Phase three of the job search: Assessing the job search strategies

Debunking myths about tenure-track positions

This week, the School of Medicine hosted a two-day Future Faculty Fellows workshop under the leadership of Drs. Chet Moritz and Rosana Risques. The panels and workshops addressed all elements of a successful academic faculty application package, including how to negotiate your first position. For the 90+ postdocs present, one of the more confusing sessions was the “money panel” where we discussed all the different ways you can get paid to be a faculty member (regardless of title).

Dr. Kelly Edwards joined Drs. Moritz and Risques to describe the variety of arrangements they had each been through, from Acting Instructor, Acting Assistant Professor or Research Assistant Professor to Associate Professor with a 50% component with tenure, and full Professor “without tenure for reasons of funding.”

As you can tell, faculty positions come in a number of varieties, each with different characteristics and expectations. As shown below, the time spent at each early stage is limited. Acting appointments are optional, and are there to give you time and support needed to build publication and funding track records that will help you compete successfully for a permanent faculty position.

What’s tenure mean, anyway? It means the University is making a permanent commitment to you for your faculty position. However, it does not mean that there is guaranteed and permanent funding with that position. Each of our UW departments has different components to the salary — often referred to as “A plus B”. Part of the salary (anywhere from just 10% up to 50-60-75%) is covered by “hard” money from the department or University; for the additional “soft” money component, the faculty member is expected to cover it via grant dollars, additional teaching commitments, or clinical service.

In addition to tenure, each entry-level faculty appointment has different rights, responsibilities, and expectations. This is dependent upon your school and department, and by the Faculty Code. For example, some tenure-track Assistant Professors must provide their summer salary, usually from external grants. Similarly, some Research Assistant Professors are not awarded independent research space without external research funding. When you’re investigating a potential position, be sure to clarify the opportunities, expectations, policies and procedures for the given University and department.

Other myths we discussed included whether having a K-award or career award covering 75% of your salary was really the only way to start out as a funded junior faculty member. There are many other models, including being an active co-investigator with a diverse number of research projects and groups, even outside of your primary department. To be competitive for Assistant Professor positions, often “without tenure for reasons of funding” or even with tenure with expectations of a “B” or “soft money” component, the main thing is to show you are fundable and can compete with a variety of funding agencies. Having a diverse funding portfolio and a robust set of research collaborators can set you up for success, even in challenging economic times.

Confused? Come talk with us at the OPA and we’ll be happy to answer questions and sort through the questions to ask as you are evaluating different positions. Even as you are inquiring about job positions, it is important to explore what “tenure-track” means for that department or University. As you get into second visits and interviews, it can help to ask harder questions: what kind of start-up or initial period of support is available? What kind of support is there within the department or school for grants administration? What teaching opportunities or obligations are there with the type of position you have? What kinds of bridge funding are available, if needed? Remember, during the negotiation, the Chair is looking to recruit and support you at their institution. Ask for what you legitimately need, and work with the Chair to make the most complete package as you start your independent career.

Being Intentional and Productive This Summer

Summer is the perfect time to make room for activities and experiences that will help you be—and feel–prepared for the coming academic year! The pace can feel slower during this time of the year, and there’s a little more wiggle room to be intentional about visualizing and achieving your intellectual, professional, and interpersonal goals. Maybe you’re starting from scratch (or already have some initial goals) and just need a plan of action. Maybe you need some structured time and support to work on a writing project? Or maybe you’re interested in career development activities?

No matter where you’re at, below are some initial strategies that can help you create intentional space for productivity this summer!

Create a plan to meet your goals. As graduate students—and as whole people with complex lives—we know that completing your graduate degree is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to meeting your goals. And we know it takes time to reflect on the skills you already possess—and the academic, professional, and interpersonal competencies you’d like to develop in the future. Creating an Individual Development Plan (IDP) can help you map out realistic, achievable goals for your time in graduate school and beyond. Use your IDP as a roadmap for meeting with mentors and advisors. What’s great about an IDP is that you can adapt and revise as you see fit!

