Advancing your Early Academic Career

Ekant VeerAssociate Professor of Marketing

University of CanterburyANZMAC 2014 Doctoral Colloquium

BREAKDOWN...

• Work Ethic• How you work• What your worldview is

• Improving your chances of getting published• Some tips that I use, that tend to work

• Building a Research Environment• Creating a culture that accelerates your career

BUT...BEFORE WE GO ANY FURTHER• Some disclosure statements

• What I say is what has worked/not worked for me, and it may not be as effective for you

• It is based on my experience working in the UK/Australasia – it may be different if you plan to work elsewhere!

• A good academic has a balance between teaching, research and service...BUT, IMHO, your early years need to be research focused

• The world is changing...

WHY IS THE EARLY CAREER SO IMPORTANT?• Your PhD & early career sets the tone for your

working habits and work ethic• If you can balance your life, and still succeed early

on, it gets easier • Everything you do at work, needs to focus on how

it will improve your career• You’ll need support

THERE ARE NO TRICKS...JUST HARD

WORK AND DISCIPLINE However...you can be more efficient and learn from

others’ mistakes...and I’ve made plenty

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE• Some people will look to help you, some will look

to exploit you and some will look to destroy you...and they all look the same• If you’re really unlucky...the same person can be all

three• Knowing who to surround yourself with will make

life significantly easier

SOME QUOTES...

• “Never say “no” to anything...if someone asks you to do something, say “let me check” – then come to me...”

• Being able to say ‘no’ is sometimes not in our nature• We don’t want to be seen as troublemakers• We want to be a team player• We think it’ll advance our careers• We’re energetic, lively and ready to make a difference, sometimes

we think we can do this through service or additional teaching• Being able to say ‘no’ to something that will take you away

from your research time is invaluable in your early years

SOME QUOTES...

• “If you pick up one of my classes, I promise to work with you to get something under submission by the end of the year...”

• I did this...did it pay off?• I got to work with a prominent Prof• I got a low level pub• I got some more experience with teaching• It was one hit, rather than the start of an ongoing stream

of research

SOME QUOTES...

• “You will never achieve anything...you’re lucky to even have this job...be happy with what you have, do what you’re meant to do and quit trying to be more than you’re entitled to...there’s a pecking order, and you’re at the bottom”

• Actual conversation I had with a Prof that lasted over 30 minutes without me saying a thing• You will find these people, or they will find you• You cannot effect what they say, but you can decide how you react• My reaction... “Challenge accepted”...I was promoted that year and

published a couple of A journals...

WORKING WITH PEOPLE...

• Surrounding yourself with the ‘right’ people is crucial• Your first job should be away from your PhD institution so you can

grow without being thought of as ‘the student’• Sacrifice what is comfortable, for what will make you better• Work in a leading research group• Failing that, work with a leading researcher who will mentor you• Failing that, work at a University that respects research and build

your networks externally

SIX VERY SIMPLE [BUT PAINFUL] RULES FOR THRIVING (ADAPTED FROM GINA BARRECA)• Choose your research topic wisely• You’re going to be living with it for a LONG time• Passion cannot be manufactured• Everybody else’s topic will look more attractive• If there isn’t love for the topic at the start, it certainly

won’t be there when it matters

SIX VERY SIMPLE [BUT PAINFUL] RULES FOR THRIVING• Write for those who will read your topic in 10

years’ time, not those who were writing about it 10 years ago• You need to push the bounds of knowledge, and that

can’t be done by appeasing the past• Draw on the past and reinvent it for the future• Knowing your topic is one thing; but being stuck in your

topic with no way out is another

SIX VERY SIMPLE [BUT PAINFUL] RULES FOR THRIVING• Don’t rely on others to keep you going• You have to be self motivated• Surrounding yourself with good people can help, but it is

not enough• Other people won’t take the time to tell you you’re

doing a good job• As adults, you know you’re doing a good job when

you’re not being actively criticised

SIX VERY SIMPLE [BUT PAINFUL] RULES FOR THRIVING• Even the best advisor/co-author/mentor won’t

have enough time for you• Doesn’t matter how great you are, you’re not the only

thing in their life• Have a support network outside of your primary

contacts• Family, friends, other colleagues • Your advisor/co-author/mentor is not your parent, and

never will be

SIX VERY SIMPLE [BUT PAINFUL] RULES FOR THRIVING• Being perfect will kill your productivity• Attaining perfection, in your eyes, may be the thing

that’s holding you back• IF you attain perfection, and then you get rejected, how

does that affect one’s self esteem and drive to try again?• We’re not surgeons, we’re not rocket scientists, we’re

not even tailors – a drive for perfection is subjective and, in most cases, a hindrance

