Talk:English Literature 2011-2012

Opening Questions
The question in my life for this year's job season will be: is the fourth time a charm? X 2

Mine is: Is the third time the charm?

(From original poster) Good luck, third-timer. I have very little hope, but you never know...

Here's a question: if a school has sent materials requests / scheduled MLA interviews, how safe is it to assume that they won't send / schedule any more? I know that assumption isn't always true; but how often is it false?

I have similar question to above. If a college on here listed as : 12/13 MLA interview scheduled e-mail, but I did not receive e-mail, is that it? Should I stop waiting and move on. (I was asked to send WS last week, which I did.)

A: Every schools does it a bit differently, that is the most important thing to remember. That said, it is more common for materials requests to come out on a rolling basis (over a matter of weeks) than interview requests (particularly for MLA), which usually are made on the same day or within a few days of each other. Again, though, this is a generalization that may not hold in any specific case (in the case immediately above, it seems like if you were just recently asked for materials, you might give it a few more days before totally giving up). Overall, though, it is best to recognize that there is a wide variety of practices in the academic job market, which does make it really nerve-wracking for candidates, alas.

Q. On a similar note, do schools tend to call their first-choice interviewee candidates first? If my MLA interview invitation came several days after the first invite was recorded on the wiki, does that mean I may be somewhere down the list for this job?

A. As the previous answer said, who knows? Maybe. Some schools might do invites in one sweep. Some may stagger them. Some may prioritize. Some may wait for responses to invites. Really, unless you know someone on the SC who can say, this is what we do, we have no idea. In a perfect world that would clear all our nerves, an SC would tell us exactly how they will proceed with everything, but since most of them get well over a hundred applicants, it is just not possible. In most cases, you won't know the final verdict until you get the rejection letter. (And even then, who knows. Two years ago I received a request to re-apply one month after I got a formal rejection letter . . . alas, it never went anywhere. But it just proves that this is not a fixed process.)

Schools with a Religious Affiliation
The majority of the job postings that I am looking at happen to be for colleges and universities with a religious affiliation--Jesuit, Franciscan, Lutheran (I am not applying to Evangelical schools)--but very few list anything to do with religion in their job apps. Those that do suggest that the applicant be interested in "service" or, occasionally, in the college's mission statement (which is likewise vague, listing service and upstanding citizenship). Each institution's website notes that religious affiliation is not necessary and that persons of all religions are welcome. My question, then, concerns how or even whether to address religion in the cover letter. Is this something that needs to be emphasized, or should I discuss service or global engagement or something similar instead?


 * A: There is a thread on this topic on Talk:Medieval 2011 that you might find helpful. I do not believe that you are obligated to address religion in the cover letter for this type of school, although if your research/teaching touches on "social justice" in some way, it wouldn't hurt to mention it. You could expect to be asked at interview/campus visit stage something like "What do you know about Jesuit education?" and, if you get to that level and don't have a background in that area, it would be a good idea to do some research on the tradition in advance to produce a thoughtful and informed response. That said, it is true that usually Catholic schools do not expect Catholic (or any) religious affiliation, although they often do value candidates who can show some respect/appreciation for their educational traditions.

