The Philosophers' Cocoon

Problematic job-market practices?

In our January "how can we help you?" thread, a reader writes:

This is a request, rather than a question. Could we make a chart with all of the unhelpful, problematic things we see through the job market process for schools--to generate collective knowledge? e.g. Some schools are atrocious with spousal hiring. Some schools pitch salaries very low, expecting you'll negotiate. Some schools have departments collapsing because the financial health of the university is bad. Surely, this information would be helpful to future candidates.

In brief, doing this sort of thing at the Cocoon isn't consistent with this blog's safe-and-supportive mission. Further, although I'm not a lawyer, I imagine that making a list of which schools do various "problematic things" could be legally problematic, viz. libel (if false allegations are spread that damages a program's reputation). However, what I think would be consistent with the Cocoon's mission is for job candidates to enumerate in fully general terms the kinds of unnecessary indignities or problematic practices they have faced on the market, without naming or otherwise implicating particular individuals, schools, or programs, either explicitly or implicitly. Doing this could be helpful, first of all, by drawing attention to the kinds of things that job candidates find to be problematic--and so, secondly, by perhaps generating some kind of impetus (viz. raising public consciousness in the profession) for improving hiring practices.

So, this is what I propose instead. Job candidates: without naming or (explicitly or implicitly) implicating any particular individuals, programs, or institutions, what general kinds of things have you encountered on the market that you consider to be problematic and warranting correction, and why? The OP named a few: schools being atrocious with spousal hiring, pitching extremely low salaries, having bad financial health as institutions that imperil departments, etc. What other kinds of (potentially) problematic things have job candidates encountered, and what (if anything) do you think would be better?

Becoming competitive for teaching jobs from top PhD programs?

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

I'm a grad student at a program that mainly prepares its students for R1 jobs. I'm more interested in teaching-focused jobs. I've heard lots of advice about applying for teaching-focused jobs coming from an institution like mine - demonstrate a commitment to teaching (and there are various ways to do so, but mostly by having as much teaching experience as possible). Is this basically right? I've heard also that one of the ways in which one might demonstrate a commitment to teaching is by engaging in scholarship of teaching/learning. I suppose my specific question is how to get started in this sort of research with no background. Do I need to try to audit a course in the Education department? Are there philosophical pedagogy conferences/workshops I should keep an eye out for? Are there recommended readings or journals?

Good questions! I took part in a Teaching Hub session at the Central APA last week where these kinds of questions were discussed by various panelists who have hired at teaching focused institutions (I served on the panel myself), and a few main things seemed to be embraced by virtually everyone on the panel.

First, solo teaching experience is critical. People hiring at teaching-focused institutions want evidence that you can teach classes well as an independent instructor, not just as TA. So, getting as much experience as solo-instructor as possible seems like a good strategy (if your program doesn't provide many solo-teaching opportunities, you should seriously consider adjunct work at a nearby college or university).

Second, all of the panelists suggested that it is critical to come across in your application materials--including your CV--as though you would be happy at the institution. If, for example, you come across "like someone who belongs or sees themselves as belonging at a research institution" (because you've published in a bunch of top journals but have very little on your CV in terms of teaching), then that may count against you. So, I would think the OP would be well served trying to publish something on pedagogy in Teaching Philosophy, and then do whatever else they can to show in their CV that they care about and have sought out ways to become a better teacher. Any or all of the things they mention in the OP might help (I would love to hear from readers about conferences, workshops, etc., on pedagogy).

But these are just my thoughts. What are yours? It would be great to hear from people who have hired at teaching institutions what they think the OP should do to maximize their chances!

How can we help you? (March 2023)

Now that it's been over a month since our last "how can we help you?" thread, it's time for a new thread.

For those of you unfamiliar with this series, this is a chance for you to post openly or anonymously in the comments section below on anything you could use help with related to the profession. After you post your query in the comments section, I will then post new threads for readers to discuss your query.

As usual, feel free to ask questions on anything (within the Cocoon's mission) that you could use help with, including but not limited to:

• The job-market (applying for jobs, etc.)
• Issues in the profession (including issues of social justice)
• Graduate school
• Publishing
• Teaching
• Work-life balance
• Mental health & well-being
• Personal struggles
• Etc.

Ask away - we're here to help! 

Important reminder: if you submit a comment in this thread responding to someone's query, I won't post it, as this makes it difficult for me to keep track of everything in the comments section, particularly which queries I've started new threads on and which ones I have not. However, if you do post a follow-up comment, chances are good that I will post it in the new thread I start on the relevant query. So, do feel free to submit responses. Just know that they won't appear in this particular thread and might instead appear later in a new post.

Applying to PhD programs several years after an MA?

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

I have been wondering the potential drawbacks of applying to a PhD program several years after completing an MA program. Might such a delay reflect unfavorably upon an applicant in the eyes of admissions committees? Additionally, what steps can one take to mitigate any negative perceptions, aside from pursuing further academic credentials? Could publishing one's work be a viable alternative?

Fair questions, and I confess that I don't know the answers! Anyone have any insights?

Additional cover letter tips?

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

Cover letters have been discussed before on the blog (see link below), but I am wondering if we might hear about the different approaches people take to ordering information in the cover letter.

We've all heard something like: teaching school/teaching job = talk about teaching first, emphasize it; R1 = talk about research first. But then I've also heard 'always talk about research first'. After all, you gotta show ya can meet tenure requirements at a teaching school, and maybe it comes off as disrespectful if you write as if the department must not care about research. Additionally, when I was looking back at another post on cover letters, there was some advice from Marcus to make sure you show you've actually read the ad and researched the institution. Fair enough. But do you, reader of my cover letter, want to see this demonstrated effort right up front, or can I mix it in, or what? Are you more interested in seeing that I've researched your department than hearing me describe my research?

Cover letters continue to be demanded. But do we really have a standardized understanding of what they are for? Be nice if we did.

https://philosopherscocoon.typepad.com/blog/2019/11/what-are-cover-letters-for.html

I guess I'm one of those people who think that it's not the order of what you put in the cover letter that matters, so much as the substance of the letter itself. If you're applying to a teaching focused institution, you never know how much individual search committee members care about research--so I think it's fine to start with research. The key is not to focus on it too much or come off in your letter like you belong (or think you belong) at a research university. Cover letters are, I think, there to show "you've done some homework" and are a good fit for the position. So, the more that you can speak to the things listed in the job ad, the better. Also, consider taking a quick look at the CVs of the faculty in the hiring department. How active are they in research? How active are they in pedagogical development? University service? That might give you a fairly good idea of where people's priorities are!

But these are just my thoughts. What are yours?  

Tips for writing conference abstracts?

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

I've searched TPC archives but didn't find a thread on "Tips for Writing Conference Paper Abstracts." Replies to this as a thread would be helpful. I was recommended this source years ago, but it's not philosophy-specific [https://history.ncsu.edu/grad/conference_abstracts.php]

We actually had a thread on this several months ago, but didn't get many replies. Any additional tips anyone is willing to share?

Write recommendation letters for students you barely know?

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

Should you write letters of recommendations for undergraduate students who took you for a 300-student lecture, whose work you didn't personally grade and with whom you had no interaction?

