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Introduction to the Fifth Edition

Why is there a need for a fifth edition of the Academic Job Search Handbook? The goal has always been to be a helpful guide to what can sometimes be an opaque process, and over the years many people have told us they find the book to be invaluable in figuring out how to conduct the job search. However, since the previous edition was published in 2008, major shifts in both higher education and the global economy have affected the academic job market. The recession served as a catalyst for changes in higher education that are probably here to stay, even as the economy continues to improve. Our intent is not to critique these changes but to provide a basic context for them and support for those conducting an academic job search in a challenging climate.

Over the past several years we have seen that more and more institutions are finding it advantageous to establish and develop career services specifically targeted to doctoral students and postdocs. In a sea change, academic departments are thinking more about how to do that and proactively working to help their students have success after graduation—even if they pursue non-faculty careers. In addition to departmental efforts, institutions too are wondering what they can do. The huge growth of the Graduate Career Consortium, the national association for career advisors who work with doctoral students and postdocs, is a strong indicator of increased institutional concern over career outcomes of doctoral students and desire for competitive advantage in the national conversation about career outcomes for students at all levels.

Technology did not change dramatically in the period between the third and fourth editions. However, since 2008 the speed of technological change has accelerated and transformed the way people do research and scholarship, the way they connect about research and scholarship, the skills graduate students are expected to learn, and the online presence they need to build and maintain. Since these modalities are new all the rules are evolving—particularly for young scholars.

Most colleges and universities want the student population and faculty body to reflect the national as well as global population. As there is great effort to accept more underrepresented minority students, students who are the first in their family to go college, and international students, and as technology impacts every aspect of scholarly and pedagogical life, it becomes important for job candidates to be more than an expert on their subject. It is necessary to bring a wider range of attributes and an interest in doing more than simply teaching your topic and doing your research. Mastering teaching with technology, engaging in service, developing a new major or even degree program, and grant writing are some tasks junior faculty may be expected to do as soon as they begin their new position; previously these things were not usually asked of them so early in their career.

In this edition we expand the discussion of what you need to be a strong candidate and include more than 60 new sample job search materials, including the complete packet of materials of one candidate. These sample materials are from real candidates in humanities, social sciences, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), professional disciplines, and arts who secured positions in their fields. As you will see, there is not one way to write any of these materials. Rather they reflect each candidate’s unique background. With these we include helpful comments and guidance. Chapter 8, “Responding to Position Announcements,” features sample job announcements so that candidates can familiarize themselves with the language used therein. We expanded advice on online presence and social media since they are so crucial to young scholars’ careers. Chapter 18, “Knowing About and Getting Tenure,” now discusses the community college tenure process, as well as the processes at a research university and a liberal arts college. Because so many faculty job candidates are part of a couple and/or are interested in becoming parents we’ve added new personal narratives on those topics.

As both individual students and institutions are recognizing the importance of understanding what else one can do with a doctoral degree, there is more interest than ever in learning about non-faculty careers. Thus, we have expanded that section and added nine new resumes and cover letters as well as a new list of non-faculty careers/positions—again, from real job seekers. Suggestions for networking and informational interviews can also be found in the chapter, as this is essential information for developing a career beyond the tenure track.

The overall narrative of this edition acknowledges that you, the job candidate, are unique and that it is necessary to understand that you are the force that drives your career. This handbook and the many resources it refers to are the navigational tools to use. At the same time, it is crucial that you observe the specific conventions of your discipline and be in conversation with your advisor and other faculty who can guide you. In job hunting, as in anything else, unanimity is rare. When expert advice conflicts, we hope that the handbook will have given you a perspective from which to form your own judgment.

Even if you are interested in only a few specific topics, we suggest that you read the book in its entirety. If you do, you will begin to see how advice on one topic is related to advice on another. If you understand the logic of the approach suggested in the situations we do discuss, you will be able to improvise effectively when you encounter a new situation.

The book begins with an overview of academic careers and institutional structures. It then takes you step by step through the application process, from establishing relationships with advisors years before going on the market to making the most of a new position. Steps discussed include positioning yourself in the market, developing an online presence, learning about job openings, preparing CVs, cover letters, and other application materials related to teaching and research, discussing plans with those who will recommend you, participating in conferences, and negotiating offers. A timetable for your search, an appendix of scholarly and professional associations, and an appendix of career resources are also included.

In writing this edition, we have spoken with many concerned faculty, administrators, and career advisors who advise and provide career services for doctoral students and postdocs, all of whom are engaged in the conversation about career outcomes for doctoral students. While the road to a faculty career is challenging, the steps to get there are not uncharted territory. We hope that by clarifying the process we can reduce some of the anxiety and uncertainty of the academic job search.