Making the Short List:Making the Short List:Advice on How to Get an Academic Advice on How to Get an Academic

InterviewInterview

Keith H. Coble, ProfessorKeith H. Coble, ProfessorMississippi State UniversityMississippi State University

AAEA-GSS SessionAAEA-GSS SessionJuly 29, 2008July 29, 2008

Suggestions that will increase the Suggestions that will increase the chance you will get an interviewchance you will get an interview

Nothing is a sure betNothing is a sure bet

Take my advice and then ask othersTake my advice and then ask others

There will be exceptions to my rulesThere will be exceptions to my rules

So you want a job?So you want a job?

Assume your dream job is announced Assume your dream job is announced with a closing date of December 1, with a closing date of December 1, 20082008– When do you start the job application When do you start the job application

process?process?

You are in the process of writing You are in the process of writing your resume every dayyour resume every day

Grades matterGrades matter

Sub-discipline mattersSub-discipline matters

Affiliations matterAffiliations matter– Work with known advisorsWork with known advisors– Go to a respected programGo to a respected program

You are in the process of writing You are in the process of writing your resume every dayyour resume every day

Research skillsResearch skills– Find an advisor who will teach you to Find an advisor who will teach you to

researchresearch– Book chapters, conference proceedingsBook chapters, conference proceedings– Submitted journal articlesSubmitted journal articles– Conference Papers Conference Papers – Working papersWorking papers– DissertationDissertation– Journal articlesJournal articles

You are in the process of writing You are in the process of writing your resume every dayyour resume every day

Teaching skillsTeaching skills– Teach a class, if not thatTeach a class, if not that– TA a class, if not thatTA a class, if not that– Guest lectureGuest lecture– Get student evaluations if possibleGet student evaluations if possible– Get your potential references to observe Get your potential references to observe

you teachingyou teaching– Write a teaching philosophyWrite a teaching philosophy– Go to teaching trainingGo to teaching training

You are in the process of writing You are in the process of writing your resume every dayyour resume every day

If your goal is ExtensionIf your goal is Extension– Work with Extension facultyWork with Extension faculty– Author extension Author extension

presentations/publicationspresentations/publications– Get your potential references to observe Get your potential references to observe

your extension presentationsyour extension presentations

Reading the announcementReading the announcement

Really read itReally read it

Sometimes it means exactly what it Sometimes it means exactly what it says andsays and– Sometimes it does notSometimes it does not

Make a call to the search chairMake a call to the search chair– Ask a couple of good questions about Ask a couple of good questions about

the positionthe position

Investigate the department Investigate the department

Read the mind of the Search Read the mind of the Search CommitteeCommittee

Hiring new faculty is usually taken very Hiring new faculty is usually taken very seriouslyseriouslyThe committee will want to hit a ‘homerun’The committee will want to hit a ‘homerun’– A national award winning teacherA national award winning teacher– Future AAEA fellow researcherFuture AAEA fellow researcher– Extension speaker who draws raves from Extension speaker who draws raves from

audiencesaudiences– A great departmental citizen who will serve on A great departmental citizen who will serve on

all the time-consuming committeesall the time-consuming committees– Wants to co-author papers with everyone in the Wants to co-author papers with everyone in the

departmentdepartment– Works for peanutsWorks for peanuts

The Application PackageThe Application PackageCover LetterCover Letter

CV/ RésuméCV/ Résumé

TranscriptsTranscripts

ReferencesReferences– List of namesList of names– Reference lettersReference letters

Other supporting materialOther supporting material– PublicationsPublications– Teaching philosophyTeaching philosophy

The Cover LetterThe Cover LetterThe chance to sell yourself!The chance to sell yourself!

Get some good examplesGet some good examples

Adjust each cover letterAdjust each cover letter

Sell yourselfSell yourself– Bring out your strengthsBring out your strengths– Explain how you fit into job descriptionExplain how you fit into job description– Dispel stereotypesDispel stereotypes

Be humbly ambitiousBe humbly ambitious– Fire in the bellyFire in the belly– Never arrogantNever arrogant

The Cover Letter (cont.)The Cover Letter (cont.)Organize content logicalOrganize content logicalConvey that you have studied the Convey that you have studied the departmentdepartmentHighlight education/experienceHighlight education/experience

– Separate teaching/ research/ extensionSeparate teaching/ research/ extension

Conclusion, thank you, and follow-upConclusion, thank you, and follow-up– Include e-mail, phone numberInclude e-mail, phone number

Check spelling and grammar of Check spelling and grammar of everything everything Get feedback from faculty/ referencesGet feedback from faculty/ references

The CV/ RésuméThe CV/ Résumé

Be truthful Be truthful

Include everything that is relevant Include everything that is relevant

List ALL relevant skills & experiencesList ALL relevant skills & experiences– Languages, software, work experienceLanguages, software, work experience

Account for all timeAccount for all time

List professional affiliationsList professional affiliations

Include names of references in CV Include names of references in CV

The ReferencesThe ReferencesChoose references carefullyChoose references carefully– Ask for permissionAsk for permission– If they don’t know much, they can’t say If they don’t know much, they can’t say

muchmuchFeed them information to useFeed them information to use

References rarely say bad things – References rarely say bad things – Often it what they don’t sayOften it what they don’t say– Will they write a good letter?Will they write a good letter?– Can they write a good letter?Can they write a good letter?

Keep references informedKeep references informed

Questions?Questions?