How to get an
academic job
October 16, 2008
Jeff McDonnell
Dept. of Forest Engineering,
Resources and Management
Outline
• PhD as a launching pad
• Why Post Docs are so helpful
• The ad, the letter, CV (and teaching
statement)
• The academic interview
• Negotiating the job
PhD as the launching pad
• What you do in the PhD determines your
potential success in the academic job
market
• Not uncommon to have 100 applicants to
an academic job (e.g. WSU)
• What can you do to set yourself apart
from the rest?
• How you can be viewed as a
colleague rather than a student
Know this
• The field is controlled by <100 key people (maybe
a dozen in your research area).
– Get to know a good number of them
• Become entrained in professional practice
as a student
• Conferences and workshops (especially)
• Travel to other key groups
• Put impressive plots and ideas in front of
key people
• Organize a special session
• Participate on professional committees
• Write conference reports
• Apply for every possible award (AGU
Horton, AAG Nystrom, IAHS Tison, etc)
PhD Papers
• It’s all about the papers (it’s your portable
currency)
• Publish your MS work!
• Write PhD papers sequentially and submit as they
are finished (so simple yet so seldom done)
• Consider writing a review paper as part of your
set of PhD papers (can yield very high citation
stats)
• Publish in the best journals possible where work
will be recognized and read
• Develop a PhD brand identity
• Do comment/reply on something recently
published
• Be careful about special issues
PhD epiphanies that
translate to academic job
success
• Creativity is more important than knowledge
• Mentoring is very important
• Time management is everything
– Don’t be a busy fool
– Your daily “to do” list (a la Fred Prior)
– Write in the morning…every morning
• The focus-hard work connection
• Love what you are doing
– The only way all this is sustainable
The post doc
• An apprenticeship in an academic
workshop
• A time to crank without distraction
• Your career launching pad and an
opportunity to build up your academic
resume and experience (i.e. papers) to
compete successfully for an academic
position
• Your transition time from worker bee to
idea generator
• The best pathway to long term career
success—early rapid rise is everything
The post doc
Big questions:
• Should I always take a Post Doc over an
Assistant Professor position?
• Should I consider a post docs at a gov’t
lab, in industry or in another country?
• Post doc collaboration: How should I
manage it?
• Should a post doc teach?
• Should I get involved with applied
research ?
• Should I do post doc work that is
unrelated to my PhD topic?
How to get a post doc
• Network as a PhD student
• Most post docs not advertised!
– Word of mouth is everything
• What to look for in a Post Doc advisor
– Someone who has had other post docs
– Someone senior enough to get you launched
– A networker, supporter, collaborator,
colleague
• Some horror stories (with names
changed to protect the innocent)
• Some success stories
The Post Doc – P & T
Connection
remember the UGA guidelines
• If 3 papers per year is deemed excellent for a
50% research appointment, then….
• In the post doc learn the topdown approach to
paper writing
• Collaborate with your advisor
– He/she intro/discussion, you the meat of the methods
and analysis/results….
• Work on topics at the interface between your
two worlds
• Start as you mean to continue
– Engage your advisor as a colleague…..not as a student
Be careful
• Don’t let the academic job hunt
distract you from your output
– Keep post doc advisor in the loop
• Show commitment to the post doc
work (and an early departure ok)
• Additional year(s) of support will be
directly proportional to output
Don Siegel
The academic job
a current ad
About the position
The Department of Geosciences, at the University of Montana, invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant
Professor position in Watershed Hydrology beginning in August 2009. We seek a scientist with expertise in hydrologic
processes, including surface water, groundwater, and their interactions. We are especially interested in candidates
focusing on physical processes affecting watersheds at multiple scales, including specific expertise focusing on
physical, geomorphic, spatial/temporal scaling and mathematical characterization of physical hydrologic processes
in mountainous regions. We seek candidates who will: establish a vigorous externally funded research program; teach
courses in their area of specialization as well as introductory courses; advise and mentor students from the
undergraduate to Ph.D. levels; and integrate with the University's programs in river and aquatic science across
disciplines.
