The Philosophers' Cocoon

When to leave a university with budget problems?

In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

How do you know when it's time to jump ship at a university with budget problems?

Sadly, I think the answer may be: as soon as you find out it has budget problems. If recent events in higher education (e.g., the closure of one college and university after another) are indicative, budget problems tend not to improve but rather worsen.

I had a friend at university that, much like other universities that have closed down, proceeded rapidly from "budget problems" to something like a budget death-spiral. It went something like this. The university was poorly-off financially because of some bad strategic decisions by its administration, coupled with a drop in student enrollment. The way it addressed those problems (presumably, the only way available) was to cut faculty and programs. But, of course, as soon as students and parents found out about its budget problems and cuts to programs, this led to even lower enrollment ... which, you guessed it, made the university's financial situation progressively worse.

Maybe the OP's institution is a different situation--I can't know without knowing more details. But, in any case, given that the situation at my friend's institution changed rapidly (and unexpectedly to many people working there), my sense is that the prudent thing to do is to probably begin looking for alternative prospects of employment sooner rather than later. But perhaps I'm overstating things? Given that I don't work at an institution with issues like these, I don't have any direct first-hand experience.

It would be good to hear from readers who have worked at a college or university with budget problems. How did things go at your institution? And when do you think it's good to "look toward the exits"?

How to list 'teaching competencies' in job-application materials?

In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

For on the job market as a new PhD holder: what is an appropriate amount of teaching competencies to list in your application fresh out of grad school? I assume teaching competencies can be claimed by showing one's interest in developing and willingness to develop courses for these on short notice, but that number for me would exceed the number and kind of courses I've taught or TA-ed for thus far. (I imagine the answer will vary, so anecdotes are more than welcome to show the possible range of competencies claimed and how those applications went)

It seems to me that search committees are going to be interested in what a candidate has actually taught, what their graduate training makes them qualified to teach (even if they haven't taught in an area before), how they teach in general, and perhaps any syllabi they've drawn up for courses they haven't taught before. But, it seems to me, virtually all of this can be gleamed from portions of a CV that enumerate courses one has taught, perhaps a list of graduate-level coursework, and any syllabi or course outlines in a teaching portfolio. Beyond this, I'm not sure what listing "teaching competencies" might look like.

What do readers think?

Separate sections for teaching-related publications and presentations on a CV?

In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

CV question. If I have a some pedagogy-related presentations and/or publications, do these go in a different section from my research-focused publications & presentations? If so, what do I title the pedagogy-related and the non-pedagogy-related sections to make that clear?

Note: I would like to be competitive for teaching jobs. But I already have a significant number of research-focused pubs & presentations, and so I'm worried the teaching stuff will get lost inside if they are not separated.

Good question. I suspect it's probably best to lump all publications together when applying to any job, but that maybe having distinct sections for teaching presentations on a CV could be good when applying to teaching-focused institutions. But I'm really just speculating here.

What do readers think?

In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

CV question. If I have a some pedagogy-related presentations and/or publications, do these go in a different section from my research-focused publications & presentations? If so, what do I title the pedagogy-related and the non-pedagogy-related sections to make that clear?

Note: I would like to be competitive for teaching jobs. But I already have a significant number of research-focused pubs & presentations, and so I'm worried the teaching stuff will get lost inside if they are not separated.

Good question. I suspect it's probably best to lump all publications together when applying to any job, but that maybe having distinct sections for teaching presentations on a CV could be good when applying to teaching-focused institutions. But I'm really just speculating here.

What do readers think?

Including 'reappointment letters' and/or teaching observations in job market materials?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Is it appropriate to include reappointment letters (which specifically comment on my scholarship, teaching, and service from the Chair and Dean) and teaching observations in a job application? If so, where? Teaching obs could go in a teaching portfolio I suppose...Any norms here?

Teaching observations seem just fine to include in a teaching portfolio. But I don't think I've ever seen 'reappointment letters' in a dossier, and I think this would probably seem strange. 

What does everyone think?

Should CVs include every talk you've given?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Should CVs include every talk you've given? I'm embarrassed by some older talks, and I would rather not have them on my CV if I can help it. If I did a "Selected Talks" section and listed what I think are my best talks, would that raise red flags for committees?

Good questions. I suspect that over a 20-30+ year career, a CV that included every talk would become very bloated. Then again, depending on your university, until you're promoted to full Professor, it could be wise to list everything you've done. Not sure, but the OP sounds like they are on the job market, and if so, it seems to me they might be better advised to list every talk (unless, I suppose, there is something about the title or venue of the talk to be "embarrassed about", which I wouldn't know how to judge).

What do readers think?

Asking an editor for an update because you're on the market?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Is it unwise to sending a polite email to an editor to inquire about the status of a manuscript with minor revisions? I am going to be on the job market this year, and deadlines are coming very soon. Given the very short turnaround time that they allotted me for the revisions, I was hoping the journal would also be relatively swift with the decision. However, the paper has been sitting at "editor assigned" for a few weeks. Given the real benefit that another publication would add to my dossier (if it were to be accepted before job deadlines), should I reach out? If it's relevant, the revisions requested were indeed minor and mostly took the form of suggestions (rather than actual objections).