State of the Market / Job Seeking in Multiple Fields
Discussion from Main English page (10/1-3)
 * 9/16 (a.m.): the JIL is up, but it is running veryyy slowlyyyy . ..
 * 9/16 (1:15 pm EST): I can't get the JIL to load at all...
 * I can't get through either. I think the system is overwhelmed . ..
 * 9/17 (a.m.) JIL is loading relatively better so far. Maybe the crunch is over. ..
 * yeah, now all we gotta deal with is how sh*tty the list is so far. at least in my field...
 * Is it possible that the job market is even worse this year than it was last year? Whereas I went into the market with my eyes wide open to the slim pickings, I'm a bit surprised at how few TT positions there are available in 20th century British. My second year on market, vast teaching experience, four big journal publications in past year, several awards, a lot of recommendation and support from both PhD and teaching institutions, and my applications only got a nibble last year. I'm not looking forward to a full-time career of being a part-time faculty member.
 * It definitely depends on the field. Mod. Brit. is really, really tough this year. On the other hand, 20-21 c. American was absolutely miserable last year, but seems healthier this year. Renaissance also looks pretty good.
 * Ugh, to me 20-21 Am seems way worse this year *unless* you do an "ethnic" lit field (chicano/a, asian-am, af-am, native am, etc.).
 * The first thing you need to realize is that most jobs available in the country are teaching jobs, not research jobs. That means that you have to do more than publish and teach a lot (quantity). You need to show that you are devoted to innovative teaching (quality) and service, and you have to show that up front in your letter. I am on a search committee this year, and we are all stunned at how few applicants think about what our school values. We value research, and it's well supported at our university, but the first thing we look for in selecting people is that they recognize we are a student-centered (not research or self-centered) campus and write a letter that showcases that.
 * In response to the above, I recognize what you're saying, and I am aware that most of the jobs are teaching jobs, but it seems to be that each department in each college/university has different things they look for and value in a cover letter in the majority of positions open for a "teaching" position. Yes, I think it is shocking that many job searchers fail to address the the needs and concerns unique to the institution to which they are applying. At the same time (and I'm still addressing those majority of jobs that are teaching jobs), it remains difficult to guage what a search committee values in a cover letter from institution to institution based on the job description and the their website. It's hard to know when, for instance, if a job is advertised for a 20th century American lit job at University XYZ whether or not to showcase your research and scholarly accomplishments in the first paragraph, or your pedagogical and community accomplishments. So I suppose there is a tricky politics, and a bit of a guessing game (unless a job posting says explicitly that we're valuing sholarly achievement less than pedagogical achievement, or, as is rarely the case, a job posting tells you what they want you to address in a cover letter) as far as the placement of the paragraph or two that emphasizes teaching ability and the paragraph or two that empahsizes dissertation and scholarly accomplishments. And, by the way, most sample cover letters and "how to write academic cover letter for English jobs" type articles produced by job placement committees at universities or mla, tend to show letters in which one's academic achievement and dissertation are emphasized first. Yes, most of the jobs are obviously teaching jobs, but I don't know anyone yet who has a clear consensus on where to place the initial emphasis in the cover letter for each individual job (unless, again, the job posting says explicitly, this is what we want you to emphasize in the cover letter).
 * I couldn't agree more with the above response... It is impossible, and somewhat dangerous to anticipate what a search committee might want with a cover letter. I once asked my advisor, who I really respect on job search issues, how much I should tailor my letter to specific search ads. He advised me that being too specific to the ad can be problematic as some search committee members were unhappy with what the school was looking for, and thus what the ad said the department wanted. As the above posting recognizes, politics can get a bit tricky to negotiate. Also, should search committees really expect job letters to be so so specific to their ad? On one hand maybe. But people apply to so many schools out of necessity that shaping each letter becomes not only time consuming, but sometimes a bit insincere. Obviously some shaping needs to happen, but I would present who you feel you are, and who you want to be as a scholar and teacher. If they want you, so be it. If they don't, oh well.
 * OK. Now I don't mind revealing perhaps my ignorance revealed in this question concerning job search: My specialization and dissertation is modernist British novelists. But I spent a great deal of my PhD program studying/ conducting research on Shakespeare and Renaissance, work that led to my dissertation--AND nearly half of courses I have taught over past 8 years at a private liberal arts college were Shakespeare--I have taught all of the college's Shakespeare: the survey classes, the seminar, and a special topics Shakespeare class I create every year. Additionally, I have an article coming out in a major journal that uses Shakespeare in context of modernist political philosophical argument. Would I be a viable candidate for jobs in both Renaissance / Early Modern and 20th cent Brit lit, or am I stuck with looking only at 20th century Brit lit since my dissertation was on three modernst Brit novelists? (As you can see, I'm hoping I can widen my search, and, quite frankly, I love teaching Shakespeare).