I'd have thought the answer is obviously no, but then I wonder whether this disadvantages students, who need the letters and who can't always find a way to get to know professors... Is refusing at least a decent thing to do, or is it unfair to vulnerable, shy or otherwise struggling students?

Good questions. I'm not sure that I've encountered this kind of situation before, so I'm not sure exactly what I think. I suppose you could always ask such a student to provide you with some of their work to review, and then go from there. But again, I don't think I've ever encountered this situation. To the best of my recollection, I've only been asked to write letters for students who have taken multiple courses with me, and all of our courses are 25 students or less and we have no TA's, so I always feel well-positioned to decide whether I can write a good letter.

Anyway, what do you all think?

Summer Institute for Cultivating Underrepresented Students (Penn State University)

Kaílah Jeffries, a Program Coordinator for the Cultivating Underrepresented Students of Philosophy (CUSP) program at Penn State University, wrote in to share the following information about their Summer Institute:

I wanted to reach out to let you know that we have opened applications for our Summer Institute, which will take place in person from June 4-10, 2023.  

The Philosophy Department at Penn State organizes two distinct CUSP programs each year. These programs are directed toward prospective graduate students in philosophy from traditionally underrepresented groups (including African Americans, Chicano/as and Latino/as, Native Americans, and Asian Americans). 

The Summer Institute is primarily intended for rising undergraduate sophomores or juniors (others are still encouraged to apply) who are considering pursuing an academic career in Philosophy and wish to learn more about what it means to be a part of the discipline; and the Fall Graduate Workshop is for college seniors, recent graduates, and working professionals who want to continue their graduate education in philosophy and are currently working on their graduate applications for the following Fall term. 

Applications for the Summer Institute are due April 3, 2023. The application and more information on our programs are available on our website: bit.ly/CUSPPSU 

We would love for you to use your platforms to spread the word so we can reach as many eligible students as possible. Feel free to email us cusp@psu.edu with any questions or concerns. 

Postdoc opportunities for Black Scholars (Toronto Metropolitan University)

A reader from Toronto Metropolitan University wrote in encouraging me to share this ad for 4 postdocs for Black scholars at their university, which of course I'm happy to do. Here are some of the details:

TMU is implementing this program with the goals of building a more diverse and inclusive academe, and supporting the flourishing of Black scholarship. In particular, this program seeks to expand and advance Black scholarship and intellectual traditions, and support the academic endeavours of the Black community.

• • Available fellowships: up to four (4) beginning September 5, 2023
  • Amount: $70,000/year plus benefits
  • Duration: 24 months 
  • Field: Open
  • Deadline to apply: April 1, 2023
  • Decision: July 2023

Norms on reusing/recycling previously published ideas?

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

Is there a norm on how much of a book chapter contribution to an edited volume can overlap with material published (or to be published) by a journal? I feel like philosophers often "recycle" their own writings but I wonder if there are expectations or norms or even recommendations about this!

Good question. I know that some publishers have explicit requirements on what they allow, and that it may differ according to the publisher. But, beyond this, I'm not sure what the norms are. My sense is that some authors do repeatedly recycle previously published ideas, but I'm not at all sure what is considered good practice here. 

Anyone have any tips or insights?

Honest grad school advice?

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

Why doesn't anyone give honest grad school application advice? It's pretty much common knowledge, and confirmed by accessible online data (programs' grad student list that displays their background), that prestige simply matters more than anything else in applications. Despite this, it's told as if one can write a brilliant writing sample and get in anywhere. People who get in everywhere are usually NOT people with brilliant samples; it seems neither necessary nor sufficient to have even a good writing sample. Most people get cut in the initial stages before their writing samples get a careful look. The so-called *elite* schools should just state on their website that they most likely won't admit you if you're not coming from another elite institution. Whatever they say, the statistics are obvious that that's who they are admitting. Instead, everyone goes on and on about how important writing samples are, misleading, or even worse, stealing from and scamming hundreds of people every year. Why is that advisors, programs' websites, etc. don't make this extremely clear?

Fair questions. As unfortunate as it may be, I suspect that the data on this is not nearly as widely known as the OP assumes. Time and again, I've been surprised at things that many people in the profession aren't all that aware of--in large part, or so it seems, because some people don't appear to spend nearly as much time online (on blogs, etc.) as other people do. Of course, all of this is consistent with the fact that people advising undergrads and grad applicants should be aware of the relevant data, and be honest with grad applicants about their chances. But then one salient question is perhaps how to best incentivize this. Perhaps the APA could do more here? Any other ideas?

Grappling with internal candidates as an applicant?

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

I thought I was very lucky this year and got three on-campus interview requests. I have found out through various channels that ALL THREE searches have an internal candidate.

Is this normal? Should I have asked "is there an internal candidate?" before accepting these interviews? It's my first year on the market so I was expecting to be crushed, but not in this way. I am graduating late (August instead of May) because of all the travel and prep. I'm trying to be grateful for all the practice, but mostly I just feel like I have been used and lied to.

These are fair questions, and I empathize. However, my sense is that while there are often internal candidates for positions, they do not always get hired, even when the job ad looks like it was "written for them." This may not be the case for all search committees, but in my experience SCs tend to want to hire the best person for the job. But this is just my admittedly anecdotal experience.

What's yours? It would be especially helpful to hear from search committee members.

Handling serious copyediting problems?

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

I am having trouble with copyediting of a paper for publication in a philosophy journal in USA. A ‘Journals Production Editor’ (PE) of X University Press sent me a copyedited version of my paper based on the version accepted by the journal (it’s published by X University Press) and asked me to review/correct it and then send back. The journal is not ranked by Leiter. The problem is that the copyeditor made more than 200 changes in the paper, and I think most changes are unnecessary, such as adding 100 “,”, deleting 20 “,”, changing 10 “;” to “,” and 5 “,” to “;”, “but” to “however”, “which” to “that”, many other optional changes, etc. There’s no explanation for any change. Copyeditor also added in footnotes 10 questions (such as "Explain …", in order tone) that are mainly due to their not reading my endnotes (the journal doesn't accept footnotes) carefully or unwillingness to check the cited material and so fail to better understand the content.

PE says if I would like the copyeditor to reverse a change, I should enter 'STET' immediately following the change, and asks me to answer the copyeditor’s questions. I objected and argued with PE, write a long email saying that I should have the right to reject some changes without the copyeditor’s understanding, and that the copyeditor does not seem to have the required knowledge of relevant (non-English) language to understand my paper well.(The paper is in English, but cited many translations) But PE just replies with two sentences: “No need to explain. Simply type “[STET]” following the unnecessary change.” I then spent a lot of time type more than 100 “[STET]” and explained why I reject where necessary, and sent the file back to PE; I accepted maybe 100 changes. But after a second thought, I find that only about 15 changes are necessary. So I asked PE again: Should they ask authors to point out only changes they agree? (The copyeditor’s name is unknown and I only know PE’s name and email.)

