Surviving Your Academic Job Hunt: Advice for Humanities PhDS

by Kathryn Hume

This book shows job hunters how to train themselves to succeed in the humanities job market. They can study examples of the documents and work up answers to the questions posed in phone, conference, and campus interviews. They will also learn about bargaining for items such as subsidies, databases, and start-up packages. The book can be used by department job officers to train students, or by job hunters training themselves. Minority job hunters will find questions and advice specific to their position. The material on academic economics and politics will help job hunters transform their mindset from student to faculty.

Genres: Academia, Nonfiction, Self Help, Humanities, Academic

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 2005

Reviews

[Jake B-Y]

A strange and dated book, not for anyone who tends toward anxiety. The author is a bit neurotic, and you need to be able to filter the advice, which at times borders on inhumane (e.g. tell your friends and family you are not available for holidays the year you go on the market).

Still, there are meaty parts if you can spit out the bones. The chapter on interview questions is exhaustive, and the detailed descriptions of departmental politics after you get hired are cynical but useful. I purchased this book used on the recommendation of my dissertation chair, who told me to use the interview questions to practice. Ultimately, I got what I needed!

[Vita]

This book needs an update. It's 2019, hello.

[Lara]

This short book is a gem, providing advice for doctoral students, recent doctoral graduates, and new faculty. The tone is one of a coach giving advice, not just imparting information. It is written for humanities graduates, so had references to many academic hiring practices that were not relevant to my field. However, the real strength of this book lies in the fact that it discusses the experience of becoming an academic, not just the steps. The author states how you will be perceived in different circumstances, the reasoning behind networking as well as what it looks like, how to navigate issues of seniority and departmental politics, and even describes some specific issues that minority faculty members are likely to face and how to deal with them.

[Mary]

Makes a body paranoid. The most OCD book. One of my favorite tips? Put large bills in your shoes at conference interviews so in the case your wallet is stolen, you can take care of yourself so that...you don't have it on your mind while you're interviewing. Rather reminds me of the bride looking up at the axe in the lintel in that old fairy tale, worrying about everything that could happen. A little paranoia, though, may be good.

[Craig]

I find it hilarious that one of the suggestions is to "be sure to get a driver's license." Are we teachers really that thick?

I would give this 3 1/2 because it is one of the better designed books I have encountered in this arena of text.