So, you’ve decided to apply for a faculty position and stay in academia. Maybe you are like me and you find it more rewarding to be in an academic setting, or perhaps you are having difficulties with finding a job in industry. No matter your reason, it’s good to give it a try!

I have been on the faculty job market for a while now (having applied several times since my graduation), and I have found that it is a very competitive and stressful process. At the time of writing this article, I am currently on my third iteration of the job search. Yet, I am fortunate to have been invited to interview at several institutions. I want to first and foremost say that you should not be discouraged if you do not get many interviews at first, and even more so if it takes a year or two to find a position (I am also writing this as a reminder to myself). Nevertheless, it is a very rewarding experience and it’s best to be prepared well to secure a position that aligns with your goals and aspirations.

First, I outline some useful links and resources that I found to be very helpful. Second, I will give some very general recommendations and tips.

Guides on the Faculty Application Process

  • Faculty Application Experience by Prof. Daniel Seita (USC) – This is written by a fellow RSS Pioneer. Daniel eloquently writes in great detail about the entire process from start to finish. He has been very successful in his applications and search process, so he clearly knows what he is saying!
  • Guide for the CS/IS Tenure-Track Job Market by Prof. Shomir Wilson (Penn State) – Another guide that I found to be very helpful.

Faculty Job Websites

These are sorted in order of my preference, with the most preferred website first.

Faculty Job Cheatsheets

  • My University Notes
    • For every school you chat and/or interview with, you should make a cheatsheet of key points about the school, the department, the faculty you would want to collaborate with, and the courses you would be interested and able to teach. It is also good to review information about the PhD program if you are considering a research university.
    • Some universities also have interdisciplinary or cross-departmental institutes or groups that could be of interest to you, and they are worth mentioning in your cover letters and interviews.
    • I highly recommend that you review the way I structured my notes and do it your own way. I personally like to go crawling on the department websites and copy-paste as much information as possible.
  • Faculty Application Tracker
    • I have created a Google Sheet that you can use to keep track of your applications and interviews. All you need to do is to copy the template and fill in the relevant information.
    • I would highly recommend that you share this template with your closest mentors and letter writers so that they can keep track of letters that they have sent out.

Questions for the Interviewers

  • How are the undergraduate students like at your university? Do they get involved in research? Are they passionate about graduate school?
  • What is the expected teaching load for faculty members?
  • What are the student-to-teacher ratios like?
  • How does service look like for faculty members?
  • Why did you choose ? How did you end up here?
  • What are some of your favourite aspects of the university?
  • What do you like about the city/town?

Questions for your Personal Reflection

  • Why do you want an academic position?
  • Do you want to do research? Do you want to teach? Do you want to do both or only one of these?
  • Do you want to teach at a research university?
  • Do you want to teach at a PUI (primarily undergraduate institution) ? Do you want to teach at a liberal arts college?
  • What kinds of courses would you be interested in teaching?
  • Do you enjoy mentoring? What is your mentoring style?
  • Are you passionate about broadening participation in computing? What are your experiences with broadening participation?

Final Thoughts

Do not be discouraged by the competitive nature of the faculty job search. As someone who has been on the cycle three times, I have learned that it is a very stochastic process, and there is not much you can do about the outcome, especially when there are factors beyond your control (such as research funding hits as what is currently happening).

Even if you do not end up in a top-tier university, it is always for the best.* It is sometimes better to be at a smaller or less hectic environment than one where tenure is not guaranteed and you do not have a healthy work-life balance. Teaching at a PUI is also a great option, especially if you are still able to engage in research.

Give yourself grace for even applying for these positions and be grateful for every experience to share your research and meet new people. Even though I have yet to secure a faculty position (at the time of writing this), I enjoyed travelling to new universities and places. Even though you are travelling on business, remember to have some fun in the process: explore the places you are visiting (perhaps enjoying some local scenes like museums or parks), see how life is like in the places you are considering.