Creative Writing Jobs 2009-10

PLEASE NOTE: This page is misnamed - this information is for jobs starting August 2010 - should be called "Jobs 2010-2011"

Who is using this Wiki:
...on Thanksgiving?: 3

Poet: 45

Fiction Writer 26

Creative Non-Fiction Writer: 9

Multi-Genre: 19

Creative Nonfiction/Fiction: 7

Fiction/Poetry: 3

Creative Nonfiction/Poetry: 6

Creative Nonfiction/Fiction/Poetry:

Fiction/Creative Nonfiction/Playwriting: 1

Fiction/Creative Nonfiction/Screenwriting/Journalism: 1

First Time on Market: 17

Unemployed and looking for job: 13

Have job and looking for new one: 25

'Have short-term gig, looking for TT: 25

Gluttons For Punishment: 3

Now what?: 1

PhD: 39

MFA: 32

Terminal MA: 3 

First book in progress: 15

First book under contract: 3

First book published: 22

Second book under contract: 7

Multiple books published: 28



For writers who identified as "Have job and looking for new one," why do you want to leave your current position?

Not tenure-track: 13

Didn't receive tenure:

Want a different geographical location: 2

Want a lighter teaching load: 5

Want to work in a more high-profile school/department/program: 2

My department/program is not very collegial: 4

Am going on the market to improve conditions (ie, salary, trying to get a spouse hired) at my current school: 4

Current job is in a different sector: 2



Sample questions moved to General Questions About Job Markets

Job Offers
Poetry

Fiction

Western Michigan (Spring 2010)

Non-Fiction

Playwriting/Screenwriting

Open Genre

Interview Requests
Please include school, date, interview location, and method of contact. [NOTE: Please list in chronological rather than alphabetical order.]

Poetry

George Mason-- 1 (11/5) campus visit scheduled for November

TCU--(Has informed a group of 8 finalists, from which they will choose 2-3 to bring to campus, but they will not be interviewing at MLA)

St. Lawrence University (one year VAP) -- 1 (11/30, email) MLA interview; 1 (12/1, email) Phone interview

Fiction

Western Michigan

Cleveland State University- (2) (12/3, phone call) schedule MLA interview

Rhodes College (2) (12/4, phone call) schedule MLA interview

Columbia (Lectureship) (12/4, phone call) schedule interview (See discussion below.)

Kansas State (2) (12/4, phone call) scheduled MLA interview

Non-Fiction

Fontbonne U (11/30, email) phone interview

New College of Florida (12/4 email), phone interview (Note: position is "prose")

Playwriting/Screenwriting

Open Genre

Shepherd University (12/3, phone call) MLA interview (3)

Lebanon Valley College (12/2, phone call) MLA interview

High Point- (See discussion under Questions about Specific Listings - Open Genre)

Departments Requesting More Documents
[NOTE: Please list in chronological rather than alphabetical order.]

PLEASE include method of contact.

Poetry

U. Nevada-Reno - 2 (10/2), 2 (10/19), 2(10/20), 4 (10/28), 2 (11/6), 3 (11/12) writing sample & dossier (See below about interview.)

George Mason-- 1 (11/5) campus visit scheduled for November

Houston - 2 (11/5) writing sample & dossier.

TCU - 5 (11/6) writing sample & dossier.

UNCG -- 4 (11/16), 1 (12/1) writing sample & dossier. (email)

University of Dayton -- Herbert W. Martin Fellowship in Creative Writing and Diversity-- 1 (12/2) writing sample/ letters/syllabus & scheduled an interview.

Fiction

Western Michigan conducted a preliminary round of interviews in late Sept./ early Oct. w/ campus visits taking place this week (10/22) (Note that this position starts in January 2010) (first round of interviews were via skype; 2 finalists were invited to campus for interviews; expected to make offer in early november) Q: Is this search over? Has offer been extended? A: an offer has been extended. negotiations ensue. Q: Who did they offer the job?

Rhodes C - 4 (10/28) writing sample; 1 (11/4) writing sample

Kansas SU - 4 (11/4) writing sample & dossier; 3 (11/12) writing sample & dossier

U. Nevada-Las Vegas - (11/6) copy of book (email)

Texas Tech University- (11/9) writing sample, letters of reference

Columbia University (Lectureship) - (11/11) copy of book, syllabi, resub of cover ltr & CV (email)

Shippensburg University (11/15) writing sample and 3 letters (4)

Ithaca C - (11/16, email) writing sample & teaching statement (4)

Hollins - (11/19, email) writing sample due before the 30th of November.

Willamette - 2 (11/20, email) writing sample; dossier incl. syllabi/evaluations, etc.

Denison - 4 (11/23, email) writing sample, dossier

University of San Diego - 6 (11/24, email) 3 letters of rec. (email does not specify how many recs)

Butler (Tarkington Visiting Position) (2) 12/1 email; writing sample, 3 letters of rec, evidence of excellent teaching

University of Dayton -- Herbert W. Martin Fellowship in Creative Writing and Diversity-- 1 (12/2) writing sample/ letters/syllabus & scheduled an interview.

St. Louis U - (12/2, email) dossier, incl. transcripts (7)

Non-Fiction

Dartmouth - writing sample and dossier (11/5) (3)

USF - 4 (11/20, email) writing samples

Playwriting/Screenwriting

Ursinus -3 (11/19-email) sample, transcripts and list of courses able to teach

Open Genre

DePaul - 9 (11/19) writing sample, transcript, & dossier. (email)

&lt; Moved High Point conversation down below to the "Questions/Comments about Specific Job Listings" section, because, so far, they've only responded with a "receipt of application" general e-mail. &gt;

North Central College - 9 (11/25) writing sample & dossier. (email) "three letters of recommendation, along with a sample of creative work" (email)

Rejections
POETRY

George Mason 1 (letter 11/20). 1 (11/23). 1 (letter 12/1) polite generic rejection saying finalists already chosen, over 150 applicants

DePaul University 2 (letter 11/25), 1 (email Dec. 3)

FICTION

Pomona (letter 11/9/09) - they've winnowed 60+ applicants down to a "handful for interviews"

Univ. San Diego (12/2) - "We received an impressive number of applications ..." (email). 5 (letter 12/4). (letter 12/5)

NON-FICTION

Dartmouth (letter 11/16)

Ohio U (email 11/30) (3)

OPEN GENRE

DePaul U (email 11/17) (16) (email 11/19) (2) (email 12/03).- generic email. Didn't mention "careful consideration," and I admire their restraint.... They also mentioned there were an "unprecedented number of inquiries." They received over 400 applications.