I signed the copyright transfer contract 2 months before this. But I just transferred the copyright of my accepted paper, not a substantially changed paper, right? I think the copyeditor and PE are a bit rude, do not appropriately respect authors, and the copyediting process unjustly favors copyeditors. I don’t mind if the paper can be published or not, but the journal editor and anonymous reviewer are good and open-minded persons.

Have you had trouble with copyediting before? And what do you think about this case?

Indeed, I have--not just with copyediting, but with the publication of final proofs. My sense is that these problems have gotten especially bad recently, as journals increasingly seem to either use automated copyediting or outsource it to people who really have no business doing it. I'm not sure what's to be done other, and I don't know what to advise in this case. Do any readers have any helpful advice?

Are AI developers playing with fire?

You can read about why I think so here. (Also, check out this Twitter thread by philosopher Toby Ord). 

A question on 'overlapping contracts'

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

What are the norms around potentially overlapping contracts?

I ask because when transitioning from a temporary position to another temporary position I've sometimes faced the problem that my contract a job X is supposed to begin before my contract at job Y has ended. Of course, all of my teaching duties, etc. at X have finished, but I'm still technically on their payroll. Is it a problem to have contracts overlap?

Another reader, a UK postdoc, just added:

I would also like to know what people's thoughts are on anon's question re: overlapping contracts. I've heard anecdotally that this is acceptable e.g. if it is a month in summer when there is no teaching/department activity, but would like to know what people think more broadly.

So, I figured I should probably run a thread on this! One reader submitted the following answer:

I have been in your situation twice. However, the overlapping jobs were, in both cases, in two different countries, and for only one paycheck. If you pay taxes in the country x, but then for a month you work in the country y, unless your salary is insane, it does not make a difference tax-wise. If you are in the same country, then it's just a matter of filing your taxes in the proper way - it's just accumulating income, I guess. Please take my considerations cum grano salis, as I'm not an accountant, and there might be complications if you are on a visa.

Anyone else have any tips, experiences, or other insights?

 

 

Salary info for negotiation?

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

I have been extremely lucky to receive a TT offer this job market season. The salary they are offering me is higher than I expected and I kind of just want to accept it and be done with the job market, but everyone tells me I should negotiate for a higher salary! I don't really know how to do this, especially since I lack other offers. I guess one thing that could help is an idea of what starting salaries people make elsewhere, but I'm finding this information pretty hard to find. Does anyone have any advice or a good resource? Some time back I remember coming across an excel document someone had shared collecting anonymized information about people's salaries in philosophy, but I can't seem to find it.

Congrats on the job! We had a thread on this a couple of years ago (see here), but aside from that I don't know of any good resources here. Anyone have any tips, resources, or other advice? 

Improving the grad program application process for students and programs?

A reader writes in:

I am a faculty member at a (currently) unranked PhD department, and we've been considering numerous ways to improve our program. Some of these improvements will be internal - making sure we provide quality courses, excellent instruction, guidance on professional development, doing whatever we can for our job candidates to improve job placement, etc. Yet some improvements depend on us increasing our initial applicant pool.

In conversations with faculty at other (ranked) institutions, we've heard complaints that they receive far too many graduate applications. Meanwhile, we generally receive far too few. Some of this, of course, has to do with the rankings/quality of the relevant departments. But the rankings, while helpful in some respects, also function as a clearinghouse for what applicants’ options are, resulting in unranked departments not being “search engine optimized” to receive applications. Many undergrads do not know which grad schools they could apply to, or which ones they have a realistic shot at getting into, or just generally not having enough information about grad school options. I suspect that at least some of those applicants who are competing against so many at higher-ranked or ranked institutions would be happy to apply at other grad programs, including our own, if they knew about them and knew that their odds of getting accepted at these programs is much higher than at other programs. We imagine that it would be helpful if applicants could know which grad programs to apply to (if they were all linked or listed in one place, for example), and if they had some information about approximately how many applicants there are on average each year at each program.

One (infeasible) way to do this would require a huge amount of institutional uniformity, something along the lines of law school applications using SLAC, where all applicants could submit using a single portal, then pick which schools to send their application materials to. Another (more feasible) way might be having grad applicants self-report - something along the lines of how job applicants self-report on job-reporting threads. This led us to wonder whether this would be something to ask others about at the Cocoon. Maybe there is already something like this that exists that we aren't aware of. If not, does anyone have any ideas about how something like this might be implemented? Is this something that other programs would be interested in, too?

Good questions - what do readers think?

Beyond Academia Conference

A reader writes in:

Just in case you have not seen this already, I wanted to call your attention to a conference aimed at “PhD professional development and careers outside of academia" that begins next Thursday, February 23—the “Beyond Academia Conference” at UC-Berkeley. Here is the link to the event site:  https://beyondacademia.berkeley.edu/. My understanding is that one can attend this conference virtually, and that it is free.  There is at least one speaker with a philosophy background, past member of the APA non-academic careers committee Shane Wilkins, who will be speaking about employment in the government sector. 

Sounds like a cool opportunity!

Advice for job talks?

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

A question about the demeanor of giving job talks. Context first: I am much less good at the presentation side of things than the content side. I am also awkward in social situations.

My question is whether I should approach the audience as if I already had the job and were doing just a normal presentation (again, just demeanor-wise, not content-wise). I have the feeling that I am usually way more excited than I should be. However I also heard from a friend that many candidates didn't get a job because they do not seem excited about their work (which is super surprising to me: why would anyone not feel temporarily excited in a job talk?).

Any thought, advice, or anecdotes...?

Do any readers have any tips or insights on what comes across well or not so well in a job talk?

What do professors expect from grad students?

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

The DailyNous posted about a hidden syllabus and asked grad students to say in what ways their behaviors differed from what professors actually expected. That assumes that we know what professors expect, but at least in my program there aren't really clearly stated expectations except boilerplate requirements. I would like to know what professors in fact expect from grad students, and also what type of things they looked out for in writing recommendation letters.

Interesting query (the Daily Nous post is here). Another reader submitted the following reply:

Clearly, the most important things to comment on are your research - ideally, your published research, for then your letter writer does not look like a bozo who is just supporting his student (even with lies), and teaching. That is what hiring departments want to know about. And evidence based remarks are really what are wanted - "she is a great teacher", means less than reporting on her evaluations or classroom observations of her teaching. But softer things might include evidence of their involvement in a department - do they attend and participate in colloquia? I went to a lower ranked program, and everyone of the people from my programme who ended up with a decent career was actively involved in the life of the department.

It would be great to hear from other faculty who work in grad programs: what do you expect from grad students in your program, and what types of things do you look for in writing recommendation letters?

Tips for prospective PhD student visits?

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

Now that some PhD application results are coming out, what advice is there for how to prepare for a graduate campus visit? Should I read articles written by some of the faculty I hope to work with and specifically ask questions about it? Should I email graduate students ahead of time to ask if I can take them out for coffee to ask questions, or should I let the department handle arranging conversations with students? What sort of questions should I be asking these students and professors anyway?

Excellent questions! Anyone have any helpful tips to share?

When anonymous review is compromised?

