Post on 30-Oct-2014
description
transcript
Preparing for Today's Academic Job Market:
Lessons from the Trenches
Emad Shihab emads@cs.queensu.ca Queen’s University
Caveats
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The presenter is not an expert We will not discuss
• Academia vs. Industry • Why do a PhD • Perks of Academia • Funding
What We Will Talk About…
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Preparing you applicaDon package Interviewing – Phone and On-‐site Post Interview Staying sane, being realisDc, etc.
ApplicaDon Package 4
ApplicaDon Packages Come in Packs of Four + 1
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Cover leJer Research statement Teaching statement Curriculum Vitae +1: Website
Cover LeOer
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Should state:
1. What posiSon you are applying for
2. The highlights of your awesomeness • Research accomplishments • Teaching accomplishments • Funding accomplishments • Anything else that is unique to you
3. Why you are interested in this job
4. What else you are aJaching to the applicaSon
Research Statement
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Probably the longest document in your package… …make it an easy read!
Give it to a non-‐expert and make sure they are impressed
Research Statement -‐ Content
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MoDvate your problem Discuss what you did • Highlight (at least) one important finding • Put your research achievements in context • Don’t be shy!
Discuss the future • Make it short and to the point • It should be an evoluSon…not a revoluSon
Research Statement – General Advice
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Sell what you are good at, even if it is making lemonade Show a big picture, and most importantly, that your problem is worth invesDng in
Teaching Statement
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Level of importance depends on the University you apply to I found it to be the most difficult to write, since:
1. It is hard to not be cheesy 2. I had very liJle experience with teaching 3. It is hard to quanSfy good teaching, i.e., the
results secSon of the paper is missing ;)
Teaching Statement -‐ Content
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Why you got into this business in the first place Share some of your teaching experience Why you think you are a good teacher Discuss grad teaching/supervision List what courses you are comfortable teaching (make sure you show breadth)
Curriculum Vitae
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Basically, who you are (academically) • Research Interests • EducaSon • PublicaSons • Industrial experience • Teaching experience • Awards • Professional service • References
Curriculum Vitae
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Research Interests • Make them as wide as possible PublicaDons • Show quality and quanSty • Show your submissions, especially if they are
quality pubs • Show collaboraSon
Industrial experience • Make sure to list what you achieved • Who you worked with
Curriculum Vitae
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Teaching experience • List class sizes, topics taught • YOUR responsibility
Awards and Grants • Show your research & presentaSon excellence • Show them you can make money! • Show them you can make money!
References • Choose them carefully, very carefully • The bigger, and more diverse, the beJer
Interviews 15
Phone Interviews
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Generally conducted with the search commiJee • 15 – 30 minutes long Typical quesDons • Tell us about your research? • Why our department? • What courses do you want to teach? • Where do you plan to get funding from? • When do you plan to finish?
Expect any type of quesDon!
Phone Interviews
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Towards the end, a common quesSon is … • Do you have any quesDons for us? Feel free to ask, but what you should know by the end of the conversaSon is: • Why they are hiring? • What is the teaching load? • What is unique about the university?
Most importantly, let them know you are a good fit!
On-‐site Interview Prep
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Research the department • Why would you be a good fit • How do you see yourself contribuSng • How are young professors doing
Research the faculty • What are their research interests • What do they teach • What was a recent good publicaSon
Research possible funding sources • Show that you are thinking like a faculty
Typical On-‐site Interview IDnerary
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Day 1
9:00 AM Get picked up by faculty
9:30 AM Meet with department chair
10:00 -‐ 11:30 Job talk
11:30 – 12:45 Lunch with faculty/students
1:00 – 1:45 Meet with students
2:00 – 2:30 Meet with Vice Provost
2:30 – 4:30 Meet with faculty members
5:30 – 8:00 Dinner
Day 2
8:30 AM Get picked up by faculty
9:00 – 9:30 Undergrad program director
9:30 – 10:00 Meet with Dean
10:00 – 11:30 Grad program director
11:30 – 12:00 Meet with lecturers
12:00 – 12:45 Lunch with faculty/students
1:00 – 2:00 Wrap up with dept. chair
Job Talk
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PotenDally, the most important talk of your life Should cover: • Who you are? • Research interests • MoSvate problem and show importance • Provide context and big picture • Give a summarized version of your main work • Show achievements • Provide future direcSons
The talk should REALLY impress a non-‐expert!
MeeDng with Faculty
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Mood will vary based on faculty member The most asked quesDon • Do you have any quesSons for me? What you want to convey • You are working on important problems • You can get money for your projects • You are excited about collaboraSon • You want THIS job, not any job!
Most faculty are super nice, enjoy the discussions – I did!
MeeDng with Lecturers
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Your toughest criScs, at least for me … Most will ask you about your teaching experience • How you handle different situaSons • Why this school or department • What your expectaSons are • What you are interested in teaching InteresSngly, not so interested in student teaching evaluaSons
MeeDng with Deans
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Mostly interested in your personality and your fit Some asked quesSons related to my research All Deans asked: What quesDons do you have for me? …. all Deans! Be careful, most Deans have veto power!
Lunch/ Dinner MeeDngs
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The most volaDle Dme of the interview Your personality has to really show Most discussions were about non-‐funcDonal aspects: • Living in the area • Children • Funding, or lack of
Just like ge_ng arrested, everything you say can and will be used against you!
Interviews – Final Remarks
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Interviews can be mentally, physically and emoDonally draining – you’ve been warned! Be at your best behavior, but be yourself Be prepared for all kinds of quesSons/feedback Take notes • What would living here be like? • Will I enjoy being here for the next 30 years? • Are people running away from this place? • Are junior/senior faculty happy?
Post Interview 26
Post Interview
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Send thank you notes, if you see fit Get advice from others based on your observaSons Be paSent … outcome can take 2 weeks – 3 months
Post Interview -‐ Outcome
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You get an offer, congratulaSons! Let the negoSaSons begin… • Salary • Student support • Startup money • Travel money • Lab space • Teaching load • Moving expenses, start date, etc..
Be careful, it is a buyer’s market!
Post Interview -‐ Outcome
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You get an email thanking you for your Sme Lick your wounds and understand… • You will get something else • Making it to the interview is an
accomplishment on its own • You will only get beJer with Sme
Leverage your advisor and family for support
and encouragement
General Stats
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According to Taulbee survey, 124 PhDs got hired to a tenure-‐track posiSon in 2011 Although it is difficult, it is not impossible The harder you work, the beJer your chances are
General Stats
31 Source: hJp://www.cccblog.org/2012/05/07/surge-‐in-‐postdocs-‐conSnues-‐according-‐to-‐latest-‐survey-‐data/
Timeline
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May – August: Prepare applicaSon materials September – January: ApplicaSon season January – May: Interview season May – June: Hear back
Where to Find Job PosDngs
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CRA: hJp://cra.org/ads/ The Chronicle of HD: hJp://chronicle.com/
University Affairs: hJp://oraweb.aucc.ca/pls/ua/ua_re AcademicKeys: hJp://www.academickeys.com/
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The views presented here are based on the presenter’s experiences
Warning!
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Happy Job HunDng!