how-to-apply-for-an-academic-job-ebook.pdf

8/14/2019 how-to-apply-for-an-academic-job-ebook.pdf

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www.jobs.ac.uk How to Apply for an Academic Job2

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Reading a job advertisement may seem like a fairly simple and obvioustask, but the language of job adverts can in fact be rather ba ffling,especially for academic jobseekers just starting out on their career. Thissection is intended to give a brief guide on interpreting what advertsactually say and targeting your application accordingly.

Understanding job advertsIntroduction

This ebook will help you to become more attractive to

employers when applying for an academic job. It willshow employers what you have to o ff er at the application,interview and salary negotiation stages.

This ebook o ff ers step-by-step advice and also providesexercises that will get you thinking about your careerdevelopment and will show you how to improve youchances of landing that dream job.

This ebook will cover:

• How to interpret a job advert

• Tailoring your application, covering letter and CV

• Best advice on getting through the short-listing stage

• How best to sell your skills, experience and future plans in interviews

• Top tips on how to behave during the entire interview day

• The process of salary negotiation.

Changes in the law

In recent years numerous changes have been made in how advertsare written. Part of this is to do with fashions in recruitment, but alsoemployers now have to be extremely careful to follow the latest

employment legislation on discrimination. These laws are designed toprevent race, religious, sexual and age discrimination. Where employersmay once have asked for ‘junior’ or ‘senior’ applicants, they now haveto refer to skills sets and experience levels. Being ‘energetic’, ‘active’ oreven ‘tireless’ is now not sought because all three of those descriptorscould be interpreted as requesting someone able-bodied. So thelanguage of the advert has been tightened up and should only refer toqualications and skills needed to do the job.

Whereas previously many individual heads of department wrote theirown adverts based on the sort of person they were looking for, today’sadverts are the result of input from HR teams, recruitment agencies andeven PR companies. Universities are concerned to present themselvesin a consistent manner so all adver ts are subjected to central checkingand university branding. This can make all adverts seem very similar. Itis harder to see what that specic job requires as adverts are becomingmore generic.

Changes in recruitment practice

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Divide your experience into three categories – teaching,research and administration . Most academic jobs contain

elements of all three, so consider the importance of each forthe job you’re going for by examining the job description andperson specication. Create headings for each, placing the mostimportant rst.

The teaching section should include tutoring, demonstrating,lecturing, supervising students’ projects, marking, designingsessions and contributing to curriculum design.

The research section should include details of your projects,funding, conference presentations and publications. Preparea full list of your conference presentations and publications and ifit seems too long then cur tail the list by presenting only the mostrecent (perhaps two or three years’ worth).

The administrative section should include information aboutposts held at university and outside. Administrative roleswithin your department might include being exchangeco-ordinator, admissions tutor, exams secretary or running anentire programme or degree. Outside of university life, list anyorganisations whose committee you belong to or for whomyou act as professional consultant.

Don’t forget to include any ‘hard skills’ that you think mightbe relevant to the post too, such as IT competencies, foreign

languages or rst aid qualications. Interests and activitiesoutside of your professional life should also be mentioned if theydemonstrate a quality or skill that would be useful to the role.For example, if you run your local scout troop this demonstratesleadership responsibilities.

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List your qualications in reverse date order.Make sure you provide names of institutions,dates and grades. Give the titles of all researchprojects but avoid jargon and lengthy prose.Mention any specic training that you havereceived that is relevant for the job, forexample a Postgraduate Diploma inPost-compulsory Education.

Quali cations:

Include your name, address, email addressand phone number. Do not include your dateof birth or gender as taking these factors intoconsideration means that employers arebreaking employment legislation rules.

The CV itself: what to include

Introduction:

Experience:

www.jobs.ac.uk How to Apply for an Academic Job













List your teaching, research and administrationexperience in the relevant sections, including placesand dates that you acquired this experience.

Once you have completed this activity you are readyto build a top class academic CV.

Step 3:

Step 1:Fill in your nameand contact detailsCV Activity

Academic CV preparation recordFollow the instructions in the ebook to complete this template to help you gather all the information you will need to create a great academic CV.

Quali cations:

Name of quali cation Place Date Grade

Teaching Experience:

Name of course/event Place Date Cohort/other details

Step 2:

Fill in your qualications,most recent rst ( Top tip:for academic jobs go backno further than A levels)

Don’t forget that jobs.ac.uk have Academic CV Templates arranged by job title you can use as a starting point.