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

What is the protocol for when a journal (accidentally) reveals identities in a blind peer review? I've experienced this a few times lately, from both sides: As an author, I got the reviewer's comments and could still see their name. As a reviewer, I got a paper that still contained the author's name (both top-level special journals in my field, btw). What should one do in such a case? Report to the journal? Pretend nothing happened? Decline to review?

Good questions, and I'm curious to hear what people think. First, I think it's worth noting that not all journals have anonymized review. In some science-y fields (including some philosophy of science journals), journals have authors submit papers with their identifying issue available to reviewers. So, although I don't know for sure, something like that might have happened here. But, if not, I think the right thing to do is to draw the problem to the editors' attention and, if you're a reviewer, decline to review. I've heard some people say that they tell the editor, and then let the editor decide whether to let the review proceed. But I think this is bad practice. If a journal is supposed to have anonymized review and that is compromised, then the review should not proceed, whatever the editors might say or do--as it goes against the journal's own stated editorial policy. 

But these are just my thoughts. What are yours?

Thank you notes on the job market?

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

This came up in the job market discussion thread, but I'd love to see wider discussion: what is the etiquette for post-interview thank-you notes? Is it overkill to send a handwritten note to the search chair after an on-campus interview?

What does everyone think? I'm currently on a search committee, so I should probably avoid weighing in--but if anyone else has experiences or insights to share, please do!

Two-body problems with unmarried partners

In our newest "how can we help you?" post, a reader writes:

I would be interested in hearing people's impressions on the following issue: How much (and in what ways) does it matter for the purposes of partner hiring whether the partners in question are married (as opposed to "merely" being in the sort of committed relationship where seeking a partner hire makes sense)? Is it more difficult to secure a partner hire if you're not married to your partner? If so, what's the source of the difficulty? Bureaucratic constraints? Narrow-minded administrators? Narrow-minded hiring committees? All of the above?

Great questions. Anyone have any helpful experiences or insights to share?

What kind of job talk is it best to give?

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

What is the best kind of topic for a job talk or for an invited talk? I work in metaphysics and do some metaphilosophy, and generally study/am excited about the kinds of topics others find very dry, but my subject matter also has relevance for many "applied," or "real life" issues, and it is easy for me to frame my main research topic as informing these more accessible questions. I would like to make a strategic choice of what to present in some upcoming talks... is it best to formulate a talk that I think will speak to the greatest number of people in the audience? Stick to what I find most exciting/what I am most knowledgeable about? I recently heard a job talk that was on another one such dry metaphysical topic, and I had mixed feelings. One one hand, I wanted to applaud the candidate for sticking to what excites him/his actual expertise, but on the other I wondered if he'd thought about how best to engage his audience. Thoughts?

Excellent questions, and I'm curious to hear from readers. I've always heard the advice given that you should "present your best work", whatever it is. But I also imagine that some people might find some topics more exciting than other "dry" topics. Anyone have any helpful insights here? 

Listing supervision on a CV?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, an anonymous postdoc asks:

A simple CV question: How, if at all, do you list supervision on your CV?

Should you list supervision at all? Does it matter whether it is MA or PhD supervision? Does it matter if you are chair or a secondary supervisor? Do you put it under teaching or in its own section? Do you give names of the students? Do you give the titles of their theses?

I ask because I am a postdoc at the moment with limited teaching experience on my CV. I am serving as secondary supervisor to two MA students. I wonder if I should include this in my teaching section and, if so, how I should do so (see above questions)?

Good questions! Another reader submitted the following reply:

All the distinctions matter. Have a sub-list for PhDs separating those you are the supervisor for, from those you serve on the committee of; a sub-list for MAs, again, separated. List it under teaching, unless you are a leader of a team or lab with post-docs as well, then have a separate heading for Supervision. Whatever you do do not exaggerate your role to beef up your teaching. It will backfire.

I'm curious whether other readers agree. It does seem to me that it's good to list how much supervision one has done, as some job ads explicitly note supervision experience as a hiring priority. But, beyond that, I'm not sure. I'm also not sure whether it's a good idea to list names of students, as in the US at least my understanding is that all academic information falls under federal FERPA privacy laws. 

Anyone else have any helpful tips or insights?

New Work in Philosophy (NWP) Roundup

This is just a quick roundup of this week's posts over at New Work in Philosophy. This week NWP featured:

• Matilda Carter (University of Glasgow), "Minority Minds: Mental Disability and the Presumption of Value Neutrality" (Journal of Applied Philosophy, 2022)
• Hrishikesh Joshi (Bowling Green State University), “The Epistemic Significance of Social Pressure” (Canadian Journal of Philosophy, 2022)
• Jeffrey Kaplan (University of North Carolina at Greensboro), "A New Problem for Rules" (Forthcoming in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research) (video)
• Charlotte Knowles (University of Groningen), "Beyond Adaptive Preferences: Rethinking Women's Complicity in their own Subordination" (European Journal of Philosophy, 2022)
• Paul Schofield (Bates College) on recent work of Jack Samuel (NYU Law Student)

You can also visit NWP's full archive of posts, and our YouTube Channel and Playlist. Also, if you have recent or forthcoming peer-reviewed work that you'd like to share more widely, please do consider emailing us with a pitch. NWP currently has nearly 1,100 subscribers, and we feature new posts on a rolling basis as they come in.

As our About page notes, 

We welcome unsolicited submissions from any professional philosopher (PhD students or beyond) or anyone who has published philosophy in legitimate peer-reviewed venues.

We particularly encourage submissions from junior philosophers and underrepresented groups in the profession, as well as postdocs, VAPs, and full or part-time faculty from a diverse variety of institutions.

Also, in addition to posting contributions by authors on their own work and the work of others (e.g. book/article reviews), we would like to encourage:

1. 1. Submissions by established (or somewhat established) philosophers that discuss/recommend new work by less/un-established philosophers who aren’t their colleagues or students.

   2. That readers draw our attention to other Substack pages with professional philosophical content, including their own. Substack has a nifty “recommend” feature, and we hope to draw amplify the work of other professional philosophers on Substack, as well.

Please email marvan@ut.edu or barry.maguire@ed.ac.uk to pitch a post or draw our attention to another Substack in professional philosophy that you would like to recommend.

Monist CFPs?

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

The Monist used to have a page on their website that listed CFPs for upcoming issues (all their issues are special issues devoted to particular topics). However, I can't seem to find that page anymore. Does anyone know if it exists somewhere, or where else we can see what future issues are coming/which CFPs are active?

Another reader seconded the query:

I have been wondering this exact thing lately, and have been tempted to reach out to them to ask what happened.

Anyone have the inside scoop on this?

How to teach sensitive topics close to students' lives?

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

How to teach topics which in some way come very close to the students and their lives or are related to who they are? What I have in mind are cases of teaching sexual ethics when someone in the classroom says she is a victim of a sexual assault, teaching philosophy of disability when there is a disabled person in the class, or teaching philosophy of discrimination when you have 24 white students and one black student on the course? Is there something the teacher should do differently in these cases compared to when the issue is not present in the same way?

