Collection of Advice on How to Get an Academic Tenure Track Job

Since now is a busy time in the academic job application submitting/interviewing/offer making cycle I thought it would be worthwhile to provide a compilation of job search and interview tips that I have collected and written about on this blog over the years. And, later this month, I will be marking 9 years of blogging, which is a big milestone!

I have chaired 20 doctoral dissertations and placed all students well, and, most importantly, almost unanimously they have all thrived and are very successful in their chosen careers. Plus, I have chaired multiple search committees, and served on others, so I do have a lot of experience on this topic. Sometimes, honestly, I wish we could have hired all those candidates that we interviewed!

This year I believe is one with a very dynamic job market for those seeking academic positions in operations research / management science / operations management (and related disciplines), so it is an especially exciting time.

Below is information on specific job-related blogposts that I have written over the past few years with additional tips and even presentations posted in each.

• In the blogpost: Faculty Job Candidates need to be Resilient - Some Helpful Tips I emphasize that:  One has to be energetic, positive, and enthusiastic because the department is looking for a colleague and you are also being evaluated on how good of a fit you will be in terms of research, teaching, service, and collegiality! I believe that this advice has stood the test of time and is extremely relevant. The blogpost also contains a link to an excellent presentation that one of my former doctoral students, Dr. Jose M. Cruz, entitled: "The Myths and Facts of How to Get a Tenure Track Academic Job and How to Get Tenure" . Dr. Cruz is now a tenured Associate Professor at the School of Business at the University of Connecticut.
• In the blogpost: Tips on How to Get an Academic Job at a Business or Engineering School,  which was based on a UMass Amherst INFORMS Student Chapter panel,  The Process of Apply for and Securing and Academic Job, I summarized the highlights of the discussions. I also included a link to the presentation given by my former doctoral student, Dr. Amir H. Masoumi, now an Assistant Professor at Manhattan College. 
• Another blogpost with lots of great advice was also based on a panel at the Isenberg School of Management: Getting that Dream Academic Job - What We Learned from Isenberg School Panelists.
• And, in the blogpost (one of my most accessed ones): How to Ace the Second and the First Interview for an Academic Faculty Position, I include some useful links from The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Searching for an academic job, applying, interviewing, and then waiting for the outcome, plus deliberating and negotiating to secure the best possible offer, all take time, but the destination makes this journey very worthwhile.  Best of luck in your job search!