PREPARING FOR THE ACADEMIC JOB SEARCH · multiple myeloma cells University of Pennsylvania Career Services 23 Education Ph.D. Biostatistics 09/2010 - 12/2013 Perelman School of Medicine,

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University of Pennsylvania Career Services

PREPARING FOR THE

ACADEMIC JOB SEARCH

Rosanne Lurie, Senior Associate DirectorJoseph Barber, PhD, Associate DirectorFatimah Williams Castro, PhD, Associate DirectorJulie Miller Vick, Senior Career Advisor

Graduate Student/Postdoctoral Fellow Career Advising Team

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The academic job cycle

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Readiness for the job

market

Preparing and

applying

Screening & campus interviews

Negotiating offers and accepting

Plan A again or going

with Plan B Module 1 (4:40-5:35pm)

Module 2 (5:40-6:50pm)


Getting ready for the academic market

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market

Preparing and

applying




with Plan B

University of Pennsylvania

Do not copy or distribute without permission

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Are you ready?Factor 1: External contexts to consider

• Understanding the job market cycle and how search committees work – Job postings - when they occur Who serves on a search committee and what do they doKnowledge of job opportunities - different kinds of

institutions

Factor 2: Individual contexts to consider

• Determining your readiness to launch your job searchTarget date to complete your researchStatus of your support system; your referees and your

networkState of your job search materials

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Application materials

sent

Screening interviews

Campus interviews

Final decision made on candidates

The job market cycle - candidate selection

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Job opening createdand search committee formed

Applications selected for preliminary interviews

Candidates selected/notified

for campus interview

This process can be months long – from 4-7 months or more

Offer made


Types of academic institutions

The Carnegie Foundation’s basic classifications:

Doctorate-granting universitiesMaster’s colleges and universities—sometimes called “comprehensive institutions”

Baccalaureate colleges (Liberal arts institutions)Associate’s colleges (includes community colleges)Special focus institutions, e.g., schools of theology

Additional IssuesFunding streamsJob requirementsCulture of institution

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• Think about your long-range goals and discuss them with your PI or other advisor.• Build and maintain a good relationships with your advisor• Your advisor will be in charge of helping you get your

Ph.D. but YOU are in charge of your career.• Connect with people in your field at institutions other than

Penn• Explain the academic job search process to family and

friends, and enlist their support• Decide who you would like to provide your references/serve

as recommenders, and communicate with them

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Develop your support system


Preparing to apply: two years before the

job would start, through the Summer/Fall

a year prior

• Continue research and writing; be sure you are publishing and presenting your work• Become comfortable talking about your research

• Know the hiring timelines for your field; start looking at job listings

• Sit in on hiring if you can• Start thinking about whether other (non academic) careers

interest you • Join a graduate student group and consider taking on a

leadership role• Keep your CV up to date; begin drafting your additional

materials such as research statement, teaching philosophy

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Preparing to apply: a year before

• Give thought to your future research plans.• Finalize written materials for the job search.• Identify job openings and start to apply.• Arrange for recommendations.

• How will you have letters of recommendation sent?• Interfolio; Vitae• Your department

• Continue to consider a Plan B.• Network with people who are in the area of your “Plan B”

• Attend programs and workshops on the academic search.

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Preparing: eight to four months beforeEight months before:

• Prepare and practice job talk.• Attend conferences.Make connections at conferences and stay in touch with them

• Prepare carefully for each interview.• Send thank you messages.• Stay in touch with recommenders.

• Consider who can help move your job applications forward• Continue to identify jobs and apply.• Have a clearly defined plan for finishing your research!Four to eight months before:

• Negotiate offers.• Finish up your research.• If there are no offers, move forward on your Plan B, but keep looking.• After accepting a job, thank everyone.

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QUESTIONSAnswers

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Preparing materials and applying

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market

Preparing and

applying




with Plan B



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What we’re going to cover

• Introduction to written materials for the job search• Writing the C.V. • Identifying job opportunities• Additional application materials• Letters of recommendation • Resources• What happens to my application?Q & A on these topics

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Written materials for the job search

• C.V.• Statement of teaching philosophy• Research statement• “Evidence of excellence in teaching”

• Website• Writing sample• Teaching portfolio• Diversity statement• Cover letters• Transcripts• References

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C.V. (Curriculum vitae)• Your C.V. lists your academic credentials, experiences

and accomplishments, and is a key component in any application.