These are excellent and important questions. Another reader submitted the following reply: 

I have an experience that is relevant to [the OP's] question. I was teaching a feminist philosophy class for the first time and we often discussed sexual assault. I used an example to explain a concept and, unbeknownst to me, the example I used very closely matched the actual experience of one of my students. She emailed me about it later and requested that I stick to the examples provided in the text. That way, she explained, she will have already grappled with the exemplar situation (at least once) while reading and could be more mentally and emotionally prepared in class discussions. I apologized to her and agreed that her suggestion was very sensible. That's what I did for the rest of the semester and I had no other issues.

Does anyone else have any helpful tips or experiences to share?

How can we help you? (February 2023)

Now that it's been over a month since our last "how can we help you?" thread, it's time for a new thread.

For those of you unfamiliar with this series, this is a chance for you to post openly or anonymously in the comments section below on anything you could use help with related to the profession. After you post your query in the comments section, I will then post new threads for readers to discuss your query.

As usual, feel free to ask questions on anything (within the Cocoon's mission) that you could use help with, including but not limited to:

• The job-market (applying for jobs, etc.)
• Issues in the profession (including issues of social justice)
• Graduate school
• Publishing
• Teaching
• Work-life balance
• Mental health & well-being
• Personal struggles
• Etc.

Ask away - we're here to help! 

Important reminder: if you submit a comment in this thread responding to someone's query, I won't post it, as this makes it difficult for me to keep track of everything in the comments section, particularly which queries I've started new threads on and which ones I have not. However, if you do post a follow-up comment, chances are good that I will post it in the new thread I start on the relevant query. So, do feel free to submit responses. Just know that they won't appear in this particular thread and might instead appear later in a new post.

Good (minimalist) templates for Mac Keynote?

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

I'm pretty bad at designing slides for talks and teaching, so I tried searching things like "free" "keynote" "templates" "minimalist," but every search resulted in some website where I needed to register or pay. Any idea where one can find free and downloadable templates for slides, preferably for Mac Keynote (and of course also asking for powerpoint).

Anyone have any tips or templates to share?

Tips & resources for publishing a trade book?

I haven't asked many questions of my own on the Cocoon for a while, but today I have a few. I'm curious about the process for publishing a 'trade book', that is, a book pitched toward a general audience. I have a couple of ideas for one, but don't know much about the process for actually pitching one successfully. I've heard anecdotally, for example, that one needs to obtain a literary agent first, even before approaching presses. Is that right? If so, how does one go about finding an agent? And, more generally, what is the process of securing a contract like? Does one need to actually have a manuscript drafted (or partially drafted), as is usually the case for academic books?

I could probably find out answers to many of these questions by searching the web, but I figured it could be good to hear from people who have experience in these matters to demystify these kinds of questions here. So, then, does anyone have any helpful experiences, tips, or other resources related to publishing a book for a general audience?

Tips for developing research ideas in a small department?

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

How do people working in small departments brainstorm research ideas?

I work in a teaching-oriented small department, and people work in quite different areas. I often encounter small ideas and thoughts in my research such as "x is interesting. I wonder if anyone talks about it" and "can we think about y in a different way?"... Some of these ideas were developed into papers, but many of them were based on misunderstandings or the lack of basic background knowledge on certain topics. In graduate school, I could just have a quick conversation with either my peers or professors. But there are no such people around me now. I saw people doing this kind of brainstorming on Facebook and Twitter, but I do not have many friends or followers on social media. So, I was still emailing my peers and professors from graduate school, but I am not sure if this is sustainable. I wonder if there are other effective ways to brainstorm small research ideas.

This is an excellent question, and I'm curious to hear from other readers who work in small departments. I work in a very small department myself, and this was one of the more difficult things that I had to learn how to grapple with early in my career. I wish that I had some helpful tips, but in my case, I just had to learn how to do work mostly on my own. Everyone in my department worked in very different areas, and I've never been very good at cultivating a research network--so I just learned to draft up ideas that seemed interesting to me and send out work to conferences and journals. That worked fine for me in the end, but I imagine that it's probably not the best solution for everyone. 

So, if you work in a small department, what do you do? Any tips for the OP on how to brainstorm new research ideas?

Listing a course one has taught as an AOC?

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

i am an abd grad student. I thought I had my AOS/AOCs figured out, but my department threw me a curveball and is having me teach a class that is outside of those areas. i'm not really worried about teaching the class and i am interested in the material, but i don't research this stuff at all. i fear that adding it as an AOC will look a little strange, both because there are now too many and because it doesn't really 'fit' with the rest, but i also don't want to undersell my capabilities when the ability to teach a wide range of classes is valued. if anyone has faced this situation, or evaluated someone like this from a committee perspective, i would be interested to know what you think.

This is a good query, as people always seem to have questions about what constitutes a 'legitimate AOC.' My understanding has always been that an AOC is supposed to be something that one would be able and qualified to teach an advanced undergraduate course in, even if it isn't an area that one does active research (i.e. publishing) in. So, I would think, at a minimum, an AOC should be something that one either has graduate coursework training in, and/or something one has cultivated some advanced competence in by some other means (such as by teaching lower-division courses in the area regularly and developing a more advanced background in by reading more widely in that area).

Consequently, my sense is that it is probably not a good idea to list a course that one has merely taught a couple of times in grad school as an AOC. Fortunately, in many cases, I don't think that much is likely to turn on this for a job-candidate. If a department otherwise likes you, they want/need someone to teach X, and you have taught X before, then that's likely to be a mark in your favor, AOC or no.

But these are just my thoughts. What are yours? It would be great to hear from readers in general, but particularly from members of search committees!

Prestigious PhD programs in Continental Philosophy?

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

Most of my department and its graduate students identify very heavily with "the continental tradition," of the sort that is most represented by the "SPEP" (the Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy). I work in core analytic M&E, so it is a tradition which is *extremely* foreign to me.

My question is this: which PhD programs are considered the "prestige" programs in this tradition? For us folks working in the analytic tradition, it's the "Leiterrific" places. But due to unfamiliarity with the SPEP-affiliated side of the profession, I have no idea what the equivalents might be. This might not be the best question to ask here, since I know that rankings of all sorts are typically looked upon here with an eye of suspicion (often rightly so!).

I recognize that any list of the "prestige" programs in the SPEP arena are going to be subjective and highly anecdotal. But that's okay -- ultimately the PGR is, too. I just need to get some sense of which programs are considered the exceptionally strong ones, and which programs are considered maybe also strong but less exceptionally so. (My tentative sense is: maybe Penn State, Northwestern, Stony Brook, and Emory? Maybe DePaul, too?)

I would like to note that I actually have legitimate professional reasons to be asking about this, but I would like to keep them private for reasons of anonymity.

Interesting question, and I'm not sure what the answer is! I do know that there is placement data out there indicating which continental programs tend to have the best job-placement rates (some of which are better than the best analytic programs)--in fact, I know this because I posted it on the Cocoon a few years back. Alas, I can't seem to track it down. Anyone able to find that post? In any case, another reader submitted the following reply:

As a grad student in continental philosophy, things are very volatile, since many of the "best" continental programs come from smaller Jesuit universities who I believe were harder hit by COVID and general declining enrollment than others. As far as the "top tier" of continental programs, I think Penn State and Emory are the two 'best' programs, in that they are the best funded and most likely to remain strongly continental. Many of the mixed continental programs are shaking off their continental faculty and the smaller programs are losing a lot of lines.

