Blog CLXXII (172): Job Hunting Tips: Follow Up

What "dos" and "don'ts" would you pass on to a new scholar going out on the job market.  That is a question I asked a number of friends and colleagues.  The response was overwhelming.  Dozens and dozens of people replied.  These comments come from scholars working at community colleges (Lorain County Community College), small liberal arts colleges (Concordia University Wisconsin), regional state schools (Humboldt State University and Texas A&M University—Commerce), and research universities both public (Ohio State and North Carolina) and private (Brigham Young and Vanderbilt).  They are mostly historians working in academic departments, but some teach in professional programs (U.S. Naval War College and the Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University).  Click here to see Part 1 entitled "Before Hand." Click here to see Part 2 entitled "The Application."  Click here to see Part 3 entitled "Know Yourself."  Click here to see Part 4 entitled "Be Prepared."  Click here to see Part 5 entitled "The Interview(s)."  Here is the sixth and final part of this series entitled: "Follow Up":

• Don't forget that rejection is part of the game—don't take it personally and don't let it get you down.—Hillary Gleason, Laredo Community College

• Never forget it's a crapshoot—there are no guarantees and nothing you can do except improve your odds (which remain, nonetheless, “odds”).—Jason Parker, Department of History, Texas A&M University

• If you receive a rejection letter, take some time and then write a thank you note for the consideration and time to look at your application. It was one of these that led to my first year long teaching job.—Salvatore Mercogliano, Department of History, Campbell University

• Perhaps the biggest change since I was last on the market has been the crowdsourcing of the entire process. For example, http://academicjobs.wikia.com/wiki/Academic_Jobs_Wiki is now the one stop shop for the job search. For those on the market, this site is valuable not only to read the experiences of others who are applying for the same positions, but a forum where one can post their own experiences. In a nutshell, I think one of the most frustrating parts of the job market, for applicants, is information asymmetry. One applies for a position, doesn't hear anything for months or never at all, and never feels fully part of the process. This site helps to reduce information asymmetry.—Luke A. Nichter, Texas A&M University—Central Texas