The Academic Job Search Timeline

2+ years before completion

• Become familiar NOW with postings for the work you want.

  • Where is the best place to look for the jobs you want? (E.g. online, in professional journals, The Chronicle for Higher Education, and so on.)

  • What type of work would you do? (E.g. tenure-track, limited-term appointments, sessional instruction, and so on.)

  • What skills and expertise will you be expected to have?

  • In what city/country are the jobs you want? (Are you ready to move?)

  • What materials will you need to prepare in order to apply? (E.g. a course syllabus, a letter of intent, reference letters, and so on.)

• Develop and maintain an up-to-date CV of your teaching, research, service, and professional activities.
• Develop and maintain a teaching dossier and a research dossier.
• Explore postdoctorate options relevant to your field or discipline.
• Develop relevant professional experience and skills. (E.g. teaching, communication/interpersonal skills, and so on.)
• Learn what's involved in setting up your dossier with the Career Centre's Graduate Dossier Service (GDS).

12-18 months before completion

• Begin applying for jobs and postdocs.
• Confirm your references and begin collecting letters from them.
• Attend relevant professional association meetings and conferences: network!
• Practice academic interviews/job talks. (E.g. meet with peers to plan and prepare, or attend The Academic Interview workshop.)
• Determine what your employment-related needs are and prepare to negotiate offers that comes your way.
• Stay on track with your writing and research (complete your dissertation!)
• Have a Plan 'B' ready (E.g. a postdoc, short-term sessional instruction, non-academic work). Academic hiring is a competitive process!

4-6 months before completion

• Continue to stay alert for postings of both postdocs and tenure-track positions
• Set up your dossier with the Graduate Dossier Service (GDS).
• Continue networking
• Keep your teaching dossier & research dossier up-to-date.
• If you get a job, let your network know! (And, specifically, be sure to thank your references!)
• Keep your interview skills honed

For more information, browse the results of the Survey on Doctoral Education and Career Preparation: http://www.phd-survey.org/report%20final.pdf

Also take a look at a similar timeline published by the University of Michigan's Career Center: http://www.careercenter.umich.edu/students/gradservices/academic/acadtime.htm

Finally, anyone seeking to develop a career in academia should obtain a copy of the Academic Work Search Essentials guide published by the Career Centre, and available at the Career Resource Library.