Is it too soon to call?

June 12, 2018 1:46 PM

I am trying to arrange a practicum for my next semester,but I waited a bit too late to begin contacting people and I am freaking out. I contacted a potential supervisor on Friday and haven't heard back (yes, I realize it's only Tuesday!). Would it annoying of me to contact this person tomorrow (Wednesday)? If it's not possible to arrange a practicum, I'd like to know so I can contact other locations!

I'd feel like a jerk if I contacted other potential sites before hearing from her, but time is a big issue here (and that's my fault) and I need to see if I can get something arranged by the end of June. All I need is someone to agree to supervise me in the fall, work details would not be due until August. I am so annoyed with myself for dropping the ball on this. Any other advice? I'm pretty sure I won't be able to arrange anything but the deadline, but I'd like to try.

posted by modesty.blaise to Education (5 answers total)

I'm a teacher who checks her email much less often during summer vacation, especially right after the school year ends and the break starts. If it's the end of the school year, she's probably super busy with grades and the like and your request is on the backburner. It's possible that she hasn't seen it yet; it's also possible that she's seen it and is mulling over it. When I have been asked to be a cooperating teacher, I almost always need at least a week to consider my options because it's a big commitment. I would argue that, if it were a definite no -- and she's seen your email, she'd have already emailed back. I'd wait until Thursday or Friday to reach out again. You want to seem eager but not annoying, which is a fine and difficult line to toe, I know. You can always reach out to other potential teachers now and see if someone gets back to you faster. Explore your options because there's no need to put all your eggs in just one basket yet.
posted by smorgasbord at 1:53 PM on June 12, 2018

Response by poster: Oops, I probably should have been more specific about my field. I'm hoping to arrange a practicum in a library, not a school. I'm not sure why I was so vague when I wrote my question!
posted by modesty.blaise at 1:54 PM on June 12, 2018

Given that you have two weeks to set this up you probably need to be contacting multiple places at once even if it doesn’t make you feel like a jerk.

Someone might chime in and say that this is a big no no in the library field but until then I don’t think you really have that luxury.
posted by raccoon409 at 2:17 PM on June 12, 2018 [3 favorites]

Agreeing with raccoon409. I would be contacting anyone I could possibly think of if I were you. If someone contacts you back and you have already found a place it is unlikely they will be worked up about it.
posted by charmedimsure at 3:32 PM on June 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

It’s ok to graciously bow out if you contact someone and they seem interested but you got a hard yes from a previous contact.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:44 PM on June 12, 2018 [1 favorite]