Because of this reception, I responded in kind and immediately felt at ease. As a result, I gave one of my best teaching presentations ever. Even the job-negotiation process was pleasant, as I received an offer three days after the interview. Perhaps the moral of the story is that if you go looking for trouble, it will find you. And if the trouble exists before you open your mouth, it's not worth your worrying about it.
Life's too short.
Keep at it and an opportunity will come your way. If so, tell us about it. You can also read others' stories. The Career Talk columnists critique 5 C.V.'s submitted by readers. Statistics on faculty salaries at more than 1,400 institutions.