear Applicant: . . . . As it turned out we had more than 250 applications for the available positions.  As a result we had to turn down many highly qualified applicants. - University of California, San Diego

March 4 . . . We have offered the position to another candidate who has accepted - Seattle Pacific University

March 8, Dear Ms. Huck Karen . . . [in hand writing below the boilerplate] "Good luck in finding a position, Karen, Bruce" - Idaho State University

March 8. . . While the members of the committee recognized several areas in which you would make positive contributions to our Department, we have not selected you as a finalist for the position. - University of Oregon

March 9 . . . I regret to inform you that your letter arrived after the closing date for application. - Oregon State University

March 17 . . . there are no vacancies in your area of expertise at the present time. - Centralia College

March 21 . . . Should a vacancy, commensurate with your background and skill occur during this time, you will be notified and invited to apply. - South Puget Sound Community College

[no date] [no salutation] . . . We have no openings at this time, and do not anticipate any during the current academic year. - Southwestern Oregon Community College

March 28. . . Your letter of inquiry has been placed on file where it will remain for a year . . . an application form . . . is enclosed. - South Seattle Community College

April 1 . . . This department has concluded its search. - California State University, Sacramento

April 4 . . . The process of filling the position for which you applied is progressing, but I regret to report that your name does not appear on the Search Committee's final list of applicants to be considered further. - Arizona State University

April 14 . . . In a nutshell, what has happened is that we reviewed the completed application packets, conducted some interviews, and then, after considerable discussion, decided to not fill the position in the 1988-89 academic year. - Southern Oregon State College

April 13 . . . It appears as if we will be making a decision from the pool of applicants now under consideration. - Binghamton

April 18. . . After great deliberation and consideration of our needs, we have offered the position to a candidate, who has accepted. - Memphis State University

May 16 . . . I regret to report that your application was not successful, yet I trust that you will take some consolation in knowing just how outstanding the pool of applicants was. - University of Iowa

May 18 . . . [the entirety of the letter follows:]  We are writing to express appreciation to you for applying for our Temporary Assistant Professor position, and to inform you that we have appointed a person to that position. -  University of Georgia

May 20 . . . However, there are no openings in the Communication or Journalism department at the present time. - Lower Columbia College

May 31 . . . the teaching position available in our Department has been filled. - Kutztown University

May 31 . . . The position for which you applied in the Department of Speech and Communication Studies at Gustavus Adolphus College has been filled for 1988-89. - Gustavus Adolphus College

June 6 . . . After careful review of all applications and supporting documents, the faculty and I have recommended to our dean the appointment of another applicant whose qualifications are better matched to our needs. - Cal Poly

June 24 . . . We had several qualified candidates and it was a difficult decision. - John Carroll University

June [?]  Dear Colleague:  . . . We would like to thank you for your interest in our program and we wish you the best of luck in your search. - University of Wisconsin - Whitewater


Most of the letters ended like the letter from Wisconsin -- which wished me the "best of luck."  And I had it.