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