Make progress on your writing. Whether you are working on a thesis, dissertation, or an article for publication, set achievable and concrete writing goals for yourself this summer. In past Core Programs newsletters, we encouraged you to start out by setting aside 15 min. blocks of time to write each day. Then try working your way up to 30 min. chunks of time. You’ll eventually see that you’re making progress. Reach out to peers (they can be peers outside of your graduate program too) to schedule skype and/or in-person writing support group meetings.You can receive and share constructive feedback on writing projects and hold each other accountable to getting tasks done. Finally, here are great tips on how to move past feeling stuck in a writing rut from Dr. Kerry Anne Rockquemore, President of the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity.

Get involved in professional development activities. There are many ways to brush up on your professional development this summer. 1) Update your CV or resume with skills and professional experiences you have gained from 2016-2017. 2) Identify conferences you’d like to present your work at for the coming year, and mark those proposal and registration deadlines on your calendar. 3) Set up informational interviews to network with professionals currently working in fields or companies you’re interested in working for. 4) Volunteer in your local community to gain skills and to give back. 4) Contact your UW career center at Bothell, Tacoma, or Seattle for guidance with your internship or job search. 5) Check out just a few of our Core Programs newsletter links below on professional development:

Research funding opportunities. Whether you are seeking travel funds to participate in an academic or professional conference or grants to fund your research, start by learning about the breadth of possible funding opportunities available to you. Because application deadlines and eligibility requirements vary widely—and can sneak up on you when you’re busy during the academic year—it’s always a good idea to plan in advance.

Funding Information Resources

If you’re in the beginning stages of searching for ways to fund your graduate education, connect with the Graduate Funding Information Service (GFIS). GFIS is available to all UW graduate students via e-mail, online chat, or in-person appointments.
Subscribe to the GFIS blog to receive the latest funding information alerts.
Seek out funding information for all UW graduate students.
Learn about funding opportunities for UW international graduate students.
If you’re interested in learning about fellowships administered by the UW Graduate School, contact the Office of Fellowships and Awards.
As always, check in with your Grad Program Advisor regarding a departmental application for the UW Graduate School’s student conference travel awards. All tri-campus graduate students are eligible, and the request comes to the Graduate School from your GPA or designated staff in your department.

We hope you find these strategies useful, and please let us know of tips that worked for you!

Best,

Core Programs Team
#UWGradSuccess

Identifying your career interests: Phase two of three in the job search

Note: This article is the second in a series of posts about job searching. You can find the first post, on self-assessing your application materials, here.

The academic year has flown by, and some grad students are graduating and approaching an exciting new phase in the working world: others are continuing their education and looking for summer work in-between. But what if you don’t have a job lined up, and are unsure of how to get started?

Lucky for you, the Guru attended a workshop detailing an approach to the job search, taught by Caitlin Goldbaum, career coach at the Career & Internship Center. The following is an outline of the strategies Caitlin recommends for a successful job search. It is being published in three parts, corresponding to the three phases of the job hunt: (1) self-assess; (2) identify the work you are looking for; (3) assess the three core strategies for job hunting.

This week we focus on phase two: identifying the work you are looking for. Feel free to email the Guru with any questions, or comment below about any self-assessment tools or strategies that have worked for you. Happy hunting, grad students!

Phase two: Identify the kind of work you are looking for to help narrow your selection criteria and tailor your application materials.

Try these steps:

Take stock of your top skills and strengths. These may or may not be related to your area of study.
Identify what you are interested in. Again, this could an area you study or something else.
Describe your ideal work environment — is it in an office or outdoors? People-focused or not people-focused?
What do you want your day-to-day activities to look like?
What is an industry you’re interested in?
>What persuasive essay you are able to consider and write?

