This document provides guidance for graduate students on applying for academic jobs in their 4th, 5th, and 6th years of graduate school. It outlines an application timeline starting in August and going through campus interviews. It emphasizes preparing application materials like a CV, cover letter, job talk, and being ready to answer common interview questions. The document stresses practicing the job talk, preparing answers to questions, networking at conferences, and following up after interviews. The overall message is to start early, be organized, prepare thoroughly and treat the application process like a professional job search.

1. 研究生2.0站長
Job Application Experience

2. Timeline
1. 博班第四年
 Be familiar with the application processes
 Prepare all my materials
 Know the market
 Assess myself
2. 博班第五年
3. 博班第六年

3. Application timeline
 Collect job information from Aug.to Jan. (weekly check)
 The Chronicle of Higher Education
 Mailing list (by research association)
 Identify those you want to apply and assess your chances
(with your advisor)
 Apply
 Check if your referees send out letters
 Check if your future employers receive it
 First round of interview (conference or skype)
 Campus interview

4. Mindset
 Let the market define you
 The marginal cost decreases when you apply for
more jobs
 Balance between job application and publication
/writing your dissertation
 You are a young scholar looking for a job like other
American scholars
 If you do not get hired, don’t go personal – it’s just not
the best match for you

5. Materials
 CV
 Cover letter
 2-3 reference letters
 School’s personal webpage
 (Two sample publications)
 (Teaching philosophy)
 (Teaching demonstration or evidence of teaching
effectiveness)
 (Transcripts)
 (Syllabus)

6. Materials: CV
 CV (Note: 1 minute quick view)
 Education
 Publication
 Awards and fellowships
 Teaching (and online teaching, guest speaker, mentoring
RAs)
 Research skills (Quantitative, qualitative, research
software)
 Collaboration
 (Grant proposal writing experience)

7. Materials: Cover letter
 Craft for each position
 Your current status, graduation plan
 Explain your achievement/qualification (what does it mean)
 Dissertation (and findings)
 Teaching (what courses you would like to teach)
 Other things you can contribute to (and address their
requirement)

8. Be organized
 Job list
 Job information for your referees

9. Conference/Skype interview
 Prepare your elevator speech (1-3 minutes)
 Know what they are looking for (job description,
communication with search committee)
 Handle questions intelligently
 List courses you can teach (and they will be
interested)
 Show your enthusiasm (by asking questions and
making connections)

10. Campus Interview
 Know your agenda (especially who you are going to
meet with)
 Know everyone (and his/her research. Tip: Smart
phone contact + Evernote)
 Prepare your professional outfit: Dress like the job
you are getting, not like the job you have
 Prepare your job talk (preparation time: 2-3 weeks)
 Leave sufficient connection time
 Wear cozy but professional if someone will pick you
up (in case your luggage does not arrive on time)

11. Job Talk
 You can’t over-prepare your job talk
 It’s a show worth a lot of money
 It’s not your dissertation defense. Focus on big
pictures, not nitty-gritty details
 Three full rounds of practice
 Write your script
 Clearly state your findings, implications, and future
directions (and how these can make contributions to
the department)

12. Answering Questions
 Thank you for their questions
 They are not challenging you
 Another way to show your research skills/teaching
effectiveness
 Clarify their questions
 You do not have to have an answer

13. Meet with Professors/Dean
 Do mock interviews (with Professors that are not very
familiar with your research)
 Be prepared to talk about your research for millions times
 Let them lead the discussion
 Comment on their research (positively)  find
collaboration opportunity

14. Questions they may ask
 Summarize your dissertation
 Where do you see yourself in five years?
 How does this position fit in with your overall short-term
and medium-term career goals for yourself?
 What is your research agenda in five years?
 What courses do you plan to teach?
 What is your teaching/online teaching/mentoring
experience?
 When will you get your degree?

15. Questions you can ask
 Where do you see this department/program in 5 years?
 Their expectation to this position
 Why they came here (and why they stay)?
 How do you like doing research/teaching here? How is it
different from other university?
 What’s the best thing about working here?
 Where do other faculty live?
 (Tenure review process, teaching loads, support for new
faculty member)

16. Social events/meet with students
 Prepared to be asked questions about your personal
life
 Ask them about their
 learning
 training
 research
 funding
 career plan
 housing

17. Follow-up/Thank you
 Write follow-up/thank you email to EVERY faculty
you have met. If possible, (slightly) customize
each email
 Short, but to the point

18. Other minor things
 Think about what you eat and drink
 Rest or keep yourself awake all day
 Don’t drink (or at most one)
 Don’t gossip

19. Reflection
 Market yourself (rule of 3)
 Start earlier
 Career center
 Inside jobs?
 Be open

20. Resources
 http://ucea.org/job-
search-handbook