Finding Your Dream Job
Lana Yarosh
Jaeyeon Jung
University of Minnesota
Microsoft Research
CRA-W Programs
inspire and increase the success of
women & minorities in computing
600+ students & PhD researchers every year
from 250 U.S. institutions
What does CRA-W do?
Individual & Group Research Mentoring
Undergrads: Undergraduate Research Experiences
Undergrads: Distinguished lecture role models
Grad Cohort: group mentoring of graduate students
Grad Students: Discipline Specific Research
workshops
PhD Researchers: group mentoring early & mid career
@ CMW, CAPP, Grace Hopper & Tapia Academic careers
Undergraduates
Graduate Students
Industry/government labs
600+ students & PhDs a year
More information on programs
available at table right outside
and
CRA-W booth in exhibit hall
About Lana
About Jaeyeon
2011.07
2011.04
2009.02
2007.07
2007.06
2006.07
2006.06
2006.01
What About You?
What do you value?
What Do Employers Value?
Research University & Industry Labs
Papers in top conferences
Great letters
Spark
Teaching College
Papers in conferences
Teaching experience/enthusiasm
Advanced R&D in Software Companies
Coding skills; relevant experience & skills
Algorithmic understanding
The Application Process
Typical Academic Timeline
Early fall
Sept-Dec
Prepare materials
Apply
Recruit letter writers
Jan-April
Interview
Job!
Negotiate
offers
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#1. Find Job Postings
www.cra.org/jobs
www.chronicle.com/jobs
Other Specialized Lists
ACM Jobs and SIGCSE mailing lists
Department Websites
Use Your Network
#2. Send Out Applications
Compile an Application Packet
What’s in a job packet?
• Research statement
• Teaching statement
• Cover letters
• Recommendation letters
How do I know if I’m doing it right?
• Get examples
• Serve as a student rep on a search committee
• Have experts and non-experts read your materials
Polish Your Web Presence
• Professional Webpage / Blog
• Twitter / Facebook / LinkedIn
• Google Scholar Profile
Manage the Process
The only part that’s in my control
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What Can You Do?
Take care of yourself! Sleep, eat, exercise
Get social support, give social support
Be prepared to feel uneasy
• There will be times when you feel nervous, anxious, and
scared. It’s normal.
• Avoid comparisons and gossiping with your peers. You
won’t feel any better. Seriously.
Focus on what you CAN control
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Congrats! You Got an
Interview!
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#3. Rock Interviews
The Interview Process
One person or a group
Use a landline!
Phone
interview
Before,
during,
after: all the
other stuff
Meals
Thank you notes
Interactions w/ staff
Faculty of varying
ranks
Administrators
Students
Site visit:
HR
individual
interactions
Site visit:
Presentatio
ns
Research talk
Teaching demo maybe
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The Talk
Convince the audience you are smart and a
good teacher/researcher
• Assume a smart but general audience but don’t dumb
down the talk
• Clearly state problem and your contributions
• Show that you have ideas about what you will do when
you step foot in the door
• If necessary, tailor for the particular job call
Practice, practice, practice
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One-on-One
:A two-way evaluation
• Show interviewers that you’d be the kind of person
they’d want down the hall.
• Don’t let them do all the talking. THEY NEED TO
REMEMBER YOU.
Prior investigation on interviewers is helpful
• Read/skim their papers
• Check out their websites
• Look up recent NSF awards
• Note one possible topic of conversation if there’s a lull
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Questions to Ask About Teaching
How Much
• What's the pre/post tenure teaching load?
• What courses would I teach?
• Do faculty ever “buy out” of courses?
Freedom and Flexibility
• How much control would I have over course content?
• Can I create new courses?
Support and Evaluation
• In what cases would I have TA support?
• What resources are available for improving teaching skills?
• How is teaching evaluated?
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Questions to Ask About Research
Tenure
• What are the expectations for tenure?
• How many people were denied/granted tenure in recent years?
Research Culture
• What does it take to be successful here?
• Who do you work with in the department?
• Do you work with other university faculty?
Grants
•
•
•
•
What are the expectations about grant submission?
What types of funding to faculty typically seek?
What assistance is available for grant submission?
How are research assistants supported within the department?
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Offer!
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#4. Negotiate the Offer
Negotiations
Starting date & time till tenure
• A January start may buy you extra time on the tenure clock
• Pre-tenure sabbatical?
Teaching & service
•
•
•
•
Course releases
Which courses
Committee service expectations
Other commitments, e.g., advising undergrads
Money
• Salary (and summer support)
• Travel allotments, consulting, startup, etc.
Get EVERYTHING in writing
Money: Salary
Amount
Pay raises
Summer salary
Benefits
Subsidized housing
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Money: Funding
Startup and ongoing
• Research equipment
• Travel
• Students
• Books and memberships
• Class/lab equipment
Intellectual property rights
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Negotiation Rules
If you never hear “no”, you're not asking
for enough.
But know when not to apply this rule.
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Other Research Job
Opportunities
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Postdocs
Find job postings
• Additionally contact individual professors that you want to
work with
Apply
• Email professors & industry labs
Interview
Negotiate offers
• Probably not much wriggle room
Research Faculty
Find job postings
• At the discretion of each department since it’s a soft money
position
Apply
• Often same as tenure track positions
Interview
• Find more about grant opportunities
Negotiate offers
• Some departments offer to pick up first N years of salary until
you bring grant $
Researchers at Industry Labs
Find job postings
• Most labs have a standard “career” section on their web page
Apply
• Online to their system and let your contact know
Interview
Negotiate offers
• Typically a lot more wriggle room (sign on bonus, stocks, etc.)
Other Tips
Two body opportunity
• If they like you, they will try to help your partner at least
get an interview
Interview at many places (even if you have
an offer already)
• Opportunities to meet great people, to advertise your
work, and to get free airline mileage
• Put you in an advantageous position to negotiate
Thank you to our sponsors
Private Foundation
Unversity Departments
www.cra-w.org