WHAT CANDIDATES ARE DOING WRONG, PART I OF III: “DO YOUR HOMEWORK, PLEASE. PLEASE.”

Part I of III: MAJOR JOB MARKET MISTAKES

Earlier last week, I posed the following question on #academicchatter: "What errors do you notice applicants making?" and  "What would you like them to understand and accomplish better?" 

50+ people responded to the question.

10% of applicants today have the training, degree, or experience relevant and defined in the job post.

At the job search stage. 

Mistake 1: Applicants do not customize their applications and performances to the job advertisement 

Candidates: READ. 

Take a look at the real advertisement! 

Please follow the directions provided. Make sure you're qualified for the position before applying!

I was consistently surprised by the number of candidates who failed to meet the basic requirements for the job.

Even while this may seem simple, I was continually astounded by the sheer amount of applicants who were unable to fulfill even the most basic qualifications for the position. A quarter of the candidates for the position of Infectious Diseases Epidemiologist at my former school had no credible claim to being an epidemiologist at all. International veterinarians who had done a graduate course on infectious diseases in animals, or doctors who operated solely in sub-Saharan Africa, were among the participants. It's a waste of time if you don't meet the general requirements for the position. If I apply to 40 locations, I have a greater chance of landing a job than if I just apply to 30 places, I think several applicants approach the market that way. Yes and no — if you don't qualify for any of the additional 10 positions, you aren't improving your chances in any way.

Mistake 2: Don’t follow the darned directions in the application process.

Prepare for the interview by researching the company and position thoroughly, and make sure your materials and replies reflect this. Make sure you follow the application process's instructions to the letter. Approximately half of our applicants do not include all of the essential documents and do not tailor their application to our requirements. Make sure you specify exactly what your credentials are for the job you're applying for. A white, 40-year-old married lady (*tenured nursing professor; **in her second marriage) In the midst of a job search. Mistake 3: Failure to address the job advertisement “I'm baffled as to why applicants fail to address the specifics of the job advertisement in their cover letter! On some of them, it's clear that the writer had a different goal in mind when they penned the letter. If the ad specifies a requirement, be sure to make it clear how you'll satisfy it.” [Social Sciences Professor, 30-year-old married white female, cis-gender (*Tenured)]

I don’t understand why candidates are not addressing the specifics of the job posting in their cover letter!

“I wish people would really read the job post before submitting an application. It takes us a long time to work on it! The best illustration of this may be found in the following: When we post a position in the foreign language department for someone with a certain skill or path, we receive applicants who don't speak the appropriate language! This is despite the fact that we explicitly specify in the ad that "(near) native English and [necessary language]" are prerequisites for the position in question. In addition, as part of the application process, we inquire if they have (near) native English and [necessary language] fluency. Can you imagine saying "no" to such question?” [a 60-year-old female administrator in the humanities]

Oh, and get the address right!

Mistake 4: Failure to Tailor your Cover Letter 

If you're applying for a job, don't submit a generic cover letter or neglect to respond to specific questions in the ad. In general, be more specific—tell the reader how YOU FIT INTO the description. It's impossible for us to make it any clearer how to succeed in this search if we state "successful applicants will..." Make sure to include keywords from the description of your scholarship in your ad so that the committee may easily find you! You must use language that demonstrates your suitability. There are just too many applicants for each position to thoroughly review your cover letter, CV, and any supporting documents.” Just write to the faculty search committee or the department head if you don't know who to write to (committee chair). At the interview and campus visit

Mistake 5: Failure to show an educated interest in how they do what they do. 

This is when the fervor peaked among the Twitter opinions. It's not that they don't want you to know who they are, but they want you to show that you care about them as people and as a department or school. Pay attention! When you don't, they get really, extremely irritated. Do a lot of study about the goal and vision of the institution you're applying to for the Humanities. 

[...]