Anyone else have any helpful insights?

How much time do editors and referees spend on submissions?

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

How much time do editors/referees spend on average reading submissions before making a decision? Do they read them more than once?

Interesting questions. It would be great to hear from readers (both editors and reviewers), but I suspect there is huge variance. As an another reader writes in the following submitted reply:

I suspect the average would be misleading -- a distribution would be much more helpful. Such info, while likely not feasibly accessible, would be interesting to see (probably there's a *huge* variety).

In my own case as a reviewer, how long I take on a paper depends on many things: how long and complex the paper is, how good I think it is, how certain I initially am about the recommendation I plan to make to the editors (sometimes I know that I want to recommend reject, accept, R&R-major revisions, etc.; other times I waffle), how much work I think a paper needs if I recommend an R&R (as in these cases I write extremely detailed reports specifying exactly what issues need to be addressed for me to recommend acceptance), and so on. Then, of course, there is my personal and professional schedule. Some times of the year are busier than others with teaching, family obligations, service obligations at my university, research (sometimes I have revise-and-resubmits and other research deadlines to meet too!), and sometimes these things can be planned for but other times not. All of these things and more result in huge variance in how long it takes me to get a referee report done. Sometimes I get reports done well in advance of the journal's deadline (in fact, sometimes after just a few days or weeks), but sometimes it takes considerably longer. In any case, I have a policy of meeting journal deadlines, and I'd never not complete a report on time (or at most a day or two late).

But this is just my experience. What are yours? It would be great to hear from reviewers and editors! 

The inside scoop on open access book publishing?

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

Do any readers have an inside scoop on how open access monograph publishing works? Every once in a while, a book from a university press like OUP is published Open Access. Nick Shea's (2018) Representation in Cognitive Science is one example. I assume that in such cases, the author gets a grant from somewhere to pay the press a fee to make the book open access. How much are such fees? And are there particular places to go looking for that kind of funding? I know there are also recent efforts to create all-OA monograph publishing venues (in philosophy of science, there's the new BSPS Open). What other such ventures are out there?

Good questions. I seem to recall hearing that in some places (particular parts of Europe?), people are expected (required?) to publish their research open-access. Is this right? I'm not entire sure how much it costs to publish an academic book open-access (though I seem to recall it definitely being on the order of several thousand dollars), but my sense is that people who publish open-access stuff tend to have dedicated research budgets that they can use to pay for it. Am I right about this? And what about all-OA monograph publishing venues? Here, I know very little.

It would be great to hear from readers who are in the know. Anyone have the inside scoop on this stuff? It would be great to hear some details!

Referrals for 'the professor is out' (or other non-academic job search services)?

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

Hey, asking for a friend: has anyone used/consulted 'the professor is out' for help making the transition to a non-academic career path? I know a while ago there were some threads on another site about their academic services, but wondering specifically about whether they would be helpful in thinking about non-academic options. Thanks in advance!

Good question. I was well aware of the Professor Is In, but wasn't aware of their Professor Is Out services until now. One reader submitted the following response:

I have not used "the professor is out" for that. I did reach out to them in my first year on the TT, and I was surprised at how unreceptive they were to my inquiries. Ymmv. If this is appropriate, may I suggest reaching out to Larry McGrath, https://www.larrysmcgrath.com/career-consulting. He himself found a way out, from a phd in French intellectual history (and plenty of familiarity with philosophy), to private industry work. He now consults with other scholars looking to go a similar road, and I believe he has worked with a number of philosophers. Disclosure: although I have not worked with him in this regard (I'm still toiling away in philosophy), I know Larry socially.

Anyone else have any helpful tips or experiences to share?

Developing a mentoring program for underrepresented groups?

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

I have heard that many search committees consider it a notable plus (and some perhaps even an unspoken requirement) that one has experience mentoring/working with people from underrepresented groups in philosophy (or perhaps it is enough to have mentoring experience more broadly-please advise!).

There are very few formal opportunities for PhD students at my (very large, very diverse, relatively prestigious) institution to do any type of robust formal mentoring (we teach to diverse groups, of course, but it seems like search committees find it good to have more one-on-one type mentoring experiences). I want to help design a systematic, mutually-beneficial program that can actually benefit undergrads and create meaningful connections while also helping PhD students get formal mentoring experience that can help them on the job market.

I know my department will support this endeavor, perhaps even with funding (they are super supportive of things like this, both job related and DEI related), but I am curious if anyone has advice, models, links, books, articles, podcasts, warnings, etc. about current programs of this type and what has worked/not worked well for others? I first and foremost want to make sure we go about designing the program in a way that it will not cause any further harm, exploit vulnerable undergrads, or waste people's time.

Any suggestions or stories would be greatly appreciated! I think there is potential to create something truly beneficial for all parties, if such a program is crafted with care.

What a great query--I'd love to hear some suggestions and experiences too! Anyone have any tips, resources, or experiences to share on creating a mentoring program like this (particularly ones that might help a PhD student like the OP)?

Going on the market just after starting a job?

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

Two questions about job market etiquette:

1) Is it considered "rude," "in poor taste," or in violation of relevant norms to leave a job after only one year? One the one hand, I believe in employee freedom in a labor market; on the other, I get that people might be offended by this.

2) Is is a valid worry that your current employer might find out that you're on the market? I would hope that application materials are confidential, but I also imagine that philosophers, like the rest of humankind, like to gossip. Does anyone have experience of their employers retaliating in any sort of way after finding out they were applying out?

Good questions! Another reader submitted the following response:

I had a colleague who we hired leave after one year. I did not consider her rude ... I understood her motives quite well. But I am sure some of my colleagues absolutely hated her. We spent a lot of time doing the search, time we did not have. And then we choose her from among a number of fully qualified candidates - she deserved the job, but others were deserving as well. And then when she left we did not get the line renewed. It was lost ... for good! So do not expect your colleagues to be endeared to you if they find out you are on the market.

This sounds right to me, but here are my hot takes:

1. Sure, people will probably get upset if you leave after a year, as they hired you hoping and expecting you'd stay. But you have a right to leave for another job at any time (though if they asked during the hiring process whether you'd stay if hired and you were dishonest, then that seems bad, right?).
2. It's a worry for sure, but a "valid" one? I have no idea. I've never heard of employers finding out about this kind of stuff through the proverbial grape-vine, and think it would be an enormous wrong for anyone to compromise the confidentiality of a job application. Does it ever happen? I have no idea.

But these are just my thoughts. What are yours? It would be great to hear from people who have some experience with this kind of scenario, both on the job-candidate and hiring sides of things.

Why hire new PhDs over VAPs with better publication records?

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

In response to the VAP Treadmill thread, Patrick said the following:

In addition, based on anecdotal evidence as well as comments I've read elsewhere on this issue: being a VAP and having a decent publication record doesn't always trump a freshly minted PhD with a proportionate publication record. Ex. a VAP with 4 years post-PhD and 4-5 articles, in many cases, isn't going to be appear exceptional compared to a new PhD from a ranked program who has just one publication. To be sure, some institutions value a seasoned junior person with bona fide teaching experience but this is definitely not the case everywhere.