SIX VERY SIMPLE [BUT PAINFUL] RULES FOR THRIVING• Most importantly...Only writing counts as writing• Talking about research, thinking about research, having

another research lunch, having another skype meeting, reading another article, reframing your thinking DOESN’T COUNT• Writing, plain and simple, counts

HOW EXACTLY DO YOU ADVANCE YOUR CAREER?• Know the game you’re playing and know the rules• Play the game and play it better than those you’re

being compared against (not necessarily those sitting in the offices next to you)• Publications are the only currency in many schools,

regardless of what you may be told• Awards often don’t count as much as you hope

WHAT DID I DO?

• The UK system is ruled by the REF and that’s the only thing Deans care about

• Every academic needs 4 publications from the ABS list• As a result, my game meant that it was better to get 4 good publications,

than 1 JCR/JM/JMR

• Continued to teach and (thankfully) had minimal service

• Is there such a thing as a soft A?

• Went to the right conferences for my career

• Made sure everyone knew who I was, when I went to conference

IMPROVING YOUR CHANCE OF BEING PUBLISHED• Some overarching rules:

• Pick a journal you wish to target• Read the journal you’re writing for & cite the journal• Write your paper for the journal, don’t try and adapt a manuscript

to suit• Format your publication for the journal• Match the length of your article to the contribution you’re offering • Communicate the contribution…not what you did, but why it's

important

COMMUNICATING THE CONTRIBUTION• The better journals publish articles that explicate a

tension, dynamic or competition between theories• Drawing on an existing debate and adding to it with

your perspective is important• This is your contribution and communicating it is

crucial to success• Start by answering the same 4 questions…

COMMUNICATING THE CONTRIBUTION1. What’s the problem?

• What is the issue you’re trying to solve?

1. Why is it an important problem?• What is it about the problem you’re looking to solve that makes it worthy

of attention?

1. What’s your solution/approach?• How do you plan to solve this problem?

1. Why is that an effective solution/approach?• Why do you think you’re solution/approach is the best way forward?

RESEARCH ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR• You can’t do everything, but you can do a lot to ensure you

never lose sight of research

• Six months away from research can take more than a year to catch up; one year away can take far longer

• Do a little research every single day

• Restrict teaching & admin to specific days, the rest is research days

RESEARCH ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR1. Thou shalt read and read often• You cannot add to the current debates and the current

knowledge if you’re behind• Don’t ‘make time’ for reading – make time for

everything else

1. Thou shalt not be too proud to ask for help• Everyone is protective of their work, but asking people

to review your work is crucial to success

RESEARCH ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR3. Thou shalt not put all your eggs in one basket

• Have multiple projects always on the go• Every academic should have papers at all stages of the pipeline

4. Thou shalt celebrate others’ successes, and mourn others’ setbacks with honesty and integrity• If you can’t celebrate with others with honesty, then don’t expect it

back

RESEARCH ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR5. Thou shalt get over rejection and keep trying

• I take rejection badly…very badly• BUT, to be successful, you can’t dwell on the negativity, but strive

to improve yourself

5. Thou shalt surround yourself with people who encourage and empower you • Make sure you listen to encouragers and ignore the negativity!

RESEARCH ATTITUDE AND BEHAVIOUR7. Thou shalt stay humble

• Arrogance has its place, but it’s not between colleagues and does not help the research culture

7. Thou shalt review for journals• It takes up your time, but if you know the flaws and mistakes in

others’ work, it’s easier to avoid them in your own work

7. Thou shalt meet often• Separation doesn’t need to be physical, but also emotional • Meet regularly and chat about work

AND FINALLY…10.Thou shalt have fun

SUMMARY

• I wish I could hand out a list of words to guarantee success, but that’s impossible• There is no one formula to success, but there are

ways you can make your life and career easier• You have to know the game you’re playing and you

have to keep trying• You have to know who is there to help you

NOW YOU HAVE THE THEORY…

GO AND DO IT……yeah, easier said than done