Thread by @BucarLiz

My institution has been hiring a ton, which means I've attended over 20 job talks in the last 12 months. It occurred to me a thread about DOs and DON'Ts might be helpful, so here goes:

Context: I work at a R1 institution, and job talks for T-T positions are presentations of the candidate's scholarship to other faculty in the department and college. Every place has its own norms. This advice is based on my experience as a faculty member who is voting on hires.

1/ DO start your talk with a broad hook or problem your research is trying to solve—if you can’t convince me your work matters, I won’t think it does. Make sure the hook ends with a research question. Then answer it in the talk.

2/ DO set up your larger project, but focus on the most interesting bits in your job talk. I can't digest your entire dissertation or book in an hour talk. In other words, edit yourself.

3/ DO practice your talk OUT LOUD with friends/colleagues/your dog before hand—or video tape yourself. A job talk is an oral performance. Practicing can help you clarify your language and modulate your rhetoric.

4/ DO make an argument. A job talk can’t just be “show and tell” about your research. You need to also convince the search committee you are making a distinct argument based on that material. Make clear why your answer to that opening research question builds knowledge.

5/ DO know your audience. If it is an inter-disciplinary search or joint appointment, be sure your talk reflects that. You have to talk across the aisle.

6/ DO make you audience (aka your future colleagues) feel smart. This is true of any public talk, but especially a job talk. If you get stuck in the weeds and discuss things only specialists care about, you will lose us.

7/ DO end your talk by circling back to the question/broader context you began with and make clear how all the detailed work you just did contributes to solving that problem or understanding that issue.

8/ DO use the Q&A as a time to show us how you can think on your feet—take your time to answer questions.

9/ DO be savvy about your PPT. Use text sparingly, highlight important quotes, and include provocative/illustrative images.

10/ DO be clear about “YOUR WHAT AND 3 WHYS”: WHAT is your argument? WHY now? (e.g., intervention into your field/or to current events) WHY are you the right person? (e.g. fieldwork/distinct theory) WHY DOES IT MATTER (not why do YOU think it is interesting--why would I?)

And now some DON'Ts:
1/ DON'T tell us everything you know about a topic. Please, just don't.

2/ DON’T present work that you are just starting, especially if it is going to sound half-baked--this doesn’t show you off to your best advantage.

3/DON’T get stuck in the weeds. Those weeds might be interesting to you, and 30 other ppl in your immediate sub-field, but the job talk is usually aimed at broader audience. We are smart, but we don’t know what you know.

4/ DON’T use jargon—it is academic shorthand/laziness and it will make it harder for your argument to land and stick.

5/ DON’T sign post the entire time. Cut phases like “I’m almost done” or “bare with me, 10 min to go.” Assume your audience is riveted. Or at least avoid reminding them they are not.

LAST WORDS: Job talks are stressful, but you know lots of cool stuff that we don’t. Believe that what you know matters—and share with us!