Note: Check out blog posts on the Career Services website to help you identify industries you may be interested in and narrow it down.

A few things to keep in mind during this phase (and always):

You don’t need to know everything right now.
There are a lot of ways to find satisfaction in your career: teammates, day-to-day activities, the mission of a company — think about different ways you might find satisfaction in your career, where your priorities lie, and be open to new information and experiences.
Your first job is not the only job you’ll have; most people change jobs six–10 times in their career. But your first job may help you figure out what you want to do and what you don’t want to do.

Have a grasp on your interests and career skills? You’re ready for the third and final phase of the job application process: assessing the tools for job hunting.

Ask the Grad School Guru is an advice column for all y’all graduate and professional students. Real questions from real students, answered by real people. If the guru doesn’t know the answer, the guru will seek out experts all across campus to address the issue. (Please note: The guru is not a medical doctor, therapist, lawyer or academic advisor, and all advice offered here is for informational purposes only.) Submit a question for the column →

Why Celebrate?

We know this time of year is intense. There are flyers, emails, and Facebook posts about all kinds of events. When you are buried in final deadlines, it can be hard to think about attending anything. If you haven’t done so already, below are a few reasons why you should consider going to a UW end of year event. It’s worth it on many levels. Plus, you deserve it!

Celebrate being present. Graduate school is more like a marathon with obstacle courses than a sprint. We can get so caught up in the stress of everything we need to get done, that we either forget — or don’t realize — that it is possible for each of us to slow down and decrease the pressure. Between classes or meetings, take slow, deep breaths. Arrive 15 minutes early to your next appointment to reduce feeling stressed out. And as Kyla Minguez recommends in The Importance of Slowing Down, “Rushing makes us stressed, causes us to overlook important details of our lives, and fuels egocentrism… Take some time to wait between tasks. Drink a glass of water, watch the sky… whatever you need to do, just relax.” And don’t underestimate the power of just showing up for someone; your presence can make a huge difference.

Celebrate milestones. This can apply to everyone — from those of you who are graduating in just a few weeks to those of who you are still working toward your degrees next year — recognize and reward yourself for each step you have taken toward completing your degree. No one else is going to do this except you. Completed your first year in your grad program? Take yourself out to dinner (and invite a peer or friend or two). Wrote one sentence, paragraph, or page of your doctoral dissertation? Go camping for the weekend, because we know the sheer amount of concentration and determination it takes to even write one sentence of your dissertation. Set up an informational interview with a professional whose job mirrors your career interests? Go ahead, put your phone on silent and stream your favorite TV show for several hours. However you decide to reward yourself, enjoy it!

Celebrate in community. From departmental to university-wide ceremonies, we encourage you to consider the positive aspects of attending end-of-year events. Why? 1) Being around people can help you feel less isolated and can get you out of your head. 2) Related to the first point, you’ll never know what potential friendships or professional connections you’ll make if you don’t go. 3) Depending on the event, stay for as little or as long as you want. 4) Last but not least, there’s a strong chance you’ll be able to enjoy free food and refreshments!

Again, we hope you take some time to participate in one of several end-of-year celebrations across our tri-campus communities at the University of Washington!

Best,

Core Programs Team
#UWGradSuccess

Self-assessment: Phase one of three in the job search

Lucky for you, Your Guide attended a workshop detailing an approach to the job search, taught by Caitlin Goldbaum, career coach at the Career & Internship Center. The following is an outline of the strategies Caitlin recommends for a successful job search. It is being published in three parts, corresponding to the three phases of the job hunt: (1) self-assess; (2) identify the work you are looking for; (3) assess the three core strategies for job hunting.

This week’s phase is self-assessment of your job search materials. Feel free to email your Guide with any questions, or comment below about any self-assessment tools or strategies that have worked for you. Happy hunting, grad students!

Phase One: Self-assess your job materials.