• Purpose of a C.V. is get you an interview

• Complete listing of your academic credentials and accomplishmentsAcademic jobsFunding (grants or fellowships)Postdocs

• C.V.’s vary from discipline to discipline

• Make sure your strongest qualifications stand outWrite/revise it with the reader in mind

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www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/writtenmaterials


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C.V. Categories

Standard/essential

• Name and contact information

• Education • Honors and Fellowships• Teaching/Research

Experience• Publications • Presentations• Professional Memberships• References

Additional categories

• Professional Experience• Grants• Languages• Technical Skills • University/Professional

Service• Research/Teaching

Interests• Exhibitions• Certifications/Professional

Licensure• Additional Information

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Tips on writing your C.V.• C.V. documents all your relevant professional/academic

accomplishments It is expected that your C.V. will be more than one page

• Your most significant and relevant accomplishments should be prominent in the organizational structure of the C.V.

• Your name should be on each page of your C.V. Beginning on the second page, include a page number too

• Be consistent in the way you use formatting, and balance print and white space on your C.V.

• Avoid sloppiness – check for spelling mistakes

• Find someone to read/proof your job search materials

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Name and contact information

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Name

NAME University of Pennsylvania Department of English 127 Fisher-Bennett Hall 3340 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 Tel: 000.000.000 [email protected]



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Education

• Most Ph.D. candidates will have this as their first category Make it clear when your degree is expected, e.g., “Degree

expected May 2016”

• Give some detail such as field of concentration, title of dissertation and name of advisor

• Postdocs might want to have “Current Research

Experience” or “Current Position” as a first category Postdocs are considered professional experience, not “education”

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Current Position

Postdoctoral Fellow, Fox Chase Cancer Center, 2012-presentAdvisor: Kerry Campbell, PhDBiological impacts of Elotuzumab on human natural killer cells and multiple myeloma cells


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Education

Ph.D. Biostatistics 09/2010 - 12/2013Perelman School of Medicine, University of PennsylvaniaAdvisor: NameThesis: Statistical Methods for Analysis of Multi-Sample Copy Number Variants and ChIP-seqData

M.S., Biostatistics 09/2008 - 06/2010School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles

B.S., Statistics 09/2004 - 07/2008School of Mathematics, Beijing Normal University

EDUCATION• Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania May 14, 2012• M.A., University of Pennsylvania, 2004.• B.A., Kenyon College, 2000; magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, departmental honors.

DISSERTATIONComing of Age in the Eighteenth-Century NovelChairs: Stuart Curran and Michael Gamer. Reader: Toni Bowers.This dissertation argues that the eighteenth-century novel developed in dynamic relation to the emerging category of the adolescent. Recovering a demographic largely overlooked in histories of the novel, it demonstrates that the publishing industry began in the mid-century to market their novels to adolescents and that this focus transformed the content and form of novels themselves as they evolved.


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Experience and Interests(research and teaching)• Depending on the type of job, and your discipline, you should

consider whether to split this into two sections:• Research experience (common in science/engineering fields):

Projects/experiments you have worked on Collaborations you have been involved with Findings and publications associated with your work

• Teaching experience: Classes you have taught (include # and type of students) Labs you have been part of Mentoring and other formal/informal teaching experiences

Interests (research and teaching) Can briefly define future research plans and articulate course areas

in which you can teach.



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RESEARCH EXPERIENCEPostdoctoral research at The Wistar Institute 20XX – present• Designed and implemented an experimental strategy to investigate the signals that govern the

development of pathological Th17 responses. These studies identified a novel role for Th1 cells and inflammatory monocytes in the development of Th17-dependet autoimmunity, and resulted in four conference presentations and one manuscript currently being prepared for publication.

