Part of being a scientist is applying for things- grants, fellowships, jobs, and others. And of course, much of the time you are rejected after applying. However, sometimes you do get a grant, or a job, and at least part of the time, you might know that you were not the first choice. So what does it mean if you are a second choice, and what should you do about it, if anything?
I have personal experience with being the second choice. I happen to know that I was the second choice for the postdoc position that I eventually got. I was also the second choice for my current position. How I know does not particularly matter, but there is often evidence of being the second choice in the timing of an offer. In both of my cases of being a second choice, I was informed by my prospective employers that I was the second choice, so I could not salve my ego with the balm of ambiguity.
What does it mean that you are the second choice? I think the only thing it means is that the prospective advisor, or search committee, or department, decided to offer the position to someone else first. You won’t ever really know why this happens, but having seen this from the other side, it is usually contingent and has nothing to do with candidate quality. The other candidate might just fit the job ad or position a little better, even if the department (or postdoc advisor) really liked you. You might actually be the first choice, but the department choice was vetoed by the chair or dean. Even if you were not the first choice of the department or dean, you were some of the faculty’s first choice, guaranteed. And even if it is just one person making a decision (like a potential postdoc advisor), they are making their first and second choices with imperfect information. Speaking again from the other side of the decision-making, I have often reflected on how a department’s second choice turned out to be perfect for what we needed, and probably worked out better than our first choice.
So what should you do about it if you find out you are the second choice? I think the only thing you need to do is not give that fact any weight at all. You were someone’s favorite (at least if a department or committee is making the decision), and nobody remembers who is first or second after a few months anyhow. My postdoc advisor ended up being a friend and long-time collaborator, despite being his second choice. I have loved my time at FIU, made friends with good colleagues, and earned tenure at FIU despite being second choice. It would be a real tragedy if something ultimately trivial like being a second choice poisoned what was otherwise a good opportunity.
I have personal experience with being the second choice. I happen to know that I was the second choice for the postdoc position that I eventually got. I was also the second choice for my current position. How I know does not particularly matter, but there is often evidence of being the second choice in the timing of an offer. In both of my cases of being a second choice, I was informed by my prospective employers that I was the second choice, so I could not salve my ego with the balm of ambiguity.
What does it mean that you are the second choice? I think the only thing it means is that the prospective advisor, or search committee, or department, decided to offer the position to someone else first. You won’t ever really know why this happens, but having seen this from the other side, it is usually contingent and has nothing to do with candidate quality. The other candidate might just fit the job ad or position a little better, even if the department (or postdoc advisor) really liked you. You might actually be the first choice, but the department choice was vetoed by the chair or dean. Even if you were not the first choice of the department or dean, you were some of the faculty’s first choice, guaranteed. And even if it is just one person making a decision (like a potential postdoc advisor), they are making their first and second choices with imperfect information. Speaking again from the other side of the decision-making, I have often reflected on how a department’s second choice turned out to be perfect for what we needed, and probably worked out better than our first choice.
So what should you do about it if you find out you are the second choice? I think the only thing you need to do is not give that fact any weight at all. You were someone’s favorite (at least if a department or committee is making the decision), and nobody remembers who is first or second after a few months anyhow. My postdoc advisor ended up being a friend and long-time collaborator, despite being his second choice. I have loved my time at FIU, made friends with good colleagues, and earned tenure at FIU despite being second choice. It would be a real tragedy if something ultimately trivial like being a second choice poisoned what was otherwise a good opportunity.
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