Getting an
Academic Job.
• Find out what the role
requires.
• What to do before applying.
• Where and how to find jobs.
• Your successful application.
• Selection process.
• Negotiating.
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Find out what the role requires.
• Consider very carefully developing abilities
associated with Academic Level B criteria – bases
of selection decisions.
• Teaching (30-40%).
• Research (30-40%).
• Professional & community
service (10-20%).
• Administration (10-20%).
• Expectations may vary internationally
(e.g. US – more teaching for new
staff)
2
Before applying…
• Network – talk to departmental visitors,
schmooze at conferences, send good mss
to key people.
• If you travel, offer to speak at local
universities.
• Publish but avoid junking up your cv.
• Get teaching experience and make sure
you get it evaluated (SET, peer).
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Before applying…
• Begin to make explicit a teaching philosophy (see, for
example:
* UNSW’s ‘Developing your teaching portfolio’ at
http://www.ltu.unsw.edu.au/ref3-3-5_teaching_portfolio.cfm or
* Carnegie Mellon’s guidance at
http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/resources/developphilosophy.html.
• Engage in some professional/community service (e.g.,
RGSSA, EIA (SA)).
• Contribute to AOU activities (e.g., GEOView, organising
PG days, mentoring, AUSAid tutoring).
• Cultivate referees. Look to build a pool of good referees
who know you.
• Be sure you have a current passport if looking overseas.
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Useful online job-finding sources.
Academic360.com (Includes
Association of Commonwealth
Universities)
http://www.academic360.com/general/AUS.cfm
Yahoo Careers – Australia & NZ
http://yahoocareers.seek.com.au/jobsearch/
CAGLIST Job Postings
http://office.geog.uvic.ca/dept/cag/jobs.htm#L281
University Affairs (Career ads,
Canada)
http://www.universityaffairs.ca/careers/index.html
Times Higher Ed Supplement
(Useful registration feature)
http://www.thesjobs.co.uk/
AAG Jobs/Careers
http://www.aag.org/
Chronicle Careers (US Chronicle
of Higher Education)
http://chronicle.com/cgi2-bin/texis/jobs/search
Riley Guide to International Job
Opportunities
http://www.rileyguide.com/internat.html#gen
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Where and how to find jobs.
• Read the Wednesday
Australian (Higher Ed
section). Build a file of
the selection criteria for
interesting like jobs.
• Sign up for iaglist@flinders.edu.au or
for caglist@lists.uvic.ca
• Cold calling…?
• For 1st or early job, apply
for anything remotely
close to skills and
interests (esp. for US).
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Your successful application…
• Ask friends for copies of (successful) application
materials.
• Check the target AOU’s WWW site. Anyone you
know? Consider speaking to them informally (culture,
resources, internal candidates…). Think too about
where you would ‘fit’? Who could you work with?
• Call the AOU contact person. Check for ‘internal’
candidates.
• Respond to the selection criteria!
• Send copies of the application to your referee (or ask
them to advise if they’re notified and you’ll send.
Riskier.)
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Your successful application...
For most Australian, NZ, UK
applications:
• Cover letter (@1 page – make a
good impression).
• Responses to each criterion.
• CV.
• Appendices (e.g. publications,
SETS)
• Use good quality paper. Avoiod typos
etc…
• Make sure you have included
everything required.
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Your successful application.
For the US and Canada probably also need:
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Teaching philosophy
Research interests
Teaching evaluations
Academic transcript.
• May be useful additions
to consider for here,
depending on role and
institution.
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CV contents.
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Name
Address etc
Citizenship
Qualifications (including class of Honours)
Awards
Publications and grants
Conference presentations
Teaching experience
Community and professional service
Service to university
Professional development
Referees
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Selection process – the formal part.
• Seminar/talk – to staff, selection committee,
students… In North America, may be two –
one on research; one on teaching.
• Other ‘tasks’ – role play,
meeting other candidates.
• Interview – 45-60 minutes.
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The talk.
• Vital part of the process.
• Find out about key matters such as facilities & what
type of talk they want (e.g. teaching, research…) See
Making the Grade for detailed advice.
• Road test your talk with a critical and constructive
audience.
• 20-60 minutes.
• Audience watching for teaching ability and research
issues (e.g. conceptual framework; prospects for
development; ability to respond to questions…)
• Questions an be very, very critical. (‘There but for
the grace of God…’)
12
Interview – anticipate possible questions.
• All that has gone into your written application may
be forgotten.
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Why do you want this job?
Outline your teaching philosophy.
How do you cope with student diversity?
What are your research plans for the
next 2-3 years?
• What will you do to get your research plan up and running in
the first year?
• What do you believe you can contribute to the AOU?
13
Interview – your questions.
• “What questions do you have for us?”
Prepare some. Areas might include:
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Research funding.
Teaching ‘load’ and other expectations.
Offshore and online teaching?
‘Culture’ of the AOU.
Activity level of PG students.
Show you’ve done some homework and are
interested. Ask serious questions you really
want answers to.
• But - don’t ask about salary…
• The interview is a 2-way street.
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Interviewing – the informal parts.
• Meals with prospective colleagues.
• Arrange to meet staff and students.
• Ask for a tour of the relevant
facilities.
• Think critically. Is this where you
want to be? Will this place set you
up well? Do you feel comfortable
here?
• But also remember, “It is easier to
look for a job when you’re eating.”
(M.D. Thomas)
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Negotiating.
•The offer.
•Starting date.
•Salary level. Find out too about insurances, salary packaging,
and superannuation (retirement) matters…
•Start-up research funds.
•Teaching load.
•Access to LSL/OSL.
•Computer access.
•Accommodation arrangements.
•Access to RA/TAs…
•Get all negotiated matters on paper or email.
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Some other random thoughts.
• Start before you’ve finished….
• Don’t underestimate the time finding a job
will require.
• Competition is very keen.
• Learn from experiences. Seek feedback (in
preparation and from selection process).
• Be aware of seasonality of job offers.
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Useful resources.
• Do a Google on getting an academic job.
• Check Amazon and Barnes & Noble for
current helpful texts.
• Look at geographers: getting jobs
http://depts.washington.edu/geogjobs/Jobs/jmenu.html
•
H:/Teaching materials/Getting an academic job
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