Ethan Mereish, PhD, spent years training and honing his skills as a researcher who could initiate, secure funding for and eventually publish studies focused on health disparities in sexual and racial minorities. After finishing a clinical residency at Harvard Medical School and a research postdoctoral fellowship at Brown University, he was eager to start investigating the effect of social stigma on the risk of suicide and substance use in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. But continuing his work hinged on clearing one significant hurdle: securing a job in academia.
The competition he and other academic job seekers are facing is tough, according to data from the National Science Foundation's Survey of Earned Doctoratesopens in new window. In 2016, only 411 new psychology doctorates obtained academic employment right after graduate school. Typically, many psychologists apply for multiple academic jobs.
At Indiana University, for example, 20 to 80 applicants are usually vying for a single position in the psychology department, says William Hetrick, PhD, a professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences and chair of the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology.
To increase his odds of getting offers, Mereish applied to more than 20 schools and eventually received several offers. The Monitor asked Mereish and two other newly hired assistant professors how they found out about their jobs, how they prepared for the interviews and why they accepted those positions over others.
Ethan Mereish, PhD
American University, Department of Health Studies
How did you find out about the job?
When I started searching, I cast a wide net because I didn't know what type of position I wanted, and I knew it was going to be a competitive process. I was open to small liberal arts schools with heavier teaching loads, as well as larger schools that focused more on research. I also knew I wanted to live somewhere urban in the United States.
To find jobs, I followed the announcements on APA division listservs that fit my interests in counseling, health, and LGBT and racial and ethnic psychology. I also looked at job websites like HigherEdJobsopens in new window, Psychology Job Wikiopens in new window and ChronicleVitaeopens in new window. I created a spreadsheet listing different positions with information about the deadlines, additional requirements and links to the advertisements. I found the job I have now on HigherEdJobs.
What helped you get your interview?
My mentors encouraged me to convey in the cover letter and other materials that my graduate and postdoctoral training had prepared me to take initiative and launch my career as an independent researcher. I knew many institutions were interested in hiring faculty who knew how to write and secure external grants, so in my cover letter I highlighted the fact that my postdoctoral training had given me extensive experience writing and submitting federal grants.
I had also pursued a number of teaching experiences, and I described how I had developed and taught my own courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. I also got feedback from colleagues and mentors before submitting my materials to different schools.
What helped you decide the job was a good fit?
When I was preparing for my interview at American University, I was concerned that the position wouldn't be a good match because it was in a health department rather than a psychology department. But once I learned about the department's mission and interdisciplinary focus on health disparities, it became clear that this school was a fit for me because my research addressed LGBT and racial and ethnic health disparities.
As I went on job interviews, I kept in mind that the interview is not only about whether a candidate performs well, but also an opportunity for candidates to see if the department is a good fit for them. As I interviewed at different schools, I realized what I really wanted: to be at a place where I could conduct federally funded research and teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students.
Why did you choose this job over others?
I accepted American University's offer because they provided a good balance between teaching and research, and generous resources to help launch my independent research career, such as start-up funds for pilot studies and access to lab space and research assistants. I also appreciated the fact that the students and faculty were friendly, valued diversity and the university is in Washington, D.C., close to my family.
Jennifer Silvers, PhD
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Department of Psychology
How did you find out about your job?
During my final year in graduate school at Columbia University, I started looking at job postings online and joined listservs related to my areas of interest, like the Social and Affective Neuroscience Society and the Cognitive Development Society.
I also reached out to colleagues who had recently been hired and asked for copies of their cover letters and teaching and research statements. This gave me a sense of the basic format, what they emphasized and the level of detail. I applied for a few positions at this time because I liked the idea of getting familiar with the interview process, even though I was probably not experienced enough to land a position yet. I interviewed at two institutions during graduate school, and that made me more confident. It also became increasingly clear to me that I wanted a tenure-track position with access to neuroimaging facilities, potential collaborators and doctoral students. I started looking for jobs more seriously when I was a postdoc at Columbia University, and I found out about the UCLA position through a listserv.
