How to Apply for an
Academic Position
Workshop #1 of How to Jump
Start Your Academic Career
Michael Gooseff
mng2@psu.edu
Nov. 27, 2007
CEE Penn State University
Resources
► Handout
with this presentation
 make lots of notes
► Web
page:
www.engr.psu.edu/mgooseff/academic.html
 Evolving resource of advice, links, and
experiences
ANGEL group site?
► The
faculty!
Part 1 Overview
► How
the position originates…
► Your motivation
► Are you prepared?
► Reading (and translating) ads
► Should You Apply?
► Writing Your Application
► Follow-up
Part 2 – How to Interview for an
Academic Position Overview
► Preparing
to interview
 Research the institution
 Teaching/research seminars
 Questions, questions
► What
to expect when you are there
 Whom you are likely to meet
 Fair questions/unfair questions
How Does the Process Work?
► Position/specialty
is identified by a
department
need
► Department
requests
the “line” from
administration; line is
approved
►A
search committee is
formed
►A
description is written
► HR
edits/approves the
description
► Ads
are initiated
► POSITION
EXISTS
NOW
► Applications
submitted
are
How Does the Process Work?
►
You should receive
confirmation
►
The top 3-4 applicants are
invited to interview
►
ALL applications are
reviewed
►
You will be contacted
►
Interviews occur…
►
An offer is made to the
most preferred candidate
►
A short-list (10-12?) of
qualified/preferred
applicants is generated
►
References contacted
►
►
The top 3-4 applicants are
decided upon
Dept head, dean, or head
of search will call you
►
Happiness ensues…
Part 1 Overview
► How
the position originates…
► Your motivation
► Are you prepared?
► Reading (and translating) ads
► Should You Apply?
► Writing Your Application
► Follow-up
Motivation
► Why
do you want an academic career?
► Where





do you want to go?
Top tier research university
Less than top tier research university
Top tier teaching school
Less than top tier teaching school
Research institution
Part 1 Overview
► How
the position originates…
► Your motivation
► Are you prepared?
► Reading (and translating) ads
► Should You Apply?
► Writing Your Application
► Follow-up
Are You Prepared?
►
Have you published or do you have papers
in review or in press?
►
Have you designed coursework and/or
taught before?
►
Have you published or do you have papers
in review or in press? (it’s important
enough to mention more than once)
►
Where do you want to go with your
research?
Are You Prepared?
► Have
you published or do you have papers
in review or in press? (no really, it is…)
► Have
you presented your research at large
conferences?
► To
be ahead of your competition you should
demonstrate that you can succeed in




Scholarship (publications)
Academics (teaching)
Research (‘grantsmanship’; project execution)
Service (being a team player)
Part 1 Overview
► How
the position originates…
► Your motivation
► Are you prepared?
► Reading (and translating) ads
► Should You Apply?
► Writing Your Application
► Follow-up
Where to Find Ads
► Institution
web pages
HR or dept
► Scientific/Engineering
publication classifieds
► Scientific/Engineering
organization or society
classifieds
► Higher
Education
Journals and websites
► Most
of these are on
the web!
►A
few other
considerations:
 Do you care where you
live?
 Do you want a big
school or small school
feel?
 Is tailgating important?
What do they mean?
► Common
phrases in position ads:
 “tenure track position”
 “teach at the undergraduate and graduate
levels”
 “develop a nationally and internationally
recognized research program”
 Watch the adjectives and adverbs
►Many
superlatives will show up
Example Ad #1 – Structural Eng.
The Department of Architectural Engineering at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is
seeking applications for two full-time, academic year tenure track positions
for the teaching of structural analysis, design, and construction of
buildings. Starting date is September 8, 2008. Salary is commensurate with
qualifications and experience. Candidates should also have a strong interest
in the inter-relationship between structural engineering and architecture
and construction, both in the academic context and in practice. Required
qualifications for the position are either: a doctorate in structural
engineering or a closely related field, along with evidence of scholarship
related to building structures; or a master`s degree in structural
engineering, a structural engineering license (or equivalent with the ability
to obtain an S.E. license within 3 years) and significant experience in
professional practice (a minimum of 10 years of full-time practice.) In
addition to teaching and service, the successful candidate is expected to be
active in the scholarship of teaching, discovery, integration and/or
application. For more information and to complete a required online faculty
application, please visit WWW.CALPOLYJOBS.ORG and search for
Requisition #101422. Review of applications will begin December 17, 2007.
Applications received after this date may be considered.
Example Ad #2
Colorado School of Mines (CSM) invites applications for an
anticipated tenure-track Assistant Professor position in the
field of Surface Water/Watershed Hydrology. The successful
candidate will teach at the undergraduate and graduate
levels, direct graduate research, and develop a strong,
externally funded research program. Candidates must
possess a doctoral degree in an appropriate science or
engineering field, potential for excellence in teaching, the
ability to develop external research funding, and superb
interpersonal and communication skills. Registration as a
Professional Engineer, or the qualifications to become
registered, is required. For a complete job announcement and
instructions on how to apply, please visit our web site at
http://www.is.mines.edu/hr/Faculty_Jobs.shtm.
CSM is an EEO/AA employer.
Example Ad #3
Penn State University
2006-07 ‘season’
Part 1 Overview
► How
the position originates…
► Your motivation
► Are you prepared?
► Reading (and translating) ads
► Should You Apply?
► Writing Your Application
► Follow-up
Why Apply?
► You
fit the position description and
need a job soon!
► You
fit the description, but won’t be
done for a year or so…
► You
marginally fit the job description
but think this will be a good
networking opportunity
Distance
from
‘ideal’
situation
Part 1 Overview
► How
the position originates…
► Your motivation
► Are you prepared?
► Reading (and translating) ads
► Should You Apply?
► Writing Your Application
► Follow-up
Your Application
► Presentation
“on paper” is everything
 Lists of accomplishments look good
► Typical