• Supervised research technicians on a project investigating the development of regulatory T cells. Data from this project provided key support for the central conclusion of a manuscript that was subsequently published in PNAS.

• Established multi-color flow cytometry protocols to study the development of regulatory T cells. These protocols were used to identify phenotypic markers of regulatory T cell precursors, and were published as a book chapter in Methods in Molecular Biology.

RESEARCH POSITIONS

Research FellowAnnenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, Sex and Media - Research Group. Supervisor: Dr. Martin Fishbein, Summer 20XX and Summer 20XX Analyzed data from a 3-year longitudinal survey and content analysis examining the effects of representations in the media on adolescents

Research FellowAnnenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, The Center for Excellence in Cancer Communication Research (CECCR): Theory and Methods Core. Supervisor: Dr. Martin Fishbein, September 20XX - December 20XX. - Contributed to the planning, organization and data collection for a Theory of Reasoned Action/Planned Behavior meta-analysis- Planned and conducted elicitation research


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Research Interests:Ancient Historiography, Roman Culture, Gender Studies

Research InterestsDigital reading devices and responsive reading, interaction design, technology for special populations, e-books and accessibility, technology for the elderly to combat cognitive decline and social isolation, supporting cognition throughout the life course, integration of technology into education and training, design and evaluation of cognition-assisting applications, operator attention and distraction, mathematical cognition.

Areas of Specialization

Forced Migration

International Migration from Latin America to North American and Europe

Migration Theory and Remittance Use

Quantitative Research Methods in the Social Sciences


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TEACHING INTERESTS

The History of the Novel; British Literature of the Long-Eighteenth Century; British

Romanticism; Women’s Writing, 1660-1830; Children’s Literature (Renaissance to

Romanticism); The History of the Book; Drama, 1660-1830; 18th- and 19th-

century Gothic Literature; 18th- and 19th-century Crime Literature; Education and

Literature (Renaissance to Romanticism); Writing.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

• Mentor for new Instructors, Penn Critical Writing Program, 20XX-20XX• Instructor, “Troubling Memories,” (2 semesters), Penn Critical Writing

Program, 20XX-20XX• Section Leader and Writing Across the University Fellow, “Jane Austen and

Popular Culture,” Penn Department of English, 20XX• Teaching Assistant, “Major British Writers: 1350-1660,” Penn Department of

English, 20XX



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Honors and Awards

• You can make this a separate category, or include these under the relevant degree

• Put recognizable, significant awards

• If you are a international student, you may need to explain some of the honorsWere they given for academic excellence?Were they based on something you applied for?Were they competitive?Can you find a way to describe the award that will help it to

make sense to anyone who reads this section?

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FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS

• Dissertation Completion Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania, 2012-2013• Benjamin Franklin Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania, 2006-2007, 2009-2012• Pew Foundation Grant, Summer Fellowship, 2010• Writing Across the University Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania, 2008• The Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship in Humanistic Studies, 2005-2006


Publications/Presentations• If you have a long list, divide and then subdivide by topics (peer

reviewed papers, reviews, posters, invited talks, abstracts, etc.) If you have short list, it won’t make as much sense to sub-divide

into different categories Follow discipline-specific formatting

• You can list a few articles that are in preparation and will (realistically) be published This helps to show that your work in on-going, and that you will

have research that you can build on in your new role Clearly mark “in preparation” or “submitted” manuscripts.

Manuscripts “in press/print” can be listed with other published

papers

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PublicationsBook In Progress

Kenneth B. Clark: Not So Simple Justice (an intellectual biography of one of the 20th century’s most important black scholar/activists; under contract, University of

North Carolina Press).

Peer-Reviewed Articles

“The Problem with Black Studies: Kenneth B. Clark and the ‘Charade of

Power,’” manuscript in preparation.

“Teaching Obama: History, Critical Race Theory, and Social Work Education,”

Patterns of Prejudice 45 (February/May 2011): 177-97.

“Reconsidering Kenneth B. Clark and the Idea of Black Psychological Damage,

1931-1945,” Du Bois Review, Social Science Research on Race 8 (Spring 2011): 271-83.

