Program explores inside track to academic job market

<p>Students who aspire to a faculty position after graduation may find fierce competition for academic posts. ASU doctoral graduate Meghna Sabharwal is proof that you can defy the odds even in a tough job market.</p><separator></separator><p>She said it wasn’t luck that landed her a tenure-track position as assistant professor at University of Texas-Dallas, but a concrete plan that began with the ASU Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program.</p><separator></separator><p>“PFF provided me with tools that helped me navigate the academic job market,” Sabharwal said. “If not for PFF, I would not have been able to put together a competent job packet and navigate through the challenging interview process with relative calm and ease.”</p><separator></separator><p>The critical components of her job packet – a curriculum vitae (CV), teaching statement and research philosophy – were developed during her two years in the PFF program.</p><separator></separator><p>“I also became aware of the different steps involved in applying for an academic job, tips for interviewing, the negotiation process, and the road to tenure and beyond.”</p><separator></separator><p>“PFF is designed to give students an inside advantage in succeeding in their first academic position,” said Joan Brett, associate vice provost at the Graduate College. “Faculty roles – including research/scholarship, teaching and service – can differ from institution to institution, from a small liberal arts college to a large public research university. PFF helps graduate students prepare for the specific job they are seeking in academia, and it gives them a leg up in a competitive job market.</p><separator></separator><p>“The March 22 deadline is fast approaching,” she said. “Students and their advisers need to act quickly to be considered for the fall semester.”</p><separator></separator><p>Admission to PFF is competitive and requires adviser approval and completion of one year of a doctoral or MFA program by the start of the fall semester. PFF is a two-year course (one credit each year), consisting of a first-year Exploratory Phase and a second-year Participatory Phase.</p><separator></separator><p>Exploratory workshops and discussions focus on subjects such as CV preparation, grant writing, negotiating a job offer, technology and new media, promotion and tenure, and includes seminars with ASU faculty as well as virtual visits with faculty from other universities.</p><separator></separator><p>PFFs Participatory year delves deeper into preparation for applying at the institution of choice. Activities can include mock interviews, learning to network, and a faculty mentor who will review your plan and offer feedback.</p><separator></separator><p>“In this tough job market, employers are looking for a colleague who is ready to navigate the waters without much help; someone who has a research agenda already in place,” Sabharwal said. “This program is invaluable.”</p><separator></separator><p>PFF workshops, as well as faculty mentoring and review of her CV, cover letter and teaching statement, makes “enrolling in PFF the best decision I made,” she said.</p><separator></separator><p>The deadline for the fall semester PFF program is 8 a.m., March 22. Application materials and more information are available at <a href="http://graduate.asu.edu/pff">graduate.asu.edu/pff</a>.</p&gt;