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My Job Search Results

70 applications
11 first-round interviews

October 2021 – February 2022
2 R1 universities, 4 R2 universities

5 campus visit invitations (2 virtual)
2.5 oral offers
Final decision: Auburn University

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Things to Prepare

	My Timeline	Ideal Timeline
Proposal defense	November 11, 2021	~ April 2021 (before August for Teaching Fellowship)
Job package CV cover letter research statement teaching portfolio Job paper + sample papers diversity statement website + linkedin	September 2021	~ June 2021
Reference letters	September 2021	~ June 2021
Job paper & job talk slides	November 2021	~ August 2021

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Before Entering Job Market (~April)

Research

Published/R&R/submitted papers

Top R1 : Top journals
R1 – R2 : ABS category 3 journals

Dissertation (completion and quality)
Job market paper

Teaching

Teaching evaluations
Teaching awards (should teach 2+ courses in a year)

Service

Peer reviews
AIS Doctoral Student College
Robinson PhD Fellows
Volunteering at conferences

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Job Package (~June)

CV
Cover letter
Research statement

Overarching research interests and goals
Key points for each research project (motivation/method/findings+contribution)
If possible, future plans for research

Teaching portfolio

Teaching philosophy
Course list and Teaching evaluations
Interested courses (based on experience and expertise)

Job market paper + sample research

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Job Package (cont’d)

3 recommendation letters

Discuss with your dissertation chair early
Contact early

Diversity statement
Website + LinkedIn

They check your online presence.

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Job Application (June~)

Websites:

Subscribe to get daily email notifications

For each school, create a folder and put all materials for that school

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Some Opportunities

Research and Networking

AOM CTO Doctoral Consortium
AMCIS Doctoral Consortium
ICIS Doctoral Consortium

Job Applications and Interviews

AMCIS Career Connect (August)
CIST (October)
INFORMS (October)
ICIS Career Connect (December)

Funding

GSU Dissertation Grant

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List of Job Postings

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List of Job Applications

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List of Job Applications �(Shared with advisors)

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1^st-Round Interviews (August – March)

Usually via Zoom or during conferences such as AMCIS, INFORMS, CIST, ICIS
Ask who will interview you and learn about them
Think about your unique contribution in research and teaching - in relation to job requirements
Present yourself as a colleague, not a student
Send thank you notes the same day – customize your message

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1^st-Round Interviews Preparation

Research

Progress of your dissertation and other research �(can you graduate and do research)
Fit between your research interests+methodologies and job requirements
Prospect of your research (can you get tenure)

Teaching

Courses you have taught
Courses you are interested/able to teach – check their programs
Teaching philosophy and experiences
Projects, assignments, textbooks, software
Diversity (how to serve underrepresented student body)

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Interviews – Sample Questions

General questions:

Tell us about yourself
Why us? - Research fit, teaching interests, strategic initiatives, programs, area…
What are you looking for in a school?
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
If we hired you, 5 years later, why would we be satisfied?
How will you treat diversity? (diversity as a force for mutual learning)
What questions do you have for us? – culture, nature of programs, teaching load,…)
What is your timeline (do you have other offers)?

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Interviews – Sample Questions (cont’d)

Research:

Tell us about your dissertation
Where are you in the dissertation process (can you graduate)?
Tell us about your other research

Follow-ups on details about your research (context, methodology, variables, findings, …)

what are the status of your research projects?
What are the theoretical contributions of your dissertation?
With whom do you want to collaborate?
What are your strengths/weaknesses in research?
Future research?

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Interviews – Sample Questions (cont’d)

Teaching:

What can you teach?
What have you taught? What is this course like?
What are your strengths/weaknesses in teaching?
what's one takeaway you want to instill students in your course?
if one of your students are very motivated and engaging, but does poorly, what would you do to that student?
How does your research help your teaching?
how would you balance your teaching and research?
how do you approach different levels/modes of teaching? (undergrad/grad/executive, online/hybrid/offline)
How will you treat academic integrity? (if some incidents happen such as students cheating, how will you proceed?)
how do you currently include strategies to ensure the success of underserved students in your classroom practice?

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2^nd-Round Interviews (Campus Visits, October - March)

You will meet:

Faculty members (in your department or college)
Department chair, Dean, Associate Dean

Agenda:

Research presentation – 45-90 mins
Teaching demonstration (usually for teaching schools) �- 45-60 mins
Meetings with faculty (individual or team)
Breakfast/lunch/dinner with faculty
Administrations

Be prepared for surprises (e.g., little flexibility in setting up dates, changes of schedules…)
Send thank-you notes

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2^nd-Round Interviews (cont’d)

Job talk

Make it complete as much as possible
Practice (with advisors and fellow students)!
Make connections to the department
Have a note and pen: document all feedback
Remember who participated

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Sample Campus Visit Schedule

Typically, two-days with most “formal” agenda on 2^nd date
Interview starts when you land!
Prepare many questions for the department!!

Suit & Tie
Do not check your bags.
Bring water, energy bars, and umbrella.
You might need to drive from the airport

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Offers

Typically, search committee chair or department chair will call you for an offer

Thank them first and ask for decision time.
Get information on terms (base salary, summer support, teaching load, tenure, service, moving support, research funds, conference travels, leave, spousal programs…)
Contact your advisors immediately for negotiation and decision

Take your time to think while contacting other schools you are waiting for
When rejecting an offer, do it ASAP (with email+phone)

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Some Thoughts

Communicate very often with your advisors.
Do regular exercise.
Think of this as a learning process.�(scholars, schools, fields, yourself…)
Seek help. Support each other.
Review each interview.
Expect a lot of uncertainties and surprises.

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Useful Resources

Job search process

Professor Is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your Ph.D. into a Job (Karen Kelsky)
The Academic Job Search Handbook (Julia Miller Vick, Jennifer S. Furlong, Rosanne Lurie)�

Institutions

Journals

Locations

NerdWallet’s cost of living calculator

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References

Materials from and communications with former graduates �(e.g., Zhitao, Amrita, Mahesh, Xiaocong, Yukun, Hyoungyong, Christine…)

Do reach out to us!

My job package: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rr482o7dnza3qyr/AADuDez4WiguVHzfqegFcl2Ka?dl=0