Publications

Journal Publications OR Peer-Reviewed Articles

Conference Proceedings

Book Chapters

Works in Progress

Book Reviews

Use discipline-specific citation style


Identifying job opportunities• Your scholarly association

Job listing bulletin Job listing website Job placement activities at conferences/conventions

• National publications and website The Chronicle of Higher Education, www.chronicle.com Academic360.com Insidehighered.com HERC, www.hercjobs.org

• Institutional and departmental websites

• Your network Academia.edu LinkedIn Researchgate

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The Department of East Asian Studies invites applications for an assistant, associate, or full professor (open rank) in Japanese literature, film or cultural studies with a focus on modern Japan. The successful candidate should have a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and research. Senior scholars should submit a letter of interest along with a vita, but no publications or other writings at this time. Junior candidates should submit a vita, cover letter, writing sample, and names and contact information of three referees. Referees may mail their letters to: Chair, Japanese Literature/Film/Cultural Studies Search Committee, East Asian Studies Department, Princeton University, 211 Jones Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544.

The review of applications will begin on October 15. Applications will be considered until the position is filled. Please apply online and upload your documents to http://jobs.princeton.edu

Position Summary Princeton University Open Rank Professor Japanese

Literature/Film/Cultural Studies

Department – East Asian Studies

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http://www.chronicle.com/

http://www.hercjobs.org/

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Position Summary

Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor, Department of Philosophy

University of California, Berkeley

The Department of Philosophy at the University of California, Berkeley seeks applications for an Assistant, Associate, or Full

Professor faculty position, with an expected start date of July 1, 2015. Job responsibilities include teaching 4 courses/year at

the graduate and undergraduate levels, and conducting thesis supervision. Area of Specialization and Area of Concentration:

open, though the Department particularly welcomes applications from candidates working in Early Modern Philosophy,

Metaphysics and Epistemology, Moral and Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, or Post--Kantian Continental

Philosophy. A Ph.D. or equivalent in Philosophy or a related field is required within one year of the start date. Applicants for

an Assistant Professor position must, at a minimum, have completed all requirements for the Ph.D. or equivalent degree

except the dissertation at the time of application. Applicants for an Associate or Full Professor position … Applications mus t

be received by November 5, 2014. Please direct questions to emailaddress.

Candidates applying at the Assistant Professor level must submit the following materials: cover letter; recent curriculum

vitae, including a complete list of publications; dissertation abstract; teaching dossier; one writing sample; and three to eight

letters of recommendation. Candidates may optionally submit a research statement; up to two additional writing samples; and

a statement addressing past and/or potential contributions to diversity through research, teaching, and/or service.

Candidates applying at the Associate or Full Professor level must submit the following materials for a complete application…

The department is committed to addressing the family needs of faculty, including dual career couples and single parents. The

department is interested in candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through their

teaching, research, and service. For information about potential relocation to Berkeley, or career needs of accompanying

partners and spouses, please contact the CALcierge office at [email protected] or visit calcierge.berkeley.edu. The University of California is an Equal

Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color,

religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and

affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct.


Position Summary Monmouth College, Two-Year Visiting Assistant Professor – English

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Monmouth College, a residential liberal arts college in west central Illinois and founding member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM), announces a two-year position in post-1700 British literature, beginning August 20XX.

Successful candidates will have demonstrated excellence in teaching British literature courses at all undergraduate levels. Specialization is open, but candidates should be prepared to teach both introductory and advanced courses, including the second British literature survey, within an annual 3-3 load. In addition to specialization in British literature, candidates should demonstrate ability to teach our required first-year composition course as well as to contribute to our integrated general education program.

Ph.D. is required for appointment... A commitment to the liberal arts and an appreciation for the small college learning environment is essential.

Please forward letter of application, vita, evidence of teaching excellence,

statement of teaching philosophy, unofficial transcripts, and three letters of

recommendation to: Dr. Mark Willhardt, Chair, Department of English, Monmouth College by e-mail to: [email protected]. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.


