'So, you will be our competitor?': Department chair cancels promised academic position for PhD student, student forced to relocate, later secures job at a competing program, tells department chair that he plans to recruit all his former students

Author image for Emma Saven
Emma Saven
Jan 25, 2026 1:00 PM EST

When the student becomes the teacher: 

Those who believe in Karma may want to stick around for this story…

More often than not, those who get "screwed over" in life will often find themselves on top eventually. Or the other way around. Because life has a funny way of dealing people the cards they deserve: you either get kings, or twos…and that choice is often a result of the way you treat others, whether you believe in karma or not…The proof is in the way life tends to work out for you. 

So when you have the choice between love and honesty, or hatefulness and deceit, we highly recommend that you go with the first option. That is, of course, if you wish to live a fruitful life. Listen, don't get it twisted, we're not saying that bad things don't happen to good people…What we're trying to emphasize here is that if you treat people with kindness and consideration, there is a much higher chance of being rewarded than someone who doesn't…Whether that reward comes externally, or simply from within. 

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  • Imagine being offered a job position, only for them to abruptly pull the rug from right under you. Well, this PhD student doesn't need to close his eyes and imagine: This is his reality. This student was encouraged by his department to apply for a visiting professor position, a role the department “desperately” needed filled. Only for the department to cancel the offer a few weeks later, despite this international student relying on the job for his visa status, housing, and family support! To make things worse, the hiring season was expiring, forcing him to scramble through tons of applications…But it seems fate was on his side. 

    Eventually, he received two late offers! He ended up picking a Mechanical Engineering position, broke his lease, and relocated. Just like that, Karma had taken his side…Because this decision led him to a tenure-track assistant professorship that would allow him to help grow the department. One day, by chance, he ran into his former chair and shared with him the success of his current university's Aerospace Engineering program that was launching. The chair responded by stating that they would now be ‘competitions’…and instead of shrugging off the sly comment, this student replied that he was excited to recruit all the students from their former institution…

    Leaving the chair speechless, it seems karma was not on his side. 

  • 01
    Professor helping out a confused student with a task
    via rido

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    Was I in the wrong for rubbing it in to the department chair?

    I'll keep this short. I was a PhD student at a respectable university, teaching classes while finishing my degree.
    via Aljribi
  • 03
    The department chair approached me and asked me to apply for a newly opened Visiting Assistant Professor position.
    via Aljribi
  • 04
    He stated that they needed me to teach specific courses I was comfortable with in the upcoming fall semester.
    via Aljribi
  • 05
    Then May arrived, and he told me that they had canceled the position and that I should "go figure something else out." Keep in mind, I am an international scholar who was counting on this position for my OPT (Optional Practical Training).
    via Aljribi
  • 06
    I had even renewed my lease for another year. At the time, I also had a wife and a one- year-old son to support.
    via Aljribi
  • 07
    May is extremely late to apply for faculty positions. The majority of the 60+ universities I applied to emailed me stating they had already filled their positions.
    via Aljribi
  • 08
    Stressed man lying with his head on his desk, in front of his open laptop
    via karola-g

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    Somehow, I got lucky and received two offers: one in Mechanical Engineering (ME) in the same state, and another in Aerospace Engineering (my specific field) that was quite far away.
    via Aljribi
  • 10
    I decided to accept the ME position, paid a hefty fee to break my lease, and moved.
    via Aljribi
  • 11
    Recently, I ran into my former department chair at a conference, and he asked how I was doing.
    via Aljribi
  • 12
    I told him I was fine-better than fine, actually. I had secured a tenure- track Assistant Professor position, rather than a visiting one.
    via Aljribi
  • 13
    I explained that while my current school previously only had Mechanical Engineering, we are launching an Aerospace Engineering degree this upcoming fall.
    via Aljribi
  • 14
    He replied, "So, you will be our competitor?" I said, "No, not just competitors. I know your university is struggling with the courses I used to teach.
    via Aljribi
  • 15
    Since your institution is private and expensive, and we are a public university, I plan to recruit all those students to my program instead." Finally, I thanked him for getting rid of me.
    via Aljribi
  • 16
    will7179 It would be good either way. Rub it in or let them wonder why everything is falling apart. I would have rubbed it in to see the look on their face.
    via will7179
  • 17
    OP Aljribi I loved seeing his reaction. It was something that made me feel good after all the struggles!
    via Aljribi
  • 18
    Two male coworkers having an intense conversation in an office
    via gettysignature

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 19
    TararaBoomDA Well played.
    via TararaBoomDA
  • 20
    OP Aljribi Thank you!
    via Aljribi
  • 21
    imhereforthevotes This is the kind of bullshit that is absolutely unconscionable but happens relatively frequently in academia. And I say this as an academic. It's awful.
    via imhereforthevotes
  • 22
    OP Aljribi It's awful, and I hate this side of it.
    via Aljribi
  • 23
    Appropriate-Battle32 Did you drop the mic?
    via Appropriate-Battle32
  • 24
    OP Aljribi I should have done so ! better late than never
    via Aljribi
  • 25
    El-ite_96369 Speaking as someone who was also screwed in the professional world... Not all heroes wear capes!
    via El-ite_96369
  • 26
    OP Aljribi That's how we learn, we get screwed up and then rise!
    via Aljribi
  • 27
    Evening Delay_1856 Glad you put him in his place.
    via Evening_Delay_1856
  • 28
    Excellent-Shape-2024 The best revenge is a life well lived.
    via Excellent-Shape-2024

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