Career Advancement

Postdocs in the Humanities

and Social Sciences

What They Are and How to Get One

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Career Advancement

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Career Advancement

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UNDERSTAND the role of a postdoc

LOCATE postdoc opportunities

APPLY with knowledge and confidence

Goals for this Session

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What is a postdoc in the

humanities or social sciences?

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Postdocs 101

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Appointments of 1 to 3 years

Low teaching loads

Resources for travel and research

Networking opportunities

Professionalization opportunities

You should be more than a source of labor

Career Advancement

Source: Survey of Earned Doctorates

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18

20 2022 22

21

2426

24

26 2628

30 30 29

33 33 33

35

37

4 4 5 5 4 46 6 6

7 7 8 8 8 78 8 8

1011

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

Percent Postdoc Rate by Field of Study: 1992–2012

Social Sciences

Non-S&E Fields (Humanities)

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Postdoc Typology

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Society of Fellows

Thematic Diversity

Skill Based

Teaching Oriented Project Based

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You + _______ = Job

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You + Postdoc = Job

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Where can I find postdoctoral

fellowship opportunities?

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Disciplinary Organizations (MLA, AAA)

Institutional Websites

Minority Postdoc (minoritypostdoc.org)

General Higher Education Job Boards

Other Places to Check

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Deadlines: October through March

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How can I craft a competitive

postdoc application?

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Cover Letter

Curriculum Vitae

Research Proposal

Course Description

Writing Sample

Recommendations

Application Elements

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Career Advancement

Cover Letter

Curriculum Vitae

Research Proposal

Course Description

Writing Sample

Recommendations

Application Elements

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Career Advancement

It’s not about YOU.

It’s about THEM.

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Research Proposals

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Problem

Solution

Evidence

Timeline

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Step 1: The Problem

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Begin with a widely recognized problem

Practical or conceptual

Related to the postdoc theme

Mention literature, briefly

Others have not solved the problem

Return to an unresolved question

Where you will make your mark

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Step 2: The Solution

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Your research to the rescue

Outline your project and argument

Show how you are solving the problem

The postdoc is part of the solution

It allows you to do important work

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Step 3: The Evidence

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Substantiating details

Methodology

Sources

Literature review

Scholarly contribution

You’ve got what it takes!

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Step 4: The Timeline

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Feasible month-by-month plan

Additional research or data collection

Book proposals and revisions

Article submissions

Conference presentations

Institutions want proximate glory

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Cover Letter

Curriculum Vitae

Research Proposal

Course Description

Writing Sample

Recommendations

Application Elements

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Career Advancement

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Postdoc Cover Letter

DO

Follow the style rules for

an academic cover letter

Tailor your project’s

contribution to the

theme

State your timeline and

research outputs

Tailor your teaching to

the theme

Discuss contributions

to campus intellectual

life

DO NOT

Appear opportunistic

Pander

Go onto a third page

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Course Description

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Must align with the fellowship’s purpose

Digital humanities = textual media course

Ecocriticism = African nature writers course

Islamic art = gender in Islamic art course

Thoughtfulness and specificity matter

Topics, questions, goals, texts, assignments

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Other Application

Elements

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CV

Emphasize teaching, research, or

themes as appropriate

Writing Sample

Relevant to the postdoc’s focus

Letters of Recommendation

Ask recommenders for targeted letters

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It’s not about YOU.

It’s about THEM.

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Post-Application

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Multidisciplinary committee meets

Committee evaluates materials

Clarity, relevance, significance, and feasibility

Committee holds interviews

Interview process varies

On-campus, Skype, or phone

Depends on funding

Committee decides and seeks approval

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During Your Postdoc

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DO NOT

Get too comfortable

Loose sight of the big

picture

Sit alone in your office

DO

Create a writing plan

Advance your research

Network with colleagues

Seek mentorship

Seek feedback on teaching

Build marketable skills

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2-Year Postdoc Plan

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Fall Semester, Year 1

Apply for jobs

Revise dissertation

research

Forge campus contacts

Seek teaching feedback

Seek a letter writer

Spring Semester, Year 1

Interview for jobs

Finish dissertation

revisions

Submit articles

Submit book proposal

Fall Semester, Year 2

Apply for jobs

Finish book/article revisions

Conceptualize a new project

Seek funding for new project

Spring Semester, Year 2

Interview for jobs

Begin work on a new project

Make a plan that suits you

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Questions?

Courtney Wiersema

cwiersema@uchicago

Appointments

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