linguistics job application workshop november 12, 2013

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Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

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Page 1: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Linguistics job application workshop

November 12, 2013

Page 2: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Approximate job cycle

• July- apply to LSA, other major conferences• August/September- have materials ready, contact

letter writers, clean up professional website• October 1st- application deadlines start• December- phone interviews start• January- campus visits start• February- job offers start– Use with caution to see if you are still in the running:

Academic Jobs Wikihttp://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/Academic_Jobs_Wiki

Page 4: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Stats for Darren

• Two years on the job cycle: final year of Ph.D. and first year of postdoc

• Ph.D. Year: 1 faculty job application > 1 campus visit (no offer), 3 postdoc applications > 2 campus visits (2 offers, took 1)

• Postdoc year: 8 faculty applications > 1 phone interview (no offer) and 1 direct invite to campus visit (offer)

Page 5: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Finding jobs

• Linguist List (subscribe to digest)• HigherEd Jobs (can subscribe for headings

such as Linguistics, Spanish)• Postdocs available but not common• Think of allied fields (e.g. foreign languages,

psychology)• Go geographically wide

if at all possible

Page 6: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Components of a job application

• Cover letter• Curriculum Vitae• Research statement• Teaching statement• Teaching evaluations• Writing sample• Reference letters

Page 9: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Solicit feedback!

• Ask your advisor and other faculty to read over your CV and statements, and give you feedback!

Page 10: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Cover letter

• Sample outline:– Brief introduction to yourself: what you study, when you will

graduate, basic thesis topic and 2 sentences on the implications– A little more about your research interests – A little bit about what courses you’ve taught and what you

might like to teach– Highlight what funding you’ve gotten and that you are going to

be actively seeking more– Why you’re an excellent fit for the department and advertised

job• Keep it brief! Under 2 pages! 1.5 is a good number

Page 11: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Do your research on the school

• One sentence “fit statement”– I am interested in helping the department develop

course offerings in linguistics to complement its strengths in literature.

– I share interests with several faculty members including XX, XX, and XX, so I see the potential for collaboration on both teaching and research.

– I am particularly interested in XXX because of the department’s expertise in both child language acquisition and second language acquisition, which would work well with my research interests.

Page 12: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

CV• Heading• Education• Employment• Publications• Conference Papers• Invited Talks• Teaching Experience• Research Experience• Awards & Honors / Grants & Fellowships• Service (to profession, to department)• Languages, other skills, memberships• References

Page 13: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Research statement

• Current research (especially dissertation research)

• Draw attention to any journal or book chapter publications, as well as presentations at prestigious conferences

• Plans for research in the near future• ‘Five-year plan’ for future research

Page 14: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Teaching statement

• Teaching experience• Teaching philosophy• Plans for what you will teach in the future• Experience (if any) with supervision of

undergraduate students

Page 15: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Teaching evaluations

• Send numerical summaries rather than individual student comments

• Obtain summary of all your evaluations from ICES• Draw attention to any evaluations that placed you

on the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent

Page 16: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Writing samples

• Send exactly as many writing samples as are requested • Possible writing samples:– An article that has been published or submitted for

publication• If you need help turning a course project/qual into a journal

article, consider Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks (I got it from the library). http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Journal-Article-Twelve-Weeks/dp/141295701X

– A dissertation chapter– A proceedings or working papers paper

Page 17: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Other materials

• “Teaching Dossier”: – 1-page teaching philosophy statement– 1 page summarizing numerical teaching

evaluations– 1 page of sample student comments

• “Teaching Portfolio”: the above plus – a syllabus that I had created– lecture slides that I had vastly improved– discussion exercises I had created

Page 18: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Reference letters

• Always get a letter from your dissertation director

• Other letters should come from other faculty who know you well and are familiar with your research

• At least one letter should talk about your teaching (e.g., from your TA supervisor)

• Should you use ?

Page 19: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Preliminary interview

• Interview at the LSA or MLA• Phone / Skype interview

• Arrange to do a mock-interview with your faculty

• http://theprofessorisin.com/2011/10/31/thephoneorskypeinterview/

Page 20: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Make a cheat sheet about the department

• Bullet points about yourself you want to make sure to hit

• What your dissertation/researach is about• What you would like to teach there, specifics,

book you would use for the intro course• Their faculty (the ones on the

committee/closest to you) and their research interests

Page 21: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Campus visit

• Get the interview schedule ~2 weeks in advance from department secretary

• Interviews• Job talk• Interview meals• More research on the department (next slide)• http://theprofessorisin.com/2011/11/22/dr-karens-rul

es-of-the-campus-visit/

• http://theprofessorisin.com/2011/11/15/1947/ (packing & dressing– consider wearing grown-up clothes more often your last year of grad school)

Page 22: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Stalk your interview committee• Katharina Barbe (German),

Associate Professor– Studied in Texas, PhD in Linguistics

from Rice– German linguistics: Pragmatics,

Translation, SLA, business German– dinner, interview, and exit interview

• John Bentley (Japanese), Professor, Assistant Chair– PhD from Hawaii– Japanese Historical Linguistics and old

literature– tour of DeKalb and lunch Tuesday and

interview

Page 23: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Sample 1-day visit itinerary

• Night before: arrive, dinner w/faculty, hotel

• Breakfast w/faculty• Meet Dean• Tour campus, town• Lunch w/faculty• Job talk• Search committee interview• Exit interview with chair

Page 24: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

Questions to ask them

(OK to repeat questions with different people)• Tell me about your student population.• What are teaching and research expectations and

support for new colleagues?• What kind of support is there available on campus for

conference travel/research?• What kind of technology is available in the classroom?• How are graduate students supported?• What is your timeline for making a decision?

Page 25: Linguistics job application workshop November 12, 2013

The outcome?

• If you get the job– http://theprofessorisin.com/2011/12/06/how-to-neg

otiate-your-tenure-track-offer/

– “Oh, thank you. That is good news. I’m so pleased. I’d like to know more about the offer. When can we discuss the details and when can I expect a written contract?” (e.g. DON’T say yes right away!)

• If you don’t get the job– This really says nothing about you in this job market– Continue applying!