The Professor Is In


Book Description

The definitive career guide for grad students, adjuncts, post-docs and anyone else eager to get tenure or turn their Ph.D. into their ideal job Each year tens of thousands of students will, after years of hard work and enormous amounts of money, earn their Ph.D. And each year only a small percentage of them will land a job that justifies and rewards their investment. For every comfortably tenured professor or well-paid former academic, there are countless underpaid and overworked adjuncts, and many more who simply give up in frustration. Those who do make it share an important asset that separates them from the pack: they have a plan. They understand exactly what they need to do to set themselves up for success. They know what really moves the needle in academic job searches, how to avoid the all-too-common mistakes that sink so many of their peers, and how to decide when to point their Ph.D. toward other, non-academic options. Karen Kelsky has made it her mission to help readers join the select few who get the most out of their Ph.D. As a former tenured professor and department head who oversaw numerous academic job searches, she knows from experience exactly what gets an academic applicant a job. And as the creator of the popular and widely respected advice site The Professor is In, she has helped countless Ph.D.’s turn themselves into stronger applicants and land their dream careers. Now, for the first time ever, Karen has poured all her best advice into a single handy guide that addresses the most important issues facing any Ph.D., including: -When, where, and what to publish -Writing a foolproof grant application -Cultivating references and crafting the perfect CV -Acing the job talk and campus interview -Avoiding the adjunct trap -Making the leap to nonacademic work, when the time is right The Professor Is In addresses all of these issues, and many more.




The Academic Job Search Handbook


Book Description

For more than 15 years, The Academic Job Search Handbook has assisted job seekers in all academic disciplines in their search for faculty positions. The guide includes information on aspects of the search that are common to all levels, with invaluable tips for those seeking their first or second faculty position. This new edition provides updated advice and addresses hot topics in the competitive job market of today, including the challenges faced by dual-career couples, job search issues for pregnant candidates, and advice on how to deal with gaps in a CV. The chapter on alternatives to academic jobs has been expanded, and sample resumes from individuals seeking nonfaculty positions are included. The book begins with an overview of the hiring process and a timetable for applying for academic positions. It then gives detailed information on application materials, interviewing, negotiating job offers, and starting the new job. Guidance throughout is aimed at all candidates, with frequent reference to the specifics of job searches in scientific and technical fields as well as those in the humanities and social sciences. Advice on seeking postdoctoral opportunities is also included. Perhaps the most significant contribution is the inclusion of sample vitas. The Academic Job Search Handbook describes the organization and content of the vita and includes samples from a variety of fields. In addition to CVs and research statements, new in this edition are a sample interview itinerary, a teaching portfolio, and a sample offer letter. The job search correspondence section has also been updated, and there is current information on Internet search methods and useful websites.




The Chicago Guide to Landing a Job in Academic Biology


Book Description

The Chicago Guide to Landing a Job in Academic Biology is an indispensable guide for graduate students and post-docs as they enter that domain red in tooth and claw: the job market. An academic career in the biological sciences typically demands well over a decade of technical training. So it’s ironic that when a scholar reaches the most critical stage in that career—the search for a job following graduate work—he or she receives little or no formal preparation. Instead, students are thrown into the job market with only cursory guidance on how to search for and land a position. Now there’s help. Carefully, clearly, and with a welcome sense of humor, The Chicago Guide to Landing a Job in Academic Biology leads graduate students and postdoctoral fellows through the perils and rewards of their first job search. The authors—who collectively have for decades mentored students and served on hiring committees—have honed their advice in workshops at biology meetings across the country. The resulting guide covers everything from how to pack an overnight bag without wrinkling a suit to selecting the right job to apply for in the first place. The authors have taken care to make their advice useful to all areas of academic biology—from cell biology and molecular genetics to evolution and ecology—and they give tips on how applicants can tailor their approaches to different institutions from major research universities to small private colleges. With jobs in the sciences ever more difficult to come by, The Chicago Guide to Landing a Job in Academic Biology is designed to help students and post-docs navigate the tricky terrain of an academic job search—from the first year of a graduate program to the final negotiations of a job offer.




Get the Job


Book Description




"So What Are You Going to Do with That?"


Book Description

Graduate schools churn out tens of thousands of Ph.D.’s and M.A.’s every year. Half of all college courses are taught by adjunct faculty. The chances of an academic landing a tenure-track job seem only to shrink as student loan and credit card debts grow. What’s a frustrated would-be scholar to do? Can he really leave academia? Can a non-academic job really be rewarding—and will anyone want to hire a grad-school refugee? With “So What Are You Going to Do with That?” Susan Basalla and Maggie Debelius—Ph.D.’s themselves—answer all those questions with a resounding “Yes!” A witty, accessible guide full of concrete advice for anyone contemplating the jump from scholarship to the outside world, “So What Are You Going to Do with That?” covers topics ranging from career counseling to interview etiquette to translating skills learned in the academy into terms an employer can understand and appreciate. Packed with examples and stories from real people who have successfully made this daunting—but potentially rewarding— transition, and written with a deep understanding of both the joys and difficulties of the academic life, this fully revised and up-to-date edition will be indispensable for any graduate student or professor who has ever glanced at her CV, flipped through the want ads, and wondered, “What if?” “I will absolutely be recommending this book to our graduate students exploring their career options—I’d love to see it on the coffee tables in department lounges!”—Robin B. Wagner, former associate director for graduate career services, University of Chicago