Consider each component of your application – resume, cover letter, LinkedIn, and possibly a portfolio – and ask yourself if you they are comprehensive, free of typos and formatting errors and updated for your next job search. Before you start the job search, you should:

Have a strong resume that can be tailored to any job

A resume will be necessary for any job application
Create a new resume for every job. Highlight your experiences that prepare you for this position
Pull out keywords from the job description and try to capture your experiences through the lens of those keywords.
Use a variety of action verbs to describe what you did in each experience. Include information about the task, the actions you took, and the result of your work.
If your resume isn’t ready, here are a couple good places to start:
- 15 minute drop-in appointments with the Career Center for resume (or cover letter!) consultation
- The Career Guide (written by the Career Center) includes templates to help you with layout of your resume. Pro-tip: Don’t download a template from online (they’re dated), create your own in Word.

Be confident that you can write a compelling cover letter

Most jobs require a cover letter. If it’s optional, do it.
The cover letter gives the employer a “more complete” story of who you are and what experiences have prepared you for the position .
A cover letter is a persuasive document. The first paragraph will include a thesis statement on why you are the best candidate for the position
The middle paragraph is where you tell a complete story about a past experience connected to the keywords in the job description.
The concluding paragraph is where you reiterate your interest, highlight why you are well qualified, and invite the employer to bring you in for an interview to discuss your qualifications further.
You’ll create a new cover letter for each job you apply for with different stories from your experience.
To answer on the question how to write my essay, just go and buy it, and you will save the time

Regularly utilize LinkedIn for networking

LinkedIn is not required, but is highly encouraged: many jobs and industries look for this.
Having a LinkedIn allows you to control your online presence.
It allows an employer to see the full trajectory of your career.

Have a portfolio that clearly showcases your best work, if-needed. Industries where you may need a portfolio are the arts, journalism, design, architecture, engineering.
Feel comfortable interviewing. Need to practice some interview questions? You can set up a mock interview with the Career Center!

Feeling confident in your job search materials? Move on to the second phase of the job application process — self-assessment of your interests and skills!

Ask Your Grad School Guide is an advice column for all y’all graduate and professional students. Real questions from real students, answered by real people. If the Guide doesn’t know the answer, the Guide will seek out experts all across campus to address the issue. (Please note: The Guide is not a medical doctor, therapist, lawyer or academic advisor, and all advice offered here is for informational purposes only.) Submit a question for the column →

Making a strong first impression when applying for jobs

There are multiple components to a successful job application, including a resume or curriculum vitae (CV), letters of reference and a cover letter. All are important, but you just get one chance to make a strong first impression and convince the reviewers to give the rest of your application materials a look.

The cover letter is the first opportunity you have to convince the hiring manager or your future boss that you are a great fit for the job. Even if you use primarily the same CV or letters of reference for many applications, it is always well worth the time to tailor and target your cover letter each time.

Regardless of sector, and whether requested or not, the cover letter allows you to connect specifics from your experience to the position and organization. Here are some tips for writing a cover letter that will help you stand out from the applicant pool:

Highlight and expand on some of the details listed in your CV or resume, but do not merely repeat what is already detailed there. The cover letter, or statement of interest, is the chance for you to bring your resume to life for a reviewer.
Use specific examples to convince your future employer that you are the right person to do the job. Similar to letters of reference, don’t simply list your skills and traits. Give specific examples on how you used the desired skills to successfully solve a problem or move a project forward. A detailed description will provide great insight into you as a person and a future employee.
Read the job description and personalize your letter for the specific job posting. Most readers can readily tell when you’ve sent out cover letters in bulk, with little effort to address the hiring organization and skills required for a particular job. When compared to a well-researched letter, the candidate with the non-specific letter will surely not be invited for an interview.
Your letter should include the skills and competencies outlined in the job posting. Many companies use computers to perform the first screen during the evaluation process. If your letter is not responsive to the job posting, then your application might be discarded prior to the start of the real evaluation.
Be concise. Hiring managers don’t have time to read long letters, especially when a single job posting receives hundreds of inquires. While providing enough specific details to stimulate excitement for your application and a more careful review, be sure to keep you letter to two pages (or one). The goal of a letter is to get invited for an interview, and there you’ll have the opportunity to expand at length!