Hmm...while I understand the temptation to do this, my guess is that's probably best to let the process play out in the normal way, and avoid inquiring unless the journal has had it an inordinately long time (i.e., many months). Maybe the editor would be sympathetic if you explained the situation, but on the other hand, some might be irked by what they might perceive to be a request for special treatment (compared to the normal review process). But I'm pretty cautious with things.

What do other readers think?

Tips for people pursuing 'couple-hires'?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks: 

Lots of people (reasonably!) have complicated feelings about couple hires – to be clear, the following questions are partly about strategy, but partly about how and whether this can be done in a transparent and upfront way.

If your goal is to get a couple hire, should both members of the couple apply for all the same jobs (when reasonable, like if both work in the same area or they’re open area searches)? If you do this, should you mention these facts in the letter?

Or should just one member of the couple apply – whoever has a better shot for whatever reason at some particular job, say, one’s from a “leiterific” program and the other isn’t, or one’s research aligns better – and bring up the partner if given an offer?

Do the answers to these questions change when there’s one job vs when a department is hiring multiple people?

Good query, and I don't know the answers!

Do any readers have any helpful insights to share?

How are "research associates" viewed on the market?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

How do TT hiring committees regard research stints on a CV, particularly for job openings at R1 schools? If one secures a postdoc but then becomes a research associate for several years, is that looked down upon in any way? Could it make one seem a less competitive candidate, beyond the obvious things like reduced opportunities to gain teaching experience? Also, does it matter for hiring purposes if the research position is unpaid?

Good questions, and I'm not sure. Are any search committee members or other people who have been research associates willing to weigh in?

Dissertation abstracts in CVs?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

If a job doesn't explicitly ask for a dissertation abstract, is it okay (or even beneficial) to include one at the bottom of your CV?

Another reader seconded the question. I guess I think there's little risk of harm in doing this, but also probably not much upside. My experience is that committee members tend to use CVs to see whether a candidate has published, which courses they've taught (especially independently), and to see their overall accomplishments. When it comes to a candidate's original work, the research statement and writing sample seem to me like the main things that committee members will focus on.

But these are just my thoughts. Are any search committee members out there willing to weigh in?

How to list a book under contract?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I wrote a complete book draft. It was reviewed by an editor and two referees, it received generally positive reviews with some suggestions for revisions, and I signed a contract. There is, of course, language in the contract about if the book that is delivered is deemed unacceptable, they don't have to publish it.

I'm applying for jobs. How do I list this book draft. Under "Work in Progress"? Or can I put it under forthcoming publications with something like "(under contract, revisions pending)". Would anyone care, as long as its status is clear?

Good questions. I think as long as your CV is clear about its status, you're okay listing it either under Work in Progress or Books. But I don't think listing it under "Forthcoming" work is germane, since it's not technically forthcoming. The key thing, I think, is whether you list it under Work in Progress or Books, you should list it as under contract. If you'd like to say (under contract, revisions in progress), that could be helpful information.

What do readers think?

Do publication venues matter for many jobs?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I have heard that the venue of one's publications doesn't matter for many jobs. Is this true? I guess I have in mind TT (or otherwise permanent) positions that aren't R1 but which still have a research expectation. I am curious about this for both hiring and promotion reasons. Does publishing in, say, generalist journals outside of the top 20 or so look bad to a hiring committee? Could the venue of one's publications every be an issue for tenure or some other form of promotion? Is it better for junior members of the profession to publish anywhere rather than nowhere? Thoughts on any or all of these questions, especially from current faculty involved in these decisions, would be helpful.

Good questions - it would be great to hear from search committee members!

If you've hired before (or are hiring now), what kind of department/institution are you at, and how much (if at all) do publication venues matter to you (or committees you've served on) in hiring?

Job-market discussion thread (2024-25 season)

Now that it's September, I figured now is probably a good time as any to open up this season's job-market discussion board. After all, readers who will be heading out on the market may already have questions you'd like to discuss (about application materials, the application process, etc.). So, please feel free to bookmark and visit this thread throughout the job season to commiserate with others, or just to see what others are talking about!

As many readers of the Cocoon may recall, each job season the Cocoon hosts two different job-market threads:

1. A job-market discussion thread (the present thread): to commiserate about the market, discuss particular job ads, the market in general, questions about application materials, interviewing, alt-ac opportunities, and so on.
2. A job-market reporting thread: to post news about interviews, on-campus visits, offers, rejection notices, etc.

This post will serve as the discussion thread, and as in the past I will open the reporting thread at a later date, around or after most job applications become due.

Because someone always asks, "Why two threads?", there are a couple of reasons. First, some people may want to discuss the market but not stress over daily news regarding which jobs they still do or don't have a chance for. Conversely, others may not want to discuss the market but just want news about the jobs they've applied for. Second, these threads can get very long already, so I think the best way for people to get the information they want in a well-ordered format is simply to have two threads.

A few final notes:

• This thread (the post you are reading right now!) will be the home of this year's job-market discussion thread. So, if you want to discuss this year's job-market, just comment below.
• Please reserve job-market news (i.e. interviews, on-campus visits, hires, etc.) for the job-market reporting thread, which I will open sometime in September.
• A 'permalink' to this thread will be on the upper right of blog's right sidebar for the rest of the job season. -->
• Because of Typepad's functionality limitations (which only permits 100 comments before starting a new comment page), readers may elect to bookmark each new page of comments as each new page emerges. I recognize that it can be frustrating to scroll through page after page to get to new comments, and I think this is probably the best solution given Typepad's functionality limitations.

