December 3, 2019 by Destenie Nock
Is getting a job in academia really as impossible as everyone says it is? Short answer is no! It is difficult and stressful, but not impossible. This week I was the guest on the "Blk + in Grad School" (@blkingradschool) podcast. In the podcast I talked about why I decided to go into academia, what it was like being a minority in grad school, and a little bit about my background. I also shared my story on how I secured my tenure-track position after finishing my #PhD at UMass Amherst last May. Follow this link, or the link on @blkingradschool's Twitter bio to check it out! If your ears are too tired to listen to a podcast the summary of my tenure track job hunt is below.
Quick summary of my PhD Job journey: Last fall I was on the job market, and I applied to 58 places (both in and outside of academia). I didn't get any call backs from industry, but I was lucky in academia. I had 7 on campus interviews with different universities. Throughout the whole process I felt stressed and tired...but I liked getting to meet a ton of experts across the country. I chose my first academic home to be Carnegie Mellon University as a joint appointment in Engineering & Public Policy and Civil & Environmental Engineering.
Longer description of Job Hunt:
Applications: Apply, Apply, Apply
I basically applied to anywhere that said they were interested in energy, applied optimization, engineering and social good, or decision analysis. My advice for the application stage is to set the threshold for whether or not you submit an application low. If you meet 20-30% of the qualifications needed, then there is no harm in throwing your hat in the ring of fire. Stop telling yourself not to apply because you think that you wouldn't get the job. It is hard to know what the search committees are really looking for.
During the application phase one of the best things I did was asking my mentors and some colleagues if they would read over my job materials and give feedback. I think 4 different people read the 8 pages that would decide the fate of the job hunt. Prior to getting feedback I didn't get any call backs for interviews. The big lesson is that communication and clarity go a long way in job applications...it's in your best interest to get feedback early. This feedback will tell you how people perceive what you are communicating about yourself.
To make the application process more efficient I created an excel spread sheet to keep track of deadlines, websites to submit to, recommendation letter needs, and whether or not I submitted the application yet. I also created a generic version of my cover letter, research statement, diversity statement, and teaching statement, and I highlighted in yellow everywhere that I needed to change.
Interviews: The stress is real!
Before my first interview I was freaking out. That impostor syndrome was setting in hard! For some reason many people don't believe me when I say this because I normally look like I have it all together. I will say it again, the impostor syndrome was no joke right before my first interview. I was looking over my practice interview questions and one said "what sets you apart from the other candidates." My gut response was "they are better experts in the theory, and I am freaking out because all of my work is applied." This was not my answer in the interview, but it gives you a sense of the panic mode I was in at the time. If you are freaking out in the interview phase remember that the best offense is a great defense. In other words preparation for interviews increases your ability to preserve your peace of mind.
When preparing for interviews I had a notebook, and in it I listed out everyone I thought I would meet, in the order they told me I would meet them. Next to their name I put 2 sentences about what they did, anything I thought we could connect on, and 3 questions I wanted to ask them. This preparation was essential when I walked into one persons office and the first thing they said was "so tell me why we are here..." The notebook was also great because I could take notes during the interviews and then follow up with people in a meaningful way.
Negotiation: Knowing your Worth
When you get to the end of the interview phase you will have to wait....and wait...for some schools I am still waiting..., and wait some more. It is all worth it when you do get the call that gives you a job offer. This is the one time during the job hunt that you are in the driver's seat. During the negotiation phase you want to know what you are worth, and you want to think back on your interviews and determine what you really want from your first job. This is another reason taking notes during the interview is helpful. Before you go into negotiations you should write down things that you want and need to be successful in your future career. Knowing what it will take to be successful and knowing what you add to the department is essential for defining what you are worth. Some things I negotiated on were:
Salary
Post-doctoral appointment prior to starting the tenure track appointment
Student support
Research team space
Travel and discretionary funds
Initial course load
There you have it! The highlights and freak-outs of the job hunt. While I liked meeting a ton of experts, and discussing my future research ideas, I am happy the phase of my life is done for now.
In the last section of the podcast Allante asked me to come up with a lesson from the Trap (something I take away from rap music). One of my lessons form the trap was from Lil' Wayne in the song 6 ft 7. In the song he says "I speak the truth but I guess that's a foreign language to y'all." I interpret this to mean that even when you speak your truth other people may not believe you, or understand what you are saying. Sometimes it is because they don't have your vision. Sometimes it is because they don't want to believe you. Other times it is because you need to change the way you are communicating.
Thanks for reading. The podcast is about 1 hour long and all of the advice and lessons from being a minority in grad school could not fit in this one blog post. I encourage you to check out the podcast! Follow this link, or the link on Twitter @blkingradschool's bio to check it out!
Note about the author: Destenie Nock holds a PhD in Industrial Engineering an Operations Research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is a Post-Doc in the Carnegie Mellon Engineering & Public Policy (EPP) Department and and Adjunct Professor in Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) for 2019. In 2020 this will transfer to a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in EPP and CEE at Carnegie Mellon. She earned a MSc in Leadership for Sustainable Development at Queen's University of Belfast, and two BS degrees in Electrical Engineering and Applied Math at North Carolina A&T State University. In her free time she likes to hit the gym, dance classes, paint, and cook with friends.