Preparing for and Seeking an Academic Position

Much has been written to help people walk this path, so I'll merely point to the resources that have been most helpful for me:

• Future Faculty Seminar A weekly seminar for students who are considering an academic career, taught in the Spring quarter.


• Tomorrow's Professor - Preparing for Academic Careers in Science and Engineering by Richard M. Reis. Simply put, Rick is an excellent academic career advisor and has put his experience, advice, etc. very nicely into this easily accessible book. To quote the website:

  TOMORROW'S PROFESSOR is designed to help you prepare for, find, and succeed at an academic career in science and engineering. At a time when anxiety around the academic career opportunities for Ph.D.s in such fields is at an all-time high, TOMORROW'S PROFESSOR provides a realistic, practical approach to career development for today's graduate students, postdocs, and beginning professors. This book

  • presents a no-holds barred look at the academic enterprise, separating myth from reality in a way that allows you to make informed career choices;
  • describes a powerful preparation strategy to make you competitive for academic positions while maintaining your options for worthwhile careers in government and industry;
  • explains how to get the offer you want and the start-up package you need to help insure success in your first critical years on the job;
  • provides essential insights from experienced faculty on how to develop a rewarding academic career and a quality of life that is both balanced and fulfilling.

  You also might consider subscribing to the Tomorrow's Professor Listserver.

• Other such books are listed on the Chronicle of Higher Education's Career Network Bookshelf
• Tips for a Massive Academic Job Search by Ellen Spertus. This is a very detailed account of one couple's approach to the "two-body problem" (seeking satisfying careers for two spouses at the same location). There is a lot of practical advice and pointers to useful sources of information.
• Where to look for CS job listings:
  • ACM listings
  • CRA listings
  • CHE listings
  • One can also often hear earliest about openings through the ACM SIGCSE mailing list.
• Where to learn general fact and figures about schools:
  • U.S. News College Rankings and Alphabetical Directory
• Where to look for salary data:
  • The Taulbee Survey
  • The Chronicle of Higher Education Almanac or website Faculty and Staff Data for general data.
  • Academe's March/April issue for general and university/college specific salary data.