Finally, as always, readers are asked to please bear in mind the Cocoon's supportive mission. I try not to moderate with too heavy of a hand, as I don't like to squelch reasonable discussion and debate. I also realize that the job-market can be an emotional roller-coaster, and that passions can run deep on job-market issues. But the Cocoon has always been intended to be an unique oasis of sorts: as a refuge for early-career philosophers to support each other and discuss issues related to their careers and the profession in productive, supportive way. So, I will moderate carefully to ensure that these threads remain a welcome environment for everyone--and, of course, if anyone has any concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know.

All that being said, discuss away!

Can a political scientist specializing in political theory obtain a job in political philosophy?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Could someone with a PhD in political theory from a European political science department be competitive for positions in philosophy departments? Consider a candidate who has a few publications in top-10 specialist journals in moral/political philosophy but hasn't published in other areas of philosophy.

Interesting question, and I have no idea beyond the fact that some hiring departments may specify in their job ads that successful candidates should have a PhD in Philosophy.

Do any readers have any helpful insights?

Relocating to the US with family?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I would love to hear about the experiences of philosophers from outside the US who moved to the US with a family.

Those who relocated with a family, did your family move to the US with you? Do they also work in the US, or have you found that you can be the "sole breadwinner" in a TT job? If your spouse does work, how have they adjusted to the US employment "benefits"? (The poor parental leave and vacation allowance in the US sounds like a worry for spouses in non-academic positions - especially if they're used to more generous allowances in their home country). And how does your spouse manage continuous employment alongside Employment Authorization Documents that need to be renewed every year?

Excellent questions, and I suspect there may be many readers with experience in these matters.

Does anyone have any helpful tips to share?

Avoiding early morning classes (and asking on the job market)

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

For those of you with jobs - how easy is it to get out of teaching classes early in the morning (8-9am)? I am a PhD student who has had to teach at 8am and I didn't enjoy it (I'm a night owl and think it's just genetic). I would genuinely want to know more about the flexibility of the teaching schedule before accepting a job somewhere - would asking questions like that be frowned upon or hurt my candidacy? Does this vary a lot from school to school?

I suspect this is highly situation-specific. In my department, it's pretty easy to avoid early-morning classes due to the university's scheduling rules and guidelines. But I've been in other departments where many faculty were regularly expected to teach first thing in morning. But maybe my information is out of date, so it'd be good to hear from others. As for the job-market, I'm not sure what to advise, but I guess I'm inclined to say that it would be safer to wait to ask questions like these until after an offer is made, as I suppose it could backfire on a candidate to ask earlier. Then again, candidates are "interviewing departments" no less than the converse, so if this is important to a candidate (or a deal-breaker), then by all means ask.

But these are just a few of my quick reactions. What are yours?

What role do dissertations play in hiring?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

How important is the dissertation for jobs? Do people on hiring committees even read them or should I focus my writing sample and getting published?

I highly doubt that many people on hiring committees have the time to read entire dissertations. I expect they'll take your writing sample as indicative of the kind of work you likely did in it, as well as recommendation letters. But, of course, to get good recommendation letters, you may need to write a good dissertation! Also, my sense is that for most jobs (though not all), publications are super important, as most of your competitors will have some.

What do other readers think? It would be great to hear from some search committee members!

How do open-rank searches go?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

There have been discussions on both TT search and senior search but I do not see much about the "open rank" search. I am curious about how an "open rank" search goes. For example, when a position is advertised as "open rank", does the hiring department really mean it, or is there still some preference for a TT position? What is the context for this kind of search? Does the committee review materials separately (TT vs. Tenured) or altogether? Thank you!

Great questions. Do any readers with inside experience have any helpful insights to share?

Tips for international relocations with a partner?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Does anybody have advice on potential international relocations with a partner? I'm planning to apply for a phd program in North America and after that get back to my country (China). The problem is that my partner has a good job now and she prefers not to move. So I'd like to hear some advice on how realistic it is to get a temporal living in another country like the US, or advice on the predictable troubles on the horizon that we should really not get ourselves into.

Great question! Do any readers with experience have any helpful tips or other advice?

Quantitative results from search committees for last year's job searches?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Could we maybe have a thread in which search committee members anonymously describe the quantitative results of their job searches from last year? I'm wondering how many people applied and how many were interviewed, etc. Of course, tenure-line searches are most interesting, but I'm also curious about non-TT searches like those for VAPs and Assistant Teaching Professors.

Interesting question. Are any search committee members able and willing to weigh in? It would be great to hear what kind of college or university you're at, what kind of position you hired for, how many people applied, etc.

What counts as a good generalist journal?

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

What counts as a "good" generalist journal? I am an MA student and have recently had a R&R from a well-known although not Top journal (the lower end of the Leiter Top 20) after being encouraged to submit by a professor. This is my first publication, and this was the first venue I submitted the paper to. After having read some posts (on here and elsewhere) about the importance of publications in top journals, I am now concerned that simply being in the top 20 does not mean that this venue is well-regarded enough, and a publication there may be looked on poorly during PhD applications. Am I overthinking, or should I really be aiming only for top 10ish journals?