Ursinus Visiting Job -- email 11/23

Job Listings 2010-11
Note: It might be helpful if folks put the location of where they found the listings next to the actual school names above (e.g. AWP, Chronicle, HR site, etc.)

Tenure-Track Positions
Fiction


 * Arizona State University
 * Cal State - Fresno (HigherEd)
 * Carroll College (MT) (Chronicle)
 * Cleveland State University
 * Columbia University (Chronicle Higher Ed) (Undergraduate Writing) (AWP Joblist)
 * Columbia University (MFA Writing) (AWP Joblist)
 * Denison University
 * Hollins University (primary field = fiction, but also asking for strong pubs. in poetry)
 * Ithaca College (Higher Ed)
 * Kansas State University
 * Rhodes College (Deadline November 6th)
 * Saint Louis University (Review of Applications begins Nov. 18; open until filled)Link
 * Seton Hill (HighereEd) "genre novelist"
 * Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania
 * Stanford University (tenured Associate Professor)
 * Stephen F. Austin State University (HigherEdJobs) w/ strong secondary in nonfiction/poetry
 * Texas Tech
 * University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa (TT, review of apps begins Oct 15)
 * University of Alabama-Birmingham
 * University of Michigan-Flint (Higher Ed) Ad says: "Expertise in fiction or narrative forms preferred."
 * Minnesota State U - Mankato (HigherEdJobs)
 * University of Mississippi (MLA)
 * University of Nevada, Las Vegas (TT, open rank)
 * University of Northern Colorado (HigherEd)
 * University of San Diego
 * Warren Wilson College
 * Western Michigan University (Jan 2010)
 * Willamette University

Poetry


 * Brooklyn College (HR listing)
 * College of Charleston
 * Cornell University (MLA)
 * George Mason University (HR listing)
 * Kent State University Link
 * Mesa State College
 * Nebraska Wesleyan University
 * Northern Kentucky University
 * Penn State York
 * Saginaw Valley State University
 * Texas Christian University
 * University of Houston (AWP as of the October listings)
 * University of Massachusetts, Lowell (JIL)
 * University of Nevada Reno (AWP)
 * University of North Carolina--Greensboro (AWP)
 * University of Oregon
 * University of Tampa (Chronicle Higher Ed)
 * University of Wisconsin--Green Bay
 * West Chester University (Chronicle Higher Ed)

Non-Fiction


 * Bemidji State University (HR listing)
 * Dartmouth College
 * Emerson College (MLA)
 * Fontbonne U (MLA) "professional writing, journalism, and composition"
 * Ohio University (again)
 * SUNY Oswego (Chronicle Higher Ed)
 * University of Alabama-Birmingham (again)
 * University of Alaska--Fairbanks (again) (HR listing)
 * University of San Francisco
 * USC link to listing please? also: which USC?
 * Western Illinois University (Higher Ed)
 * Wheaton College

Playwriting/Screenwriting


 * RISD

Open Genre


 * Bath Spa University, UK (Chronicle) "environmental non-fiction and/or novels with environmental content"
 * Bennington College (2 positions) (Higher Ed)
 * City College, CUNY (MLA JIL)
 * Depaul U (MLA JIL) (NOTE: 3rd year of search)
 * Eastern Illinois State
 * Eastern Michigan University
 * Flagler College
 * High Point University (MLA)
 * Lebanon Valley College
 * Malone University (Chronicle)
 * North Central College
 * Point Loma Nazarene University (fiction or non-fiction)
 * Pomona College (endowed Disney chair) source: http://www.pomona.edu/adwr/academicdean/facultyjobs.shtml
 * Rhode Island School of Design (play-writing and script-writing, but also fiction and/or hybrid forms)
 * Shepherd University
 * University of Dubuque (creative writing, TT)
 * University of Melbourne, Australia (lecturer) (Chronicle)--PHD in Creative Writing and scholarly pubs required.

Visiting Positions
 Poetry 
 * Missouri State University (Higher Ed jobs)
 * St. Lawrence University (one year)
 * University of Connecticut (Prof. in Residence) (1-3 years, 1 semester per year)
 * Florida (one semester) Q: Which Florida school? And where was this ad found? A: New College, Spring 2010, 22k, ad in AWP? Note: job announcement said they are specifically interested in PROSE for 2010.

 Fiction 
 * Amherst College
 * Butler University
 * Columbia (Lectureship in Discipline)
 * Murray State University (Visiting Professor in Residence: Fiction and/or Non-Fiction)
 * New College of Florida (Writer in Residence, Spring 2010 semester)
 * Quinnipiac University (MLA JIL) ("specialization in creative writing, fiction writing preferred")
 * Reed College

 Non-Fiction 
 * George Washington University -- Jenny McKean Moore

 Playwriting/Screenwriting 
 * Ursinus College

 Open Genre 
 * Gettysburg C (Higheredjobs)

Fellowships
Post-Book: Post-MFA, pre-book pre-job market:
 * Princeton University -- Hodder Fellowship
 * Radcliffe
 * University of Dayton -- Herbert W. Martin Fellowship in Creative Writing and Diversity
 * University of Louisville, Axton Fellowship in Creative Writing (Fiction) (deadline Dec. 1st)
 * Williams College, Gaius Charles Bolin Dissertation and Post-MFA Fellowships [FYI from the Williams website: "MFA candidates must be recent recipients of the degree; only those with degrees granted in 2009, or to be granted in 2010, are eligible to apply."]
 * Wisconsin
 * P-Town (deadline Dec. 1st)
 * Gettysburg (Deadline Jan. 29th, nine-month appointment, signif. mag. pubs etc--)

POETRY
Q: For those who received an interview request from Shepherd, what is your primary genre?

'''C: This market is so different from last year's.  I feel like there was a lot more communication from departments last year, more dossier requests, more news by now. The wait is killing me!'''

