Academics! About to recommend a colleague to help someone else with their teaching, research or events? Please check first that said colleague has time and capacity to assist. And make anyone you're referring to them aware that they shouldn't be expecting anyone to work for free
"_______ said you'd be able to help me with..." is the starter of so many emails I get.
When _________ is any number of academics who've not checked first if I'm willing, able or qualified to assist.
When _________ is any number of academics who've not checked first if I'm willing, able or qualified to assist.
Be as swift at putting someone forward for paid work using their expertise as you are to give their details to answer someone else's questions you don't want to deal with.
Encouraging people to contact colleagues with questions that said colleagues have already answered in free or paid for resources is making additional unpaid work for already busy colleagues. Recommend their books, blogs, training, toolkits and events instead!
Putting people forward for paid work, or other voluntary things they've specified they're interested in - alongside recommending and amplifying their work - is really important and useful. Check they're in a place to accept opportunities and do that more ☺️
Questions to ask before we send people (particularly students) to ask colleagues for unpaid advice
- has my colleague said they're open to help?
- how will this benefit my colleague?
- could I hire my colleague to help?
- am I pushing work I don't want to do onto my colleague?
- has my colleague said they're open to help?
- how will this benefit my colleague?
- could I hire my colleague to help?
- am I pushing work I don't want to do onto my colleague?
If we're getting a lot of requests we're passing on we can check our own support mechanisms and employment issues if we're overwhelmed.
We can also answer FAQs online and signpost to additional materials that might help people rather than assuming a colleague can do this.
We can also answer FAQs online and signpost to additional materials that might help people rather than assuming a colleague can do this.
If you want to direct a student or someone else with a request for help on to a colleague and aren’t sure if it’s something the colleague has the time, energy or skills to deal with then you should approach the colleague and ask. Never assume or promise assistance on their behalf
All of this ⬆️ is a #ResearchTip 😊
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