Beauty, meet Eye of the Beholder. Seriously, I don't think there's any objective answer to this question. I've met some people who only seem to see top-5 or top-10 journals as good, others who only see some top-10 journals to be good, others who see all top-20 to be good, etc. I think a lot depends on context. If you're trying to get a job at NYU or Princeton, then yeah, you probably need to be publishing in top-10/top-5 places. But if you're like most of us who aren't at places like that, top-20 is probably sufficient for being considered "good."

But this is just my off-the-cuff reaction. What do readers think?

Grappling with responsibility for family relocations?

In our new "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I'm curious if others have advice on some of the difficult feelings that can arise from feeling responsible for family member relocations. I recently got a job (yay!), which led my partner and I to move from a place we really liked to a place that we're still trying to figure out. The only reason we are in this place is because of my job, which is difficult in and of itself, but I find myself also feeling guilty for taking us away from the place we liked, as well as some burden for making our new place good for both of us.

My partner certainly had a say in where I applied for work and, ultimately, in whether we would move or not. There's just no easy way to be married to an academic though! Given how much my partner cares about my well-being, and how supportive they are of my dreams, it was pretty much a no-brainer that I would take the job that I did. So it's not like I feel like I "forced" the move to happen, exactly, but it still kind of feels like it would have been a pretty difficult veto.

Anyway, if you've had these sorts of emotions (or others!), I'd love hear about them, even if you never really found a cure.

I suspect that many academics empathize with the OP--I certainly do, though I'm not sure that I have any helpful advice to offer. Fortunately, my spouse and I are happy where we are now, but the early years definitely weren't easy on either of us moving away from friends and family. 

Do any readers have any tips or experiences to share?

Best timeline for a postdoc search?

A reader writes in:

Longtime reader, sometime commenter on the Cocoon. I have a question I would love to have you throw out to readers. We are planning to do a search for a 2 year post doc this coming year. What is the ideal timeline for a post-doc search? "Ideal for who"? you ask. Well, that's part of my question. What's best for candidates? What's best for the hiring department? Because I think it matters to the answers: I would say our post-doc is attractive … Should we advertise it on the normal job cycle? Or much later (that is: wait for TT hiring to shake out)?

Good questions. Given that most candidates are presumably looking for a TT job, I guess I'd be inclined to think a later timeline for a postdoc hire is better. Then again, I'm an outsider with respect to the issue, so maybe there are things here I'm missing.

What do readers think?

Compendium of Job-Market Resources

Here's a list of links to the Cocoon's Job Market Boot Camp:

1. Building a Strong, Competitive CV

2. Tailoring your job-market strategy to your situation

3. Writing a good CV

4. Common mistakes with CVs

5. Letters of Recommendation

6. The European job market

7. Job-market consultants

8. Developing coherent research program(s)

9. The Cover Letter

10. The Teaching Statement

11. Common mistakes with teaching statements

12. The Research Statement

13. Common mistakes with research statements

14. How to cultivate a professional online presence

15. When and where to apply for tenure-track jobs

16. Where and When to Apply (Addendum)

17. The Teaching Portfolio

18. Common mistakes with teaching portfolios

19. Writing Samples

20. The Diversity Statement

21. First-round Interviews

22. Zoom & Telephone Interviews

23. The British interview

24. The Campus Visit

25. Teaching demos

26. Negotiating

27. Emotional Maintenance

28. Finding support from a mentor

29. When Spring Term Rolls Around

30. Opting for a non-academic career - when, what and how?

31. Teaching demos

 

This is a list of quick-links to our Notes From Both Sides of the Market series:

1. Building a strong CV

2. Organizing one's CV

3. Teaching portfolio dilemmas

4. Making the teaching statement precise

5. Standing out in a crowded field

6. Interpreting interview results

7. Standing out for teaching jobs

8. More on standing out for teaching jobs

9. The elusiveness of "fit"

10. Tenure requirements

11. Tenure requirements & decisionmaking

 

This is a list of links to our Secret Lives of Search Committees series:

1. Top 5 job-market tips

2. Tips from a Research University search committee member

3. Tips from a Liberal Arts College Committee Member

4. How 'fit' matters

5. How applications are read

6. How decisions are made

7. Originality

8. AOS and project choices

9. Staleness

10. Job candidate career stage

11. Teaching experience

12. 'Horse-trading'

13. Online presence

14. Interviews

15. Not acting like a grad student

16. What happens after interviews

17. Teaching dossiers

18. CVs

19. Recommendation letters

20. Job-talks at teaching schools

21. Jobs abroad

22. Campus visits

23. Apply again!

 

And here's a series of Tips from Search Committee Members:

1. How search committees read and evaluate CVs

2. How committees read cover letters

3. How committees read research statements

4. How committees read teaching statements

5. How committees evaluate teaching portfolios

6. How committees evaluate diversity statements

7. How committees evaluate writing samples

8. How committees evaluate recommendation letters

9. How committees evaluate candidates in interviews

Reflecting on the Point of Job Market Advice

By Trevor Hedberg

A reader recently posed some interesting questions about the purpose of the job-market advice that circulates on the Philosophers’ Cocoon. The basic worry is that the widespread dissemination of this advice prevents it from “scaling” in a way that gives a person a competitive edge over others on the job market. So, for the advice to be most helpful, it would need to be known by only a portion of those on the job market, which would appear to go against the Cocoon’s supportive and inclusive mission.

