Hum_SS_-_Creating_Effective_Application_Materials_for_Jobs_at_Different_Institutions_8-22-17

1 CREATING EFFECTIVE APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR JOBS AT DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Dr Helen Pho Associate Director Career Services helenpho@upenn.edu University of Pennsylvania Career Services What we’re going to cover • Introduction to written materials for the job search • Identifying positions • Reading job announcements effectively • Understanding different institutions • C.V development • Cover letter • Additional application materials • Resources • Questions PDF of PPT will be available after the workshop University of Pennsylvania Career Services Written materials for the job search • C.V  Lists academic achievements, prioritizes research or teaching based on job description/career goals • Research statement  Provides a narrative of what big questions you have asked, how you have gained answers, why this is important to your field, and most importantly, where you will go next University of Pennsylvania Career Services Written materials for the job search • Statement of teaching philosophy  Narrative of your teaching goals with examples that demonstrate • “Evidence of excellence in teaching”  You can decide what to provide • References  Specific evidence of your academic abilities that should echo your statements and examples • Cover letter  Highlighting the key points of all your other materials (not just repeating the information), prioritizing the examples given based on who will be reading the letter Can take the place of both research statement and teaching philosophy if these are not asked for University of Pennsylvania Career Services OTHER ITEMS that might be included or requested: • Writing sample • Transcripts • Teaching portfolio  Syllabi  Summary of course evaluations  Description of teaching awards • Website • Diversity Statement • Statement of Faith University of Pennsylvania Career Services Identifying job opportunities • Your scholarly association  Job listing bulletin or website;  job events at conferences/conventions • National publications and websites  The Chronicle of Higher Education www.chronicle.com  Academic360.com or Higheredjobs.com  Inside Higher Ed  Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC) www.hercjobs.org • Institutional & departmental websites • Your network University of Pennsylvania Career Services Tenure-Track Assistant Professor of Korean Studies, Emory University • The Department of Russian and East Asian Languages and Cultures (REALC) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Korean Studies with a background in the humanities including, but not limited to, the fields of literature, gender, media and cultural studies, philosophy, religion, and history The candidate is expected to teach a survey course with a focus on modern Korea The Department is particularly interested in candidates whose scholarship is inter-disciplinary and inter-regional (within East Asia and beyond) Successful candidates must have a PhD in hand by the time of appointment, and demonstrate an active research agenda and a commitment to teaching at the undergraduate level and to development of graduate programming Candidates will also adhere to best practices and demonstrate an ability to advance Emory College’s goals of diversity and inclusion Near native proficiency in both English and Korean is required • Please submit your cover letter, C.V., research statement, short writing sample or published paper, teaching statement, statement of teaching and mentoring students of diverse backgrounds, and three letters of recommendation through Interfolio Please send your application to http://apply.interfolio.com/43528 University of Pennsylvania Career Services Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Economics, University of California, Santa Cruz • The Economics Department at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) • • • • invites applications for an Assistant Professor tenure-track position in macroeconomics The successful candidate will be expected to teach at both the undergraduate and graduate level (including classroom); advise and mentor graduate students; contribute to graduate education, the research environment of the department, and to university and professional service The successful candidate must be able to work with students, faculty and staff from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds UC Santa Cruz is a Hispanic-Serving Institution with a high proportion of first-in-family undergraduate students BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D or equivalent foreign degree in Economics PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Demonstrated expertise in macroeconomics with emphasis in applied macroeconomics TO APPLY: Applications are accepted via the UCSC Academic Recruit online system, and must include a letter of application, curriculum vitae, research statement, teaching statement and/or evaluations, 1-2 papers/publications and 3-4 confidential reference letters Applicants are invited to submit a statement addressing their contributions to diversity through research, teaching and/or service University of Pennsylvania Career Services Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Early American History, The College of Wooster • The Department of History at The College of Wooster invites applicants for a tenure-track position in Early American History The successful candidate will teach the U.S History survey and courses in their areas of specialization They will also supervise undergraduate research in the College's required Independent Study Program and participate in the College’s First-Year Seminar Ph.D expected by August 2018 The College’s student population is 20% domestic students of color and 11% international students All applicants must demonstrate a promise of excellence in working with students from diverse backgrounds • A complete application will include: a letter of application, a curriculum vitae, copies of unofficial graduate transcripts, a diversity statement, a research statement, a teaching statement, and three confidential letters of recommendation The diversity statement should detail how the applicant has engaged or expects to engage with issues of diversity in the classroom and the curriculum, as well as on campus, and in the broader community The teaching statement must explicitly address: the professor’s role in a liberal arts institution; fostering and supporting diversity in the classroom; and mentoring undergraduate research Candidates may also describe their plans for introductory and upper level courses that complement or expand our existing course offerings University of Pennsylvania Career Services 10 Understanding different institutions • Read the job announcement closely • Learn about the institution; find relevant key words  University/college website • Understand how they brand and market themselves • “Emory maintains an uncommon balance for an institution of its standing: our scholars and experts generate more than $574 million in research funding annually while also maintaining a traditional emphasis on teaching.” • “UC Santa Cruz is a public university like no other in California, combining the intimacy of a small, liberal arts college with the depth and rigor of a major research university.” • “The College of Wooster is America’s premier college for mentored undergraduate research.” • Understand the student population • Understand the curriculum University of Pennsylvania Career Services 37 Let’s take a moment… Why is your research publishable and/or fundable? What makes you an effective