C: Last year most of my communication was "Job has been cancelled." So, I'm fine with not hearing yet.

Q: For the St. Lawrence Visiting job, what is your current status if you don't mind sharing?

Q: For people asked for materials from Greensboro, would love to know how many books you have, if willing to share?

C: UNCG's deadline hasn't yet passed, right? Wasn't postmark deadline 11/20? They are quick, they are!

C: I don't mind sharing and am curious about the others--I got a UNCG dossier request and only have one published book.

C: In case it's also of use, I have one book and have NOT yet been asked for more materials.

Q: Is there anyone with "special" insight on the UMass Lowell position in poetry?

'''Q: MLA This Year: In the ads for Eastern Michigan, Reno, Brooklyn, Oregon, Houston, Mason, and Greensboro, not one of them specified that they'd be interviewing at MLA. Does anyone know what the deal is? Will any of them be interviewing at MLA? And if they are, how late might they be contacting people? I can't afford to go unless I'm interviewing, and am hoping not to get that last-minute call on xmas eve I've heard about...'''

A: Usually committee chairs call (or email) to set up MLA interviews between December 1st and Dec. 21st. I.e., now (Nov. 30th) would be early--on average--to get an interview invite. Last year, the latest call I heard about (for an MLA interview) was on the 19th or 20th of December, so....hold tight.

Q: Related the one above--Is it kosher to email the SC Chair and just ask whether they'll be interviewing at MLA?

A: I'd sit on my hands for the time being--there's no sense in pestering a SC Chair who probably has his or her hands full. C: Actually, I think it's fine to write a brief email asking. There's no harm in it.

'''Q: Reno: Would the person who said no interviews have been scheduled yet please clarify the source of the info? I.e. is it someone in Reno's department who is setting the record straight? Or someone who definitely knows the score?'''

I posted about it because someone I know told me they had an interview. I thought it would be germane to the conversation.

'''Q: I'm sorry--I'm confused. Does the above reply mean that Reno HAS scheduled MLA interviews? It sounds like it...but earlier someone wrote to say that was misinformation--so--does your friend have an interview there, or not, or are you unable to verify either way? Or--since you use the past tense--as in "had" an interview--does this mean your friend had a campus or phone interview with them? I.e. I know George Mason is skipping MLA and going straight to campus visits--is that the case here?'''

A: I don't know anything about who posted the information, or refutation, of the Reno interview, but I would say it's not something to worry about either way. I know that, just the day before the post for the MLA interview went up, I got an e-mail from Reno asking for more material, so it's doubtful that they asked for more material from a candidate one day and then scheduled all of their MLA interviews the following day. It seems almost certain that 1) the post about the interview was misinfromation, or 2) Reno is scheduling interviews one at a time rather than all at once. Either way, if they requested more materials from you, I'd say it's very likely that you're still in the running for an interview.

C: In the future, contributors to this wiki should abide by the rather simple, unspoken (now spoken) rule--only post information that you received first-hand! If need be, someone can add a "gossip" or "heard it through the grapevine" category below the "General Questions about the Job Market" section.

'''Q: Well, I don't mind reliable gossip--I just can't make heads or tails of the Reno gossip--did someone get an "off the record" interview with Reno, or not? '''

C: I can't speak to the Reno situtation (that wasn't me), but please note: a new "gossip" category has been created. Please use this space to post any second-hand stuff/gossip. The whole point of the wiki is to share basic but accurate information and to give us job candidates one small peek at where a school is at in their job search process--something that's nice to know in this twisted, drawn-out, keep-you-in-the-dark job process.

A: I have first-hand knowledge of this search. No MLA interviews have yet been scheduled.

'''Q: Dear fellow poets, I fear that I'm reading the job announcements a bit too hard, for I'm finding it difficult to match my qualifications with exactly what's stated in the descriptions. For instance, if an announcement states that the successful candidate will be asked to teach graduate students AND undergraduates, does that mean that you should already have experience doing that at a prior institution? What if you've only taught undergraduates so far? (I'm thinking that perhaps that piece of language is code for "We are searching for a senior faculty member--emerging writers need not worry about this one."'''

A: Yes, I'd say that you are reading job announcements too closely. If they say you will be asked to teach graduate students, that just means that you should be comfortable with that, and that you should be prepared to answer a question about teaching graduate students in your interview. In general, I'd say that you shouldn't worry about matching your qualifications "exactly" to what the ad asks for. If you have in the appropriate genre, have the degree, and a solid publication record, then apply.

'''Q: Is anyone /Has anyone been in the situation of having worked at a non-teaching job pending book publication, and now that the book has been released, searching for a teaching appointment? Are there any tips to share about making this career leap? '''

A: To clarify: I've been working in university admin since graduating from my MFA program. I have some past teaching experience on my C.V. but it's not like I've been a member of a department.

A: Try and get a few more years of teaching expereience, if at all possible: visiting gigs, Ph. D, adjuncting, etc. If you're making a real living, thus working f-t, even adjuncting one class a semester will strengthen your Vita. Very hard to be a competitive candidate w/ just an MFA, a book, and 1-3 years of T.A.-ing.

'''Q: Does anyone know if Houston's listing is for this year, or last year?? On their HR website the due date for app stuff is listed as Oct 1 2008, not 2009. Anyone?'''

'''Q: How did you find this Houston listing originally? It's not on MLA or Chronicle. '''

A: It's in AWP

A: I sent my application in during August. ..

A: They just re-posted their listing on AWP this month to say apps accepted until November but they started reviewing materials Oct. 1

A: I know someone there. They're well into their search.

A: I can confirm that.

A. Houston is running two separate searches. The first set of campus visits will be over this week. And the second search is expected to resume once this one is over--i.e. before the year is up/and into the new semester.

Q: Has Houston started their campus visits yet?

Q: Would the Houston candidate wh was called for an interview mind sharing with us how many books he or she has--for curiosities' sake?

A: I wasn't called for an interview, but got a dossier request. I have three books.

'''Q: University of Oregon--wasn't this listed as awarded to Geri Doran in last year's wiki? Is this a whole new position? '''

A: I think Geri Doran got a visiting writer position.