CV Activity

Research Experience:

Project name Outputs (publications) How funded

Other publications:

Title Co-authors Place/date publication

Conference papers:

Title Conference Date














CV ActivityAdministrative roles in university Role Place Date Key duties

Administrative roles in other organisations Role Organisation Date Key duties

Other skills Skill How demonstrated Date

Relevant hobbies Hobby Skill/experience demonstrated
















1 What does the employer want?

When reading a job advert you have towork out what your audience (i.e. theemployers) are looking for. Read the

• Job title

• Advert content

• Person specication

These will show the qualications,experience and skills that the employersrequire. How does your career history tsthese requirements? (Further reading: seeour article on Four easy ways to t yourCV to the job advert )

2 Get your message out there

This is really important. You might be abrilliant candidate, but if the key people donot know that you are available then youwill lose out.

How to let employers know you’re lookingfor work:

• Apply directly for jobs advertised on jobs.ac.uk and other sites

• Network: use your supervisor,colleagues, academic contacts and letthem all know you’re on the job market(Further reading: see our article onAcademic Networking )

These ve tips will help you to improve your CVby using your USPs and help you get an interview

3 Respond to feedback

If you’ve been job hunting for a while, youmight have had a few interviews already.Even if you fail you can still get feedbackon your performance. This feedback can beused to improve your chances of gettinga job in the future. Either change your CVto make it more attractive or improve yourinterview skills (Further reading: see articleon Interview Technique )

4 Know your competition

Job hunting, just like selling, is acompetition. If you are constantly knockedback then perhaps you need to learn fromyour competition on how they succeedwhen you have not.

So, share job hunting techniques with yourpeers. Speak to people in your eld whohave been recently hired. But don’t give toomuch away to people who will be applyingfor the same jobs as you!

5 Eliminate weaknesses

If you know that the prole you present toemployers is weak in some way, work hardto improve it.

• Polish your CV

• Improve your interview technique

• Write better cover letters

• Present your skills/knowledgebase better

• Develop your own career by goingon courses, learning new skills.

Knowing your USP will make writinga CV and cover letter and preparing foran interview much easier.

To nd out what your USP is, break downwhat you can o ff er into three categories:qualications, experience and skills.

For each one work out what makesyou stand out. If you know that othercandidates will all have PhDs, writeenough detail about yours to show whyyour research interests are more attractive.

The desirable criteria are used to di ff erentiate between applicants in the event that manycandidates full all the essential cri teria, and so clearly illustrate the cases in which youmatch the desirable criteria too. Following this technique of skills mapping for every jobthat you apply for (time consuming, I know!) will ensure that you have the best chanceof being shortlisted for interview.

Desirable versus essential criteria

Selling yourself: the basics

‘Unique Selling Point’ (or USP) is a marketing idea developed to help people in businessimprove their sales. As a job seeker you also have something to sell: YOURSELF!

By developing your USPs learn how to sel l yourself when applying for a job and standout from the crowd.







http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/cv-templates/1518/4-easy-cv-writing-steps/






http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/working-in-higher-education/573/how-to-develop-successful-networking-skills-in-academia/

http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/1224/how-to-sell-your-skills-in-an-academic-interview/



http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/working-in-higher-education/573/how-to-develop-successful-networking-skills-in-academia/











Essential or desirable?Skills

Dening your skills can be di fficult for jobseekers used to thinking aboutqualications and experience. But in today’s job market selling your skillsis vital.

A range of skills you may have include:

• Communication (personal/face toface AND in writing)

• Planning/time management

• Information gathering

• Teamwork/interpersonal skills

• Management/leadership

• IT skills• Language skills

But it’s not enough to say you have these skills. You have to demonstratethat you have them by GIVING EXAMPLES

• What exactly have you done?

• What were the outcomes?

• How did you achieve success?

So, to illustrate that you have good teamwork skills you might say :

‘In my last position, I was one of ve fellows in a research centre. The fellows allworked together to plan and run a large three-day conference, to showcase ourown research outputs but also to network with others and provide a forum forinternational scholars in our eld to present their work. Our team completed ourorganisation of the conference ahead of schedule, the event ran successfully withall of us involved during the three days and we had positive feedback from thedelegates and speakers.’

It can be daunting when you’re faced with a list of skills that you must or might have to full therole. This example shows how these documents are often worded by employers and give you achance to check whether you have them. Think about examples of where you might have theexperience they’re looking for and make a note of them next to the skills.

