Getting a Job

Participants
Faith Fich, University of Toronto
Elizabeth Cannon, University of Calgary
Serpil Kocabiyik, Memorial University

This section is a synopsis of the first panel presented at the conference. It closely parallels much of the advice given in the other CRA-W workshops held. Please refer to http://www.cra.org/Activities/craw/projects/mentoring/mentorWrkshp for more information.

1. PICKING THE RIGHT JOB FOR YOU

1.1 Post Doctoral Position
There are many opportunities available after graduate school.  One option would be taking up a postdoctoral position.  A post doc position is one that follows a Ph.D. degree, but precedes a faculty position.  The advantage of a post doc is that since the position involves little or no teaching and administrative duties, there is more time for research.  This would allow more opportunities for publications and collaborations, which are essential for establishing a post-graduate career. The possibility of building a stronger network in the field and the gain in grant writing experience are also helpful for a career in academia. The drawback of a post doc is that some positions are tied to specific projects, and the salary is not comparable to a faculty position or a permanent position in industry. Post doc position is also not as common in engineering disciplines.

In Canada, there are many routes to applying for a post doc position.  To list a few:

• NSERC Canada (http://www.nserc.ca/programs/schol3_e.htm);
• National Science Foundation (NSF) (http://www.nsf.gov/home/students/start.htm#grad);
• Various fellowships (for example try Community of Science at http://www.cos.com/services/);
• Student Services at your local University;
• Foreign embassies;
• Research institutions and national labs, for example, Sandia National Lab.;
• Asking someone senior in your field.

NSERC has some specific guidelines for post docs.  They are:

• You must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident;
• You must have obtained your doctorate no more than 2 years before the application deadline (Nov. 15);
• If you have relevant work experience in industry or government after obtaining your Ph.D., the eligibility period is extended to 3 years;
• If you have withdrawn from the workplace for at least one year after obtaining your Ph.D. for maternity leave or to raise children, the eligibility period is extended to six years.

Support for post docs with NSERC funding is limited to 24 months at $35, 000 per year.  You can check out the NSERC web page for more details regarding funding.

1.2 Limited Term Positions
You can gain valuable teaching experience by taking up a limited term positions at an academic institution. These positions may provide an opportunity for you to work at a better department than otherwise possible.  These positions are usually flexible with no long-term security. One thing to note about these positions is that to be eligible for an NSERC research grant, the term of the position must be at least 3 years.

1.3 Faculty Positions
A common track for those who have finished their Ph.D. is joining a university or college as a faculty member.  A faculty position may be at a research or teaching institution. It is a great position for those who are interested in research and still wish to have the opportunity to interact with undergraduate or graduate students. Being a faculty member also allows you to build your own research program. One should note, however, that some universities may require you to do a post doc first before applying, and that there is a large variation in level of research and teaching between universities. The following section will describe in greater detail the process of obtaining a job in academia.

1.3.1 NSERC Faculty Awards
 NSERC Faculty Awards are awards for females in academia.  A minimum of 15 candidates are selected each year across Canada.  These awards add an extra $40,000 per year towards salary, and provide a reduction in the award holders’ teaching and administrative load. Awardees are expected to devote the majority of their time to research during the five-year term. The following are the criteria for the candidates:

To be considered eligible for support you must:

• be a Canadian citizen, or a permanent resident of Canada;
• be a woman or Aboriginal person who holds a doctorate in one of the fields of research that NSERC supports;
• be nominated by a Canadian university that is eligible for NSERC awards;
• have been offered, at the time of nomination, a tenured or tenure-track appointment effective only on the start date of the award.

Please refer to www.nserc.ca/programs/sf/41_e.htm for more details.

1.3.2 The Application Process

1.3.2.1 The Timeline

In order to be successful in obtaining a faculty position, there is a timeline to be followed.  You should get to know the people in your field during your graduate training.  It is critical to get to know these people because they can be valuable references in the application process. 

Most departments hire on a year round basis, but some Canadian universities follow the schedule below:

December to January – reviewing applications for faculty positions;
February to April – interviewing candidates;
March to June - making offers.

1.3.2.2 The Application
In this subsection, the materials required in the application package are outlined, along with tips for making sure you have a quality application.

In your application package, you should include the cover letter, your curriculum vitae, your research and teaching statements, a list of selected papers and a list of people who can provide a letter of reference.  Check whether the department you are applying to requires the references to be sent directly to the university.  Also make sure that you tailor your application to the department.

The application is a very important part of the process of obtaining a faculty position.  It is very important that you send your application to the university on time. When you are considering universities to send your application to, send it to those places you would love to work at even if they are not advertising and avoid sending applications to places where you do not want to work.  Make sure that you prepare your package carefully, make it visually appealing and be sure there are no mistakes and no replicate publications. 

Your cover letter should state your research area, your university and your department.  Your teaching statement should discuss your teaching philosophy and experience.  The research statement should include your major research activities and impact, projects you are involved in as well as collaborators that you have worked with.  When you choose your referees, make sure that you choose people who know your work well and can comment on your teaching and leadership skills.  It is beneficial if you can have national and international scholars as your referees. It is important that your referees have a copy of your current curriculum vitae and other supplementary materials such as research publications that will assist them in writing a good reference letter. 

