system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How much does your PhD supervisor’s reputation impact how others view you and/or your job prospects?

I am a PhD candidate co-supervised by 2 professors (one senior, one very recent assistant prof) who work very closely together and have divisive reputations. I would describe them as “radical.” Some people adore them, while others find their highly non-traditional approaches (e.g. kind of rabble-rousers, intentionally publishing in non-academic journals, pushing the limits of the system) off-putting. Two (!!) committee members actually left the committee due to internal disagreements. It’s been a little difficult logistically for me as a student, but I’ve learned a lot and at this point I’m almost done.

I admire and respect what they do, but am more mainstream. As I go on the job market, how much will hiring committees automatically associate me with them? Just curious if I should even bother applying to more conventional departments where their research might be seen as antagonistic.

TIA!
gpt
For jobs at research-focused, PhD-granting institutions, probably a moderate amount, but entirely dependent on how much your work looks like theirs. At all other institutions, probably doesn't matter at all unless "outside the mainstream" means controversial at the level of public discourse, i.e. racist, sexist, or dubiously ethical methods..