Marcus responded by emphasizing the point of providing this information was to help students at programs who do not receive adequate mentorship or who otherwise receive guidance about how to prepare for the job market. Having a venue for discussing these matters helps to “level the playing field” by demystifying the preparation, application, and interview processes. Having encountered many graduate students that are largely uninformed about the realities of the job market, I want to reiterate this point. However, given the importance of this inquiry, I also want to highlight some additional reasons why these discussions are valuable.

What's the point of the Cocoon's job-market advice?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I suppose I have a meta question. On the one hand, the Cocoon is an inclusive and supportive space. On the other hand, much of what goes on here is job market advice. However, the job market is inherently competitive, and so it seems to me that virtually none of the advice can truly scale: if everyone does x, then doing x doesn't give you the edge anymore. So the advice is only good if only some (not all) job marketeers follow it -- but then is this forum really meant to be inclusive of and supportive of *all* job marketeers? Isn't that something of a pragmatic contradiction?

I am putting the question in a rather, well, tendentious manner. But I mean to only be pressing the point in its most serious form, like we do in philosophy. And let me emphasize that I do not doubt the goodwill or intentions of Marcus and everybody else (including myself!) who contributes to discussions here. I suppose what I am really after is hearing how other people think about the advice they're offering in this environment.

Fair questions. To me, the Cocoon's job-market advice is for leveling the playing field and helping people compete on the market more on their merits than the "luck of the draw" they do or do not have as far as mentorship. Let me explain what I mean though a couple of anecdotes.

Etiquette in job application materials post-PhD?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

When I applied for jobs when finishing my PhD, I used my institutional email address and institutional letterhead in my job applications.

Now that I am in a TT position, I am not sure what email address to use (personal or institutional), nor whether to use my institutional letterhead, in my job applications.

What is the general etiquette for application materials when applying out of a professional appointment rather than a PhD program?

Apologies if this has already been answered and I've overlooked it. I can only seem to find a couple of posts addressing this, but from ~10 years ago.

Hmm... not sure I see any issues here. If you'd like to use your institution's letterhead and your professional email address, go for it. If not, then don't! Or am I missing something? 

What do readers think?

Overlap between writing sample and job talk?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Can there be overlap between a writing sample and a job talk? I have a paper that I want to use as a writing sample in the next cycle. I’m also working on a separate paper that applies the theory worked out in the writing sample to a specific problem, which I think is fruitfully addressed with the resources I’ve developed. Since the application paper relies on the ideas worked out in the writing sample, there will be some overlap in content.

Would it be a mistake to use the application paper as a job talk when I’ve used the general paper as my writing sample?

Of course, I would find different ways to present the ideas (different examples, perhaps different order of presentation), but one section of the talk would clearly be a compressed rehearsal of the conclusions of my writing sample. I’m unsure whether to present work that is new and what I’m currently thinking about or something older but very different to my current project (if I get the chance to give a job talk at all!).

I don't see any problem here, but I wonder whether any readers disagree.

Anyone willing to weigh in? 

What you wish you knew when starting a TT job?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread a reader asks:

I've seen many "What I wish I knew when I started grad school" threads. How about a thread entitled: "What I wish I knew when I started at my first TT job?"

This is a wonderful query. I'll probably weigh in down in the comments section, but I'd love to begin by just opening things up to readers.

What do you wish you knew when you started your first TT job?

Miscellaneous CV questions

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread a reader asks:

I have questions about miscellaneous things for a CV.

Should conference panel moderating go on a CV and, if so, where?

Should academic journals or articles which are reviewed by the editorial board, but not external blind reviewers, go under the same heading or a different one from blind-peer review articles?

Is it still normative to include personal contact details on a CV in addition to institutional contact information?

I've seen some people put conference commentaries on CVs, but to me that and conference panel moderating seems like "CV padding" to me. Maybe if you don't have much on your CV, it makes sense--but I suspect it's not going to help anyone much. On the second question, I'm not 100% sure, but different categories seems nitpicky to me. As long as you're clear about the actual peer-review processes, say in annual reviews or tenure and promotion files, it seems to me okay to place anything that had peer review (anonymized or not) under a category of peer-reviewed publications. When it comes to contact information, I don't know.

What do readers think? Also, if you have any CV questions yourself, please feel free to ask them and discuss in the comments section below. It could be nice to have a discussion of "all things CV" in one place!

Asking if a department is hiring next year?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread a reader asks:

Is it imprudent to contact schools you think you'd be a good fit for and ask if they anticipate hiring anyone in the next academic year? I want to do this for two reasons: a) I'm just really curious, and b) in the event they are, I don't want to i) risk missing their posting, and ii) I want to have time to cater a good job application that fits them well.

Hmm...I'm not sure. I seem to recall us discussing this before and some people suggesting this can be a fine idea, but I guess that surprises me. I doubt much if any harm can come from asking, but most departments don't hire most years, so could it come across a bit pushy?

What do readers think? 

Asking if a department is hiring next year?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread a reader asks:

Is it imprudent to contact schools you think you'd be a good fit for and ask if they anticipate hiring anyone in the next academic year? I want to do this for two reasons: a) I'm just really curious, and b) in the event they are, I don't want to i) risk missing their posting, and ii) I want to have time to cater a good job application that fits them well.

