1. W. Bradford Wilcox, Rachel Rinaldo, & Simone Polillo
Going on the Job Market
W. Bradford Wilcox, Rachel Rinaldo,
& Simone Polillo

2. The Great Recession & the Job Market
This is an exceedingly difficult time to go on the market
Endowments down
State support for higher education has fallen to new lows
California, which is the largest single employer of professors, is in dire financial straits

3. Four Key Ingredients Publishing Networking
Cultivate a valued substantive/methodological expertise
Fit

4. Publishing
Within your first 2-4 years of graduate school, submit a paper to a leading journal in your subfield or the discipline as a whole
Aim as high as seems reasonable
You have time & will get good feedback
Speak to active discussion/debate in the journal
Model your article on a prominent article in the field
Submit your paper to graduate section award contests

5. Networking
Networking is a valuable way to learn about other departments & to become known
Seek out faculty in other departments you admire at conferences, talks, & by IF you have something valuable to say to them
Propose a collaboration or ask for input if you have a good idea
Ask Uva faculty to introduce you to particular professors you’re interested in getting to know

6. Valued Expertise & Fit
Pick at least one substantive or methodological area of expertise that has wide currency in discipline
Gender, race, culture, advanced statistical methods
Target those departments that have a plausible connection to your own interests
Even before hiring, and read up on some of their key members

7. The Visit Before you come Never let your hair down
Read up on all the faculty in the department & prepare to engage them re: their work
Never let your hair down
Don’t step into internecine battles
Don’t talk too much about your private life/family
Friendly but professional

8. The Job Talk Clear introduction
Motivate the topic; why important?
3-4 clear points in support of 1-2 key contributions to the discipline
Refer to published work
Clear conclusion
Reflect on its significance
Briefly discuss how it relates to future research agenda
Practice numerous times before you give it

9. Job Offer & Decision If you get an offer, stall for time
Contact other places you’ve applied to let them know you have an offer in hand
Identify 3-4 desires and raise them in general terms with chair
1st year research money, salary
You will get more traction if you have multiple offers
Decision
If you have choices, think about ranking, location, & collegiality of department