Undergraduates only are allowed in my program at a tiny, public institution. Because they don't explain how they've demonstrated their commitment to under-represented minorities and first-generation students, applications from people with unrealistically ambitious research objectives are a lousy fit from the start. A 45-year-old white single mother who identifies as cisgender (*Tenured Professor in the Social Sciences**). Maintaining a clean and logical presentation of information in your application can help you stand out from the competition. Make it obvious in your cover letter if you're just starting out and don't have a lot of publications yet. 

Mistake 6: You do not demonstrate a genuine interest in the position 

As a search committee member at one of the nation's most prestigious educational institutions, I can tell you that this topic has come up time and time again while considering candidates for open positions. You may be deciding whether or not you want the job at this point, but don't make us feel like you're doing an interview with us. Given our fatigue and the possibility of many searches underway, we will treat your application with less seriousness and move on to the next candidate if you do not demonstrate a genuine interest in the position. If you're an assistant professor of history and you're in your 30s, you're in the minority. 

Mistake 7: You focus solely on research publications 

“Many candidates focus solely on their academic background when applying to tenure-track (TT) positions, but search committees are also looking for someone who will be a good fit in terms of their research interests and professional priorities, which vary not just by university "type." If you want to be taken seriously by a search committee, you'll need to show that you've done your study on the school and the department.” [non-TT, humanities-related ) 

Mistake 8: You show up to campus interviews without knowing anyone that works there. 

“Candidates repeatedly show up for interviews on campus without doing any study about our department or the individuals working here. Rather, they come with a lengthy list of the reasons why they are unique. Take the time to think about how you'll fit in and what you can bring to the table, so prepare well. Take a look at the department's initiatives and programs to get a sense of how your skills and expertise may be utilized in a positive way.” (*Tenured Professor, Cinematography**40, female, white, married, mother) 

People who don't make it to the interview stage of the process haven't done their homework on the uni they hope to work for. You should spend some time looking into the university and the people you'll be working with. Some presenters fail to adhere to the topical guidelines and instead focus on their own research. There will be plenty of room for you to talk about your research if you're invited to do so. Prospective coworkers may take interviewees out to lunch or offer them a tour of the campus. Engage them in conversation. Even if you're uneasy or uncomfortable with them, show an interest in them. [*Tenured Professor, Social Sciences, Woman). 

Mistake 9: You haven’t proven you’ll “FIT” in the department for 25-30 years. 

It's important to keep in mind that not all "fit" criteria are openly specified in the job description There is a lot of investigative work involved. This is where thorough preparation is critical, but you should also retain an open mind and a keen ear and eye throughout the interview. Knowing nothing about someone is one thing; knowing the WRONG THINGS, based on preconceived notions or bias, is quite another. Understand that the posted position does not include all of the selection criteria. You'll have to glean this information through a thorough investigation of the department, its academics and personnel, and its past. You'll also have to be on the lookout for any unsaid signals from those who aren't directly involved in the interview. ) [Associate, 56-year-old Black American female, divorced, Tenured]. 

In our school, Christianity is expressed in a progressive, left-leaning way. To avoid making assumptions, prospective students should take a look at how colleges represent themselves and what sorts of clubs/organizations are offered on campus. Applicants to our school are often surprised to learn that we are a welcoming environment for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. [Professor of Religious and Peace Studies, Black woman, tenured.] 

The term "fit" comprises more than just your physical appearance; it includes how you present yourself, including what you wear. When it comes to "generically suitable" (a decent standard for the interview/campus tour stage) at each university, this respondent points out, there are clearly conventions–which are CERTAINLY UNSPOKEN–of what is regarded acceptable. [Mix things up once you have the job.]  

This interview isn't about you are establishing your academic merit; if you weren't academically accomplished, you wouldn't be here in the interview. In the end, it's all about how well you fit in with the department. As much as you can, try to put the committee and the issues ahead of your own irrational anxieties and concerns. There will be no further discussion on the dissertation now. Describe your book idea to me in the form you would tell your friends, rather than the form you would tell your Chair. No one here is an authority on yours. That's why we're looking to expand our workforce in this manner. 

Make a list of two things that set you apart from the rest of the pack and focus on them. Avoid providing a list of authors you plan on referencing in lectures. Let us know how you'd use them. 