Hmm...I'm not sure. I seem to recall us discussing this before and some people suggesting this can be a fine idea, but I guess that surprises me. I doubt much if any harm can come from asking, but most departments don't hire most years, so could it come across a bit pushy?

What do readers think? 

Publications outside of one's AOS as a grad student?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread a reader asks:

How convenient or inconvenient is it to have publications completely outside of one's area of specialization, for a grad student aiming at an academic job?

Good question. I think a lot probably depends on the type of job. If you're looking for any job (including at teaching-focused institutions), then I think this may benefit you later on the market. It could make you look like a more interesting candidate who might be able to teach more things. But, if you're looking for an R1 job, then I'm not sure.

What do you all think?

Is a 'holistic' publication record best for being competitive for certain types of jobs?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread a reader asks:

So many people emphasize publishing articles in prestigious journals, beginning while you are in graduate school. While not denying the importance of this, I am wondering if a holistic publication record is more important for recent PhD graduates. By this I mean, publishing in respectable (if not highly prestigious) journals, having some chapters published, having a few book reviews, maybe some magazine articles, decent conference participation--showing that you are competent and willing to participate in all forms of output. Do people think that this sort of planning/output is a good idea or missing the point too much? (PS: I ask this as one who is less interested in being hired at the best research institutions, but as someone who is interested interested in a more common, though respectable, position.)

I think it entirely depends on what kind of job one is aiming to get. If you're after an R1 job, then surely publishing in the most prestigious places is best. But the OP notes that they are interested in "a more common, though respectable, position." Here, my own sense is that, yes, a more "holistic" publishing record may be best. People at less prestigious institutions may regard a person who has only published in a bunch of top-tier venues as a dubious fit for their institution. A "good but not spectacular" publication record, on the other hand, may make a candidate look like a better fit (though, in my experience, people tend to put little if any weight on conference presentations).

But this is just my sense. What do readers think?

When (if at all) should you quit philosophy?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread a reader asks:

When, if at all, should you quit philosophy?

What if one is four postdocs in? What if someone is only adjuncting and not publishing? What if you have published but have been adjuncting for ten years straight, thus having no hope of landing a TT job? How should new grad students prudently think about their stay in academia if things go wrong (like the norm implies) before going on to something else (consider this question coming from someone who is not independently wealthy and has no financial safety net)?

Good questions, though I suspect there may be no general answer.

I considered giving up several times in grad school (when I really struggled for several years), and asked myself these kinds of questions numerous times during my better part of a decade on the job market. In grad school, I kept going on mostly out of fear (I had no real safety net or Plan B), but once on the market a lot depended on my job stability (I had a VAP that was renewable for a maximum of seven years), as well as on whether I seemed to be making any progress on the market--which I did start to see after a while. But, if I hadn't gotten a TT job during my last year on the market when my VAP was due to run out, I would have left.

Anyway, I have no real suggestion for when to "quit philosophy", as I suppose everyone has their own unique life situation, tolerance for risk, costs, etc. But I'm curious to hear what other readers think. 

Anyone have any helpful experiences, tips, or other insights to share?

PhDs by prior publication and the market?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread a reader asks:

How are PhDs by prior publication viewed?

I am curious, especially from search committee members, as to how they would view a PhD in Philosophy obtained through prior publications (from the UK or Australia as only these places seem to do this), especially for someone who already holds a PhD in a related discipline. All other things being equal, would a PhD by prior publication simply be viewed the same as a PhD from an unranked department?

I'd honestly never heard of this before, so I didn't know it is a thing. I'd be curious to hear more about it, as well as answers to the OP's query!

Where to put competitive, funded summer programs on a CV?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread a reader asks:

Grad student here. I've been fortunate enough to have been selected for a few (competitive, application required) funded summer programs this and last year. These seem significant enough to put on a CV given they represent training outside of normal coursework and success in an academically competitive endeavor. But these fit squarely neither under the traditional sections of "Course Work" or "Grants/Rewards" (unless for the latter one stretches, perhaps a bit too dubiously, a stipend to be a grant/reward -- but this seems inappropriate). I've poked around others' CVs but not found similar sorts of things listed.

Are these sorts of things typically just left off CVs? Do they get squeezed into other traditional sections, albeit with explicit qualifications? Or if one participates in enough of them, do they become their own section?

Hmm...not sure. I squeezed one or two of these kinds of things into a section of my CV entitled, "Grants, Awards, and Other Distinctions." As long as it doesn't seem terribly out of place, I'm not sure how much it matters. 

What do readers think?

Job-market advice and SLACs: an inside look from a recent hire

In our recent thread on how much hiring committees at SLACs care about applicants' career stage, a reader writes:

I landed a tt position at a SLAC this past year. It is an interesting place, particularly because much of the regular job advice you hear now isn't totally applicable.

First and foremost, what matters is fit. Do you seem like you'll get along with current faculty? Do you have a background than aligns with the mission of the university? Do you have experience with or an interest in *this kind of place*? I had defended when I interviewed for my job, which certainly helped. But what seems to have mattered most was that I would be happy being a part of the bigger thing that is *this kind of university*.

Second, teaching experience. Unless you're interviewing at a fancy, selective school, you're likely to work with students that are, shall we say, aren't the best. How do you work with these students? What have you done that engages these students? Do you have a method that aligns with, or at least interests, your colleagues?