A: No, Geri is on their permanent faculty. This is a whole new position.

A: I thought she was their visiting writer for 2 years? The UO website has her bio listed as "visiting professor"- how do you know she's permanent?

A: The chair of the dept. at Oregon sent a letter soliciting applications for the job from select candidates, and in it she wrote, "Having hired poet Geri Doran last year, we are close to our goal of having three faculty members in each genre, with Garrett Hongo and Geri Doran in poetry and David Bradley, Laurie Lynn Drummond, and Ehud Havazelet in fiction."

Q: Does this (above answer) mean that Oregon is going to select their candidates from a shortlist of solicited poets?

A: I think not. It's pretty normal for competitive MFA programs to ask more senior writers at other institutions to recommend candidates who might be interested in the position listed, thus the letters. It's meant to broaden and strengthen the application pool--not close it entirely in this case. Plus these letters go out to far more folks than actually apply for the jobs in the end (at least in my experience, I've gotten a few and ignored them as I was not on the market at the time).

A: In my experience, most MFA programs will solicit applications (this year, for ex., Oregon, George Mason, Houston), and many of these applicants often make the MLA & campus shortlists; however, unsolicited apps may yet have a chance, because, among other things, universities are always attempting to appear fair and open.

'''Q: Are Green Bay and Nebraska on AWP? I see them on their home sites--but otherwise can't find them listed. Also--can't find St. Lawrence at all--the university employment page says there are no academic jobs in English--what's up with that?'''

A: Wisconsin-Green Bay and St. Lawrence job ads are posted on the JIL. Nebraska Wesleyan on the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Q: What is does JIL stand for?

A: The MLA Job Information List. See here. You'll need a password and username, which most schools supply for their graduate students. If not, you'll have to join. On a related note, does anyone think it's odd that this year many of the listings are hard to find, only cropping up on the JIL, etc.? Normally everything appears on AWP and/or the Chronicle, and this year that's just not the case. The listings seem haphazard, scattershot, HR sites don't exist or aren't updated, etc.

A: Yes. I think it's very odd since there's a sort of understood agreement among writers that AWP is the go-to listing. Do you think folks are cutting ad-costs due to the economic state of affairs? Or that folks avoiding AWP have inside candidates?

'''Q: Did anyone find it super-weird on the U of Nevada Reno online application that they asked you for "minimum salary desired"? What did you put down?'''

A: 25K in poker chips.

A: It seems to me like western schools do this more than others.

A: Western state schools, in particular, as part of statewide hiring process; that is, one would be asked the question if applying for any state job in that state in any field.

A: Yes, I found it strange as well. I think I said $48,000. I actually called the department (anonymously) to ask whether the question was serious, and they said yes.

A: I said 60,000.

'''Q: George Mason--I heard they are interviewing before MLA this year. Has anyone heard anything back from them yet?'''

A: Haven't heard back yet. The ad itself said "Review of applications begins October 1, & selection to be made about December 1," which means they are indeed not interviewing at MLA. Most of the ads this year haven't specified anything at all about MLA, which is unusual. Most years nearly all the ads specify that they'll be interviewing there. I think due to budget issues we'll see more phone interviewing this year.

A: Yeah--but GM is going to do a real campus interview as opposed to phone, I'm pretty sure, so I'm interested to know when calls are made...

[Moved the formerly above re. wild speculation to the Gossip/Speculation section below.]

Q: George Mason- someone noted above in the departmental requests section that campus visits have been scheduled for November. Does that mean visiting candidates have already been notified, or just that the calendar dates for the visits have been determined?

A: They have contacted finalists and have begun arranging visits.

A: See above. Visits taking place this week & next.

'''Q: George Mason - did they do phone interviews, or just invite people? I'd be curious to know if finalists are male or female, how many books, etc.'''

A: (see above)

'''Q: Green Bay's guidelines say that a Ph.D. or dual MA/MFA is required. Does this mean that those of us with only an MFA shouldn't apply?'''

A: Yes, they want a Ph.D. The ad says a dual MA/MFA "considered." They definitely want someone with additional literature credentials--an MFA alone isn't enough in their eyes. Sorry!

A: Hey, don't take the answer above as law. Some folks on here just want to get rid of any competition. You Should apply anyway!

A: Looking at Green Bay's faculty, all (except for one person, who seems as though she's been there for awhile) have a PhD. Advisers/profs have always told me that you should only apply to the jobs that you are qualified for. A search committee's first goal is to weed out applications. Because Green Bay's job ad wording is pretty specific, they will likely breeze right past someone who cannot even handle close reading. One less application (or one more application) is not going to make the competition any less tight--this current job market, with the carry-over of last year's budget cuts, hiring freezes and cancellations, is going to be brutal regardless. You're better off perfecting the job letters for the schools that you are qualified for; jobs that are open to either terminal degree (MFA or PhD).

A: Forgive me, but the previous response seems pretty ridiculous to me (as do the previous respondent's old advisors). What does it cost you to apply? A few dollars in postage? As the ad says, ya gotta be in it to win it. Apply. Let them "breeze right past" you or whatever; you never know -- they just might be intrigued enough to ask you to interview. The only way you can be certain they won't is if you don't apply.

R: I concur -- just apply, apply, apply. Apply to all jobs -- just keep sending out as many letters as possible. Just keep throwing mud at a wall and see if anything sticks! And I would not even worry about polishing the letters for each particular job. Just get your letter there and they will probably be very intrigued. Despite the job listings' various particulars, schools likely have no idea what they want and you should just get your name out there and tell them who you are and why you are IT. Apply, apply, apply.

A: MFA-holding candidates--especially ones with actual publishing credits--should apply. An MFA with publishing trumps a PhD with no publishing credits in many searches, especially at larger institutions or places with eyes on having a writing program themselves.

Q: For those of you who got a request for more materials from Reno, how much of a time lag was there between when you sent your apps in and when you got the request?

A: I got my request a week later--but if it's been longer for you I would not sweat it--reviews of aps. seldom happen in a terribly organized fashion.

A: My request was also about a week later.

A: Ten days.

A: About a week.

A: I think it was a week.

