It's Morning in Academia

We are about to begin culling the applications that have rolled in in response to our posting a tenure-track job. My paraphrase of the job description is that we are looking for a generalist. Thus, even though Media Studies is not clotted with PhDs like English or history -- I do not derogate; for is not the gorgeous Milky Way clotted with stars? -- we got a handsome crapload of aspirants.

The search is in its first glorious dawn: *Every applicant* looks wonderful on paper. But the search will enter its dark night of the soul soon enough because....

Every applicant looks wonderful on paper.