I am glad Patrick said this, because it speaks to an impression I have had, which is that for whatever reason a VAP one, two, three years removed from the PhD, who has been able to publish while teaching what is likely a heavy-load, nevertheless does not look as shiny ('exceptional', promising) as the graduate student with fewer publications (maybe none) and less teaching experience (again, maybe none). What is making them shiny then, other than that they haven't yet come out of the wrapper? It's almost like the fact that one is not yet in a job counts in favor of people, whereas it counts against some (e.g. VAPs, lecturers, etc.).

The help I am requesting is for a good explanation of this phenomenon, which appears to me to be utterly biased and irrational (like so much of this process), and what a VAP is supposed to do keep their shine on, if, as Patrick says, apparently publishing isn't going to do the trick.

Good question. One reader submitted the following reply:

Here's just my guess as a person who got nothing the first year out, a teaching-intensive job in the second round, and a permanent one in the third round. One can publish a lot based on one’s dissertation. I have published 4 papers based on it. But at some point felt that I’m getting close to milking my dissertation dry. So I started another research project and published a paper from the new research project, and have one completed draft under review and several other papers to be written. I think this speaks to future publication potential, which is good for the prospects of tenure or this thing called REF. My guess is thus the worry about having published most of one’s dissertation but having less clear evidence for the potential of future publications would make one look less competitive compared to someone who seems to have a publishable but unpublished dissertation.

While I do think it's a good idea to develop a research program beyond the dissertation if you are out a few years (and that this can indeed help one get a job), my sense is that this probably isn't the best explanation of what is going on here. The most common explanation that I've heard of why some departments hire people just out of grad school with few (or no) publications is this. Top research departments (e.g. at R1's) may be the most interested in one's overall "promise" as a researcher, and whether one might be "the next big star." Whereas candidates who are a few years out may have fine publication records, a "shiny new PhD" just out of a top program is less of a known quantity and thus "might be the next big thing." In this regard, the phenomenon seems not all that unlike drafting top sports prospects out of college programs. Although even the best college athletes drafted have never played a single pro game (and many of them fail!), teams still draft them out of the mere hope (and possibility) that they will turn out to be a big star.

Now, I personally don't think this is a good line of reasoning. As another reader wrote:

I was on a series of VAPs. And I was passed over a number of times. I had papers in PhilSci and Synthese and PSA. In one case, they were interviewing someone from an elite school who had been out two years with NO pubs ... ZERO! In another case, someone was offered the job before me ... now two decades later I have over 11 times the number of citations as this person. It is a sorry world. I have had a good career, but it has been hard all the way.

Fortunately, if there are any silver linings here, they are these. First, even though some programs hire people just out of grad school with few publications, other departments really want to see a robust publishing record. Second, my experience is that jobs at teaching-focused institutions care a great deal about teaching experience, and thus, all things being equal, are likely to prefer VAPs over new PhDs. Finally, in my experience there are many people just like this last commenter: job candidates who were passed over for new PhDs, but who ended up getting a good job and succeeding in the end. In fact, speaking from personal experience here, I think that as horrible as it was at the time, my long time on the job market was a bit of a blessing in disguise. If I had gotten a TT job right out of grad school, I think I probably would have failed. I didn't know how to publish, nor did I really know how to teach all that well--let alone do both effectively at the same time. So, while it does indeed seem profoundly unfair, I'd just say to the OP: keep fighting the good fight. There are no guarantees in this unfair world, and there is a ton of luck involved on the academic market, but if you publish and teach well, good things can happen.

But these are just my thoughts. What are yours? It would be good, in particular, to hear from people on the hiring side of things.

Tips for asking for a retention raise?

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

I am curious about the mechanics and strategy of asking for a retention raise. I am a TT assistant professor. I might receive a job offer soon for another TT position. I would be willing to take the new job, but I would prefer my current position if my salary increased. How would I go about asking for a retention raise? Whom should I ask--my chair or the dean? Any other advice?

Fair questions! I've heard anecdotally that some institutions don't negotiate these sorts of things at all (they will say in essence, "good luck to you at your new job"), but if you are willing to take the new job, what's the harm simply telling your institution that you have an outside offer but would prefer to stay if they'd be willing to raise your salary $X? If you really are willing to take the other job, the worst that they can say is 'no.' In any case, my sense is that one should only do this if one actually has an outside offer and you're willing to accept it.

In terms of the mechanics, one reader submitted the following reply:

go to the Dean (at least) Every campus is different, and campuses even change over time. I worked at a place where you went to the Provost. I liked it. You had to have some gumption to think they would even meet with you, but if you did, and you made a case for yourself, she was a generous and appreciative leader.

This seems right to me. Go first to your Dean. Then, depending on what they say, maybe go to the Provost. But it would be great to hear from other readers here, particularly readers who have tried to negotiate a raise like this. What was the process like, and how successful (or not) were you?

Tips for on-campus visit meetings with deans?

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

Oh gosh this one is a bit time sensitive so I am not even sure it's worth posting but just in case: how should you prepare to meet with a dean at a flyout? What is going on in these meetings? What is the dean's role re: your prospects of getting an offer? Any advice at all about this would be so very appreciated.

Good questions! Unfortunately, it's been almost 10 years since I did one of these and I have terrible episodic memory, so I'm probably not the best person to ask. One reader submitted the following reply:

This really is a simple part of the process. The dean meets with you to sell you her institution. So do not be stressed. It is a chance to ask about the institution, the place of philosophy at the institution, etc. They will want to impress upon you things about the broader community - what a great place it is to live (it is quite unlikely that they will be a philosopher). In one case, though, I did ask the dean why they did an external chair search (where I am from, such searches usually signal that the department is a little fucked up).

I'm curious to hear from other readers: is this right? Are these dean meetings things not to be stressed over too much, or do deans sometimes play important roles in the hiring process that can make these meetings more important than this response makes them sound?

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

Job market 'waiting-game' tips?

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

Any advice for coping with the interminable periods of waiting to hear back about job applications? How do you stay focused while navigating the emotional ups and downs? Do you have any strategies for maintaining focus, or for resetting when you find yourself distracted? It's my first year and I am struggling. Some days are fine...and other days I feel like a wreck with no self-control, opening zillow and refreshing my inbox, wondering and worrying, and not writing.

Excellent questions, and I'm curious to hear from readers. I have to confess that when I was on the market, I didn't have any special strategies for handling this stuff. I was pretty much stressed and preoccupied all of the time. But I've always been able to focus on work, so during work hours, that's more or less what I did: bury my head in writing, teaching, grading, etc. I also went for a lot of long walks and runs with my dog, listening to music--things which have always been calming for me. But again, I really struggled, as I suspect most job marketeers do.

Any of you have any helpful tips for the OP?

(How) do 'little things' make a difference on the job market?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a PhD student writes:

In the post about the VAP treadmill, a commenter said the following:

"In my experience in our searches, probably the top 20-50% of the applicant pool would be successful in the job and be an adequate fit for the specific role. The differences between the person who gets the job and the person who is 15th on the list are often small and hard to characterize."