Attribute Essential Desirable Example of your skills

Educated to degree level or equivalent

Experienced in relationship management andcustomer care

Pro-active approach in seeking new opportunities,both from companies and public bodies

Awareness of regional strategies and their impactupon academia

Experience of working in the HE sector Experience in commercial or businessdevelopment activities.

Management/supervision experience, includingline management.

To be personally well organised and able toprioritise own workload

ICT literate

Good communication skills

Ability to think strategically, inuencepolicy-making and manage change in systems andprocedures.

Networking and relationship management skillswith external organisations

Ability to communicate e ff ectively, both oraland written

Ability to learn independently and to master andapply new knowledge and skills quickly.

Full driving licence

Willingness to work unsocial hours includingevening, weekend and overnight activitiesthroughout the year.














For a permanent academic position you should expect to be present at aninterview for 3-4 hours at least. You will be given a range of activities to doduring this time. Remember that you are on show and therefore being judgedall the time, even during seemingly informal, chatty sessions.

Preparing for interview: what to expect

You should be provided with basicinformation about the presentation whenyou are invited to interview. The things thatyou need to know are:

• What topic do you present on

• How long for

• Who will your audience be

• Will AV equipment be available

If you do not have this information thenyou should contact the HR departmentfor clarication.

Of course the content of your presentationis important but you will also be judged onwhether you are an engaging public speaker(so practice eye contact and speaking slowlyand clearly beforehand) and also whether youcan stick to a time limit. I f you are told to speakfor 10 minutes try to hone your presentationso that it is within a few seconds of thatlength! Make sure you tailor your presentationto that particular interview. Refer directlyto the institution, explain your previousexperience but also look to the future anddiscuss your new directions too.

Preparing for interview: academic presentations

You will also have a formal panel interview.Expect this to last anything from 20 minutesto an hour. Panels usually involve at least threepeople; each university has its own rules aboutmembership of interview panels. They ofteninclude a senior member of the department,usually the Head, a senior manager from theuniversity from another department and arepresentative of Human Resources. The HRrepresentative ensures that selection is fairand no discriminatory practices take place.Your potential immediate boss will have themost power on the panel and it is vital that you

convey to him or her that you will be able todevelop a good working relationship.

The panel

The two main parts of the interview will be a presentation and the panel interview, more onthese later. However, you may be provided with the opportunity to have lunch with membersof the department and given a tour of the facilities. During these times try to seem as interestedand enthusiastic as possible! Do not treat this as ‘downtime’ as the colleagues that you meet will

often report their thoughts back to the interview panel. But at the same time, try to be yourselfand relax. One of the things that you will be judged on is whether you are a friendly person,so if you come across as nervous and uptight you might do your chances some harm.

Programme for the day














Interview questions: the STAR approach

The interview: last few minutesThe ‘why’ question

Research the university – keyissues facing the institution (nd themission statement), who works in the

department (department website),what do they research (department

website, other website such asAcademia.edu, Linked In,

Facebook, Twitter)Step 1:

Step 4:

Step 3:

Step 2:

Pick out two ways thatyour research ts with the

department’s prole and theuniversity’s strategic needs.Name specic academicswhose work is similar to

yours, thematicallyor specically.

Pick out two ways that yourteaching ts the department’sprole. Name a course that youcould contribute to or enhanceand show why. Name a course

that you could invent that wouldll a gap in current provision.

Research thecourses o ff ered(prospectus ordepartment

website)

As well as being prepared to talk about your teaching and research experience,plan for the ‘why’ question: why you want to work for that institution. Do notprepare a long answer talking about yourself. This question provides a chance torelate your expertise to the needs of the university and department. Completethis activity to nd out the best answer to the ‘why’ question.

Activity: the ‘why’ question.

Use this ow chart to nd out how to build your answer to the ‘why’ question:

You will need a few questions prepared for the end of theinterview because you will be given the chance to ask the

panel a question. Have several in reserve in case your rstchoice question has already obviously been answered. It is notappropriate to discuss salary at this point and be careful whenasking about sabbatical arrangements: it might sound as thoughyou’re planning how to avoid your teaching responsibilities!Instead focus your questions on aspects such as:

• Why is this institution a good place to work?

• What are the challenges this department faces during thenext 5 years?

Your interviewers may invite you to discuss particular challengesthat you have faced in certain parts of the job: teaching, researchor administration. To come across well, keep in mind theSTAR approach.