As you start to think about your future job search, we encourage you to attend the Future Faculty Fellows workshop that takes place in June each year or check out the online guides provided by the Career & Internship Center. You can always reach out to us at the OPA with questions, or make an appointment to go through draft materials with you.

Re-Energize For the Final Push

Spring quarter can be a hectic and nerve-wracking time. Many of you are preparing to graduate while in the midst of job searches or considering job offers. Others are continuing work related to earning that graduate degree next year — or within the next several years. Every day this quarter, we truly see how hard you’re all working.

Last week on the Seattle campus, first-generation graduate students gathered and utilized collage-making as a creative practice to focus on things re-energize them for this last leg of the quarter. As you gather your own energy for these final weeks, consider some of the prompt questions from that gathering. We hope you find these strategies useful:

List out, activities, responsibilities or other things that are draining your energy right now. Initially, this may seem like an odd prompt to consider. Yet sometimes, when we’re overwhelmed, anxious or just plain frustrated with the sheer amount of work we do on a daily or weekly basis, we can get in a real funk and start believing that we don’t have any control over our lives. We recommend taking just three to five minutes to brainstorm a list. Then step back and consider what things you can let go of, minimize or set boundaries around.

Focus on what you do have control over. Do you have too many commitments, some of which you can realistically hold off on? Would breaking down projects into manageable tasks be helpful to you? Is your workspace cluttered (we are guilty of this one!), and can you find a different space such as a cafe or library to work? Are you taking breaks from social media, especially when your news feed feels like too much? Are there individuals in your life who zap the energy out of you, whom you don’t have to interact with? (Note: this last one is complicated, because what about individuals whom we have to interact with regularly? Check out this article).

Make room for moments, people and activities (cultural, spiritual, creative, community-based) that bring you energy. On your bathroom mirror or in your workspace, post a quote that you helps you feel motivated. Start your day by listening to a song that energizes or soothes you. Make time in your schedule to call or spend time with a friend or loved one. Step away from work and take a 10 minute walk outside to enjoy the sunshine. Participate in activities or hobbies that validate all of who you are — because you are not just graduate students but whole people. If it helps, create your own vision board collage with images of your favorite energizing elements so you can see them everyday.

We hope that you take time to participate in one of several end-of-year celebrations across the University of Washington. You deserve it!

Best,

Core Programs Team
#UWGradSuccess

The postdoc experience continues to receive national attention.

In our last newsletter, we shared some take-home messages from the annual National Postdoc Association (NPA) meeting. Here at UW, we hope you were able to join the UWPA for their 14th annual research symposium last week. In addition to the wonderful talks and posters from UW postdocs, the UWPA welcomed postdoc-advocate and national leader Dr. Gary McDowell as the keynote speaker. Dr. McDowell became the first Executive Director of The Future for Research after completing two postdocs in research. Among his other national publications and activities, Dr. McDowell most recently served on the National Academies of Science (NAS) task force that, just two weeks ago, presented their recommendations to support postdocs entitled The Next Generation of Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences Researchers: Breaking Through.

In his plenary talk, Gary summarized the historical perspective that framed the charge to the NAS task force:

The attention to the postdoc experience is not new. A 50-year-old book, entitled The Invisible University: Postdoctoral Education in the United States, highlights many of the same issues that still affect postdoc training and mentorship today.
Postdocs should be encouraged to spend more time as independent researchers and thinkers, not simply data-generating factories!
While 80% of US biomedical PhDs transition to postdocs, only ~8% eventually move on to tenure-track jobs in academia (though many more secure academic positions that are “without tenure for reasons of funding, or WOT”).
Where do postdocs turn for guidance in non-academic careers, be it in industry, foundations, government, or public policy?

