I found out the other day that in physics, it is common practice for people on the academic job market to publicly share information about ongoing job searches. This brings knowledge in the open that otherwise only travels in insider circles, among those that are “in the know” (and have the gene for gossiping). The original such site in physics appears to be the Theoretical Particle Physics Jobs Rumor Mill. Here are some passages (written in 2002, seven years after its inception) from the history page on that site:

One does not normally associate the high-brow world of particle physics with rumors and gossip-mongering, but the tight academic job market has lead to several web sites that provide rumors of job openings, short lists, offers, and actual hirings. These web sites have adopted the nickname of “rumor mills” and have spread from the original site that focused on particle physics in the U.S and Canada to cover the U.K., Austria, Germany, Greece, New Zealand, Portugal, and Switzerland; there are also sites that deal with nuclear theory and astrophysics. At the start of the academic year, advertisements appear for new faculty positions, and as the searches progress hopeful applicants can monitor the progress of each search by seeing when short lists are compiled and eventually when offers are made and accepted or declined.

The initial reaction from post-docs was generally one of delight, while the reaction of the tenured crowd leaned to the more hostile. Senior scientists tended to have reactions based on the tired refrain of “that’s not how it was when I was young,” followed by comparisons to less-than-reputable journalists and comments like “Aren’t you afraid of being sued?” (Such hostility kept me from openly associating my name with the project until I got my own permanent position.) Now seven years later, rather than being part of a rebellious counter-culture, the rumor mill has become part of the establishment. Physics departments often send job advertisements directly to the rumor mill, and some even send in their short lists in order to avoid any misunderstandings.

I am considering setting up a site to track current developments in the job market for semantics. We would have the job announcements (from LINGUIST List) and then let anyone who has information (or wants to discuss a particular job, or wants to ask a question about a job) add their insights to the page for that job. A wiki might be the best way to set this up. Of course, the site would have to be monitored for spam and incivility.

What do people think?