'''Q: Folks who have served on search committees: Any idea of a typical number of aps. to weed down to for a) dossier requests and b) initial interviews? '''

A: One TT job with a 3/3 load, NE - 300 applications, 30 dossier requests, 6 interviews.

A: One TT job with 3/3 load: 200 applications, 10 MLA interviews, 3 campus visits.

A: One TT job with a 3/3 load, NE - 100 applications, 20 dossier requests, 8 phone interviews, 3 campus visits.

A: One TT job with a 2/2 load, Midwest - 100 applications, 15 MLA interviews, 3 campus visits

'''Q: I know this has been asked above, but I really feel I need some help!! What are typical questions asked in Poetry interviews?''' See the list being created above. Did you feel you needed a million quotes to hand? No. Did you have to discuss current scholarly research? Yes, but only when the job had a specific academic field attached to it, such as poetry and Postmodern Literature. Did you have to give examples of workshop exercises? Yes, have some ready to discuss. Your influences? Occasionally they asked about influences and who you would teach in workshops. What was it like? Most questions will focus on how you teach poetry. Use of concrete examples is helpful. Sometimes they ask about past teaching challenges and how you overcame them. '''I have only interviewed for academic/scholar positions thus far. I would really appreciate knowing what to prepare for, I feel like I'm sitting around with piles of books everywhere, but not much direction other than to design syllabi. Thank you. '''Do indeed write a sample syllabi in order to mentally prepare yourself. They will ask things like, "Describe a typical workshop." You will want to discuss how you interact with students, how you encourage students to interact, how much you critique during the workshop, and how much you let students critique. Often your answer to this question will inspire them to ask numerous (seemingly) off-the-cuff questions that last the entire interview.

 FICTION 

Q: Is this [Columbia Lectureship] an MLA interview?

A: It is not. They apparently realized that it would not make sense to interview an NYC resident in Philadelphia. I wonder if they are not streamlining their process to avoid an avalanche of applications and expenses. They have their pick of the billion terrific underemployed writers in New York, so why should they send an entire committee to MLA and then pay someone's moving expenses if they can get a ton of qualified local candidates? But that's just a theory. They do have 3 positions to fill; they could easily fill them with any number of people who are already adjuncts there. I mean, look at this list: http://wwwapp.cc.columbia.edu/art/app/arts/writing/faculty.jsp?facStatus=2 I don't think all of those people are active (Zadie Smith and Jonathan Lethem are both full prof's at NYU now!) but that's quite a bullpen they've got in terms of overqualified, talented adjuncts.

'''Q. Did anyone receive anything other than a rejection from Pomona? The original job posting only asked for a CV. No one has mentioned that they received a request for a dossier or writing sample.'''

A: I imagine that's because Pomona's going to hire a superstar, and the susperstars aren't on the wiki board stressing out like the rest of us. I mean, they're replacing DFW!

'''Q: The Alabama-Birmingham job was posted as "pending approval" and is as of 12/3 not posted on the school's HR site. Anyone know whether it's been approved or not?'''

I believe it has been approved. The "pending approval" jargon appears in most of UAB's job ads.

Q: Does anyone know if either of the Alabama jobs are interviewing at MLA?

Alabama-Birmingham generally interviews 10-12 people at MLA. Only VAPs do phone interviews.

'''Q: Rhodes college asks for "Letter, C.V. and dossier containing three professional references." Does that mean the NAMES of three references or the actual letters of recommendation? '''

A: If they're asking for a dossier, that means actual letters.

A: Definitely letters.

'''Q: Anyone know where I can find info about applying for the Reed Writer-in-residence position? I couldn't find it at the Reed site. '''

A: It's up on the JIL

Q: Anyone know the teaching load of the Ithaca job?

A: According to Ithaca's HR department, a typical load is 3-4.

A. Yes. It's 3-4.

'''Q: What is up with North Central College posting its listing on AWP on 11/9 and saying that applications must be postmarked by 11/13? Does that mean inside candidate?'''

A: An inside candidate is always possible, but that ad was posted somewhere else (can't find it now--Higheredjobs, Chronicle, or MLA) in September. They might just be trying to get more applications. Not sure.

A: North Central C has been on the MLA JIL since week one, I think.

'''Q: I applied to Columbia's listing for a lecturer, and now want to apply for the new listing for an Asst. Prof. Any reason why I can't send in the same letter? I don't know how to revise it otherwise.'''

A: Perhaps the only reason would be that the person they are looking for to take the Assist Prof position would be rather over qualified for a Lecturer position.

 NON-FICTION 

'''Q: Dartmouth College - IS THIS LISTING LEFT OVER FROM LAST YEAR? NOT ON CHRON OR DARTMOUTH SITE.'''

A: Dartmouth search is new--see AWP listings. They canceled a fiction search last year due to budget, but reinstated a search this year for CNF.

'''Q: USC -- IS THIS LISTING LEFT OVER FROM LAST YEAR? NOT ON CHRON OR USC SITE?'''

Q: Where is that RISD job listed? A: JIL/ADE

'''Q: Where is the Alabama-Tuscaloosa job listed? (I only managed to track down a listing at the school website after I saw it listed here; they posted it 9/30 and say review begins 10/15? Sounds like they have an inside candidate and are just going through the motions.) (Oh, wait -- there it is, on AWP.  Posted 10/13 with a 10/15 deadline!  What do you make of that?)'''

A: I agree - sounds like a legal requirement/ghost job.

A: Probably just late budget approval. They lost their two most recent junior colleagues (both women).

'''Q: Really? Who were they? Where did they go?'''

Q/A: Are you asking about the Birmingham or the Tuscaloosa job? I don't know anything about Birmingham, and re Tuscaloosa I know that their fiction position opened when Kate Bernheimer got the Lafayette Louisiana writer-in-residence job that was vacated by Rikki Ducornet. Don't know who they lost in nonfiction.

A: The Tuscaloosa job had a very short lead which is why it is possible they have a candidate in mind. The Birmingham job has a much more standard lead time between announcement and application due date. Also, Bernheimer is both writer-in-residence and associate professor, in other words, they combined two roles to save money.

