Finishing the PhD

Grad students tend to stay in school so long that we sometimes get lost in coursework, exams, and dissertation research, forgetting exactly what we need to prepare for when we eventually go onto the job market. When we do see the end in sight, it can sometimes be a shock to see all of the items we need to prepare for the job hunt. Although each field obviously has its differences, I thought that grad students in general could benefit from hearing some tips based on my experiences on the job market and finishing up my dissertation.

Get ready early! Find out from friends when job postings will begin to appear, and have your written materials ready by the time that happens. Ask for letters of recommendation as early as you can, and have your committee members look over drafts of your CV, cover letter, and any additional materials that you’ll have to send. When the job postings begin to come out, you’ll have plenty to do preparing, collating, and mailing your materials, so it’s best to be on your game before this happens. Allow lots of time for this process because it will take longer than you expect!

Use IU’s resources to help you out. In particular, Campus Instructional Consulting offers workshops on creating teaching portfolios and teaching statements. They will even offer one-on-one consulting sessions to help you out with a teaching statement. It’s worth the effort, and you can make an appointment through their website: http://www.indiana.edu/~teaching/ourservices/

Plan your finances carefully. We all know that grad students don’t make much money, so before going on the market you should make yourself a budget—with room for unexpected extras. Costs will include new clothing for interviews, printing beyond your quota, paper and portfolio supplies, stamps, transcript orders, travel and accommodations for your field’s conference. Even when you have on-campus interviews that will be paid for by the school, you will often be asked to cover expenses up front and request reimbursement. You should have a credit card ready to pay for plane reservations, hotel rooms, and food even if you expect to be paid back.

Do your research! You may be applying to a large number of jobs, but you’ll stand a better chance if you put the extra effort into personalizing each letter and demonstrating that you know something about the school. It’s fine to have a rubric to work from, but a letter with specific references to a school’s programs will stand out.

Rehearse. Both for interviews and presentations on campus, you want to be polished and prepared. If you’re asked to give a presentation, don’t just read from a script. You don’t necessarily need lots of flashing lights and technology (and in some cases it can hurt you), but it can be helpful to memorize bits and pieces of a presentation so that you don’t come off too stiff or boring.
Finish your dissertation. When you’re on the job market, it’s almost impossible to get anything accomplished on your dissertation. You’ll be writing letters, going to the post office, preparing for interviews, or waiting nervously by the phone for months on end. If you do get a job, though, you’ll need to be prepared to have your degree in hand by August, so if you’re still ABD you’ll need to plan carefully. Plan on losing some serious time to job hunting, but set up a rigid schedule for yourself in lulls or at the end of the employment season. It’s worth that last push to get the degree and start on a ne