teacher? University of Pennsylvania Career Services 38 Cover letter • Highlights your experience and expertise relevant to the specific position and institution  Length of cover letter can be dictated by what other materials are asked for • Elements of a cover letter  Salutation: Dear Prof Huntsman and members of the Search Committee  First paragraph: mention how you learned about the job and summarize your key qualifications  Body: use the structure of the job ad to guide you in the more detailed discussion of your qualifications Mention the “so what” of your research, and teaching competencies  Final paragraph: Explain why this position and this institution are a good fit, offer to provide additional information upon request University of Pennsylvania Career Services • Don't send form letters - they are easily identifiable  About as appealing as junk mail But this could have been written for any job • Concentrate on probable perspectives of those who will read the letter and try to address their interests as you write  Keep end user in mind at all times • Be honest about your interests – write in simple, clear, professional style, and say only what you’re comfortable with and relatively sincere in saying University of Pennsylvania Career Services 40 Research statement • Use the language to guide you—do they want a  “Statement of Research Plans” or a  “Summary of Current Research” • Provide a context for your research interests  Future research should follow logically from what you’ve done  Rough estimate: 50% of statement might focus on future  List possible sources of funding for your research  Identify possible collaborations  Identify resources on campus you might utilize University of Pennsylvania Career Services 41 Teaching Philosophy • Sometimes included within a teaching portfolio, sometimes sent in along with your cover letter and CV • A document that details your experience of teaching:  As a teacher  As a student being taught  As a mentor (e.g., informal teaching experiences) • Philosophy should explain:  Why you it  What your goals are  How you it  How successful you have been (and how you know?)  PROVIDE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES University of Pennsylvania Career Services 42 Teaching Portfolio • This can include syllabi of established courses or proposals for future courses as well as teaching evaluations and sample assignments • Anything proposed should be associated with realistic goals regarding your target group of students  grads/undergrads  majors/non-majors  International students  Focus on most relevant group for job • The Center for Teaching and Learning can help graduate students with their teaching materials  www.upenn.edu/ctl University of Pennsylvania Career Services 43 “Evidence of teaching excellence” Evidence of my competence in teaching includes:  The COMM999 syllabus, which illustrates how I tailored a required course offered to reflect new trajectories in the field and to integrate my own research interests in health and environmental communication (p 6) Course Evaluations, including statistical evaluations of my two appointments – as an instructor for COMM999 in Summer 2012 and a teaching assistant for the same course in Spring 2011 – submitted through the Penn Course Review system  Average ratings are summarized below with mean scores for instructors/courses at the School and the University (p 13)  Note: University Course Review measures Instructor/Course Favorability and Course Difficulty on a 5-point scale from (less favorable/difficult) to (more favorable/difficult) Rating chart follows University of Pennsylvania Career Services 44 “Evidence of teaching excellence” • Your “teaching excellence” could also be discussed by one of the people recommending you  Provide student evaluations to recommender so they can discuss them, and provide context to interpret them • Formal teaching evaluations (university/departmental) • Feedback from other faculty, administrators, or students on the courses you have taught  Quotes from students can be used University of Pennsylvania Career Services 45 Writing sample • This can be an off-print of an article • This can be an edited chapter of a dissertation  Short and to the point might be better than 50+ pages • This could be something written just for the application – depending on the context • Ask your mentor/advisor about what is appropriate in your field University of Pennsylvania Career Services 46 References & letters of recommendation • Decide whom to ask to be references  Your advisors  Colleagues/mentors outside of your department, committee, or current institution  Balancing information – research focus, teaching focus • Communicate with your references  Ask if they are able to write a positive reference for you  Let them know the schedule  Remind them 2-3 weeks out before deadline • How will you have letters of reference sent?  Interfolio; Vitae  Your department University of Pennsylvania Career Services 47 Diversity Statement, Statement of Faith • Documents that target specific mission statements of the institution  Look to institution website for more information to understand what these issues mean to the school  Whitworth University (faith) www.whitworth.edu/Administration/HumanResources/FacultyFaithEssay/Index.htm  UCLA (diversity) https://grad.ucla.edu/asis/diversity/index.html  These statements are an opportunity to disclose more personal aspects of your experience and how they influence your approach to scholarship and being a teacher • Resources for diversity statements:  https://chroniclevitae.com/news/266-the-professor-is-in-making-sense-of-the- diversity-statement  www.insidehighered.com/advice/2017/08/21/how-graduate-students-candemonstrate-commitment-diversity-job-interviews-essay • Faith based statements:  www.insidehighered.com/advice/2011/05/04/essay_on_the_job_options_for_faculty _members_at_religious_colleges  www.insidehighered.com/advice/2013/04/17/essay-advice-applying-jobs-religiouscolleges University of Pennsylvania Career Services 48 Applying for positions • Apply for positions that appear to be a good fit for you • Send what the announcement specifically requests, unless you have a very good reason to otherwise • In your cover letter show that you understand the unique qualities of each department/institution to which you are applying • Let your recommenders know where you have applied University of Pennsylvania Career Services 49 Key points for all documents • No matter what field you are in, you must show that you compelling, forward-looking research that is both original and helps to advance your field • All materials should look like they are part of a cohesive packet of information that tell an effective story about you  Formatted in the same way  Not saying exactly the same thing, but expanding on information mentioned in the other documents  Each as separate PDFs named appropriately (unless the job announcement requests otherwise) University of Pennsylvania Career Services 50 Resources to help with written materials • Your advisor; other faculty in your field • Career Services programs – panels and workshops • The Academic Job Search Handbook, 5th ed ($10 at Career Services) • Penn’s Center for Teaching and Learning • Alumni from your program (QuakerNet; LinkedIn • Web resources:  Guides/samples on the Career Services website  Articles on www.chronicle.com; www.insidehighered.com • Meet with a career advisor – get CV review, and help with teaching philosophy, research statement and cover letters  Login to Handshake or call 215 898 7530 to schedule an appointment University of Pennsylvania Career Services 51 QUESTIONS? University of Pennsylvania Career Services