No way to run a university

Right. I’m applying for a lectureship at my own University, having failed so far to get one anywhere else. I’ve been told by my head of school that I won’t get this job, but that I should apply anyway because it may give them the incentive to move me onto a teaching fellowship which they’ll then use as a two-year probationary period before trying to find a junior lectureship for me (if I perform well enough that is, and I’ll still have to go through the probationary period for new lecturers). I know this sounds like jam tomorrow (or rather, jam the day after tomorrow), but that’s all I have. I’m not entirely pleased about it.

I received the invitation to interview from HR yesterday (actually on Monday, but didn’t tell me about it until yesterday). The interview is for the 22nd, which is next Tuesday. Unfortunately, the 22nd is also ‘s birthday, and I’ve had that day booked off as leave for the last couple of months. Quite why they sent the notification out by post at such short notice, I know not. The letter from HR mentions only the interview, and doesn’t say anything about a research seminar, which would be the norm for a lectureship application.

What really rankles is that I’ve just had an email giving me the date for my research seminar, namely the 21st, or next Monday. Two working days’ notice is far less than adequate, to put it bluntly. I cannot believe that they’ve given similarly short notice to the other candidates, most of whom will presumably not be internal candidates.