Components:
Cover Letter (1 pg, 2 w/exp)
Statement of teaching interests (1 pg, 2 w/exp)
Statement of research interests (1 pg, + w/exp)
CV (several pages)
Reference list (1 page)
Your Application – Cover Letter
►
Components

Be explicit – “I am applying to…”

Convince the reader you are the right fit for
the institution and the position description

This is the only place you can ‘explain’
yourself, so be careful what you say!

Be courteous – “Thank you for reviewing…”
Your Application – Cover Letter
►
Some Don’ts:

Do not embellish. Demonstrate that you are a
good fit, but let your references give you
kudos

Do not use letterhead from your current
institution.

Do not make any judgments, particularly if
they are negative (I don’t like…)
Your Application –
Statement of Teaching Interests
► If
you have no teaching experience or only
TA experience, then convince the reader
that
 You have great ideas for how to teach
►Maybe
even draw on your own educational
experiences
 You will be a terrific teacher by
►Developing
excellent class materials
►Using cutting-edge teaching techniques
► Convey
enthusiasm for teaching!
Your Application –
Statement of Teaching Interests
► If
you have do have teaching experience,
then
 Convince the reader that your experience has
made you a better teacher
 Provide evidence (even if anecdotal) of your
effectiveness
►Student
verbal responses
►Student evaluations of teaching
► Convey
enthusiasm for teaching!
Your Application –
Statement of Research Interests
► Briefly
state your important findings to date
► Demonstrate
how you will leverage that
experience to move the state of science
forward
 Articulate the direction
 Will you work with others? In particular?
 Incorporate graduate and undergraduates?
Your Application –
Statement of Research Interests
►A
common question – “Where will you seek
funding for your big ideas?”
 Thus, it’s worth thinking about how your
research may be funded
► Distinguish
your peers
yourself from your advisor and
Your Application –
CV
► This









should include the following parts:
Contact info
Education history
Employment history (applicable to academia)
Teaching experience (if not already covered)
Advising (if you have done any)
Honors and Awards
Publications (KEY)
Conference presentations (list may be too long)
Professional Service
►1
Your Application –
Reference List
page only
► Be
confident that your refs will write positive, and
effective letters
► If
they ask for n, give them n+1
► Give
them full information, including whether they
will be on sabbatical leave or not (and may be
difficult to reach)
► Give
them just a little narrative about how these
folks relate to you
A few more thoughts
► Example
publications are not always
requested, but if you have 1 or 2, include
them in your application
► You
never know what people are going to
read so,
 A little redundancy is okay (but limit it)
 Make sure grammar and spelling are correct!
► After
generating a few of these, it will
become easier to modify for specific ads
A few more thoughts
► Number
the pages of your application
x/total just in case some part of it gets
misplaced
► Remember
that an honest portrayal of who
you are will be best for all involved
► Regardless
of what happens for each
application, it is always improving…
Part 1 Overview
► How
the position originates…
► Your motivation
► Are you prepared?
► Reading (and translating) ads
► Should You Apply?
► Writing Your Application
► Follow-up
Follow-up
►
What you should expect from them…


►
Acknowledgement of receipt of your materials
No news is good news – for a while
Should you call/email?


Sure, at any reasonable time
However, BE PATIENT
The End
► Resources:
►Web page
►ANGEL site
►Please
evaluate this workshop via the ANGEL site
after it is established;
►All constructive criticism is welcome!
►CEE Faculty