The Department of Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee seeks outstanding applicants for 2 faculty positions (rank open) in health economics, Positions will potentially involve collaboration with the Medical College of Wisconsin. Responsibilities include research leading to publication in nationally/internationally recognized journals, contributing to the writing of grant proposals for submission to government agencies and other funding sources, as well as teaching, supervision of dissertations, and collegial service

Requirements: Ph.D. or ABD in Economics or related field and research interest in health economics are required. Research emphasis on behavioral health, cost effectiveness of medical health interventions, or community health interventions is desired.

Applicants should submit online - http://jobs.uwm.edu/postings/8501- a vita, cover

letter, research papers (or portion of dissertation), and the names of 3 references.

…The names of those applicants who have not requested that their identities be withheld

and the names of all finalists will be released upon request.

Contact: Scott Adams, Department of Economics, [email protected], University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201. Email for Applications: [email protected] more information, email: [email protected] more information, phone: 414-229-4212

Position Summary Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor

Full-Time Academic (Permanent, Tenure Track or Tenured)

Location: Milwaukee, WI, USA

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mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

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Position Summary Assistant Professor in Digital Culture and Communication

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The Department of Drama and Speech Communication at the University of Waterloo invites applications for a tenure-track position at the level of Assistant Professor in Digital Culture and Communication.

The successful candidate will specialize in the relationship among digital arts, communication, design, and public culture. Potential areas of research and creative focus might include digital media production, critical communication studies, media history and theory, digital culture, performance studies, and/or the social and ethical dimensions of digital media. The ideal candidate will have expertise in teaching courses in digital media theory and production and in speech communication. We are seeking a person with energy, enthusiasm and vision who can contribute meaningfully to excellence in teaching, research, collegiality and community life.

Please send lettersof application, complete CV, a one page statement of

teaching philosophy, a one page research statement, and three letters of

recommendation either by email or regular mail to: Dr. Jennifer S. Simpson, Chair, Department of Drama and Speech Communication, University of Waterloo; email: [email protected]. Appointment begins August 1. Review of applications will begin April 29 until position is filled.


Additional materials for the job search

• Cover letters• Statement of teaching philosophy • Research statement• Writing sample• Transcripts• “Evidence of excellence in teaching”

• Teaching portfolio• Diversity statement• Website• Letters of recommendation

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References & letters of recommendation

• Decide whom to ask to be referencesYour advisorsColleagues/mentors outside of your department or

committeeBalancing information – teaching focus, research focus

• Communicate with your referencesAsk if they are able to write a positive reference for youLet them know the scheduleRemind them 2-3 weeks out before deadline

• How will you have letters of reference sent? Interfolio (www.interfolio.com) Your department

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Applying for positions

• Apply for positions that appear to be a good fit for you

• Send what the announcement specifically requests, unless you have a very good reason to do otherwiseMany places don’t want actual letters of recommendation

until later in the process when they have a shortlist

• In your cover letter show that you understand the unique qualities of each department/institution to which you are applying

• When emailing materials, send them as PDFs Include your name as part of file name, not just “CV”

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Resources to help with written materials• Your advisor• Career Services programs – panels and workshops• The Academic Job Search Handbook, 4th edition (5th

edition coming out in December 2015)• Web resources: Guides on the CS website; Samples on the CS websitewww.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/writtenmaterials/

• Articles at www.chronicle.com• Meet with a career advisor – get CV review, and help with

teaching philosophy, research statement and cover lettersCall 215 898 7530

• Penn’s Center for Teaching and Learning

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http://www.interfolio.com/

http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/writtenmaterials/


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What happens to the application?

Typically…• Your application materials must be

complete, and then each search committee member will be given a copy and will review your materials

• They will initially view in terms of who to eliminate, then who will be part of a short list

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• They will discuss who to invite to the first round interviews – factoring in the position, the needs of the department, and your profile

• The references are weighed heavily in later rounds


QUESTIONSAnswers

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MODULE 2Interviewing and Beyond

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What we’re going to cover

• Introduction• Assessing readiness

Determining readiness to start job search Understanding job market cycle and how search committees

work• Preparing and applying

Job hunting materials, letters of recommendation Identifying and applying for job opportunities

• Interviewing Screening and campus interviews

• Negotiating and accepting offers • Getting back on the market again, or using Plan B • Final thoughts

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MO

DU

LE

1M

OD

UL

E 2


Interviewing

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market

Preparing and

applying




with Plan B


Preparing for interviews

BASIC:

• Attend job talks in your department or related departmentChat with advisor about their thoughts on the talk

INTERMEDIATE:

• Research each institution you will be interviewed byWhat is their mission? Who are their students and faculty?How does the new position fit into the academic landscape?With whom will you be talking?

