John Burton Associate Professor and Director American Studies DePaul University The Academic Job Search

Types of Positions  Tenure-Track Assistant Professors  Instructors  Visiting Positions—One-Year  Visiting Positions— Renewable  Senior Positions (Full and Associate Professors)

Academic Job Search: The Faculty View What happens before the search begins: Institutional Needs AssessmentInstitutional Needs Assessment Position Proposal & DescriptionPosition Proposal & Description Faculty Search CommitteeFaculty Search Committee

Timetable  Positions approved later Spring or Early Summer  Advertisement in late Summer or Autumn  Interviews at National Conferences in Autumn/Early Winter  Interviews Winter  One-Year Positions in late Spring

The Search Committee  Membership  Background  Time Commitment  Length of Service  Politics

Finding Open Positions  Begin Early  Search widely (Chronicle, H-Net, Journals and Newsletters)  Job Listings at Professional Organizations  Check locally

Reading the Job Ad  What is the department looking for?  “Double” Description  Teaching vs. Research  Vague or specific  Who are they?

Research the Institution  Job Description  Check the Web  Ask Friends

Applying for the Position  Curriculum Vitae  Cover Letter

Curriculum Vitae--Parts  Education  Teaching Experience Courses Taught  Research Papers & Publications  Service & Work Experience

Curriculum Vita--Tips  Make it comprehensive, but don’t pad it  Avoid Gimmicks  Make it easy to Read  Keep it chronological  Proof Read, Proof Read, Proof Read The Typical CV gets less than one minute of attention

The Cover Letter  Personalize  Call attention to your strengths  Tailor to the Institution  Include a teaching philosophy  Describe your research succinctly The Cover letter is your one chance to stand out—It may only be skimmed so make it clear and direct

References  Identify before you begin the job search  Provide copies of your CV and basic cover letter  Tailor the references to different aspects of your experience  Should include your dissertation chair

Where to Apply  The Long Shot???  “I could teach that....”  The Nineteenth Century is really just the late eighteenth Century....  Is Neurobiology Environmental Science? Think really carefully about applying outside your field. You probably will be wasting time and money

Assembling the Packet  Get the details right—position title, department name, and university  Don’t fold  Don’t call the department unless absolutely necessary  Don’t include more than requested (don’t send your book if they haven’t asked)

Reviewing the Applications  200+ applications common  4-5 faculty review committees  Creating a Short List (Politics & Personalities)  Phone or National Conference interviews

The “Phone Call”  Get the information you need to interview well.  Ask what you need to prepare or provide.  Be as professional as possible (change your voice mail message if necessary)  Try not to call back to the department before the initial interview

Initial Interview  Often only ½ hour  Keep your responses succinct and direct  Watch your interviewers—if more than one, make sure to focus on all of them  Dress Appropriately—error on being to formal than not formal enough  Be polite but not overly personal

On-Campus Interview  Study the Institution  Learn about the Department & Faculty  Be prepared with Syllabi, Papers, Articles  Sleep well!  Take breaks when provided

Parts of the Interview  Teaching Presentation  Research Presentation  Interviews  Campus Tour

Teaching Presentation  Take it really seriously  Know about the course and/or audience  Directed to both students and faculty  Don’t depend on the students or faculty for success

Research Presentation  Make it interesting!!  Not everyone attending may be in your field  Be prepared for technology snafus  You’re the expert!!

Interviews  Answer the questions directly—then stop talking!  Look at everybody in the room  Be prepared for academic disputes between faculty

End of the Search: The Job Offer!!! Next Steps: Tenure!!