Job Search in Academe: Strategic Rhetorics for Faculty Job Candidates

by Formo, Dawn M.

• ISBN13: 9781579220112
• ISBN10: 1579220118
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 1999-10-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

" With a great deal of wit, with a whole lot of common sense, and with a sound grasp of the rhetoric of identification, Dawn Formo and Cheryl Reed have produced a 'handbook' which will be invaluable to job seekers." - From the foreword by Ross Winterowd. From identifying sources of information about positions for academic job seekers of all disciplines, to advising on the preparation of effective CVs and portfolios, through guidance on the process of interview to final negotiation of terms, Dawn Formo and Cheryl Reed - two Assistant Professors happily employed in their first choice institutions - provide a savvy guide to the application process. Informed by the authors' experience, the narratives of current and recent job seekers, and the rhetorical analysis of the processes of application, interview and negotiation, this book offers invaluable advice and insights to anyone contemplating an academic career in today's precarious job market. The authors cover the full spectrum of potential positions - adjunct, visiting, temporary and administrative appointments, as well as traditional tenure-track professorships - in both 4-year institutions and community colleges. This book includes sample application letters and vitae, a model for job search workshop, and a rich list of resources both in print and on-line. This handbook grew out of the demand generated by the authors' successful workshops. Practical and entertaining, this is the essential guide to navigating today's complex and changing academic job market.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
Foreword	xiii
W. Ross Winterowd
Introduction Theor(ies): Becoming Literate in the Employment Line	1	(12)
Writing the Script: the Application Process	13	(28)
Finding and Interpreting the Job Announcement
The Application Packet as a Rhetorical Scene
The Curriculum Vitae
How to Write Application Letters
How to Get Recommendation Letters that Work
How to Organize Application Records
Summary
The Callback: The Professional Conference Interview	41	(24)
The First-Stage Interview as a Rhetorical Scene
Preparing for the Interview
Going to the Interview
What and How to Pack for the Conference Interview
How to Negotiate the Logistics of the Professional Conference Interview
Preparing for Telephone Interviews
Summary
The Screen Test: The Campus Interview	65	(22)
The On-site Interview as a Rhetorical Scene
What to Bring to the Interview and How to Prepare and Package It
The Rhetoric of the On-campus Interview Schedule
The Rhetoric of Questions Particular to the Campus Interview
Rehearsals and Auditions: The On-campus Presentation
Meeting Mr. DeMille: The Interview with the Administration
Summary
Rehearsing for Ad-Libbing	87	(18)
Scenarios
Tricky Cues for Ad-Libs
Anticipated Faculty Interview Questions
How Business Guides Help You Anticipate Tricky Questions
The Awards Ceremony: Negotiating The Job Contract	105	(28)
The Job Offer as a Rhetorical Scene
How to Assess Institutional Environments
Receiving the Job Offer
The Rhetoric of Negotiating a Job Offer
The Rhetoric of Accepting or Rejecting a Job Offer
The Rhetoric of Rejection
How to Determine Whether a Second-Year Search is in Order
Summary
Rising Stars: Academic and Nonacademic Success Stories	133	(20)
``A Star is Born'': The Tenure-Track Professorship at the University
The Tenure-Track Professorship at th Community College
``Most Original Character'': The Nontraditional Job Search
``Leaving Show-Biz'': Jobs Outside of the Academy
Epilogue The Director's Chair: Being an Ethical Academic	153	(12)
Appendix I: Finding a Jog Announcement in Your Field	165	(8)
Appendix II: Electronic Job Banks and Job Search Resources	173	(6)
Appendix III: Job Search Workshop	179	(4)
Appendix IV: Sample Cover Letters and Vitae	183	(28)
Appendix v: Suggested Reading and Resource List	211	(10)
Academic Mysteries
Business Interviewing Guides
Leonard Bernstein Videos
Psychology of the Job Search
Feminist Topics
Works Cited	221	(2)
Index	223