When writing your CV, you should include your educational and professional experiences as well as awards, scholarships and other recognitions you have received. Be sure to list all publications (journals, conferences, presented material, reports etc.) and outline the impact that your research has in terms of technical transfers and patents obtained.  It is also important to include any activities that highlight your leadership skills.  Your CV should be clear, concise and understandable.  Make sure it highlights the points that are critical to the position you are applying for.

1.3.2.3 Job Posting

Here is a list of different places that may provide a good reference in finding faculty positions that are open:

• University faculty or department web pages;
• University human resources web pages;
• Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) web page (www.caut.ca under publications – bulletin);
• Scientific Journals in your area of expertise;
• Industry partners (research and development) such as those listed on the NSERC web page;
• CCWEST web page (www.ccwest.org listed under 'clearing house');
• "University Affairs" publication, from the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (www.aucc.ca).
• Chronicle of Higher Education web address: http://chronicle.com/about-help.dir/bb-ad.htm.

1.3.3 The Interview
The following section outlines a typical interview for selected candidates.  A "typical interview" would be one to one and a half days long, although some interviews can go up to two or three days in length.  The time each day may span from 8:30 am to 9:00pm and the schedule would include meetings every half an hour with different faculty members, the dean, the head of the department as well as lunches and dinners.  Usually in a one-day interview you will be required to give your "talk" after lunch. You may receive a schedule in advance, but be prepared for a tight schedule, changes and cancellations. 

During the interview make sure you act with confidence and be at your best with everyone you talk to and meet.  Be sure to talk to junior faculty members and graduate students as they usually are very informative about the department and faculty.  You may also want to visit the university library to see what resources may be available to you.

The "talk" is considered the most important part of the interview since it reflects the quality of your research as well as your ability as a teacher.  The talk should reflect how interesting your line of research is and how transferable it is to the hiring institution.  Do not include a large number of equations and lengthy details because not everyone in the audience will be from your research area.  There are important components that should be included in your talk:

· Motivation: you must make sure you clearly explain why your work is interesting and important;

· Background: explain how your work fits into the field and relates to other fields; 

· Contributions: a clear statement of your research results, distinguishing them from the work of other researchers;

· Future research plans: short, medium, and long term research plans should be outlined.  In the hiring institution you are expected to do independent research, supervise students and do some collaborative research, so make sure to include these into the plans;

· Summary: There has to be a strong summary at the end of your talk. The audience should have a good sense of your research and why it is important to them.  Be sure that you adjust your talk for each intended audience and practice, practice, practice!

During the interview you have to be prepared to answer questions, whether general or specific.  The hiring institution will want to know how interesting and promising your research is and how it fits in with the institutions’ goals and plans. You will be asked about your current and future research plans as well as how you get your research ideas.  You will also be asked if you are willing to do collaborative research and whether or not you have experience doing committee and other administrative work. The hiring institution will want to know about your teaching experience and the courses you are able to, and would like to teach.  Questions will arise about what you are looking for in a department, as well as whether you are a good fit with the department.

You will be given an opportunity to ask questions at the interview.  Too often the interviewees forget that they are supposed to evaluate the hiring institution just as much as they are being evaluated!  Some questions that may be useful to ask include questions regarding teaching load for junior faculty, the typical class size and resources and support for teaching.  If you are interested in developing new courses, questions regarding whether you can develop new courses and how courses are assigned would be useful.  For your research, make sure you get information on what type of facilities, such as lab space, are available and how they are allocated.  You may also want to enquire about internal research funding and grants as well as travel funds. Asking questions is one of the crucial ways for you to find out more about the institution you are applying to. Make sure you like the departments’ organization and politics as well as the social environment and quality of life you will have when you work there.

1.3.4 The Offer

If you have been offered a job, you would want to know what to expect in an offer letter. First, your letter will state the salary you will be getting. You can find out whether your salary is good or not by asking those people who were interviewed around the same time as you did. You can also ask the department how this figure was arrived at.  Second, the offer should specify details such as start-up funds for equipment, travel, student support and resources (lab space, administrative support and supplies) that will be available to you. Third, your teaching and committee load may be outlined along with the tenure clock and sabbaticals.  Finally, the starting date, as well as moving expenses, should be specified. 

You now have your offer of employment, the next step is to negotiate.  Don't be afraid to negotiate, you may receive some things while giving up others.  You should decide on which is most important to you in your position and ask for advice on how to achieve it.  Make sure you get your final agreement in writing.  In deciding what is important to you, you must take into account your goals as well as the departments’ vision and growth plan.  Another critical problem for many academics is the two-body problem. This is when you and your partner are looking for jobs in the same geographical location.  Some possible solutions include looking into locations with more job opportunities and looking into the availability of shared and fractional positions as well as temporary positions.  Some schools have special funds for two-body problems, so you may consider asking about this during the negotiation phase.

1.3.5 Making Decisions

There are various factors that you might want to consider in deciding whether or not to accept the offer. These include the expectations, the vision and growth plan, the relative importance of teaching, research and service, and the organization and politics of the department. You might also want to take into consideration the social environment within the department, as well as the collegiality among your colleagues.