A: Tuscaloosa does not have a candidate in mind, and last time I talked to them they had not received many apps for the nonfiction position. The fiction position is to replace Bernheimer who is at ULL. The nonfiction position is new. The other junior colleague they lost, Joyelle McSweeney, was replaced by Peter Streckfus a couple years ago.

Q: George Washington Jenny McKean Moore Writer-in-Washington: How competitive is this position (guesses welcome)...?

A: In this job market - very.

'''Q: For the folks who got rejection emails from Ohio U:  Did any of you apply last year? Anyone score an MLA interview with them last year before the search was canceled? (Word is they extended interview invites last December but had to shut down their search just a few days later!)'''

'''Q: Did anyone on here actually score an interview with Ohio U?  I find it strange that no one has reported as much yet, given how many CNF writers there are on here. What is Ohio up to?'''

A. Ohio is interviewing ten folks at MLA.

'''Q: Those nonfiction writers who got a request for more materials from USF, do you mind sharing how many books you have or what your second genre is (I believe they expressed preference for candidates who could teach in two)? I was hoping to at least get as far as a materials request, but, alas, no, and I'm curious about what they're looking for. (To be fair and share: I have two books plus one more under contract, 12 years teaching experience, MFA. But my 2nd genre after nonfiction is poetry and they already have a ton of poets on faculty. I'm beginning to be very discouraged about ever landing a tt job!)'''

A: Two books, second genre Fiction.

 OPEN GENRE 

More High Point Discussion moved from above.

''C: I want to second this "where's the info" comment. Person who posted about the phone interviews: please be specific--where is "see below" and where is this information coming from? Info based on speculation or info that is vague is not helpful, and it adds to everyone's stress!'''--I know for a fact that they scheduled a phone interview with a friend of mine around 12/2 or 12/3.

A: (To above two comments): My apologies! There is a category below that says "open genre" and has HP dossier requests--I read it quickly and thought it was interview requests--that's why I wrote "see below"--because I did not want to list the info. twice. So here is the deal: The info. comes from a friend--who does indeed have a phone interview--they were asked 12/3--just as the friend listed above was, too. So it looks like HP has scheduled 2 interviews up to this point--unless of course we are talking about the same friend. Now--someone below asks that we (me and above respondent) not provide second hand info--perhaps I should have put the info under "gossip" instead--but the source is legit and so the info. seemed useful--I know I'd want to know the facts as long as they were indeed facts--regardless of where they came from. I do know of another school not let listed as having called someone for an interview--but as I stand corrected I'll wait for them to put that info. down when they feel like it. I.E. point taken;)

Q: Things are still a little fuzzy here and would love to get this figured out: HPU asked for a CV and cover letter as the initial documents, and no one has reported any requests for "additional materials." The reports about HPU that have been posted here have all been concerning "acknowledgment of application"--unless that data is wrong. If so, let's please fix it. And, for the poster above: please ask your friend to start posting contributions to the wiki their self. First-hand information is the goal of this wiki--a goal which was hashed out and established with the earlier Reno interview confusion. Thanks!

C: I've had a couple situations before where the universities, interviewed me, brought in for a campus interview, and then asked to see my writing once they were deciding between the final three candidates. It's not unheard of to do interviews without seeing more documents.

Q: Does anyone have any special knowledge of High Point job, or heard anything back from them?

High Point University 2 (11/19), 1 (11/20), 1 (11/23) '''ack. of app.''' (email)

C: Acknowledgement of application does not constitute a request for more documents---that's probably why someone removed the post.

C: Right. Acknowledgement of application is not a request for more documents.

Q: So...some received the email acknowledgement, and some received a request for more documents? Does anyone happen to know how many people have been asked to send more materials?

A: My understanding is that the numbers/dates listed above for High Point are purely an "acknowledgment of application received" and NONE of these are a request for additional materials. Correct the data, if I'm wrong! What is confusing is the comment, "To be clear about this..." which makes it sound like some people are reporting additional document requests.

Q: Does anyone know the teaching load for the DePaul job?

A: Pretty sure it's 3/3.

A: It's on a quarter system. The load is 2/2/2.

Q: Does anyone know how to compute an equivalent load between semesters and quarters?

A: 3+3=6 or 2+2+2=6

Q: So a 2/2 semester load would be the equivalent of a 2/1/1 or a 2/2/0, even though you'd have one or two light quarters?

A: It would be somewhat dependent on how many preps you have and the size of classes, but very generally, yes.

A: Seems to me the equivalent of a 2/2 is 2/2/2. Two semesters = 30 weeks, roughly, of instruction; three quarters = 30 weeks of instruction. You're carrying two courses for the same amount of time.

A: 2/2/2 is approximately equivalent to a 2/3 load. It's more than 2/2 because of the increased number of preps and the three grading cycles. (Most instructors assign the same amount of writing in a quarter as in a semester.)

'''Q: The number of rejections tallied yesterday (9!) seems to indicate that DePaul really did get an unprecedented number of applications. Do you think that's because the market is so bad otherwise, or because they didn't specify a preferred genre, or both? Also, would any of the aforementioned 9 care to share their genres, so we can see if there was some kind of pattern at work here?'''

A: Poetry: 1

A: DePaul is not looking for a poet, those were basically rejected immediately. They are looking for a prose writer.

C: This is not true. At least two poets (using this wiki) were asked for additional materials.

'''Q: O.K., I didn't get a rejection email from DePaul yesterday, and I didn't get a request for more materials today. What do you suppose that could mean? (I did apply last year, so maybe they're just recycling my letters/writing samples and not telling me?)'''

A: Same here. I guess it means it takes the DePaul folks time to weed through the assured 300+ applications they got for an open-genre position in a big-city school. Patience. I'm trying to have patience.

A: I'm also in limbo, here. Limbo people, be sure to tell me if you get out of limbo--k?

C: (Moved down from above, concerning DePaul's request for more materials):

Q: My god, how many of these (dossier requests) did they send out? 30?

C: 7 seven dossier requests is nothing. 30 requests total is very possible. Remember: this year, school's have the pick of the litter, especially when there are 400+ applications (as someone else noted)!

A: 400 applications could easily lead to 50-60 dossier requests. In English lit positions, 60+ dossier requests is not at all unusual.

