List addiction is an epidemic among academic writers. I have a blog post about the subject (which I knew nothing about prior to my work in TPII), and I refer at least 50% of clients to that blog post at one point or another. What is it with … [Read more...] about List Addiction, Cont’d: The Dyad
How To Write Academic Job Cover Letters
Banish These Words
Do not use the words “unique” or “burgeoning” in any of your job documents. They are painfully overused. The first is just trite. The second is over-dramatic. That is all. … [Read more...] about Banish These Words
Damning Yourself With Faint Praise–Teaching Edition
For some reason people love to include undergraduate student feedback in the teaching paragraph of their job letters, and that feedback usually looks like this (from an actual letter): “Former students have consistently told me that I give helpful … [Read more...] about Damning Yourself With Faint Praise–Teaching Edition
The Worst Job Letter Ever Written (Not really…)
A few months ago one of my clients, after completing work with me on her job letter, ruefully sent along the original version of the letter that she had been using the previous year. She wrote, "I've attached a copy of the first job letter I ever … [Read more...] about The Worst Job Letter Ever Written (Not really…)
Tailoring a Job Letter, Beginning and Advanced
An expanded and updated version of this post can now be found in Chapter 23 of my new book, The Professor Is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your Ph.D. Into a Job. I am keeping a shortened version here, but for the complete discussion including … [Read more...] about Tailoring a Job Letter, Beginning and Advanced
You’re Elite, The Job is Not: How Do You Tell Them You’ll Really Stay?
Today’s post is a Special Request Post for a reader, an ABD from an Ivy League, who wrote to ask, rather plaintively, how she might reassure a search committee for a job at a small, regional, teaching college that she Really Will Stay, if offered the … [Read more...] about You’re Elite, The Job is Not: How Do You Tell Them You’ll Really Stay?
How-To(sday): The Ten Commandments of Going on the Market as ABD
Dr. Karen is on vacation in Italy July 2012. During that time she is re-posting older blog posts her regular Tuesday and Thursday posting days. She'll recommence new posting some time in … [Read more...] about How-To(sday): The Ten Commandments of Going on the Market as ABD
Is Your Writing Better Than Waffles?
Last week, I was working on a client's materials. We were on something like draft #4 of her dissertation abstract, following on weeks of work on her c.v. and job letter. She'd been working hard, and her materials showed it. It was Sunday morning, … [Read more...] about Is Your Writing Better Than Waffles?
What Inside Candidates Persist in Doing Wrong
Today's post looks directly at the question of the inside candidate. It goes without saying that most people on the job market fiercely resent the inside candidate, assuming that he or she has endless advantages over external applicants. I am here … [Read more...] about What Inside Candidates Persist in Doing Wrong
Why You Need a Second Project. An Urgent #Facepalm Fail Addendum
In the middle of an Interview Bootcamp with a client yesterday, I suddenly realized with a jolt, and to my horror, that I had inexplicably and senselessly forgotten one of the major #Facepalm Fails of the academic interview in my earlier post on that … [Read more...] about Why You Need a Second Project. An Urgent #Facepalm Fail Addendum