Everything You’ve Ever Wanted To Know

About Going on the

Academic Job Market

Info Session 2009

Should I Be on the Market?• Will you have a well-developed, well-written job paper by

October?• Are you prepared to present your research?

• When can you realistically see being finished?

• Talk to your chair!!!

Where and What Is the Market?Allied Social Science Association (ASSA) annual

meetingshttp://www.aeaweb.org/Annual_Meeting/

• Sponsored by American Economic Association (AEA) and 50 other related disciplines

• 3 days at beginning of calendar year• January 6-8, 2012 Chicago, IL

• On site interviews

Where and What Is the Market? American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA)

annual meetingshttp://www.aaea.org/2012am/

• 3 day conference joint with WAEA (Western) and CAES (Canadian) and including AERA (Env & Res.) and ACCI (Am. Council on

Consumer Interests)• August 12-14, 2012, Seattle, WA

• Employment Center (registration required; CV and a short questionnaire)

Where Do I Find Job Listings?Websites of major organizations will have job & internship

listings, resume banks, general career info

• AAEA: www.aaea.org/classifieds• AEA listings in JOE (Job Openings for Economists)

http://www.aeaweb.org/joe/ • AERE: http://www.aere.org/jobs

• Economic Research Network (ERN): www.ssrn.com/ern/index.html• International Health Economics Association:

www.healtheconomics.org/jobs• Association of Public Policy Analysis & Mgmt:

http://www.publicservicecareers.org

Where Do I Find Job Listings?

International• Inomics (European positions): www.inomics.com

• European Economic Association: www.econ.upf.edu/aee_job_market/index.php

• European University Institute: www.eui.eu/ProgrammesAnd Fellowships/AcademicCareersObservatory/JobFundingResources/JobDatabasesDiscipline.aspx

• Academic Jobs EU: www.academicjobseu.com

The Chronicle of Higher Education: www.chronicle.com (faculty, administrative,

nonacademic)

How Do Potential Employers Find Me?The Economics Graduate Program Job Candidates Page

http://poole.ncsu.edu/gradecon/career-resources/job-candidates/

• Research/Field Interests• CV

• Professional Email• Website Address• Dissertation Title

• Research Presentation Video (scheduling forthcoming for September)

Ok, there are jobs. Which ones do I apply for?

In the initial stages, it is best not to be overly limiting in your search. A general rule of thumb is: “Don’t apply for a job you would not accept;

but apply for any job you prefer to unemployment.”

• Level?• Emphasizing which strengths?• Management/supervisory

responsibility?• Functions?

Roles and activities?

• Size/type of institution?• Culture?• Resources?• Geography?• Other……….?

What Goes in My Application Packet?Curriculum Vitae

• The primary differences between a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV) are the length, what is included and what each is used for.

Contact Information• a professional email address• phone number with a professional voice mail message• postal address• more frequently, a professional website

Website Development Workshop, TBA

What Goes in My Application Packet?

Curriculum Vitae Education• All degrees earned (reverse chronology)

• Thesis/Dissertation titles and supervising faculty• Research focus/interests

• Licenses and Certifications

Experience/Professional Employment (reverse chronology)• Teaching• Research

Professional Activities• Professional Development Activities• Publications/Presentations (reverse chronology may use selected, recent or relevant)• Research/Grants

References• Research and Teaching

Particular Proficiencies• Software, programming, etc.

What Goes in My Application Packet?

Your CV Should NOT Include:• Marital status, age, health, race, gender, health, photo, salary... • Use of pronouns, especially “I”• Full sentences - use phrases beginning with action verbs and include results/outcome…• Repeated introductory phrases like “responsibilities include/d…”

What Goes in My Application Packet?Cover Letter/Letter of Introduction

Be specific to the position and institution• Include evidence that you’ve researched the position and institution • MATCH your talents to their needs

Job Readiness• Should briefly describe your research and pending research agenda;

highlight teaching experience and ability• Demonstrate your intellect and writing ability, your enthusiasm and

interest in what you do• Have some sense of what it means to be a fully-functioning faculty

member in your field

What Goes on My Website?Research Agenda

• Summarizes your current research• A list of articles you hope to write in the next 3-5 years

OR• A statement of the questions you plan to look into, as

well as some tentative thoughts on the types of answers you might have.   

• Lays firm foundations for further research whether it stems from current research or branches into new areas

• Should be as specific as possible

What Goes on My Website?Teaching Portfolio

Describes and documents your teaching abilityStatement of teaching philosophy• Your conception of teaching and learning • Communicate your goals as an instructor and your corresponding

actions in the classroom • Provides an opportunity to point to and tie together the other sections

of your portfolio

Description of teaching experience (responsibilities)

Course planning artifacts• Sample course syllabi• Lesson plans• Assignments, Exams

What Goes on My Website?Teaching Portfolio

Describes and documents your teaching ability

Evidence of teaching effectiveness• Summary of student feedback• Department evaluations

Teaching awards and recognition

Professional development efforts• Econ Grad TA Training• CoAT• FIT Workshops• PTP

What Else?• Academic Transcripts

(submitted along with application if requested; have official copies on hand in case they are requested)

• Letters of Reference (usually requested via the application)

• Dissertation Abstract (on your website)

• Writing Sample/Job Market Paper(on your website)

So I Got An Interview!! Now What??Conference Interviews

• Short interviews (20-30 minutes or so) conducted in hotel suites/rooms

• Two to five interviewersYour Preparation• Be knowledgeable about the institution, faculty and

research strengths (its okay to ask who’ll be at the interview)

• Be prepared to discuss your future research goals and agenda and to tie these interests in to those of the department

• Be prepared to discuss your ability to teach the courses listed on the job ad (have a text in mind!!)

“Tell Me About Yourself….”The 2-Minute Spiel

• Name and profession• Where you were raised, your education, and career history (selective and relevant to the position applying

for)

“My educational history includes……”“My strengths/accomplishments include...”

• Opportunity to explain why you’ve pursued this area of education/employment

• Future focus and goals

“Tell Me About Your Research…”

Be prepared to summarize your research/dissertation in various situations (stolen from Dr. Lee Craig)

• 1-2 minute quick meeting at lunch, in the elevator

• 5-7 minute interview version

• 15 minute extended discussion

• Presentation length (for onsite call back interviews)

Keep In Mind…Remember the goals of the interviewer!

The institution wants to know:

• How does this applicant’s education, experience and accomplishments meet our needs/requirements?

• What is her/his potential for adding value to our institution’s or department’s mission/goals?

What Can/Should I Ask My InterviewersAsk questions of the interviewers!!

• Teaching loads• Research / teaching split

• Departmental/university service• Tenure requirements• Grantsmanship

• Steps being taken to reach stated goals

Salary discussions should be held at least until on site interviewsShare your excitement about the position!

Anything Else?• Economics Graduate Program Website

Job Market Resourceshttp://mgt.ncsu.edu/econ_grad/current/career_resources/JobMarketResources.php

• Going on the Ag Econ Job Markethttp://are.berkeley.edu/jobmarket/ag_econ_market2.pdf

• A Guide and Advice for Economists on the US Junior Academic Job Market

http://www.aeaweb.org/joe/articles/2002/2002-09-cawley.html

• Strategy and Etiquette for Graduate Students Entering the Academic Job Market

http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=10587195%28199923%2F24%2921%3A2%3C513%3ASAEFGS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Y

• Search for an Economics Job with a Teaching Focushttp://mgt.ncsu.edu/econ_grad/current/career_resources/JobMarketResources.php