ADVANCED:

• Practice how you would answer questions about Your current research, research goals and your teachingThink about your answers from the search committee’s view

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Screening interviews

• Phone interviews• Video interviews (e.g., Skype)• Conference interviews

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Applications submitted ~200

Candidates for screening interview ~15-20

Candidates for campus interview ~3-5


Screening interviews – general advice

• You may only have 30 minutes for your interviewAnswers must be concise, and relevant to the search

committeeCommittees may be evaluating your English skills

• You MUST have good, concise answers to the basic questions:Why do you want this position?Tell us about yourself.Tell us about your research.What is your teaching experience?

• Dress up and smile – these really do help

• Ask about the timeline for the rest of the interview process

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Important advice for all interviews

• Illustrate your answers with actual examples/anecdotesWhen talking about teaching effectiveness, think of a

situation where you used your skills successfullyHow have you used your research to involve students in

your work, and what did the students gain from this? If your collaborations with other scholars have been

successful, show how and why, and how this is beneficial

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What is important to search committee

What is important

to you

Tailor your answers for the people in the room (especially when talking about specific research)

Your illustrations show you’ve been

effective in the past, and will be equally

so in the future


Campus interviews

• Meeting the department• Meeting administrators• Meeting with graduate students and/or undergraduates• The job talk• Teaching a class• Social situations

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Interview scheduleDr. Mark David Researcher

Interdisciplinary Program in the Biomedical Sciences, ABC UNIVERSITY

Sunday, February 18th Arrive in City B at 2:16 pm. Picked up by Dr. X.Dinner with Professor Y at 6:30pm

Monday, February 19th

7:30-8:45 am Breakfast with Dr. A. Pickup in the hotel front desk area9:00-9:30 Dr. B9:30-10:00 Dr. C10:00-10:30 Dr. D10:30-11:00 Dr. E11:00 -11:30 Dr. F11:30-Noon Dr. GNoon–1:00pm Lunch with Graduate Students and Post Docs1-2:30 Dr. H2:30-3:00 Dr. I3:00-3:30 Dr. J3:30-4:00 Prepare for seminar4:00-5:00 Seminar ‘The Selection and Activation of Regulatory T cells’

6:00 Dinner Dr. L and othersTuesday, February 20th Check out at 8:30 am Dr. X drive to airport11:45 am Departure


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Interview scheduleDr. Mark David Researcher

Interdisciplinary Program in the Biomedical Sciences, ABC UNIVERSITY

Wednesday, March 7th10:22 pm Arrive City B

Dr. X will pick up Dr. Candidate at the airport and transport him to the hotel

Thursday, March 811:00 am Meet with Dr. B, Chair, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science2:00 pm Meet with Dr. N, Associate Dean for Research3:00 pm Meet with Dr. P, Associate Dean for AcademicsFriday, March 97:30 am Pick up at front of hotel by Dr. Y and transport to XYZ Hall8:00 am Meet with Dr. P, Associate Dean for Academics8:30 Transport to airport by Dr. Y


The “job talk” or research talk• A 30-60 minute presentation on your research• Given to the search committee…, but also to:

Other interested members of the faculty Students And people who might know little about your subject

• A great opportunity to showcase your research (and teaching) skills AND to connect your research with faculty and students at the institution –

making it relevant So, don’t read it – really present it Think about teaching approaches you can use to get information across in

an interesting and lively way You’re an expert on your research and need to help people learn about

what you do, and care about how/why you do it – BE CONFIDENT• Your goal is to answer the “so what?” question about your research,

not to give a lecture

• Conclude by summarizing why your research and results are significant to your field and the institution Could students get involved? Will future work be fundable?

