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Dear all,

First time question! I work in the humanities; I had my PhD viva a few months ago, and far from being the horrendous experience I'd psyched myself up for, by the end I was quite enjoying getting to talk to people who appeared vaguely interested in my research. I passed with minor corrections, and have since graduated. I'd met my external beforehand, and got on very well with her, subsequently suggesting her to my supervisor as a possible examiner; in the event, she was reasonably (though not effusively) positive about my thesis, etc. and gave some helpful advice on publication, suggesting I submit to a journal for which she is part of the editorial board.

Anyway... cut forward to the present. A lecturer position has recently opened in my external's department. While I have taught fairly extensively, I looked at the current staff profile, and frankly I don't think I have that much hope of getting the job - though I am currently working on a couple of papers (with one nearly ready to send out), I don't have any publications as yet. Their current research assistants/teaching fellows have at least one published paper each. Eeep. Anyway, despite my decidedly lacklustre publication profile, I think I'd feel regretful if I didn't at least try for the job. However, I'm in two minds about whether or not I should contact my external to let her know I'm thinking of applying. Does anyone out there have any suggestions? She did say I was welcome to contact her about future career moves - however, will I sound like a suck-up/cheat/complete idiot over-estimating her own abilities by approaching her about a job in her own department? On the other hand, would it seem odd for my application to appear, and for me *not* to have let her know I was applying?

If anyone has any advice, or personal experience of this kind of situation, I'd be most grateful to hear from you!