Flyouts are starting, so here’s a quick 🧵 on advice for introverts like me. One of the challenging parts of the jm is high social interaction, possibly made more difficult if you have constraints (familial, locational) that you want to keep private at first. #EconTwitter
As to strategy for disclosures – I’ll let others speak to that, other than to say I agree you should always be truthful, but you can choose not to reveal certain things. But that can add stress, making it even harder to chat comfortably.
So, a few quick thoughts (more on the side of the non-econ part of the discussions, not the research part.) Come prepared with a few topics that are of broad interest. Hobbies? Books? Movies? Food tastes? All good. Don’t force it, of course.
But it’s good to have a couple of ideas about low-key topics to introduce if there’s a good moment for it. People want to get to know you, + you can also hear a bit about them. Again, for introverts it can be easier to think about this a bit in advance
If you’re uncertain about the location + don’t want to share your opinion (or don’t have one yet), discuss potential connections. Ever visited the area? Interested in a local attraction? Family or friends nearby? All good places to start!
(And yes, this may play out differently over zoom – but I assume it’s still very likely ppl will discuss locations.)
Of course, have some questions ready about the dept.
Of course, have some questions ready about the dept.
Some can and will be widely applicable, but also good to have some more targeted + specifically linked to your plans. Ie: I do a lot of fieldwork, can I hear more about your IRB? Or: I’m eager to incorporate students into my research projects, how can I access RA funding? Etc
Finally, just be aware that discussions will hugely differ. Some people may grill you very closely; some will just chat about econ and non-econ topics; some will sell the dept to you as if you already have the job. All very weak signals
This probably mainly reflect the preferences + style of the people you’re talking to; don’t overinterpret any of them. Good luck. . .it'll speed by, you'll be nervously shy-networking at professional conferences (or zoom-ferences) in no time!
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