It's Practice Job Talk Season: How to Prepare for Criticism

I just saw this on twitter:

"The best way to prepare for criticism is to write down what you expect to hear.
Negative feedback stings less when you see it coming.
The comments you didn't anticipate are an opportunity to learn about your blind spots."

--Adam Grant #WednesdayWisdom

You will probably never be able to produce a paper that is criticism-proof. If you keep waiting to think of a criticism-proof idea, you probably will never write anything. That said, keep in mind that it is your responsibility to know the pitfalls of your paper and to be prepared to answer questions about those concerns. If those exact concerns come up during your seminar, then congratulate yourself--your audience understands what you're doing! And is not asleep! If other things come up, then you know you have other problems to worry about, too. It's a good thing you still have time to improve before your actual job talks or you send the paper out to a journal.