Submitted my first job application today (academic job). Woot woot! Wait, what's that? My application is not complete because you haven't received the letters of recommendation yet? Well of course you haven't received the letters of recommendation yet, your application specifies that I submit contact information and then you request the letters after I submit the application, which was due today. Oh, the letters had to be both requested and received before the deadline, not just the application? Is there any good reason why you didn't say so on the fucking application, or on the job posting, or ANYWHERE??? Would that have really been so hard to indicate, especially given that a) your deadline is already ridiculously early, b) we have actually spoken via email about application letters since one of my letter writers is out of the country at the moment, and you still didn't bother to say anything about this, and c) typically when applications have us submit contact information and they request a letter rather than having the letters sent by the deadline that means that they're only going to request letters from people who make the first cut?
I'm so fucking irritated right now. They've opened the application back up until Thursday at midnight for my letter writers to submit, but they're starting reviewing applications tomorrow (Tuesday) and "those applications that are complete will be in a stronger position". alkdjsf;sadjf;ljew;oijtkandf;l. And now I get the fun of emailing two of my letter writers to tell them that surprise! they have a deadline of Thursday at midnight. (And there are already letter issues with my adviser that I don't want to get into, so I'm reaaaaaaaaally not looking forward to sending her that email. 10 to 1 she tells me that she needs 2 weeks for new letters, even though I told her the information about the position and deadline 3 weeks ago.)
Academia is turning me into an alcoholic.