'''Q: Any info on Eastern Michigan? Anyone heard anything? Are they interviewing at MLA? How many people applied to this one? '''

A: I applied to this and have not heard squat. Will let you know.

A: I called the English Dept. The secretary said she "thought" they were interviewing at MLA. Very nice, offered to call me back with confirmation, but never did...

Q: For the North Central College folks who were asked for more materials, would it be possible to know what genres you are working in? Poetry - Fiction/Non

'''Q: Gettysburg asks for a young writer with significant magazine pubs. What about a young writer with a book under contract but not a full-time teaching position yet?'''

'''C: For the Shepherd University interviewees: Please subtly inquire about how often you will be teaching in your area of expertise. I interviewed with them several years ago and lost interest in the job when the interviewer announced that he hadn't taught in his area of expertise for fifteen years. He went on to say that he'd been teaching a lot of composition. If you get the job, try to get them to state how often you will teach in your area of expertise in your contract.'''

General Questions about Job Market Preparedness and Job Materials
As a way to help us all, how about offering up typical CW interview questions one might hear at an MLA/AWP/Phone or even campus interview?

1. How does your background in (poetry * fiction * nonfiction) help you in the first year writing classroom?

2. What class would you most like to teach, and how would you organize it?

3. How do you teach introductory poetry (or fiction or nonfiction)?

4. How would you teach a [fill in the blank] survey course?

5. Tell us about your current creative writing project.

6. How does your academic background influence your creative writing?

7. How will you make time to write with a 3/3 [4/4] course load?

8. Your primary field is (thus), but we teach all genres in intro to CW. How do you teach (thus)?

9. Describe a typical workshop.

10. How do you handle a student who thinks a creative writing course is an easy 'A'?

11. How do you work issues around diversity (race, class, gender, etc) into your workshop?

12. Recite a poem from memory (Pepperdine notoriously asked this one year--can't imagine it happening twice, but fun trivia)

13. What texts would you use in a [fill in the blank] course? (I have been asked to name specific texts more than once.)

14. Please take us through the first day of your creative writing workshop.

15. How do you work with a student whose writing project you have no interest in?

16, Is teaching your calling?

17. How do your workshops differ from traditional, typical writing workshops?

18. What is the role of literature in the creative writing classroom?

[NOT A RESPONSE, BUT BRAINSTORMING/RECORDING QUESTIONS WOULD TRULY BE IMMENSELY HELPFUL--I DO NOT HAVE AN MFA AND HAVE NOT INTERVIEWED FOR CREATIVE POSITIONS BEFORE]

'''Q: Just a curiosity question - as a fiction writer, it is certainly difficult to get a book contract, but there seem to be a million opportunities for poetry chapbook publications. Do poetry chapbooks "count" the same way as "books"? Or is there some other kind of math going on?'''

A: The math is books from nationally recognized presses count for more than chapbooks. If you're a performance poet, the criteria is different.

'''Q: Not sure if this should go in the 'no more white boys' conversation below. Pretty sure it doesn't qualify as a req for more documents. Just wondering if anyone else received a request from Rhodes to fill out an ethnicity/gender disclosure postcard? Of course this sort of thing is part of standard drill with online app systems, so all in all the card was not so strange, but I was surprised to see a box asking for the applicant's age- not sure that's exactly legal.'''

C: Asking age is definitely not legal. But, age discrimination laws only work in favor for older individuals. If Rhodes wants a more advanced person for this position, then they might use age to weed out applicants who are "too young."

C: The Rhodes form is for statistical purposes and it clearly states that your name and the information collected is not revealed to the search committee. I don't know if this makes a difference for the legality of it all. But it is worth noting that the search committee is not supposed to see the forms about your race, ehtnicity and veteran status either.

'''Q: This is a very general question about job searches. Do you personally submit an application to place that you feel is basically never going to hire you, assuming that the job announcement does not explicitly exclude you or is rather vague? (For example, the Bennington job.)'''

A: You're going to get a lot of different responses to this. Most people will say (as they have here on this wiki)--apply to everything. I do not apply to positions where the department is looking for a specific someone who is definitely not me (for example, jobs that ask for a specialization in some fancy new genre, such as "digital arts"--as the Eastern Michigan job ad asks for). But, positions with "vague" job ads--you should certainly apply to.

A: Even if the job is a long shot, at best, you might get an MLA interview, and then you get some interview practice.

A: Do it. I applied to a large city job last year that I knew I wouldn't get and they sent me a letter saying they'd hang onto my CV in case anything came up. I thought that letters like that were always BS, but they actually asked me to pick up a creative writing class this coming semester. I happen to live in the same city, though, which apparently was a requirement for their informal search.

'''Q: University of Mississippi asks for student evaluations. Does anyone know what form those should take? A list of pertinent quotes? Copies of a certain number of the complete evaluations (filled out on the last day of class by students anxious to go to lunch)?'''

A: I typed up a breakdown of average scores for various criteria (part of my department's evaluation method), followed by a list of pertinent quotes.

A: I've been given two different responses: one was to send all of the evaluations from a class or two (at my school, on the cover page it states how many evaluations are in the packet, so the committee would know you are sending all of them); the other was to send ten individual student evals from a variety of classes, all positive, but with lots of specific language about your teaching (in other words, pick the evals that are detailed and positive). I was a grad representative for a CNF hiring committee recently and the top candidate had sent evals from all of the students in two or three particular courses with specific lines (detailed and positive) highlighted.

'''Q: (Follow up) My evals are all very good, but tend to be of the "circle the number" kind rather than the "write pithy lines that will get your professor hired in the future" kind. I also have a set from a workshop I taught outside of academia ( Grub Street) which are more articulate, but not necessarily representative of the population I'd be hired to teach. Thoughts? '''

A: Send both kinds of evals--the standardized evals will give one kind of info and the handwritten evals will give another. Maybe one class-ful of each?

'''Q: I got a request for a dossier and I'm fretting about what all that entails, since they don't specify. I've heard wildly conflicting opinions. '''

A: If they don't specify that they want a sample syllabus, teaching philosophy, transcripts, etc. then I just have the dossier service send letters.

'''Q: Isn't that a little bare-bones? I had understood that when asked for a dossier, you should submit all of the above, plus copies of student evaluations. What is the protocol here?'''

