Scaling the Ivory Tower: Your Academic Job Search Workbook

We wrote this book because so many academics find it daunting to navigate the search for an academic position. Since we first published it, the world has been hit with the coronavirus pandemic. We have added a preface to the second edition to address hunting for an academic job in the midst of dealing this virus.

The workbook is designed with 58 worksheets and checklists dealing with everything from the imposter syndrome to crafting a cover letter that tells your unique story. Checklists are available for items to consider when crafting cover letters, interviews (whether on the telephone, by video or in person), and negotiating an offer. It was created to help newly minted academics, as well as those who may want to move laterally, to handle the pragmatic aspects of the job search. The information and necessary skills for this process are generally not taught in graduate school.

The book is organized in seven essential sections:

• Part 1 introduces the academic job search cycle and outlines the various categories for hires.
• Part 2 helps you stay on top of your academic job search, from where to look to publishing plans.
• Part 3 gives you various ways to organize and track your job search applications.
• Part 4 outlines the ten important pieces of your academic job search portfolio, and offers examples or templates for those elements.
• Part 5 presents the ins and outs of your academic job search interview, including handling conference, video and on site visits.
• Part 6 looks at additional considerations including some statistics on the academic job market and alternatives to the professoriate.
• Part 7 concludes by recapping some of the most important items to consider as you go through a month by month academic job search process.

This book was developed by two coaches who have a combined work experience of over 40 years with academic clients who are unfamiliar with the nuts and bolts of seeking an academic position. The workbook offers real life up-to-date examples of the job search process from the applicant’s point of view and is designed to reduce anxiety through concrete exercises and demystify the academic job search process.