Talk:History 2009-2010

If the long-form discussion on the front page gets too unwieldy, I'll be moving it here eventually, with directions of course. The discussion is the best part. ..

A useful reminder: Remember, people, this wiki is not entirely anonymous. If you don't want your posts to be linked to your parent institution, do not post from work, or while using the network or internet access provided by your educational institution; your IP address can be traced to, at the least, your institution's name. Go to a coffee shop.

New entries and text moved here from the front page - for ease of reading, I suggest adding new items at the top of the page
Q: Is it time to panic? (9/21) I am beginning to feel awfully pessimistic about this year's job market (if we can call it that).

A: Ordinarily I'd say yes, but last week the AHA and H-Net posted a decent number of jobs. (For Europe, the AHA posted ten between the 18th and 20th.) Given things usually end with a whimper, I'm hopeful there may be a few weeks left.

A: It seems to be dependent on sub-discipline as well - my field is actually doing fairly well this year and the pace, if anything, seems to have picked up recently. (9/22)

Q: Is it OK to submit a bit more, in terms of application materials, than they ask for? I'm not talking about a lot, but say adding your writing sample if they don't ask for it? Or is that really annoying to the search committee - does it look like you can't follow directions? Thanks. (9/15)

A: Send only what they request for exactly the reasons you cite. If they like your letter, they'll ask for a chapter.

9/11: Curse you AHA for not posting any jobs today!
 * Seriously, WTF AHA?
 * I'm sensing a pattern (9/25)

The Chronicle of Higher Ed just changed its format, and their jobs page is harder to find and use. (They also just abruptly laid off several employees at their sister pub., the Chronicle of Philanthropy; like most publications, they're in a severe crisis. They're not handling it well, though, according to some employees I know.)

The Chronicle posted this semi-apology for their new jobs site, which is a disaster: http://chronicle.com/page/A-Note-About-Our-Jobs-Site/66/


 * Once the first place to look, the CHE site is now the last place.
 * No kidding! And if you want to do something exotic like bookmark a page, forget it!
 * They have created a "classic view" which allows you to browse all history jobs, listed by date posted. But the Chronicle has always been annoying and cumbersome: why can't they list the sub-field in the title, like everybody else?  Sometimes you have to click through three links to find out what field they are looking for.

A. Hi back! Let the people in each subfield craft their own wikis: there are different issues involved. Thanks for creating the main page!!

While waiting for job ads, try working on some publications, and update this page: http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/History_Journal_Response_Times

Can we get a Middle East/Africa category as well?

A. You see that button that says "edit"? Create whatever categories you want, then build the page they link to. You can create your own page for any subfield.

Q: A general question: It's now Aug. 16, and there are only a handful of jobs in European history (the field I follow most closely). It's likely that there will be fewer job openings this year, but my question (as a relative new-comer to the job market) is: when do most job ads appear? Probably in the next month, I recall from the last two years?

Q: I have a similar question as above but for U.S. history. Looks like it's shaping up to be a better year for early American and 19th century than 20th...but is it too soon to tell? Very slim pickings so far...

A: Postings usually begin in late July and peter out by the first of Oct. I think it's still too soon to tell how this year is looking. (8/23)

A: It's still really early. Lots of schools are just getting back into session, and if a department hadn't put together their ad in May, they're only starting to do so now. On another note we won't know if our search is a go until Sept. 15. I would say we'll get a 3-4 week burst starting Sept 1, and then you can reach for the bottle of pills. (That said, I'm at three applications already, and that's the same as all last year!)

A: Although it is still early, it's easy to tell that there are fewer big jobs in European history than there were last year. I'm an early modernist, and by the end of August 2008 there were several important positions posted versus two right now (8/28). That said, a lot of departments probably have the postings ready to publish, but are waiting for approval from the university. Our department has two searches in semi-stasis, waiting to see what happens with the economy. I have a hunch there will be a lot of VAP stuff this year that could turn into tenure-track positions later, once colleges have greater confidence in their financial position. Of course, that's only a guess. Any other opinions?

A: Another early modernist here. The hazard of making this sort of guess is that the sample is so small, it doesn't take much for a particular field to buck the broader trend or, God forbid, do even worse than the field as a whole. If you're talking about eight or ten really good jobs (though I realize that this is an extremely elastic term), it doesn't take much to turn an average year into a bonanza or a massacre.

A: I agree that it's too early to tell, but I also recall more ads appearing by now during more flush times. FWIW, one theory I've heard that seems to make sense is that this year will be about as bad as last year, as most budgets were probably set when the economy was teetering on the edge. As a result, this could mean that the next couple of years after this one are very good as a whole bunch of searches that have been tabled will finally be run.

A: I've heard the same analysis from professors at my university who agree that this year could be a bit of a wash with next year and the one after looking for hopeful. But I guess it's still early.

A: I think it is still a little early (9/3) but as a medievalist, I'm getting a little nervous. Only 4 jobs posted and most aren't particularly specific on the AOS.

For what it's worth, I've penciled in "Start to sweat" for 9/14, and "Panic" for 9/22.
 * Oh, I am so with you there. For Latin America, there has been one posting for the past two weeks. My total potential job pool is at a whopping five. For reference, there were three times as many jobs at this point last year. My potential panic is scheduled for 9/25.
 * Just one more perspective, but I'd add that this year won't have the same bloodbath feeling to it as last year (though it's looking like slim pickings right now). Because of when the economic crisis hit, searches were canceled left and right over the winter. I'd guess that what few jobs are posted this year are at least more likely to actually go through to a hire. (9/6)
 * I hope that's true. I was complaining today (9/6) to a friend about the small number of jobs posted now, and she gently reminded me that I've done this every September for the past three years. So maybe all will be well.
 * Of course, there is the backlog of applicants who didn't get jobs last year.
 * Of course, there is the backlog of applicants who didn't get jobs last year.

Yikes. What a miserable time to be finishing or just finished. There's nothing coming in this year. This past Friday there wasn't a SINGLE NEW JOB in American History posted with the AHA.


 * Yeah...kept refreshing AHA page thinking it couldn't possibly be true. Yikes is right.

I agree (9/24). The job market this year seems to be worse than last year. Hopefully, there will be more job adds in the first week of October.