Third, publications matter, but really not all that much. At many SLACs, you can publish in the International Journal of God Knows What Studies and get tenure. This isn't true everywhere, but, for a lot of places, what matters is that you show promise to get a handful of things published. That said, I had a better CV coming out of grad school than most full professors at my university (roughly 10 papers in good journals). Most of my department, however, didn't care. The one, younger faculty member in my department knew that my recent AJP article was a 'big deal', but no one else cared. All they cared about was that I evinced an ability to publish enough; they just don't want to worry about you failing to meet (the low) bar for tenure.

In all, then, what a lot of SLACs care about is: can you successfully teach these kinds of students in this kind of environment. Nothing really proves that you can; but teaching experience does a better job than publications do.

I wanted to bring this comment to the fore so that everyone who routinely visits the blog sees it--as in my experience many people seem to erroneously think (or be advised in their PhD programs) that publications in highly ranked journals matter the most on the job-market. As I've noted before, there isn't a single job market: there are multiple ones, each with their with their own priorities. I thank the above reader for sharing their experience!

Effects of 'radically contrarian' views at different career stages?

In our March "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

What do you think is the effect of having (more or less radically) contrarian views at different points of one's career (from Ph.D. student onwards)? Thank you!

Interesting query, though I'm not sure it can be answered at such a broad level of generalization (I suppose a lot might depend on the topics one is radically contrarian about). In any case, I'd be curious to hear from people at different career stages who consider some of their views to be radically contrarian.

What do you think the effects have been? It could be good to hear from others as well, such as search committee and tenure & promotion committee members.

What is it like to have a job in Finland or Switzerland?

In our March "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I know we've talked about European jobs recently but wondered if anyone had some insights in particular on what it's like to have a permanent/tenure-track philosophy job in Finland or Switzerland.

I'd be curious to hear too!

Dissertation topic harming one's job prospects?

In our March "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Could my dissertation/writing sample topic be negatively impacting my job prospects?

I'm ABD, on the job market, and have not gotten a single interview this season. While the most obvious explanation for this is simply that the job market is generally terrible and oversaturated with qualified candidates, and that statistically one is likely to fail, I can't help but wonder if my dissertation/writing sample topic is playing any role in this. My thesis centrally involves a strong critique of Zionism/Israel. I had previously thought (naively, perhaps) that this wouldn't be an issue, given that I'd presented/published on the topic in the past without any pushback. However, it's clear that things have taken a turn for the worse (to put it mildly) when it comes to the silencing of anti-zionist voices in academia.

Strategically, I suppose I could use a completely unrelated writing sample next time around, but it's not like I can hide my dissertation topic from hiring committees. But perhaps the notion that I may have to censor my philosophical and ethical views in order to pursue a career an academia should give me pause and lead me to question whether such a path is even worthwhile. Then again, maybe I'm worried over nothing, since there could be any number of reasons why nothing has panned out for me this season, and one failed job cycle is not particularly remarkable.

What do readers think? It would be great to hear from people on search committees.

NEH Summer Institutes?

A reader writes in,

I was recently accepted to a four-week NEH summer institute and I'm trying to decide whether or not to attend. Although I am very interested in the topic, the institute is out of state for me, and four weeks is a long time to be away from my family etc. However, I'm on the job market, so I'm also not sure that I can afford to pass the opportunity up. Do you and/or the Cocoon readers have any thoughts regarding these workshops? Are they worth attending? Does having this line on a CV make a difference?

I did one of these earlier in my career and it was a fantastic experience, as well as useful for the job-market. It was a significant time apart from my spouse, but I learned a ton, got some really helpful feedback on a paper that I was having trouble publishing, made some long-term professional relationships, and was able to get two recommendation letters from senior members of the profession which seemed to help me on the market. Although I’m sure not all NEH institutes are equal, based on my experience I can’t recommend it highly enough!

Do any other readers have experience attending an NEH institute? What was your experience? Was it worth the considerable time away (e.g., from loved ones)?

Is publishing important in a mid-ranked PhD program?

In our March "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

If you're at a mid-ranked department, is it important to publish in graduate school? Some say to publish to establish oneself, others say to wait and fully think through your ideas before publishing (so you aren't tied to those views later on). Although the individuals with the latter advice came from top 10 programs, so they might have a luxury we don't have coming out of our program. Any thoughts?

I did some informal data collection many years ago, and I found that while some people did get jobs without publications, virtually all of them came from top programs. So, assuming the OP wants an academic job, I think publishing in grad school is probably a necessity if you're coming out of a mid-ranked program. At the same time, I'd also encourage the OP to seek out solo teaching opportunities, as it may be hard to compete with candidates from top programs for jobs at research universities (see here and here). In term of job-market competitiveness, a good publishing record along with a strong and diverse solo teaching-record are probably the best things one can do to put oneself in a strong position to get a job. This is a lot, I know--but sadly the academic job market is what it is. :/

But these are just my thoughts. What are yours?

Questions to ask (chairs, deans, provosts, etc.) during a campus visit

In our March "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I've been on the job market for a few years and I think I've pretty much perfected the "Do you have questions for us?" portion of the zoom interview. But I've been on very few campus visits and there seem to be meetings with deans and chairs where I'm the one who is supposed to be asking questions. Questions that I'm coming up with like "What kind of research budget would I have" feel weird, presumptuous or even off putting.

This is a long way of asking if any readers have advice on what questions to ask during a campus interview?