 * Yes, if you have experience teaching Shakespeare and some publication record on Shakespeare, I think it is realistic to apply for both Early Modern and Modern jobs. The more you can widen your search, the better your chances . ..
 * I'm a job search novice, but the placement committee at my university told me that a secret to the job search is that teaching a course or publishing in a subject area, even if it is not the subject of your dissertation, makes you viable for jobs in that field. Candidates often don't realize that. So yes, I think early modern jobs make sense, and the market in that period seems relatively vibrant this year. Maybe a search committee will love the idea of having someone who can teach early modern and modern.
 * I think the advice you've been given is a bit disingenuous. Being "viable" for a job and being competitive are different things, esp. in this tough job market. It's a bit like saying that anyone with a BA is viable for a PhD program -- this is true, but the bar is usually set a lot higher than that.
 * Point taken.
 * Yes, that advice was probably too optimistic. I work with a chair of an English department at big research univ. who is probably in the know more than most anyone about how the search works. Most of big universities and top liberal arts colleges hiring for tenure track look first for someone whose research shows the promise of consistant success in the future--whether that is journal pubs, journals/conferences showing interest in your research (revise and resubmit), and / or if your research resonates in way that has a future for you as a scholar they want to invest in. Then they want to know that you can get into the classroom and hit the ground running with teaching. They are definitely suspicious of anyone who has slim experience designing and teaching courses--so if any of you only have experience TAing, try to get some work designing / teaching your own course, whether at your phd institution or somewhere else as an adjunct. And search committees like people who have experience teaching outside of the university in which they worked on PhD
 * You do seem to have a lot of experience outside your field, but that might actually work against you in post-1900 job searches because it dilutes your focus. That might still be okay in some teaching-focused schools. Either way, it will make you more appealing to schools looking for a generalist, but people who want a Renaissance person or a Modernist probably won't interview someone fresh from graduate school working primarily in a field that isn't their dissertation field. "Why did this person write a post-1900 dissertation if most of his/her teaching and research are actually in Renaissance?" That's the question that your cover will need to address.
 * Definitely, you should craft two separate cover letters--one for each type of job.
 * Thanks for all the quick responses! Actually, first three years of PhD program were Renaissance, and after that my focus of research was 20th cent. Brit. I first studied under big Shakepeare scholar, and then got an advisor who was both a big Shakespeare and 20th century brit scholar. A third of courses I've taugt are Shakespeare, and most of others are modernist--and 3 of my 4 pubs are 20th cent Brit. So I think I can remain confidently modernist if need be for a job looking for that. My profs from phd institution all think I could teach anything, which isn't really helpful advice--wish they'd be bit more tough with e. but if I need to I could sell myself as Generalist. I'm just a bit uncertain I could compete with the Shakespeare crowd, but with market as it is I might as well try. And yes, I have written three different letters to draw from so far: one for modernism, one for Shakespeare, and one for Generalist. Again, thanks. I'll keep perusing these pages to see what's up.
 * Do you plan to do significant future research in the Renaissance? That will be key if you apply for early modern jobs at any school that values research for tenure. Since most people turn their diss into their first book (often necessary for tenure), having a modernist diss is already a huge strike against you. Even your "Shakespeare" article is focused on modernist philosophy. So based on what you've said here, your CV shows little or no record of research in the Renaissance (coursework doesn't count). Your profile will be most attractive to smaller schools seeking a generalist, or dual-field coverage.
 * Yes. My diss dealt with biblical / eschatological paradigms that had begun to wear out during Renaissance, resulting in shifts in narrative temporality in modernist fiction, particularly how indeterminacy frustrates consummate endings causing a postmodern play with notions of death, time and eternity--I would like, for instance, to extend Kermode's, Fidde's, Ricoeur's et al examination of paradigms of origins and "the promised end" they argue begin to break down in Shakespeare's plays. I suppose my goal is idealistic, but I'd like to be able to speak and write with authority as a scholar who can bridge both early modern and modernist literature. But I realize I can't just get a TT job as both -- have to begin as one or the other. As I wrote earlier, my first half of PhD program I studied Renaissance under one scholar, and then second half I studied modern Brit and hermeneutics under another scholar, under whom I wrote my diss.
 * (10-16) I found the posts above really helpful. But I have a question: is it better to get into conferences wherever I find them, or better to wait for the big name conferences? Do search committees discriminate? What about publications? How many publications does one need to be competitive? I'm on the job market for the second year, but really the first year in earnest, one publication in revise and resubmit stage, 5 conferences, tons of teaching, dissertation will be defended in four months. How important is it to have the PhD in hand, and how do I strengthen my application?