I would love to hear from people who have been on search committees (or ppl who were told by someone on the search committee why they were hired) some examples of the tiny little things that ended up making one candidate get the job over the other equally-qualified candidates.

If these reasons are silly or arbitrary (e.g., this person just "seemed cooler" or had one more publication than someone else), all the better, since it helps us to remember just how much randomness there is. If some of the things are tiny things that others (like myself) can somehow imitate, then that is great too!

This is a great query, and I'd love to hear those who are in the know weigh in. One reader submitted the following reply:

Not a really practical advice, but making one's CV and/or cover letter unforgettable in the right way helps. According to my future employer (I've explicitly asked why they decided to hire me), apart from a promising research project (from their point of view) and institutional fitness (which played a central role in the final decision), I received a prestigious prize during my phd candidature and this really helped me get into the interview stage. Judging from other people who got a job, prizes help. At least everyone I know who got a prestigious prize (like from a journal or from some philosophical association) eventually got a TT or permanent job.

And another reader submitted this:

[H]ere is a tiny thing that might matter - imagine a position is advertised for Business Ethics, with an AOC in history of philosophy. The two finalists are matched on Business ethics, but the one has a broader range of history competence (early modern AND 19 C); or the one has early modern and 20th Continental and the other has early modern and 19 C. - and you think, a course on Nietzsche will fill seats, let's go for that one. These are small things that cannot be anticipated, and when a decision for ONE and only one candidate is required they become the difference maker.

Any other readers have good examples of 'little things' making a difference in the hiring process?

Requesting copyright permissions?

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

I'm thinking of sending a paper to a journal and have only now started thinking about copyright. Do I need to request permission from all the publishers from where I've cited work to include it in my paper?

Fortunately, one doesn't need to request permission to cite work in journal articles. However, there are two things worth knowing that some people might not be aware of.

First, my understanding is that one ordinarily does have to request permission to reproduce images--from journal articles, books, or the internet--including (surprisingly) images one has previously published oneself (e.g., in a previous journal article). I just found this out relatively recently when submitting to a journal, and found it terribly frustrating, as requesting and receiving image permissions can be time intensive and it's not clear to me why one should be able to cite written material with proper attribution but not do the same for images.

Second, my understanding is that when publishing books, one has to request permissions for epigraphs (e.g. short quotations at the head of a chapter) as well as, in some cases, permissions for long quotations of material (some publishing contracts or style guides explicitly lay out how many words a quoted passage can be without obtaining copyright permission).

I have confess that I don't know much about copyright law, but these requirements seem pretty arbitrary to me. Anyone know more, or am I incorrect about any of this? It would be great to crowdsource information about this so that authors know what it is and is not expected! 

The VAP treadmill?

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

I wanted to bump something to here that 'visiting treadmill' posted in the job market discussion thread, as I think it would be good to hear from folks on what they were saying, but no one responded there. I hope they don't mind!

visiting treadmill: Unsurprisingly, I feel a bit perplexed by the market. This is my fifth year on the market but I’ve held a visiting position every year. On the VAP market last year I had four interviews and two offers. I thought that maybe the VAP market buzz I experienced might be some evidence that I would have better luck on the TT market this year. But so far on the permanent market this year I’ve only had one first round zoom interview, which did not advance. It looks like that’s all I’m going to get, which needless to say is really disappointing. Anyone else have a similar experience? Is there such a thing as a VAP treadmill? Why would multiple departments (and I’m not talking R1 here) see a candidate as good enough for a visiting position but not a permanent position? Also, what’s the number to that truck-driving school again?

Good questions--it would be great to hear from other job candidates, as well as from search committee members. Do job candidates in visiting positions get pigeon-holed as good enough for visiting positions but not for permanent ones?

Finishing a grad program remotely?

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

Now that I have completed my coursework, I would love to finish my graduate program remotely. What are the norms for doing this sort of thing? It seems like most graduate students that do this have some kind of visiting student affiliation with another department. But is this sort of affiliation necessary? What else should I consider here?

Good questions! I don't know much about this, but my initial reaction was to wonder whether grad programs might be biased against this kind of thing, much as many workplaces are with respect to remote work. However, "recent PhD" submitted the following reply:

I know several people who do this for a variety of reasons. I certainly didn't go into the department when I was writing my dissertation during the pandemic. I think the biggest hurdle is funding. If you have to TA to get funding and all classes is in person, you obviously have to show up. People I know who are doing this are either teaching online or on fellowship/grant money.

Any readers out there have any helpful tips, experiences, or other insights to share?

Helpful stories from those who left academia?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, Perennial Candidate writes:

Since this year's job market is shifting into the next phase (fly-outs, offers), I wonder if it's time to revisit stories from people who have left academia — how they knew it was time, what they're doing now, their feelings on the transition, whether they're thriving. I think it might be helpful to those of us who are pondering how to prioritize our career development in the new year.

This is an excellent query, and it would be great to crowdsource more stories like these. We put together an Alt-Ac Transition Tips series and Alt-Ac Workshop series a while back featuring some helpful stories, and have a more general continuing Alt-Ac series that the OP may find helpful.

One reader submitted the following reply to the OP:

May I humbly suggest my podcast which interviews PhDs and almost-PhDs from humanities fields who now work in the alt-ac. Although it's not focused on philosophy, a number of my guests happen to be philosophers (because I'm in philosopher's circles, I suppose). https://offcampus.buzzsprout.com

This podcast looks really great. Do any other readers have stories of their own or links to stories to share? It would be great, in particular, to hear answers to the OP's specific queries ("how they knew it was time, what they're doing now, their feelings on the transition, whether they're thriving"). 

'Getting to know' departments when applying for jobs?

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

One piece of advice I often see for job seekers is to "get to know the department to which you are applying." This is great advice! I'd love to know how other people go about researching a department, its needs, its interests, and its preferences. It would be great if at least some of this advice did not involve tapping one's personal network, as many grad students/job seekers may not have networks that are similarly robust or knowledgeable about the ins and outs of other departments.

Interesting query. I'm not sure I think it is a great idea to try to research a department's "needs", "interests", and "preferences", as in my experience different members of the same department may have very different (and often deeply incompatible) visions about what these things should be. My sense instead is the "get to know the department to which you are applying" advice is to research and develop familiarity with what the people in the department work on and teach, features of the program (e.g. major coursework and minors offered), and features of the college or university (e.g., new initiatives, etc.). And I'm not inclined to think that one need tap one's personal network to get know these kinds of things.

Basically, my sense is that when people say, "get to know the department to which you are applying", they are saying this because it can be important to search committees to come across like you've at least done some research on the place you're applying to and the people who work there. For example, if you're on a campus visit, it surely looks far better to say to a member of a department, "I checked out your paper on X and thought it is interesting" rather than "What do you work on?", or "I know your department offers a minor in Y" rather than "What minors does your department offer?"

Anyway, these are just my thoughts. It would be great to hear from search committee members what they think about these matters, as well as from anyone else who may be in the know and have any helpful advice for the OP!