Be honest with us; this is the most crucial rule. 

One of us may have taken a seminar on that author with an expert and can tell you haven't read it. If you looked at our website for more than a few seconds, we know you're here. There are plenty of materials out there on how to look like the institution you want to join while yet being yourself. "I'm cool" has been taken to a poor level if my elder colleague asks me whether you were wearing pajamas in the interview. 

Remember, too, being "fit" isn't about twisting oneself into a pretzel to mimic what they're already doing. If they're going to be successful in their stated objective, they'll need a new colleague who can deliberately and cooperatively offer NEW ideas to the department. 

It is possible that all or some of our interview questions are aimed to see what it would be like to work with that individual for a year (or next 25-30 years, for TT position). Both the candidate's answer to that question and their general demeanor throughout the interview serve as an indicator of how they would behave in a professional context. Candidates should not use defensive or aggressive language during the interview, and the answer to the question "how do you fit as a member of our team" should not be simply "I'm happy to defer to whatever decisions are made," but rather a more thoughtful, balanced response that shows how the candidate will contribute to their team/department instead. [*tenured professor, Humanities.] 

****************************************

These replies are all about THE JOB TALK, a kind of anguish of its own.

Mistake 9: Poor Job Talks

It's a requirement in my humanities department (Classics) that professors lecture outside the scope of their own specialized study areas. Yes, even at the graduate level. After saying "must have the ability to teach both languages at all levels" and getting candidates who are surprised and they can only identify their own research for courses, we are frightened."

Candidate research on a department is minimal. 

In the last several years, our department has had three appearances in the New York Times due to a significant new archaeological find. It was created by our department chief. It's a topic that some candidates have never ever heard of. 

Many of our students are first-generation college students or folks with full-time jobs. They won't be able to accomplish what Harvard students do right out of the gate, and it's frustrating when candidates haven't even considered how to educate our (very amazing!) students.

Job talks that are either too general to be scholarly or too specific for anybody but those in the discipline to follow. –Job talks I've seen a lot of bad job discussions that go either way.” [Associate professor, Humanities, tenured] 

If you don't know someone well, don't ask them to send you a letter; you never know what kind of letter they'll write. 

To demonstrate your ability to work well with others, don't appear arrogant or overly self-aggrandizing in your powerpoint presentations. Over-preparation is better than under-preparation... I've seen lectures that sounded like they were rehearsed, and they were far superior than those that were incomprehensible because the speaker had not prepared. 

Thank everyone you met with by sending them a personal email! When you bring it up, it shows your interest in the subject. There are times when it's impossible for us to make a decision without a communal shrug of the shoulders and a collective "uhhhh, how about so-and-so?" No matter how far your study is from the topic of the position, it's important to at least try to provide an argument for how your research fits in. It's much easier to convince the dean that you "fit" even if we know you're particularly interested in some other topic.”[Assistant, tenured, Woman, Married, No kids, R1, Humanities] 

Before an interview, do your research. 

"I've seen a number of high-potential candidates fail short-form and long-form interviews due to lack of preparation. Similarly, the best applicants who land job offers have done their homework and are able to connect with the department's employees during interviews. This is what you need to do for homework: Get to know the individual you're interviewing by reading their most recent work. Make sure you're familiar with the department's course offerings and program structure. Find out who normally teaches what. In addition to checking out all the student websites, if there are any students working in your area of interest, make sure you know who they are and if possible, have read some of their work. 

In the event that you're delivering a job interview, consider how you may incorporate relevant work from the department into your presentation (e.g., cite people in the department, frame some parts of your talk in a relevant way). If you wouldn't have studied for an exam in school, don't show up unprepared for any interview.” [Assistant, TT, Woman, R1. Social Sciences]

********************************

In sum, you wouldn’t have gone into a test in class without studying, so don’t come into any interview without studying. Share your advice here. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Similar Posts:

What Candidates Are Doing Wrong, Part III of III: "Don’t Forget the Basics"

WHAT CANDIDATES ARE DOING WRONG Part II of III: "Interpersonal relationships: "We're not just animals! We're people!"