With this background, the NAS task force met throughout 2017 with the goal of influencing funders and institutions to step up and take responsibility for the gaps that persist. In particular, they emphasized shared responsibility for postdoc experience and early career researchers, transparency in postdoc pathways and alumni outcomes, accountability for mentorship and a clear separation between the employee and trainee components of the dual-role postdocs hold.

Training and mentorship for postdocs is the responsibility of funders (NIH, NSF) and employers (universities and companies), and it should be transparent and sustainable. The NAS has specific recommendations to ensure the growing biomedical workforce is properly trained and supported.
Similar to increasing the diversity at the graduate level, research institutions should be more intentional and proactive to recruit and retain more underserved and underrepresented postdoc fellows.
Emphasis should be placed on the successful transition to independence, with a particular focus on quality mentorship (including formal training of mentors) and a coordinated increase salary, in the number of fellowship opportunities (F- and K-awards), and partnerships with businesses (via the NIH SBIR/STTR programs).
Postdoc training should be term-limited at five years, facilitating the ability to transition successfully to better-paying positions in a timely way.
Research institutions and the NIH should expand the number of staff scientist positions to accommodate the growing number of postdocs who transition from mentored training career stage to research positions.

As we often say here at the OPA, the national reports recognize postdocs as part of the essential research and learning ecosystem at our research institutions. We could not do this work without you, and we look forward to continuing to partner as we work toward tangible improvements to the postdoc experience.

Lonely and Isolated in Grad School

I am a first year Ph.D. student and feel lonely all the time. There are several days when I go without any human contact except with students in my office hours. It’s strangely suffocating. I am still not part of any lab, so there are no labmates to hang out with. My classmates go to their labs straight after class so can’t hang out after class.

—Is This How It’s Supposed To Be

This post originally ran November 2016. It has been updated slightly.

This answer is courtesy of Jaye Sablan, assistant director, Core Programs, Office of Student Affairs in the the Graduate School.

First off, thank you so much for reaching out. I know how hard it can be in academia to share emotional vulnerability, and I totally hear you. Graduate school and its demands can create an atmosphere that feels isolating and alienating to graduate students. No, this is *not* how graduate school is supposed to be, or how it needs to be, though we hear you that this is how it *is.* Know that your feelings are totally normal, and many grad students have similar experiences. When I was in grad school, the cues that I was feeling disconnected were usually a combination of headaches, not being able to eat, inability to focus, and generally feeling alone on a campus with thousands of people around me. It also didn’t help that faculty, staff, and grad peers were busy in their own work that they (unintentionally) failed to notice I was struggling.

Here are a few things that helped me manage feeling isolated, and I’m wondering if they would be helpful to you:

What do I need right now at this moment to feel connected to my body? A stretch, deep breaths, a healthy snack, a glass of water.
Whom can I connect with to talk things through or feel vulnerable with (this one is a tough one, but you’ve already reached out to me ITHISTB)? Family members or friends via a visit, phone call or Skype, my department’s GPA, off- or on-campus counselors (reaching out to more than one person is better).
If I can’t connect with peers in my department yet, what organizations on campus can get me those face-to-face connections with other grads? GPSS and their events, grad student organizations, Center for Teaching and Learning (you mentioned being a TA, so that might be a place to start), Core Programs, etc.
What other interests do have I have outside of academia that I need to intentionally make room for in my schedule? Dancing, going to see live music, baking, visiting museums, town hall talks, getting to know the city that I moved to for grad school.

Again, ITHISTB, I am so very grateful that you reached out, and I hope this message resonates with you. Again, no, this is not how graduate school should be, and there are ways to decrease isolation — including connecting with others, which is so important and vital for all of us studying and working in academia. If you’d like, please let me know if you’d like a specific list of campus resources to connect with. Looking forward to hearing from you.