Qualifications
Applicants must have a Ph.D. in a geoscience, civil engineering, or a closely related field at the time of appointment,
a record of peer-reviewed publication appropriate to career stage, evidence of excellence in teaching or the ability to
develop into an excellent teacher, a record of or strong potential for obtaining research funding, and modeling and
quantitative skills.
Application Information
Please submit 1) a curriculum vita; 2) a cover letter that includes a summary of your interest in the position, a
description of your specific research interests, and a statement about your interests, philosophy, and qualifications
related to teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels; 3) electronic copies of up to three of your recently
published articles, and 4) contact information for four references to:
Chair, Hydrology Position
Department of Geosciences
The University of Montana
32 Campus Drive
Missoula, Mt 59812
Key points in your letter!
The position is open until filled, but review of applications will begin by November 15, 2008; all materials should be
filed by that date.
For more information, please visit: http://www.umt.edu/jobs/employment2.html#academic
The Letter.
• Say WHY you are interested in the position.
• Say what YOU can bring to the Department.
Indicate that you are familiar with research of
faculty.
• Say why YOU should be an interesting person to
them.
• About one-page long.....remember the committee
members will have 100 to wade through!
– Looking for ways to throw out applicants to whittle
down the pile
– Will look for papers first
Don Siegel
Not this (A typical example...)
• “I wish to be considered for the Assistant Professor
position at Oregon State and which was advertised by your
Department in Science.
• I have just completed my PhD. under Prof. Don Siegel at
SU and feel I fit the job description very well. I can teach
hydrogeology and am interested in geochemical processes
in wetlands.
• I look forward to hearing from you soon. Enclosed is my
vita for your consideration....”
"...Would you like fries with that
burger, sir?"
Don Siegel
The CV
• It should be tailored to the job (always)
• It should NOT have a statement indicating what you are
searching for in a job--this can be DEATH!
– Because most University Faculties Haven't a Clue What
They Want!
• Sections should be clearly isolated from each other
• It should be spel- checked.!!!! Over and over again….
• Include papers in print, in press and in review. Be careful on
papers “in prep”……
• Separate abstracts from papers!
• All: Include service work, lectures given, any salient job
experience and SKILLS (exaggerate a little).
•
Modified after Don Siegel
Sometimes a
committee will be
objective
The academic interview
– A personality contest
– The seminar: not an AGU talk!
– What are the people who interview you
looking for?
– Be ready for point blank questions:
• What are the first 3 NSF proposal topics
that you would write?
• How much start-up money do you need?
• How much space do you need?
• What would your first few
graduate students work on?
Other questions
…that I have had—I’m not making this up!
• “so, Jeff, who’s your hero”?
• “what book are you currently reading”?
• “what do you think about clear-cut
logging”?
• “why on earth would you want to come
here”?
• “what do you bring to this position”?
• “what is the future of watershed
hydrology”?
• “what will be the topic of your
first NSF proposal>
Specific Questions asked at The Academic
Interview by Individual Faculty
Don Siegel’s take on this
• Here is what I do, what do you think?
– (..What can you do for ME ME ME.)
• What computer software do you use?
– (..So I can see if you can help ME ME ME
and see if you are not biased against my
favorite operating system).
• What do you do?
– (Hell, I haven't had the time to read your
CV to find out.)
• YOU take control and start asking questions
first!!!
– "Hi Big Poobah, I'm delighted to meet you.
Podunk University seems to be a very nice
place. Do most faculty live near campus?"
From Don Siegel
The academic interview
• Be able to explain (and excite) a colleague
with your research
– This is difficult but critical
• Hone your 1 min; 5 min and 10 min version
of this (think elevator speech)
– Be able to cast in an applied way also
• Be able to define your brand identify
• ½ your seminar, ½ your social skills
throughout the 2-day interview
• Two simple things: enthusiasm and
confidence
The schedule
Day 1
• 7:30am Breakfast with the search committee chair
– What is this person like?