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The research talk hour-glass

• Start broad/general.

• Make your research

relevant to those who

may not have expertise

in your subject area

• Provide some context

for your research

• Talk about the “burning

question” that drives

you

THE BEGINNING

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• Focus in on your

specific research

questions

• Use the general

foundation that you

started with to explain

why your research

questions are important

• Discuss findings

• Illustrate your findings

as much as you can

THE MIDDLE

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• End on a broader note

• Talk about:

• Why your research is

important to the

discipline as a whole

• How it will make you a

better teacher

• How you can foresee

collaborations with other

faculty

• Mention future research –

research you know would be

possible at that institution THE END

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Some final points to remember

• Never talk for longer than the time allottedLeave time for questions, and be prepared for challenging

or adversarial onesAnswering questions shows you ability to think on your feet

• Link your research to the place you are interviewing at –help them to imagine you working there

• Be enthusiastic/strategic about future research plans

Having future plans may allow people to envision working with you in the future (and suggests you will be convincing when talking with deans, president, & other faculty groups)

Shows that you can be an independent researcher (especially important for postdocs) who can bring in grants

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Challenging questions you might get

in an interview

• Would you be comfortable designing web courses (including laboratory)?

• How are you a good fit with this institution?• What is your greatest strength?• Tell us about a conflict or challenge you’ve had with your

research, and how you resolved the issue.• I don’t know anything about your field of research – teach

me something now.

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Preparing for campus interviews

• Practice job talk with an audience that asks hard questions, and with specialists and non-specialistsYou need expert and cocktail party versions of your research

• Give context for your research and talk about why what you've done is importantWhat questions have you answeredHave a research agenda with some well-thought out projects

• Prepare to talk about your teachingWhat you’ve done right; what you’ve learned from mistakes

• Research institution/department/interviewers and be able to talk about why you’re a good fit

Fit is crucial when final candidates are similarly qualified

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Remember to ask questions

• You might ask questions about: Teaching responsibilitiesExpectations for scholarshipThe tenure process and tenure criteria

• You should try to understand the nature of your potential colleaguesWhere did they come from?What do like the most about the institution?Do they seem to be happy there?

• You must ask about:Timeline for when search committee will make a decision

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QUESTIONSAnswers

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Negotiating and accepting offers

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market

Preparing and

applying




with Plan B



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After the campus interviews conclude

• Search committee, or possibly the whole department, deliberatesThey may rank candidates on or just discuss their talk,

teaching, research plans and interpersonal skillsThey will also discuss each candidate’s “fit”

They will get feedback from staff and students who interacted with them

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• Candidates need to be patient in waiting to hear


Getting offers

• An offer usually comes by phone but may also come in an email

• Indicate how pleased you are but don’t accept immediately

“I’d like a few days to think about this”

Think about questions you want to ask

• Do research on the institution’s policies and resources for new

faculty Often there is a section on the Human Resources or Provost

website When possible, use your networks AAUP has faculty salary surveys (Chronicle of Higher Ed links to

information)

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Things that may be negotiable

• Decision date• Starting date• Teaching load and teaching schedule• Start-up funds for equipment, supplies and personnel• Moving expenses/housing help• Job-hunting help for partner or spouse• Research assistants• Computer resources• Summer research funding• Travel funds and conference expenses• Salary

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Negotiating Offers: things that may be negotiable

• Decision date

• Salary

• Start-up funds for equipment, supplies and personnel

Research assistants

Computer resources

• Summer research funding

• Travel funds and conference expenses

• Teaching load and teaching schedule

• Starting date

• Moving expenses/housing help

• Job-hunting help for partner or spouse

Benefits such as insurance coverage usually aren’t negotiable

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Negotiating well• When possible, negotiate by phone and follow up by email

• Decide what you want to negotiate based on what will help you get tenureBe intentional with professional reasons for what you seekDon’t ask for everything

• This is the time to bring up a spouse/partner or pregnancySome institutions have policies for dual career couplesSome institutions have child care services or resources

