What I've learned....
Okay. This post will be a work in progress.... I'm going to try to record what I have learned about conducting a successful academic job search in English. What I have to say will be of interest primarily to the poor suckers (like me) who chose, against all advice, to get a PhD in literature. I suppose that much will apply to anyone in the humanities.
First of all, it would have been wise to have learned what the field of rhetoric and composition really is. It is far more than just writing. If you've not started your PhD yet, read this first. The job market in rhet/comp really is better.
Understand that unless you went to a TOP-level university, your best job market is going to be small universities and two-year colleges. No one really cares where you got your M.A.
Peruse the MLA and Chronicle job ads NOW to figure out what the best fields are.
Make sure that your application letter and vita are good; have an experienced professor look at them. I made a big mistake by having a cocky young prof look at mine last year. He told me that I needed to sell myself more forcefully. I revised, and he said it still was not forceful enough. "If you won't sell yourself," he asked, "who will?" I went through several levels of revision and went on the market. After getting very few nibbles (despite an almost perfect GPA, great references, and solid publications), I took the letter to an older professor. He said, "This letter does not sound like you! You are coming off as an arrogant ass!" He kindly helped me with a new letter, and this year has been much better. As I say in my "About Me" section, I've accepted a position at a small liberal-arts college.
Publish, publish, publish.
Since the job market for most lit majors is best at smaller institutions, focusing on a narrowly defined field is foolish. In other words, position yourself as a flexible literary generalist (hence the name of this blog). No small college is looking for a specialist in medieval incunabula or even an American Modernist.
Don't count on interviews at the MLA convention. The schools that interview there are unlikely to be interested in a graduate of Average Midwestern University (or Average Southern University). The market after the market will be much more active.
Finally, realize what a humiliating and dehumanizing experience the academic job search is. Rejection gets really old really fast. Grow thick skin.
And good luck.
First of all, it would have been wise to have learned what the field of rhetoric and composition really is. It is far more than just writing. If you've not started your PhD yet, read this first. The job market in rhet/comp really is better.
Understand that unless you went to a TOP-level university, your best job market is going to be small universities and two-year colleges. No one really cares where you got your M.A.
Peruse the MLA and Chronicle job ads NOW to figure out what the best fields are.
Make sure that your application letter and vita are good; have an experienced professor look at them. I made a big mistake by having a cocky young prof look at mine last year. He told me that I needed to sell myself more forcefully. I revised, and he said it still was not forceful enough. "If you won't sell yourself," he asked, "who will?" I went through several levels of revision and went on the market. After getting very few nibbles (despite an almost perfect GPA, great references, and solid publications), I took the letter to an older professor. He said, "This letter does not sound like you! You are coming off as an arrogant ass!" He kindly helped me with a new letter, and this year has been much better. As I say in my "About Me" section, I've accepted a position at a small liberal-arts college.
Publish, publish, publish.
Since the job market for most lit majors is best at smaller institutions, focusing on a narrowly defined field is foolish. In other words, position yourself as a flexible literary generalist (hence the name of this blog). No small college is looking for a specialist in medieval incunabula or even an American Modernist.
Don't count on interviews at the MLA convention. The schools that interview there are unlikely to be interested in a graduate of Average Midwestern University (or Average Southern University). The market after the market will be much more active.
Finally, realize what a humiliating and dehumanizing experience the academic job search is. Rejection gets really old really fast. Grow thick skin.
And good luck.
posted by Doc at 9:03 AM
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