• 8:30-9:00 Meet with the Department Head
– Hmm, can I see them teaching a class? how would our students
react to him/her?
• 9-10am Meet with the search committee
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
– Each one thinking of how you will service their career ambitions
10-10:30 Faculty member x
10:30-11 Faculty member y
11-11:30 Faculty member z
11:30-1pm Interactions and lunch with the grad students
(this will matter and get back to committee)
1-2:00pm Tour of the facilities
2-3pm Your seminar
4-5pm Meet with the office staff (CRITICAL)
5-9pm Drinks and dinner with someone from
the search committee and others
The schedule
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Day 2
7:30am Breakfast with someone from the committee
8:30-9:00 Meet with the Dean
Repeat of the madness of Day 1
……………
4-5pm Meet with the search committee for wrap-up and
questions
It’s a marathon! Be ready
Impress everyone!
– Administrators
– Graduate students
– Faculty
– Committee
How do you do this?
– Talk, ask questions, be enthusiastic, train like an athlete
for this grueling endurance test
Remember, if you get an interview, it is your job to lose
The seminar
• Not an AGU talk!
• As little jargon as possible
• Place the work in the big picture (see filmed talk by on
Hydrophiles site by Christina Tague…..a near-perfect talk)
• A strong teaching component (broad audience)
• Typical
– 45 minute talk (= 45 slides max!)
– 15 minute questions
• Know how to answer questions (take the Ronald Reagan
approach if necessary)
• Project enthusiasm and confidence…..did I mention
enthusiasm and confidence…..?
• Be articulate
– E.g. pronounce your “ing’s”, “yes” not “yeah”, avoid “ums”, work
on this beforehand!
• Spend time on what you will do next (and tailor to the ad
and specific geography of the university/region)
Social Time..YOU must SPEAK
words of wisdom by Don Siegel
• I really like this food. Is it catered from Arby’s?
• I note the artwork on the walls. Do you have painted
black velvet?
• Podunk seems like a quiet city--where do they store
the sidewalks at night?
• I notice you have a few kids. I hate kids.
• I notice that hairy head on the wall. Is that your
mother-in -law?
• Will I be able to go to conferences and present
papers?--for free?
• Do I get to park next to my building?
From Don Siegel
Negotiables
•
•
•
•
Salary
Start-up
Lab space
Teaching load
– And phasing in of courses
• Student support
– Salary, start-up, teaching, lab space,
student support, summer salary
• The two body issue
• Who has the money and power to make
decisions?
How to negotiate
• You are in the power position
• You will never have this power again!
• Know how to balance demands and how to
concede certain negotiation points
• Use the right tone
• Have your facts straight and details in
hand (name names)
– Salary and start-up comparables
• Know about (and be sensitive to)
salary compression
A typical example
They offer
• $58K for 9 mo
• $150 K start-up
• Teaching to start upon arrival
•
– u/g course first semester
– u/g and grad second
semester
You counter (for example)
• $65K for 9 mo
– Cite people you know at other
schools at this rate
– Quote latest Chronicle stats
•
$200K start-up
•
Ask for phased in teaching
•
Explore summer salary
coverage in years 1 and 2
Cast all of this in terms of
you hitting the ground
running, seed money/support,
early grant success, be coy
A cool lab
•
– Use itemized list
– Speak in terms of seed
money
– Nothing first semester
They may have no ability to negotiate salary or start-up…..if not, then
look for other consolations (student support, lab space incr., etc)
A word on teaching
• They will likely have a course or two that needs
to be taught
• You should have an idea of a course or two that
you would like to introduce
• Go for absolute minimum teaching possible (you
can always incr. later)
• You will need to excel in teaching….it is what pays
the bills
• Teaching comes from the heart
– Teach with boundless enthusiasm
• Key skill is being comfortable speaking
extemporaneously
Wrap-up
• PhD is the launching pad
• Post Docs are so helpful
• The ad, the letter, the CV (and teaching
statement) are critical to ensure an
interview
• The academic interview: your job to lose
• Negotiating the job: you have
the power