Tomorrow's Professor


Book Description

Tomorrow's Professor is designed to help you prepare for, find, and succeed at academic careers in science and engineering. It looks at the full range of North American four-year academic institutions while featuring 30 vignettes and more than 50 individual stories that bring to life the principles and strategies outlined in the book. Tailored for today's graduate students, postdocs, and beginning professors, Tomorrow's Professor: Presents a no-holds-barred look at the academic enterprise Describes a powerful preparation strategy to make you competitive for academic positions while maintaining your options for worthwhile careers in government and industry Explains how to get the offer you want and start-up package you need to help ensure success in your first critical years on the job Provides essential insights from experienced faculty on how to develop a rewarding academic career and a quality of life that is both balanced and fulfilling NEW Bonus material is available for free download at http://booksupport.wiley.com At a time when anxiety about academic career opportunities for Ph.D.s in these field is at an all-time high, Tomorrow's Professor provides a much-needed practical approach to career development.




Advice for New Faculty Members


Book Description

Nihil nimus is a guide to the start of a successful academic career. As its title suggests (nothing in excess), it advocates moderation in ways of working.--From publisher description.




Job Search In Academe


Book Description

Building on the success of the first, this new edition has been updated to cover the latest hiring trends, changing economic circumstances, and feedback from readers. The authors have expanded the book to deal with issues faced by minority candidates, and have added contributions from scientists to cover such issues as negotiating faculty contracts to ensure adequate lab space and resources. They give more emphasis to applying for non-academic jobs and offer case study scenarios of candidates who have followed both academic and non academic paths. The authors urge readers to go develop a philosophy statement for research and service, as well as for teaching. They explain what’s involved in applying for joint positions, offer advice on applying for administrative jobs outside the academy, and prepare the reader for first year academic and corporate performance reviews. They have updated the resources, references, examples and scenarios. This book covers the process for Master’s- and Ph.D.-level job-seekers of all disciplines: from identifying sources of information about positions, to advising on the preparation of effective CVs and portfolios, through guidance on the process of interview to final negotiation of terms. Its invaluable advice is informed by the authors’ experiences in both academic and corporate arenas, as well as by the narratives of current and recent job seekers. The authors cover the full spectrum of potential positions—adjunct, visiting, temporary and tenure-track faculty appointments—at-year and 2-year institutions. This book includes sample application letters and vitae, a model for job search workshop, and a rich list of resources both in print and on-line. An accompanying Web site offers a wealth of information on locating job postings, complete with hot links to major sites, both general and discipline-specific; presents eight sample application packets by successful humanities, social sciences, and sciences candidates, with accompanying comments on key features by the book’s authors; and an extensive listing of useful books and online resources. While being realistic about the trends in higher education, the decline in tenure-track positions, and greater competition for available positions, the authors actively combat the gloom and doom approach of competing books by emphasizing that readers have it in their power to adopt strategies, and take actions and choices, that can greatly improve their chances of success. The authors aim to help candidates see what they already have and how to get that across as clearly as possible to potential hiring committees. Contact the Authors: Share your story! We hope to continue collecting timely narratives to keep Job Search useful, and we welcome your e-mails. Dawn can be reached at [email protected] and Cheryl at [email protected]. We also welcome the opportunity to offer job search workshops and individual coaching in person and online.




Scaling the Ivory Tower


Book Description

We wrote this book because so many academics find it daunting to navigate the search for an academic position. The workbook is designed with 58 worksheets and checklists dealing with everything from the imposter syndrome to crafting a cover letter that tells your unique story. Checklists are available for items to consider when crafting cover letters, interviews (whether on the telephone, by video or in person), and negotiating an offer. It was created to help newly minted academics, as well as those who may want to move laterally, to handle the pragmatic aspects of the job search. The information and necessary skills for this process are generally not taught in graduate school.The book is organized in seven essential sections: Part 1 introduces the academic job search cycle and outlines the various categories for hires. Part 2 helps you stay on top of your academic job search, from where to look to publishing plans.Part 3 give you various ways to organize and track your job search applications. Part 4 outlines the ten important pieces of your academic job search portfolio, and offers examples or templates for those elements. Part 5 presents the ins and outs of your academic job search interview, including handling conference, video and on site visits. Part 6 looks at additional considerations including some statistics on the academic job market and alternatives to the professoriate. Part 7 concludes by recapping some of the most important items to consider as you go through a month by month academic job search process.This book was developed by two coaches who have a combined work experience of over 40 years with academic clients who are unfamiliar with the nuts and bolts of seeking an academic position. The workbook offers real life up-to-date examples of the job search process from the applicant's point of view and is designed to reduce anxiety through concrete exercises and demystify the academic job search process.




Academic Work and Careers in Europe: Trends, Challenges, Perspectives


Book Description

This book explores the perceptions of academic staff and representatives of institutional leadership about the changes in academic careers and academic work experienced in recent years. It emphasizes standardisation and differentiation of academic career paths, impacts of new forms of quality management on academic work, changes in recruitment, employment and working conditions, and academics’ perceptions of their professional contexts. The book demonstrates a growing diversity within the academic profession and new professional roles inhabiting a space which is neither located in the core business of teaching and research nor at the top level management and leadership. The new higher education professionals tend to be important change agents within the higher education institutions not only fulfilling service and bridging functions but also streamlining academic work to make a contribution to the reputation and competitiveness of the institution as a whole. Based on interviews with academic staff, this book explores the situation in eight European countries: Austria, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Romania, and Switzerland.