 * Those are good questions that tend to nag everyone -- what does a search committee look for in a cv and other materials. First, it depends on type of school you're applying to. For instance, community colleges are interested almost entirely in teaching experience, professional development in teaching, and service. A small liberal arts college will be interested in both your teaching experience and your research. A large research university will be more than likely more interested in your research. But between liberal arts colleges and universities, it is not a steadfast rule -- always research what you can about what a certain institution values. With that said, the most important thing all around is to have some good teaching experience, particularly in your specialty. Of course, publications are important, but not having publications is not the end all be all (it is great to have revise and resubmit, and you should emphasize this on cv / cover letter). But if you have one or more pubs in good peer-reviewed journals it is a big plus. As far as conferences go, it is a vague area. It would appear from the surveys done by MLA--actual responses from search committees--that conference attendence is pretty low on the list of things committees look at. In fact, i've talked to some faculty on search committees who look at cvs suspiciously if the candidate lists or emphasizes tons of conferences. Obviously conferences can't hurt an application, but the data I've seen collected over the years suggests that conferences are very low on the list of things committees look at compared to teaching, publications and research. Also, committees don't want to know just what you HAVE done, but are interested in knowing what you WILL do, too, since they are making an investment in the person they hire -- in other words, it really helps if you offer a sense of future research you plan to conduct and / or projects you've got in the works. And it is becoming more and more the norm for committees to want PhD in hand -- not a lot of ABD hires going on anymore--so make sure you emphasize at the VERY BEGINNING of your cover letter that you will have your dissertation defended by May, or something like that. Somewhere there is a good study that Ibelieve MLA did last year concerning all of these questions. Maybe someone else knows. Or go to ADE page
 * Thank you so much! I can't tell you how helpful this is.
 * Perhaps this belongs on a venting page, or something, but I have to be honest, I don't know what gets people even a foot in the door for an interview in this field and market. This is going into my third year on the market and here are my stats so to speak: four major journal publications; EXTENSIVE teaching expereince at three institutions, one where I have been teaching all of their classes in my area for several years, and one where I teach all of their Shakespeare; several awards, one for the best teacher at a major research university; I have conferences; I have had professors who serve on search committees spend hours working with me on my materials--cv, cover letter, etc. And I have not received ONE call, one interview. Nothing. I've been teaching 7, 8, even, on a couple of occassions, 9 courses a semester just to make ends meet, and now I'm trying to figure out how to make extra money so that I don't default on my mortgage. I'm paying for health insurance out of pocket for me and my family. I dedicated a decade of my life to get this PhD for something I love. I'm getting too old to make a career change. And I'm burned out. It's feeling inhuman to teach this many classes a semester. I'm supposed to be an English PhD and I don't have time to read a book. I literally do not know what else I can put on my cv or what else to do--what difference would one more major publication make? Is five better than four? What difference would teaching one more Brit lit class make on top of the forty or more I've already taught? Does a search committee really care if I went to one more f-ing conference? Sorry to sound so negative--it looks like I'm not going to MLA again this year--but I really don't know what gets people a job. I know I'm not the only one in this situation.
 * 1) On Nov. 20, it is a bit too early to assume you will not get an MLA interview. Most schools have not even made their interview calls yet, some schools have been known to call right before X-mas, and with MLA in Jan. now, I wouldn't be suprised if some pushed it even later. That said, it is better to assume the worst, and then be pleasantly suprised if it turns out otherwise. 2) the "X" factor is just sheer chance, luck, fortuna, whatever you want to call it. There are so many idosyncratic factors that go into any single search, you can't calculate or know for certain why not you, why someone else, why you and not someone else, etc.. I wish I could tell you the magic formula, and certainly there are many things you can do (as others have suggested above) to maximize your chances, but none of those suggestions is a guarantee of success. You also need plain, dumb luck.
 * Yes I know all of that. I'm just feeling lousy about everything, particularly the slim pickings in my area. And I'm just feeling a lot of panic, looking at finances and feeling uncertain that I can go through another year and a half of part-time teaching and little to know pay in the summer, etc etc. (Yikes, maybe that's why I haven't gotten a job yet -- I'm spelling "no" as "know"!)
 * Have you gotten someone you trust--either the placement advisor, a member of your dissertation committee, or the department chair--to vet your letters of reference? If not, do this ASAP: I have heard multiple stories about candidates who have been submarined by a lukewarm recommendation. You also might consider throwing out your old letter of application (which obviously isn't working for you) and drafting something new and fresh. Then, have lots of random people look at it, and maybe attend the job seekers' workshops offered at MLA every year. Last but not least: remember that getting a TT job is akin to winning a small lottery, and don't beat yourself up about it.