Your Career Path to academic positions�

EER 2024

The Job Market

• Securing a position and being successful in academia can seem daunting. Further, the universe of academic career options in the geosciences looks overwhelming. 
• Not all candidates are R1 candidates, nor do they have to be
• Many ranks and types of tenure track jobs are available
• How can you be the best candidate for this compressing job market?

Professional Development “re-imagined” as a Braided River

Batchelor et al., 2021: https://eos.org/opinions/reimagining-stem-workforce-development-as-a-braided-river

6 Attributes of a Competitive Tenure Track Candidate

• Productivity
• Professionalism
• Autonomy
• Self-Promotion
• Collegiality
• Plan

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Source: Karen Kelsky. The professor is IN: The essential guide to turning your PhD into a Job

What are stepping-stone positions to an academic position?

Brainstorm some ideas with the people around you.

Important considerations

What skills will you be building?

What connections will you make?

What geographic constraints do you have?

Will you be mentored for the next steps in your career?

Visiting professor*****

Teaching post-doc*****

Adjunct Instructor********

Research postdoc (fellowship)***********�Research postdoc (via grants)?**

Preceptor/ curriculum development

Consultant*

Publications*

Lecturer*******

Project scientist

Journal editor?

State survey/regulatory agency

K-12 teacher*****

Govt / policy postdoc (like Presidential or congressional fellowship)**

Research (applied, consulting)*

Prof. Orgs like NAGT/SERC**

What are stepping-stone positions to an academic position?

Brainstorm some ideas with the people around you.

Research grants (soft money)***

Lab manager***

Center for learning and teaching /SERC*

Being instructor of record via other means, e.g., postdoc, lab manager

Museum staff**

Research group leader (Foreign Universities)

Dual Enrollment Instructor

Teaching Assistant*

What are stepping-stone positions to an academic position?

Type in one idea per box. If you have the same idea as someone else, you can add an asterisk that idea.

Self-employment

Post-doc at a National Lab ****

Transitioning from Peon to Peer Mentality

• Stop talking about dissertation and focus on what you produced from it.
• You constantly repeat your main point
• Don’t make excuses for yourself
• You wait for permission
• You are submissive

‘Our Bodies change our minds, our minds change our behavior and our behavior change our outcomes’

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Source: Karen Kelsky. The professor is IN: The essential guide to turning your PhD into a Job

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Individual Development Plan → Taking Initiative!

SMART Goals: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Timely (--> aka Your Action Plan)

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Milestones Approaches/Strategies Deadline Outputs

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Ex: Professional Website Use Wix, See Examples, Fri PMs 2 Months Done for Job Apps

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• Leadership & Teamwork
• Place & Culture, & Identity
• Digital Technology
• Existing Job/School Requirements
• Your Time
• Fill-in-the-Blank

• Mapping Your Career
• Professional Training/Experiences
• Online Presence
• Teaching
• Scholarship & Research
• Oral & Written & Visual Communication