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Ack. I was offered a new position at work for which I don't know the English name, but basically you're part of a group that develops and oversees the courses at the department. Also there is some administration. I agonized over this decision for two days and then finally said yes. Previously I have had 80 % teaching and 20 % research, now I will have 25 % of this position, which will displace some of my teaching.
Pros:
- I like the people in this group; I think they will be fun and easy to work with.
- I like working in groups in general, and teaching doesn't actually give me much interaction with my peers.
- I'm interested in teaching/education and this will give me a broader view of the courses at the department.
- If you are engaged in your work and show some sort of organizational skill you will inevitably be asked these kinds of questions. I have already turned down one position because I had objections to it. And I do not want to be some kind of boss, because I have objections to that, too. I feel like I can't keep turning stuff down, and this is one position that I can see myself taking.
- The workplace wouldn't work unless people take turns with these kinds of positions. It doesn't have to be a lifetime thing; I can do it for a few years and then step down.
- I like the person who asked me and I didn't want to disappoint her - this is not a reasoned pro, but more like a contributing psychological explanation to why I said yes.
Cons:
- I will have a more uneven workload over the year: right now I have four courses over the year, now one of them will disappear, but OTOH I will have more work during the other three periods.
- My research will probably suffer. Before, I had time to do some research alongside my teaching, but now I probably won't. I'm not sure if I can do concentrated research when I have no teaching, and I'm afraid I'll lose the research time that I do have, if I don't publish anything.
- I do a lot of organizational work in my free time and I'm worried that will suffer, partly because of the uneven workload and partly because I'll get an overload of organizational work.
Augh. I kind of wish I hadn't gotten the question! Once I had, there was no perfect answer. : ( Did I do the right thing or not, O internet people?
Pros:
- I like the people in this group; I think they will be fun and easy to work with.
- I like working in groups in general, and teaching doesn't actually give me much interaction with my peers.
- I'm interested in teaching/education and this will give me a broader view of the courses at the department.
- If you are engaged in your work and show some sort of organizational skill you will inevitably be asked these kinds of questions. I have already turned down one position because I had objections to it. And I do not want to be some kind of boss, because I have objections to that, too. I feel like I can't keep turning stuff down, and this is one position that I can see myself taking.
- The workplace wouldn't work unless people take turns with these kinds of positions. It doesn't have to be a lifetime thing; I can do it for a few years and then step down.
- I like the person who asked me and I didn't want to disappoint her - this is not a reasoned pro, but more like a contributing psychological explanation to why I said yes.
Cons:
- I will have a more uneven workload over the year: right now I have four courses over the year, now one of them will disappear, but OTOH I will have more work during the other three periods.
- My research will probably suffer. Before, I had time to do some research alongside my teaching, but now I probably won't. I'm not sure if I can do concentrated research when I have no teaching, and I'm afraid I'll lose the research time that I do have, if I don't publish anything.
- I do a lot of organizational work in my free time and I'm worried that will suffer, partly because of the uneven workload and partly because I'll get an overload of organizational work.
Augh. I kind of wish I hadn't gotten the question! Once I had, there was no perfect answer. : ( Did I do the right thing or not, O internet people?