• Explain the SITUATION

• Describe the TASK or activity involved

• Demonstrate the ACTION that you took

• Sum up by stating the RESULT that you achieved

Further reading: see our article oncompetency-based interviews .







http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/1552/how-to-be-more-than-competent-in-competency-based-interviews/

http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/interview-tips/1552/how-to-be-more-than-competent-in-competency-based-interviews/








1 Arrive on time, but not too early

If you are invited to an interview for 9am say, arrive between 8.45 and 9am, no earlier.You might inconvenience the sta ff who are meeting you: it’s just as stressful preparing tointerview candidates as being interv iewed yourself! So if you arrive early, walk around outsideto clear your head and get some fresh air.

2 Be prepared to meet other candidates

In many academic interviews the American all-day format is used, which means that you willmeet and have to interact with the other candidates. Try not to let yourself be intimidatedby them, conversation will naturally move towards your current position, your jobseekinghistory, how many interviews you have attended recently and so on, but try to play thingsclose to your chest, while remaining calm and friendly. Be open about your area of specialismfor example, but not about what makes you stand out from the crowd.

3 Speak slowly

In both the presentation and the interview, speak more slowly than you would normally.You will probably have good public speaking skills from lecturing experience and givingconference papers, but because you are unusually nervous you might speak too quickly.

4 Maintain eye contact

Again nerves can lead presenters to stare at their notes or the projector screen rather thantheir audience. Remember, as with a lecture, seminar or paper, make eye contact with youraudience, especially when answering question. You will come across as condent andassured. But equally, don’t stare at people! Be natural.

5 Admit when you don’t knowIn the presentation and the interview if you are faced with a question that you are unsureof, admit it. Do not try to blu ff your way out of it ‘politician-style’ by changing the subject oranswering a di ff erent question. It is much more professional to ask the speaker to rephrasethe question, or to be light-hearted and admit you don’t know the answer. Your interviewerswill respect you more for being honest.

6 Discussing your research con dently

It is important to discuss your past, present and future research plans condently and if youhave prepared well for the interview this should be no problem. Make sure you take time toexplain your plans without rushing, and always relate them to the post they are interviewingfor. Remember that the panel are highly educated but not necessarily subject specialists inyour eld, so pitch your research plans accordingly.

7 Off ering teaching

For a teaching post you will have prepared some relevant responses about what you canoff er in terms of teaching, but in some cases this may be ‘sprung’ on you unexpectedly. It isimportant to come across as a condent, enthusiastic teacher. Under no circumstances discussthe condential history of any students (although you can use general examples of, say, whereyou have given pastoral care) nor should you be critical of your current or previous institutions.

8 Show enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is key; make sure you smile a lot! Because of nerves, some people can appearsubdued at interview, whereas in fact they are just naturally quiet. Don’t let this be mistaken forlack of condence or even being aloof. It is worth going that extra mile to show how enthusiasticyou are about the job. For example, visit the university library or research labs during a break in theinterviewing, show that you have researched something relevant to your eld.

9 Be friendly

Being friendly sounds obvious, but it is easy to forget that above all, the interviewers will belooking for a human being who will t into their department. You will be spending a lot of timeworking with them and they want to know that you are down-to-earth and approachable.Academic interviews are incredibly competitive, all the candidates will be very highly qualied(if not over-qualied), so it is the personal touches that can make a real di ff erence.

10 Finish on a positive note

Even if you feel the interview has gone badly, try to leave on a positive note. Thank the panelfor their time and say that you look forward to hearing from them soon. Perhaps say thatyou have found the day very challenging but rewarding. Give a rm handshake and look thepanel members in the eye. This will linger in their minds and will leave a better impressionthan slinking o ff with barely a word.

Top 10 general interview tips




http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/salary




To summarise, the most important aspects are to analysethe important skills and knowledge that you have thatmight be attractive to employers and to be able to tailorthat information in application and interview contexts.Also vital is to learn as much as you can about the job forwhich you are applying, demonstrating your enthusiasmand suitability.

Finally, throughout the jobseeking process, presentyourself in an honest and straightforward manner,concentrating on your future plans and what you canoff er to the role both as a scholar and a friendly colleague.

We hope the exercises contained within this ebook have

acted as triggers for you to begin thinking about yourcareer development and exploring ways to improve yourperformance as a job seeker.

Good luck!

Summary

About the author

Dr Catherine Armstrong is a Senior Lecturer inAmerican History at Manchester MetropolitanUniversity. She has previously held positions atthe University of Warwick and Oxford BrookesUniversity. Her rst monograph ‘Writing NorthAmerica in the Seventeenth Century’ waspublished by Ashgate in June 2007. Her previous jobseeking experience means that Catherine isin a great position to understand and o ff er her

knowledge and experience to those developingan academic career.













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