Academic Careers: Building a portfolio and making job applications. Dr. Tracy Bussoli 13 th October 2011

Transcription

1 Academic Careers: Building a portfolio and making job applications Dr. Tracy Bussoli 13 th October 2011

2 Today s Topics Is academia for me? Looking for Jobs Assessing a job advertisement Basic principles for a good application How to stand out Networking

3 Is academia for me?

4 Why you might not want an academic career Young academic = Cannon fodder Mobility national, international Recession is this such a secure sector? Part-time means full-time with less pay Short term contracts = collaged career Visa/work permit And so on.

5 Components of an Academic Career Three main areas in which to build experience Teaching Research University Administration/Academic Support

6 Is Academia for me? Do I enjoy teaching? Do I like the cyclic repetition of the academic year? Will my PhD leave substantial unanswered research questions allowing to me continue my research? Do I have the tenacity required to secure funding in competitive times?

7 Academic Career Roles Lectureship Post-Doc teaching fellowship Temporary/part-time lectureship Post-Doc research fellowship (developing your research or working on new project) Research Assistant Research Officer Academic-Related research manager, teaching and learning delivery, quasi academic research roles

8 What makes you suitable for an academic job? Teaching experience Teaching qualification Existing or planned publications Potential as a developing researcher Sense of where you/your expertise are situated within your subject Transferable experience e.g. knowledge of academic world Experience of conference/journal management

9 Factors to bear in mind Know the academic seasons around the world Impact of REF results in UK Finance and Economics job market system Person specifications can be vague Think laterally about different disciplines Competing with the inside candidate

10 Looking for academic jobs DiigoLink: UK + international US + international international - US EU international ec.europa.eu/dgs/jrc/index.cfm EC joint research centre Chronicle.com/jobs US + international Don t forget your network!

11 Academic Careers in the USA The Academic Job Search Vick and Furlong US News and World Report volumes: America s Best Graduate Schools (research rankings via PhD programmes) America s Best Colleges (liberal arts colleges) Carnegie Foundation Classifications Visibility is EVERYTHING Get your name known as much and as soon as you can New Careers Service handout

12 Assessing a job advert

13 Ask yourself Teaching: What can I teach on their syllabus? What new courses for UGs or PGs can I offer? How do I fit with their culture of teaching my subject? What are other people teaching in the department, and how will that affect me? Am I comfortable teaching things I know nothing about?

14 Ask yourself Research open agenda: How do I fit with their research culture? What opportunities for collaboration or support are there for me as a new researcher? Can I add to research groups/create new ones? How can I contribute to conferences and/or publications or establish new ones?

15 Ask yourself Research pre-defined project: How do I feel about working on someone else s project, to someone else s agenda? Does this area contribute to my own profile? Will I want to/can I continue my own research and publications? Where will I go afterwards?

16 Basic principles of a good application Always tailor your application materials to each individual job CV, letter, statements etc. Always provide evidence of relevant achievements Look objectively at your application materials How will they look to someone who doesn t know you? What is the first thing the reader will see/learn about you? Discuss with supervisor, careers adviser, or other person with academic perspective

17 Job Application package Will include some or all of: CV and/or application form Cover letter/personal statement Abstract of PhD thesis Statement of current and future research, including proposed publications Statement of teaching philosophy, experience and proposed courses

18 The right CV for the job No correct way to structure it To abstract, or not to abstract? Education or work experience first? Group work experience by relevant and other For publications, use forthcoming or submitted for peer review or in preparation Awards, honours, professional bodies

19 But always: Include title of your thesis, supervisor(s), proposed submission date (and viva date) Include publications, conferences/seminars, awards Don t give too much info with each entry

20 Principles of a good covering letter Introductory paragraph refer to job title, where it was advertised My shoes establish my credentials: who am I (a PhD at LSE!), why does this job appeal to me, how does it fit with who I am now? Their shoes seeing myself through the recruiter s eyes, emphasising key strengths they are looking for Concluding paragraph - include any unavailable interview dates if appropriate

21 How much should you write? CV 2+ pages (models on the CS website) Letter 1-2 pages shorter if you have statements Statements 2-4 pages Less can be more! Leave something for interview

22 How to stand out - Teaching Describe your existing experience Courses, class sizes, teaching modes Training, mentoring Dissertation supervision Philosophy general, subject Proposed role in their department Existing courses to teach New UG/Masters courses Show you understand their teaching of the subject

23 How to stand out - Research Get published in good refereed journals Use conferences to raise your profile Get experience of funding process Understand issues in HE research culture Understand quality assessment process (REF) Know the field beyond your own topic Know where your research will go next Develop a second research interest Try to get publishers interested in your book idea

24 Writing a research statement Summarise your current research Explore possible future directions Present and justify your next new research idea Why is it important, what does it add to the field, how does it fit your existing work? Literature review Methodology Outputs including publications, conferences, networks Schedule of work

25 Network for your future Conferences: Go! Volunteer to help with organisation Offer to help edit proceedings Research speakers, know the personalities, say hello! Research: Get your own out there Offer to collaborate Offer to help with editing of compiled books Look out for non-academic forums for speaking, listening or writing Teaching: Go beyond your dept: other depts, summer schools, other univs

26 Other support available Succeeding at Interviews (16 th Nov TLC. How to succeed at academic interviews) PhD pages on Careers website sample CVs and notes on application letters PhD Careers Adviser Any Questions?