IBS PhD Job Application Process

Overview and Helpful TipsJeremy Kronick, Jing Ren, and

Lauren Hasselriis-GhomSeptember, 2015

Agenda

• PhD candidate timeline and associated tasks (AEA and FMA)

– Reference letters• Faculty• How Lauren can help– Reference letters– Job applications/status spreadsheet

• Questions?

PhD Candidate (AEA)• Some of the information we cover is from Jeremy’s experience this year, but lots of

great information can be found at:– https://www.aeaweb.org/joe/pdfs/Job%20Market%20Guide%20and%20Advice%20--%2020

14-15%209-3-14.pdf

• May – August– Decide if you are going on the market.– Make sure your committee is finalized and on board.– Job market paper needs to be finalized.– Have CV, cover letter (outline), website done.

• September– Job talk.– Make changes and have as many people look at your job market paper as possible.– Make sure your second paper is done to the point where you can use it for submission and

talk about it in interviews.– Book all AEA related stuff: hotel, flight, conference registration.– Have your committee reference letters finalized.

• Ask them to send electronic copies to Lauren (more details later).

PhD Candidate (AEA)(cont’d) 

• October– Applications begin

• Other items you will need: thesis abstract, current and future research document, teaching philosophy statement, idea for a new course, past syllabi if courses taught, professor ratings if courses taught, transcripts (rare).

• November– Almost all applications done by Thanksgiving.– Due dates start anytime in October but most are mid-Nov and

beyond.• December– Mock job interview.

PhD Candidate (AEA)(cont’d) 

• January– AEA conference:

• Put some interviews that you care less about early and late leaving the middle section for favorites, so you have some interviewing experience, but are not too tired.

• January – March– Flyouts begin any point after AEA.

• E.g. I got a call the day after the AEA conference and got my final call Valentine’s day.

• If possible, book flyouts you care less about as late as possible so you don’t end up being forced to accept/reject an offer from somewhere that is not your top choice.

• Secondary market scramble begins sometime in March.

PhD Candidate (AEA)(cont’d) • Reference Letters

– (Sept or as soon as you know) Email Lauren a list of your committee members who will provide reference letters for you.

– (Sept – Oct) Ask each committee member to send an online version of their reference letter to Lauren.• One letter per faculty member/candidate (for both private industry and academic applications)• Write on IBS letterhead• Sign• Color print/scan, if possible

– (Sept – Oct) Ask each committee member to upload letter to each “hub” (well in advance of when you start to apply to jobs).• Hubs include: Econ Job Market, AEA, Academic Jobs Online, Interfolio* • Set letters to “automatic” send• Make Lauren “proxy” to act on their behalf, if needed• In hubs, once documents exist, including letters, you choose which documents to send for each

application*Intefolio doesn’t like “proxies.” Best if faculty work directly with this hub.

PhD Candidate (FMA) 

• September– Applications begin• Items you will need: the same as AEA.• Have the reference letters finalized ASAP if you have

not done so.• Send out applications one month before the

conference. Don’t wait until the deadline as the employers may stop looking at resumes if they have enough interview candidates.

PhD Candidate (FMA)(cont’d) 

• October– FMA conference:

• Keep checking new positions posted on the FMA website.• Some schools/ firms go to both FMA and AEA.

• Late October – November– Flyouts begin any point after FMA

• E.g. I got a call the day after the FMA conference• Commonly asked questions (industry): When would you be

available to start work? How much time would you need to take off in order to finish and defend your thesis? How do you handle any conflicts between work and completions of your thesis?

Faculty Committee Members• (Sept- Oct) Send Lauren an electronic version of the reference letter

asap.• One letter per candidate, write on IBS letterhead, sign, color

print/scan, if possible.• (Sept – Oct) Upload your letter to each “hub” (Econ Job Market, AEA,

Academic Jobs Online, Interfolio*) • Set letters to “automatic” send.• Make Lauren “proxy” to act on their behalf, if needed.

• IMPORTANT: As soon as you receive an email asking you for your reference letter for a candidate, forward the email to Lauren, who will send the letter.

* Interfolio doesn’t like “proxies.” Best if faculty work directly with this hub.

How Lauren can Help

• Reference Letters– Lauren keeps the online file for each reference letter.– If the application requires it, she emails (or snail mails)

reference letters.• Faculty committee members will receive email telling them to

forward the letter to someone at the school/business. They will forward the email to Lauren, who will send the letter.

– A note about weekends, Thanksgiving, and vacations.– Google spreadsheet

• Lauren creates/shares a spreadsheet for tracking application process/status.

How Lauren can Help (cont’d) 

• Lauren creates and shares with you a Google spreadsheet to track your applications

Submission Status (Candidate's name)

Submission Method

Email address (If reference letter to be emailed.)

Email Subject Line (If reference letter to be emailed.)

Name/title of person to email (If reference letter to be emailed.)

Name of Institution/Org

Title of Position/Area (Please be specific, eg, "Assistant Professor of Finance") Due Date

Reference Letter Submission Status (Lauren)

SUBMITTED

ONLINE SUBMISSION

asmith@xyz.edu

Job 2445 PhD Candidate Name

Professor Adam Smith

University of XYZ

Assistant Professor Economics 1/21/2015

12/12/14 - LHG Emailed 3 refs

SUBMITTED AEA NONE NONE N/AUniversityof ABC

Assistant Professor of Economics 1/23/2015 DONE

SUBMITTED

ONLINE SUBMISSION

recruiter@thinktank.org

Analyst Postion

Recruiting Committee

ApexThinkTank Analyst

12/22/2014

12/10/14 - LHG emailed 3 refs

DONE

Questions?