What do you think helped you get the job?
During my postdoc, I was publishing in the field of developmental social neuroscience and had good momentum in terms of publications. I also had some experience securing grants and had given several talks about my research at conferences. I asked for feedback on my job talk from three different labs, and I practiced my talk a lot for a month.
When I applied to UCLA, it was for a social neuroscience position that would likely involve a primary appointment in social psychology. After the interview, however, the search chair asked me if I would be open to having my primary appointment in the developmental psychology area and my secondary appointment in the social psychology area. I was excited about this prospect because my research is focused on developmental approaches to social and affective neuroscience. Ultimately, this plan was approved by all involved parties at UCLA and I accepted the offer.
Why did you take the job?
The biggest factor I considered was fit with the department. Would I be supported in terms of pursuing my research program and would there be potential collaborators and senior faculty mentors? I asked several people who were currently assistant professors or who had recently attained tenure about their experiences at the school. I learned that the neuroimaging community was strong at UCLA, and I was impressed by the caliber of the research. As someone who does interdisciplinary research, I liked the fact that I would have access to potential collaborators from the medical school and nine different divisions within the psychology department.
Jasmín Llamas, PhD
Santa Clara University, School of Education and Counseling Psychology
How did you start your job search?
After earning my doctoral degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, I did an internship at the University of California, San Francisco. During the internship, a former professor from my undergraduate and master's program at Santa Clara University reached out to me about an open position at the school. The role matched my background because I'd been focusing on multicultural research, and I applied. Around that time, I was a graduate student representative at an APA Div. 45 (Society for the Psychological Study of Culture, Ethnicity and Race) executive committee meeting and I mentioned to the group that I would be interviewing at my alma mater Santa Clara University. A member of the committee told me there was an open position at his school, and then another said his university might also have an opening. They both encouraged me to apply for the positions, and I did.
What helped you get an interview?
I have a master's in research methods, and I found that a lot of places were interested in finding someone to teach their research methods courses. I also tailored my cover letters based on the focus of the school. For the doctoral programs, I front-loaded the cover letter with my research interest in health disparities among vulnerable populations and a recent NIH grant I had applied for to study cultural factors influencing young adult smoking behavior. Santa Clara University emphasizes teaching, so for that cover letter I showcased my teaching experience, particularly my certificate in college and university teaching, and a previous nomination as an outstanding teaching assistant in graduate school.
When institutions asked me to come in for interviews, I prepared for each one separately. Because interviewers often ask which classes applicants are interested in teaching, I reviewed each institution's course catalog to see which courses I felt I would be qualified to teach. At Santa Clara University, I knew they needed someone to take on their child-focused courses, so I highlighted experiences like my recent rotation focused on evidence-based treatment for children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. I also created an overview of my research, a description of how I would conduct research at that school and a list of potential collaborators at Santa Clara University and the University of California, San Francisco.
At one of the universities, for example, I talked to faculty about the importance of connecting with a diverse community for my studies, and we brainstormed ways to access these populations through community colleges and other state universities.
Why did you choose Santa Clara University?
When Santa Clara offered me the job, I let the two other schools I had applied to know that I had a tight timetable. They both invited me to come in for interviews within a few days, but I didn't want to put off Santa Clara for too long. After two weeks, both universities were still interviewing other candidates and were not ready to make offers. I realized that Santa Clara was my top choice because I had enjoyed working with the faculty during my master's program. I also wanted to stay local because my family is in the San Francisco Bay Area and my husband's job isn't transferable. Santa Clara University also has great benefits, like housing assistance and a tuition-remission program for children of employees who attend the school or other sister Jesuit schools.
Learn how to prepare and follow up on interviews in the Monitor article "How to Earn That ‘Welcome Aboard'" at https://bit.ly/2LmGFoS.
