As we’re in the middle of academic job hunting season, here’s what I’ve been doing to search & apply for jobs, & handle the stress. Disclaimer: I am a postdoc on the TT job market, so ultimate validation of these strategies is still unclear. Also your mileage WILL vary
More evidence I’m a scientist to my core: I’ve been collecting/analyzing data on total # of jobs posted & jobs I could apply for within several fields (yay interdisciplinarity!) for >3 years. Last year I did a test run, prepared my documents & applied to a few jobs.
This test run helped me immensely to know at least what the process was & start getting my application package together. These documents are like a grant. I spent >100 hours on mine altogether. Then I let them sit & revisited them this June/July. That 5 month break from them
Gave me distance & allowed me to really tighten them up this year. They’re much better. Also, last year helped me figure out where to find job postings, bc there isn’t just one place!
It’s also take me 12 months to figure out how to explain academic job hunting to my family.
It’s also take me 12 months to figure out how to explain academic job hunting to my family.
Here’s the best metaphor I’ve found- it’s like sports. Lots of people play in college, but there are few spots on a NFL or NBA team. And those spots have to match your skills. So if you’re a quarterback or guard, you may want to live in X city, but that doesn’t mean that team
Needs a QB or guard. You have to go where they need your skills. And you won’t get many offers unless you’re the top of the top. Being sports fans, they at least get this metaphor & have stopped asking a lot of the questions we candidates hate.
Next, my process.
Next, my process.
I try to only check job boards once a week. I don’t quite have the self control to do it, but I try. I do it Friday morning, so that I can then step away from it for the weekend. I have a spreadsheet sorted by due date that I slot all potential jobs into.
The spreadsheet includes due date, link, department, location, & information about what documents are requested. The following week, I spend 1-2 hours researching the department & university, to collect information for tailoring my application & to decide if I can succeed there.
If I could, then yes I’ll apply. Then I wait a couple weeks. And apply the week it’s due using the word document of synthesized information I’ve gathered. I don’t do more than one application a day. by breaking up the process this way, I can keep perspective while still getting
REALLY excited about a job!! “OMG think of all the COOL collaborations I could start! And how AMAZING my colleagues would be!!” This is one area I disagree with this opinion piece at the start of this. Feel the excited feelings if you can, but it is ok to not want to feel while
Going through this. In part bc we all still have work to do! The reality is we need to stay functional and positive if possible, and if you need detachment to do that, that’s ok. Get excited if you can, don’t beat yourself up if you just can’t allow yourself to dream like that.
It’s rough, scary, & exciting, a lot like a roller coaster. In fact that’s how I prefer people ask about it, not “hows it going,” but “where are you on the roller coaster today?” I’m rooting for all of us. 😁What’s your process? Got any tips? #AcademicChatter #phdadvice
