1. So: You Want To Be An Environmental Historian? Dagomar Degroot

2. Bad News...

3. ... Or Good News?

4. Hijacking a Round Table What is a competitive candidate? Strategizing for success and my experiences. Joys of the tenure-track job search. Thinking about non-academic jobs.

5. Must Acknowledge: We have a long way to go to make the discipline of (environmental) history more inclusive. Luck will always play a role in success. It takes a village to raise a tenure-track academic!

6. What Makes a Competitive Candidate? Most importantly, compelling research topics that answer big questions, with big implications. A lack of ambition is a greater risk than too much ambition. Jargon-free cover letter, research statement, teaching philosophy, etc. that: Demonstrates thoughtful reflection and originality. Reflects research into university/department. Excellent references, including one from a professor at another institution (ideally your external).

7. The Details: Publications! At least two peer-reviewed articles (if you’ve recently completed your PhD). Substantial progress towards turning your dissertation into a manuscript, and a plan for approaching publishers. Some teaching experience. A couple years as a TA. One course directorship, if possible.

8. But, There’s More: In a crowded job market, you want to really stand out, by, for example, having: More than the expected number of publications, and/or in better journals. A book contract or a book published. More important if you’ve been out a few years! A record of leadership and innovation in your field. Different institutions have different expectations.

9. Helpful Strategies Plan years in advance. Where do you want to be in 1, 5, 10 years? What/who will help you get there? Try to pursue opportunities that have minimal cost and maximum return. Examples: Peer-reviewed article VS book chapter. Guest lecture VS conference talk. President VS treasurer. Consider “force multipliers” that compound your investment in a project. Example: Splitting one article into two articles. Working in (interdisciplinary) teams.

10. What Worked for Me? Had plenty of bad decisions, too! Research and Teaching: Conferences/connections in other disciplines. Tried to build valuable skills. Asked lots and lots of questions to people who knew better. Trying to lead in my field: In early 2010, created HistoricalClimatology.com. Also co-founded the Climate History Network. Felt like a big risk for a grad student, but wasn’t. Similar opportunities for any grad student or postdoc! The key to growing anything: consistency.

11. Tips for the Job Search See if you can get experience in a search committee. Create/update extensive institution and job databases. Appreciate just how long each application will take. Don’t apply for positions that aren’t a good fit. If long listed: Prepare as though you’re writing an article! Get to know the university, department faculty and grad students, city, etc. Figure out what you’ll bring to the table. Ask around for insights. Practice interviews and job talks really help.

12. Jobs Beyond Academia Non-academic jobs can be just as rewarding as tenure-track jobs. Still require long-term planning. Never too soon to think about the skills you need for different positions beyond academia. I tried to develop: Editing experience. NGO/digital experience. Consulting experience. Most importantly: leadership experience.

14. Thank You! DagomarDegroot.com