One of the many observations we can make about the Amy Bishop case: It’s hard to understand the culture of a profession from the outside.

Tenure is critical to academics. Originally the idea was to protect free speech. Nowadays I think many professors acknowledge they would not undertake a long and arduous education just to get an ordinary job. Just as many mlitary members accept low pay in anticipation of retirement benefits and lifetime health care, professors tolerate low pay in return for lifetime eontracts. It should be noted that “low pay” no longer holds in some departments; business professors can start in $100-$150,000 salaries and I believe law professors do as well or better.

Tenure is also important because professors have trouble finding jobs. The system is structured so that you have your greatest opportunities at entry level. Some professors who are denied tenure at one university go on to stellar careers, often at universities equally distinguished. One professor who was denied tenure later become editor of a prestigious journal, where he had the honor of reviewing the work of his former colleagues who denied him tenure.

Tenure can be two-edged sword. I’ve met several people who left academia after holding tenured positions (and I’ve done the same) because they really didn’t want to remain at the institutions where they received tenure. Changes in administration or their own desire for new careers led them to move on. It is very difficult to change jobs after a professor earns tenure.

It is very, very difficult to move from academia to other fields. The author of Cliff Walk, Ron Snyder, wrote about his struggles after being denied tenure at a small but prestigious university. He was in a competitive field and he hadn’t produced research papers so his academic prospects were dim. Reviewers of his book frequently criticized him for not seeking a job in publishing or public relations.

In fact, academic backgrounds do not translate elsewhere. Even on the Internet, when I say I am a “former college professor,” readers’ eyes glaze over. They’d rather hear about someone who is a former actor, corporate executive, Wall Street trader, lawyer, truck driver…even kindergarten teacher.  Professors get a bad rap. At one Internet marketing conference, a speaker said unabashedly, “You remember how much you hated college? All those boring professors?” I went up to him afterwards to say that I may have been many things, but boring wasn’t one of them.

Professors themselves often say that academic battles are bitter because the stakes are small. In my experience, they are not small. Having a windowless office that’s a converted broom closet versus a spacious office with windows will influence whether you come in every day or find  reasons to stay home and be less productive. Getting an office on the “wrong” floor means you are isolated and out of the loop (a ploy often used to marginalize minorities and mavericks). Having a bad class schedule means your research time evaporates and you get lower course evaluations because you’re getting students at their grumpiest.

For an ecourse about career strategy, visit http://www.MidlifeCareerChoice.com

Whether the kids contributed or not isn’t the point. In academic papers, it’s not uncommon to add additional names to the author list as a courtesy. Thesis directors often are added to articles published by their students, even though the articles were substantially changed since the dissertation. It’s not uncommon for grad students to ghost articles for professors. Junior profs often are pressured to add names or senior profs in their department. And senior profs and thesis directors sometimes add names of junior colleagues or research assistants just to help tthem out. It’s a *very* common practice. So I could see where a professor might add kids’ names without thinking it was a big deal.

Ford Myers : Get The Job You Want Even  When No One’s Hiring

This book is sone of the better career change and job search books I’ve read in a while. But it’s got at least one flaw.

On page 27, the author suggests that substitute teaching can be a way to earn extra money. Maybe you can be a “sub” for elementary and high schools, but be aware that these jobs are exhausting and demanding. They don’t pay a whole lot: you might do better as a Starbucks barista.

But one element of the author’s advicei is simply inaccurate. I have never, ever heard of substitute teaching in colleges, and I was a university professor for 20+ years. You don’t get a university job by applying to the human resource department. You write to the dean. Competition is keen for these jobs and I’m not aware that they’re looking for people with real world experience. You can get a part-time teaching job at a university; it’s called beng an “adjunct” and you’ll enjoy low pay and bottom-of-the-totem-pole status. These jobs aren’t especially good for networking either.

There’s a HUGE amount of mis-information out there about teaching jobs. That’s one reason I continue to offer consulting on academic careers: after 20+ years as a classroom and online professor, I can demystify academic careers.

Q: I would like to get into college teaching, after several year in corporate life. I have no teaching experience but have made lots of presentation.

A. I’ve taught college level courses as full-time, tenured and adjunct faculty. I’ve taught online and offline, in classrooms and conference rooms. So I love this question.

(1) You absolutely need an advanced degree. To serve as an adjunct (a low-paid part-timer who teaches a course or two), you may get by with a masters degree. Junior colleges and community colleges typically hire teachers with just mastesr degrees, but they may also require credentials, certification and teaching experience. To make meaningful progress, you need a PhD.

(2) Make sure your degrees come from reputable, recognized schools. Don’t just go by accreditation. Call three or four colleges where you might like to teach. Ask if they consider faculty with degrees from BusyPeople University.

A quick degree from an online alternative university can seem like a great deal. For some students, it’s perfect. If you’re serious about college teaching, you need the strongest academic background you can get.

For tips on choosing a school, I’ve written Back to School for a Midlife Career.

(3) Choose your jobs wisely: you go down, not up.

In some fields, you start low and work up to the top. Broadcasters typically start in small towns and work up to major markets.

Universities work differently. It’s rare to move up — and almost impossible within the same school. If you accept a position as an adjunct professor, chances are you will be barred from consideration for a full-time position. The rules may be unwritten, but very powerful.

I once got a call from a life coach looking for a new career. I agreed to talk for 15 minutes at no charge. As we got into the conversation, she mentioned that she was talking to 21 coaches before making up her mind. She followed up our call with a dozen more questions

I could use the business but I said, “If you’re still not sure I suggest you find someone else.”

This strategy of “just one more thing” happens all the time. When you’re on the receiving end, you might consider plotting your own exit strategy.

Insurance companies use “just one more” as a delaying tactic. Before they pay a claim, they want to see just one more piece of paper…one more question to be answered.

When you’re a job candidate, though, it’s hard to interpret what’s going on. Sometimes you need to realize you’re dealing with a company (or a boss) who’s going to be a high-maintenance hassle as long as you’re there. Or you may be walking into a situation that’s not right for you.

In her book, Carly Fiorina writes about her interviews with Hewlett-Packard. To avoid rumors she had to meet recruiters and H-P managers in out of the way places. She agreed to everything, including a psychological evaluation. She may have done a good job for H-P (she points out that her successor just continued her program), but she never fit in and, as just about everyone knows, as ignominiously fired. (No sympathy needed: her severance ran into the millions.)

Another view: One of my acquaintances “Pauline” applied for a humble assistant professor job at a medium size, middle tier university. She kept getting called back for more interviews. The committee peppered her with questions. They even demanded to see her PhD diploma — a very rare move.

Later Pauline learned the committee had been divided right down the middle. Half wanted “Len” and half wanted “Laura.” So they compromised on Pauline. Pauline wasn’t as strong a candidate as either Len or Laura.

But she was happy to take the job. She was limited to a particular location and she had few other options. So she took a chance. And contrary to what you might expect, she went on to a long and satisfying career with her new university. They treated her like royalty. They gave her all sorts of special consideration.

I’d like to find a lesson to learn here, but all I can say is, “Sometimes you get lucky. Or you go with your intuition, disregard the facts, and expect a great outcome.