• What to do when you have Two or more offersAn offer from your second choice school when you haven’t

even interviewed at your first choice school

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Accepting an offer

• If terms of the offer changed during negotiating, get a new offer letter

• Thank everyone who helped you

• Notify other institutions who interviewed you that you have accepted a job and withdraw from the search

• Notify your network of contacts that you have accepted an offer

• FINISH YOUR RESEARCH

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QUESTIONSAnswers

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Restarting your search; Using Plan B

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Preparing and

applying




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When you don’t have a job offer

• Thank all who helped you

• Keep working on your research

• Talk with your advisor and others about how you can strengthen your candidacy

• Will you go on the market again? In many fields it is standard to go on market more than onceHow many times are you willing to do so?

• Preparing to go on the market againAssess what you can do to be a stronger candidateShould you be more flexible in terms of kinds of institutions

and geographic locations?

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What is your Plan B?

• Will you pursue one-year positions or postdoctoral fellowships while searching for a tenure-track position?

• Will you consider non-faculty career paths?

• Know your priorities and how they may affect decision-making:How many times are you willing to move?

Are there personal considerations (partner/children) that might affect your choices?

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What is a postdoc?

• Postdoc = period of post-PhD training usually focused on research It is a TEMPORARY positionThey are valued differently in different career fields

• A postdoc can be used to: Move your current research forwardDevelop research platform to move you in a related directionLearn an entirely new set of research skills

• Some postdocs also have a teaching componentThis is usually the case in the humanities

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Benefit of a postdoc?

• To be a viable candidate for most tenure-track faculty positions in the biomedical sciences and other science/engineering fields a postdoc is requiredMost postdoc opportunities are at research institutions Jobs in industry outside of academia also value postdoc

experience Industry postdoc

• In other fields where a postdoc is not required, it can be an option for those who do not secure a tenure-track positionPros and cons Institutional support

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Exploring non-faculty careers

• Approach this task as you would any research projectFind the most effective sources of informationOnline People Practice

• Assess your skills and values and learn about interesting career/job possibilitiesmyIDP (STEM); MBTI; StrengthsQuest; Strong Inventory

• Talk with a Career Services advisor about your interests

• Connect with people in careers of interest to you through QuakerNet (available only to students and graduates)LinkedIn Penn alumni network (available to all)Alumni of your other institutionsThrough friends and family

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Resources that can help you• Career Services programs and more

Meet with a career advisor as you progress through your search; attend CS events, workshops, fairs, programs, and more

Some professional/scholarly association websites such as AHA and ASA have information on “alternative” careers

• Career Services website and other web resources CS webpages for doctoral students and postdocs on exploring

non-faculty careers, recent graduate Career Plan Surveys and curated links for a variety of career fields

The Versatile PhD Articles at www.chronicle.com and www.insidehighered.com

• Publications (incl. Career Services reference library) So What Are You Going to Do with That (Basalla/Debelius) Put Your Science to Work (Fiske) and Guide to Nontraditional

Careers in Science (Kreeger) The Academic Job Search Handbook, 4th ed., chapter 23

• Your advisor, other faculty, former grad students & postdocs

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Next steps

• Discuss your job search with a career advisorGet advice specific to your individual questions and needs

• Call 215 898 7530 to schedule an appointment and check walk-in timesDiscuss possible career paths and general job search

issuesReview CV, cover letter, teaching philosophy, and research

statementRevise CV to resume format for non-faculty jobsSet up a mock interview

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Use available resources

• Get a copy of The Academic Job Search Handbook (available at a discount at Career Services)

• Attend programs/workshops on the academic job search (Academic Career Conference; Faculty Conversations)

• Resources on the academic job search and on expanded career opportunities on the Career Services website www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradstud/phdpostdoc.php

• Sign up to be on a Career Services listserv on our website Get announcements about jobs, workshops, discussion

panels, and other career-related information

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Documents

PREPARING FOR THE ACADEMIC JOB SEARCH · multiple myeloma cells University of Pennsylvania Career Services 23 Education Ph.D. Biostatistics 09/2010 - 12/2013 Perelman School of Medicine,