Preparing Academic Applications

Most of my recent posts in this blog have been related to the high demand for postgraduates outside of academia, i.e. the large number of companies who are starting to look at postgraduate candidates in preference to first degree graduates due to the increasing supply of postgraduates, their increased skills and the current decrease in graduate vacancies. All of those facts hold true and it is important for postgraduates seeking work outside of academia to make the most of their skills in front of potential employers.

However, for those who do want to remain in academia, a postgraduate degree is more than a desirable qualification that can be used to enhance employment potential. It is in fact a pre-requisite to an academic career. So the big question is, how can a postgraduate distinguish themselves in a field where everyone has a PhD? Well, to help me answer that question I found this article last week that I posted on Twitter looking at academic job applications.

Despite the obvious American slant on the process there is much good advice buried in this article and I am going to try and distill the key points here. But before doing that I would like to comment on how reading that article reminded me that applying for jobs can be a full time job in itself. After literally 15+ years in education you can find yourself applying for jobs months and months in advance of actually needing one and trying to justify yourself to strangers in a few pages of type. It feels like a frustrating situation and indeed it can be, which is why it is important to prepare well and lay the foundation of your applications in advance. (see the tips below)

But also remember that it needn't always be that way and you don't need to panic if you are coming to the end of your course and haven't found a position yet. When I was coming to the end of my PhD I had a conversation with my supervisor where I said that I was sure I had left it too late to find a postdoc' job as I was due to submit in 2 months time. He said that was nonsense and that I just needed to find the right position. He was right and through a networking connection I did hear about a postdoc' that I applied for and got, starting a few weeks after I submitted - which is a vivid reminder of the importance of networking during a postgraduate course.

Now I admit that I was somewhat lucky that a position came up at the right time and I only mention it here to point out that things can happen quickly and do not have to happen via the traditional, ongoing application process that repeats each academic year. But if you are more prepared than I am and want to lay the groundwork for finding a job in academia (and by jobs I mean both postdocs and tenured positions) than here are some top tips that could help you. (Read the original article here)

1. Submit applications early. Academics notoriously "work to deadlines", which is the polite way of saying "do a lot of work the night before the deadline". If you want to prepare a high quality, tailored application then keep your eyes out for positions and write the covering letter and tweak your CV well in advance of the deadline. You will probably be submitting a CV, research statement, teaching statement and covering letter so give yourself time.


2. Find as many potential referrees as you can and send them a copy of your CV and a request that they act as your referree now that you are looking for work. Do this as early as possible as you don't want to annoy your referree by contacting them on Monday to say you are submitting an application on Tuesday and, by the way, they are your top referee. The purpose of having as many referrees as possible is that different people will have seen different parts of your skill set and you may want to choose a different one for different applications. Make sure you have at least 3 which is normally the minimum for many applications.


3. Put the majority of your application material (CV, research background, publications etc.) on a simple, elegant web page that you can link to from your paper documentation, business cards etc. Keep your website updated regularly as interviewers could literally be checking your website moments before you walk through the door.


4. Remove any embarassing or unflattering images from the public domain in your Facebook, Myspace, Flickr etc. Potential employers can do background research on you as well and they might not think too much of your mates photos of you.


5. Give a detailed breakdown of publications including number submitted, accepted, delivered at conferences etc.


6. Ask people outside of your field to read through your material to give you an impartial view on your applications.


7. If you are asked to give a talk at your interview then make sure you practice. Most departments are always looking for speakers so email the organsier and tell them you want to give a presentation approximately 1-2 weeks before the interview, leaving time to collect and respond to feedback.

Remember, the application you are preparing is the first contact your potential employers may have with you, unless you have managed to network with them in the past (well done!). Don't leave it until then night before and collect as much advice and feedback as you can.

Most of these tips apply equally well to non-academic job applications as well. In the near future I'll take a look at the interview process and delivering a talk on interview day as well.

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Dan Colegate on 16 Aug 13:58 0 comments