An excellent question! ;) I suspect the kinds of questions that one should or shouldn't ask depend a lot on the kind of institution. For example, if you ask about a research budget or course-releases from teaching while visiting a teaching-focused institution, that may run the risk of making you look like a bad fit. Then again, maybe not--so maybe it makes sense to feel out with a department chair during the on-campus which kinds of questions it is good to ask administrators? Given that you're a finalist, I suspect that in most cases, a chair or other department faculty might provide good guidance.

What do you all think? It would be great to hear both from past and present job-candidates, as well as from people on the hiring side of things.

Does having a website make any difference on the market?

In our March "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Does having a website help at all on the job market?

I guess I doubt it, but then again, who knows? I do think that search committee members can be interested in reading more of your work, so if your work isn't readily available on PhilPapers, maybe having a website where all of your work is readily available might make some difference.

Do any readers have any helpful insights?

Are the job-market/academia worth it?

In our February "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Does anybody think this is worth it? Sorry that this is a grim question. But after a few cycles on the job market, I am wondering whether anybody thinks that this is worth it (and endorses that belief). I see so many intelligent kind friends absolutely burned out by the job insecurity, the constant moving, the two body problems, the low pay during prime saving years, the barriers to starting a family. I know we all know these things and we commiserate with each other - but then we just keep doing it. Line up again for another job market year, keep "crossing fingers". Has anybody figured out a defence, other than inertia, for why they keep doing it? If so could they share it, so that I can have their hope and reasoning as well?

I'm so sorry that the OP and others on the job-market are going through this. I spent seven (or was it eight?) awful years on the market wondering the same thing, and although I finally lucked out and ended up in a tenure-track job, I must confess that I still don't think that I have a good answer. Did a tenure-track job make that tremendously awful better-part-of-a-decade worth it? And would it have been worth it if I hadn't lucked out? I don't know how to answer either question, and I suspect there may not be any generalizable answers. Maybe it's all worth it in some cases but not others? But what about in comparison to relevant alternatives? I've heard a number of people who have left academia for industry joba report being far happier. Then again, maybe they are a non-representative, self-selected group of "alt-ac success stories"? 

In any case, it may be good to have a frank and open discussion of these issues, hearing the perspectives of people in different situations, including those on the market, those who have stayed in academia, and those who have left. 

Does anyone have any experiences or insights they're willing to share? Please do feel free to discuss away and commiserate.

Job app numbers?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

At my university, we receive low numbers of applications for tt and post-doc positions. I would like to compare our numbers to the numbers other institutions receive. If you happen to have numbers from recent hiring processes, would you mind sharing them? I'd be interested in 1) type of institution, 2) area(s), and 3) rank. Is there a place where I might find such numbers?

Since my institution is non-English-speaking, what do you think would be an appropriate time-frame to learn the language of the country?

Many thanks in advance!

Interesting questions. There was this post reporting some data at Daily Nous yesterday, but it might be good to hear directly from readers on hiring committees.

1. How many applications do you receive for TT and/or postdoc positions?
2. What type of institution do you work at?
3. Where is your institution located (e.g., state, country)? 

Asking someone working in an elite program who graduated the same year with for a job letter?

**Updated: I've corrected the post's title and my response - see 1st comment (and underlined).

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I am a pre-tenure TT faculty member in a regional state university in the United States. I would like to get a position at an R1, a good/elite liberal arts college, or a regional state school in a different region.

I have a colleague in my sub-specialty, who thinks highly of my work, whom I speak to from time to time about our work. We trade drafts and discuss them, and sometimes we meet up at conferences. We got our PhD's in the exact same year, from different institutions. However, this colleague is a TT faculty member in an elite research program. They might be tenured at this point.

My question: would it be advisable or not advisable to ask for a letter of recommendation from my colleague when I go on the job market?

Hmm, I'm not sure. Personally, I don't know if hiring committees are even likely to "put 2 and 2 together" and realize that you graduated the same year--unless of course your friend mentions it in their letter. Then again, maybe they would. In any case, I'm not sure how this would look, particularly given that the person seems to be something of a friend.

Do any readers have any helpful insights here? It would be especially good to hear from people who have hired at the kinds of institutions the OP wants a job at!

Getting a job in a law school?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I’m wondering about the requirements for getting a job in a law school.

I work and publish in an area of philosophy of law, but don’t have any law degree. I do know quite a bit about certain areas of the law and think I could in theory teach law courses with some preparation. Do I need a law degree to apply for a job in a law school?

I don't know the answer. 

Do any of you? Any other tips or other helpful insights for the OP?

Tips or success stories on leaving then returning to academia?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

I am curious to hear about any advice/success stories of those who left academia (due to geographic and financial constraints) and then returned. I understand it’s probably not recommended, but I’m still curious about how search committees perceive these types of candidates. Are they seen as unappealing or not serious candidates? The advice I’ve heard so far is to adjunct on the side and to continue research activities. (If this has been asked before, could you/someone provide the link to the post, please?) Thank you!

I don't know if we've discussed this before, but it's a good question! I suspect a lot probably has to do with what you've done in the interim (while you are out of academia). Have you published at all? Continued teaching in some capacity? In any case, I really don't know how search committees perceive candidates who have been away from academia for a while.

Do any readers have any helpful tips, experiences, or other insights to share?