0.2 Finding the right institutional fit

What do you want?

• Do you want a strong sense of community and mentoring?
• Do you want to be able to “do your own thing” without much interference?
• What do you expect in terms of the graduate student community?
• Do you want a department that values postdocs?
• Think carefully about what you want and then formulate your process of preparation and interviewing
  • Ask the questions that matter to YOU
  • Engage faculty in the manner that YOU wish to be engaged (but always be polite!)
  • Demonstrate in your interactions the style that you will use as a faculty member

Prioritize your “wants” and know when to ask

Know what is important before your visit

• Teaching load/teaching assistants – interview
  • Level, size of class, length of assignment
• Mentoring programs (formal/informal) – interview
  • Ask assistant professors about mentoring received
  • Ask Chair about mentoring policies/procedures
• Tenure expectations –balance of research/ teaching/service
• Good work/life balance
• Department confidentiality

What are your key issues?

• Location – city central/rural
• Colleagues in your area or related areas
• Geographic area
• Type of institution
  • Research intensive
  • Combined research/teaching
  • Teaching intensive with some research

Ways to get information

Internet

• Search the department, school/college, institution
• Look at the faculty pages
• Look at the HR pages
• Find community pages
  • Weather, special events, features of the area
• Look for features of the institution and community that are important to you
• What is the distribution of faculty in the department?
• Would you be the only assistant professor?
• What does that mean?
• Are others who do research (either in your department or others) related to your own work?

Examine websites for resources

• What tangible resources are present in your department?
  • Shared equipment, shared computing, etc.
• Do courses have graduate teaching assistants?
  • You can find out more on an interview
• What support is provided by the human resources department/division/organization

Policies for the organization

• Many policies of interest are on-line, both institutional and departmental
• Almost all institutions have a Human Resources webpage that gives policy information
• Promotion and Tenure information
  • Also explore feedback before the P&T decision-making process

Talking points

Audience, particularly in interdisciplinary areas, can be quite varied in terms of background. Craft a message that is understood by readers from distinct backgrounds. In fields where research is a team effort, you have to acknowledge your collaborators while differentiating your key and important contributions to your work. Talk with your mentor(s) about strategies for presenting your work in the context of a team effort. Women are often less clear about their accomplishments and less willing to take credit for what they have done. Play to your strengths within your cultural context.