Post by SCMember on Nov 12, 2011 10:14:50 GMT -5
It has been interesting to read the small details that candidates can be worried about in putting together an application. What has been a great surprise to me in the current job cycle, particularly in the context of the current level of competition, is that many applicants are missing the bigger picture of the search process.
I would encourage candidates to think about how searches are conducted, and how the work of a search committee member is likely to be structured. This should help you think about a fundamentally important consideration that will increase the chance that your application will get more attention.
First a disclaimer, this might not matter as much in a less competitive job market. But currently, the ABD, Post-Doc, and under-employed PhDs on the market are presenting departments with an outstanding pool of highly qualified applicants. This means not only more quality competition, but also an unusually high volume of applications.
Get your application in ahead of the deadline. I would suggest at least two weeks. Search committee members often start reviewing files as soon as they are complete, in an effort to manage the work load. There is often a pressure on the search committee to generate a short list as soon as is reasonable after the application deadline. An application that is completed early will likely get a more complete reading (e.g., more careful reading of recommendation letters, having time to look at the manuscripts submitted with the application). When there are literally 100+ applications arriving in the final week, search committee members are simply going to have less time to spend on each application.
I hear explanations like candidates waiting for a final R&R to be approved, so they delay sending in their file. In my experience, it would be better to get your application in early. If you get a new acceptance, send the search committee chair an e-mail with a note about the new publication and a revised CV attached. This gives you a double advantage. You get your application in early, and with another acceptance you have a later opportunity to remind the search committee about your file.
Some departments will not circulate a file for review until the minimum number of recommendation letters have arrived. Give your letter writers early notice, and suggest an earlier date for getting the letters submitted.
I would encourage candidates to think about how searches are conducted, and how the work of a search committee member is likely to be structured. This should help you think about a fundamentally important consideration that will increase the chance that your application will get more attention.
First a disclaimer, this might not matter as much in a less competitive job market. But currently, the ABD, Post-Doc, and under-employed PhDs on the market are presenting departments with an outstanding pool of highly qualified applicants. This means not only more quality competition, but also an unusually high volume of applications.
Get your application in ahead of the deadline. I would suggest at least two weeks. Search committee members often start reviewing files as soon as they are complete, in an effort to manage the work load. There is often a pressure on the search committee to generate a short list as soon as is reasonable after the application deadline. An application that is completed early will likely get a more complete reading (e.g., more careful reading of recommendation letters, having time to look at the manuscripts submitted with the application). When there are literally 100+ applications arriving in the final week, search committee members are simply going to have less time to spend on each application.
I hear explanations like candidates waiting for a final R&R to be approved, so they delay sending in their file. In my experience, it would be better to get your application in early. If you get a new acceptance, send the search committee chair an e-mail with a note about the new publication and a revised CV attached. This gives you a double advantage. You get your application in early, and with another acceptance you have a later opportunity to remind the search committee about your file.
Some departments will not circulate a file for review until the minimum number of recommendation letters have arrived. Give your letter writers early notice, and suggest an earlier date for getting the letters submitted.
