Landing Your First Academic Job: Landing Your First Academic Job:

Application Process and TipsApplication Process and Tips

AAEA Annual Meetings

Portland, Oregon, July 30, 2007

Yin Xia

Department of Agricultural Economics

University of Missouri – Columbia

What Do Professors Do?What Do Professors Do?

Teaching and advisingTeaching and advising Teach graduate and undergraduate coursesTeach graduate and undergraduate courses Advise graduate and undergraduate studentsAdvise graduate and undergraduate students

ServiceService Serve on committees within one’s institution or in the professionServe on committees within one’s institution or in the profession Provide professional servicesProvide professional services

ResearchResearch Write proposals and bring in external research fundsWrite proposals and bring in external research funds Support research program and graduate studentsSupport research program and graduate students Perform researchPerform research Publish in referred journalsPublish in referred journals Present at professional meetingsPresent at professional meetings

Extension and OutreachExtension and Outreach

Faculty Recruiting ProcessFaculty Recruiting Process

Position announcementPosition announcement

Initial interview at conventionsInitial interview at conventions

First “short list”First “short list”

Second “short list”Second “short list”

Initial phone interviewInitial phone interview

Finalists for on-campus interviewFinalists for on-campus interview

On-campus interviewOn-campus interview

Offer and negotiationOffer and negotiation

Application PackageApplication Package

Standard itemsStandard items Cover letterCover letter

CVCV

Letters of recommendationLetters of recommendation

Additional itemsAdditional items transcripttranscript

Statement of researchStatement of research

Reprints of articlesReprints of articles

Part of all of dissertationPart of all of dissertation

Statement of teaching philosophy Statement of teaching philosophy

Course syllabi or proposalsCourse syllabi or proposals

Course evaluationsCourse evaluations

Application Package — Cover LetterApplication Package — Cover Letter

Be brief, yet highlight your accomplishments in research and teaching.Be brief, yet highlight your accomplishments in research and teaching.

The first paragraph: convey basic information.The first paragraph: convey basic information.

The next two to three paragraphs: tailor for your audience.The next two to three paragraphs: tailor for your audience.

The final paragraph: request the next step in the process.The final paragraph: request the next step in the process.

Application Package — CVApplication Package — CV

What to include in a CV?What to include in a CV? ObjectiveObjective

EducationEducation

Research and teaching fieldsResearch and teaching fields

PublicationsPublications

Professional presentationsProfessional presentations

Teaching experienceTeaching experience

Honors and awardsHonors and awards

Professional servicesProfessional services

Professional affiliationsProfessional affiliations

References with names and full addressesReferences with names and full addresses

What not to include in a CV?What not to include in a CV? Business experience not directly related to academia or to the positionBusiness experience not directly related to academia or to the position

Detailed personal informationDetailed personal information

Application Package — Application Package — Letters of RecommendationLetters of Recommendation

Choose your referees carefully.Choose your referees carefully.

Ask a potential referee for permission before supplying his/her names Ask a potential referee for permission before supplying his/her names as a reference.as a reference.

Provide the referees your up-to-date CV, copies of publications, and Provide the referees your up-to-date CV, copies of publications, and other application materials.other application materials.

Contact your referees to confirm they send their letters upon request.Contact your referees to confirm they send their letters upon request.

On-Campus InterviewOn-Campus Interview

Research seminarResearch seminar

Teaching seminarTeaching seminar

Meetings with the search committeeMeetings with the search committee

Meetings with individual or groups of facultyMeetings with individual or groups of faculty

Meeting with graduate studentsMeeting with graduate students

Meeting with department chairMeeting with department chair

Meeting with deansMeeting with deans

Meals with search committee members and/or other faculty membersMeals with search committee members and/or other faculty members

On-Campus Interview — Before You GoOn-Campus Interview — Before You Go

Review your itineraryReview your itinerary

Collect information onCollect information on the institutionthe institution the departmentthe department the search committee membersthe search committee members other faculty membersother faculty members

Carefully prepare your presentationsCarefully prepare your presentations Use appropriate visual aids, formats, colors, etc.Use appropriate visual aids, formats, colors, etc. Communicate with the search committee about your equipment need.Communicate with the search committee about your equipment need. Rehearse your seminarRehearse your seminar Carry overhead slides as backupCarry overhead slides as backup

Get prepared for most frequently asked questionsGet prepared for most frequently asked questions What have you done?What have you done? What are your future plans?What are your future plans? How will you contribute to (or fit in) the Department?How will you contribute to (or fit in) the Department?

On-Campus Interview — When You are ThereOn-Campus Interview — When You are There

Be professional, be confident, and be yourselfBe professional, be confident, and be yourself

Exercise good manners and display collegialityExercise good manners and display collegiality

Show your interest in others’ workShow your interest in others’ work

The seminarThe seminar Familiarize yourself with seminar room before your seminar.Familiarize yourself with seminar room before your seminar. Connect to the audience during your seminar.Connect to the audience during your seminar. Handle questions appropriately.Handle questions appropriately.

Questions to ask and not to askQuestions to ask and not to ask Questions to askQuestions to ask Questions not to askQuestions not to ask

On-Campus Interview — After the InterviewOn-Campus Interview — After the Interview

Write a follow-up thank-you letterWrite a follow-up thank-you letter

Re-state your interest in the position.Re-state your interest in the position.

Mention several characteristics of the department that attract youMention several characteristics of the department that attract you

Inquire about hiring decisionInquire about hiring decision

Usually be informed within eight weeksUsually be informed within eight weeks

Contact the search committee after eight weeksContact the search committee after eight weeks

Be Tough and Persistent in Your Job SearchBe Tough and Persistent in Your Job Search

and and

Good Luck!Good Luck!