A: No. Generally speaking, when they ask for a dossier, they mean letters and perhaps transcripts. If they want things like syllabi, teaching philosophy and evaluations, they ask for them.

A: Never send evals, syllabi, sample lessons, reviews & essays, teaching statement until specifically asked. "Dossier" means recs &/or transcripts. It's the rare school that wants to see all these things from all 300-ish applicants, and over-zealous sending can get a person ruled out immediately; it smacks of a) poor instruction reading & b) desperation. Would that AWP would regularize the process so we weren't all left muddling through. Somebody create a panel!

A: You can always ask the person who requested the dossier what he or she would like included in it, just to be sure.

'''Q: I already submitted a 10 pg. writing sample electronically as part of an application, but now they want additional materials from me, including a 25 pg. writing sample. So should I submit the same work but add to it, or should I submit something else entirely, or...'''?

A: I'd send your best work. Period.

A: Agreed, but remember:  Published always trumps non-published. If you have 25 pages of published work, send that. Only send not-yet published work as a last-last resort.

Q: When a writing sample is requested, is it a good or bad idea to submit a sample of poems photocopied from the magazines in which they appear?

A: Since photocopied work tends to look sloppy (tough to line it up on the page)--I'd suggest a clean set of poems. Also--they have your CV so they should be able to tell what's published where without the reminder. That's just a common sense answer--perhaps folks who have actually served on committees might disagree?

A: I've been told by a few people that it's better to send (photo)copies of the published work. If you can scan the magazine page to PDF it can often end up crisper, and that way you'll have electronic versions you can readily email/upload.

A: For what it's worth, I usually send a clean set of poems, and if they've appeared in magazines I've indicated the info in the footer, as I don't expect committee members to start trying to match it to my CV. So many journals are so oddly shaped that I think it would be quite difficult to make it look neat--esp. if you have work in tabloid journals like APR, or larger sized journals like The Southern Review or Ninth Letter. If they're from your book though, that would be easy to photocopy neatly (and you could include a color front and back cover and acknowledgments page--I've done that before too).

A: This may be a case where the protocol is genred. For poets, it's often considered tacky to photocopy from magazines. Make the majority of your writing sample recently published material, and trust that they can match the poems to the top of your Vita's pub list.

'''Q: I have a chapbook with multiple stories coming out. How do I present this on my CV? It isn't a book obviously, but it isn't a journal either. Make a new category? (Every bit helps, right?) '''

A: Do you have your CV divided into types of publication? Mine just has "publications" as a general category--I include both books and individual poems in journals. (And I got a TT job, if that makes any difference...)

'''Q: I've heard that it's better to find out who's chairing the search committee, and address the cover letter to that person (instead of "To The Search Committee.") What's the best way to find out who is the chair? Or is this even necessary? And if not, what's the best version of "To The Search Committee" to use? Does any of this matter?'''

A: I'm sure that it's a good idea to find the SC chair's name, but I think "To the Search Committee" is a perfectly reasonable way to begin a letter, and in the long run this particular detail is not going to make a difference in how the committee evaluates your application.

A: It seems to me that if they don't list a specific "send to" name in the posting, then they don't want you to know who the SC Chair is, and thus wouldn't want you to address your letter to said person, even if you could suss out who it was.

A: Having served on search committees in fiction I can assure you that you should not use the chair's name if the listing states to send your letter & materials to "Search Committee." This is not what you were asked to do; why not do as asked in this case? The idea of asking for things to be addressed to the committee generally is to communicate to you that this letter will be screened by a committee of equals. The search chair is usually acting primarily as the moderator of the other committee members and, even more so, as a liaison to the rest of the department and with candidates, and generally has no more voting power. Not even always seniority. You do not know the relationship of the search chair to the other committee members and listing her/his name on the letter might alienate someone else on the committee who has a lot invested in the search, someone who, say, doesn't like the search chair (seriously). All committee members are screening your letter. (At a later time, when you are contacted, or if you feel like contacting the search chair independently of your letter, sure, use her or his name.)

'''Q: Since the search committee usually involves English Department people who aren't creative writers, do any experienced people have suggestions for how applicants should frame themselves in their application letter? In my own case, I'm someone who will be pursuing creative and scholarly projects both (I have both a creative MFA and a lit crit PhD) -- should I emphasize this in the letter, or would this be repellent in some way? '''

A:  Tread carefully with this. The more you can find out about a school's listing, program, and search committee, the better off you'll be. You shouldn't hide your accomplishments--definitely let people know about both--but if you're applying to teach, say, in an MFA program where it's mostly MFA writers, emphasize your creative training and accomplishments in the bulk of the letter. If you're applying to teach in a CW PhD program you might emphasize both equally (CW and lit crit); ditto for an undergrad program where you'll be expected to wear many hats and teach lit. That being said, you'd ostensibly want to be somewhere anyway where you can do both (right?), so if they're put off by your lit crit training, would you really want to work there long-term?

Q: Does anyone know if any of these non-fiction openings would be congenial to applicants whose major emphasis is a different genre, but who also have non-fiction publications?

A: It totally depends on the school and the situation for the particular job. I say apply and let them turn you down. Don't eliminate yourself as a candidate for them. I currently have a TT-job and the listing was for someone working in two genres. I only work in one. I got the job anyway, and it turns out the Dean had tried to make the department squish two searches into one position. The thing I learned from this (and the last job search committee that I sat on) was that often the program/department/faculty have less say over how the ad is worded then they might like (which might not be the case in this situation, but who knows what the committee will be amenable to; anecdotally, schools seem to have a tough time finding CNF hires, so why not toss your hat in the ring if you have some solid pubs in CNF?).

A: While I agree that you might as well apply -- it doesn't cost you anything -- I can say, having served on several search committees at a couple of different institutions, that if someone is advertising for a nonfiction job, they want a nonfiction writer, not a fiction writer with a few nonfiction publications. Conversely, if they're advertising for a fiction job, they don't want someone whose primary emphasis is nonfiction but who might have a few fiction pubs. So yes, you can apply for such a job, and you might as well if you can spare the postage, but rest assured, you will not get it -- especially not in this market. I have no idea what this "anecdotal" evidence is, but I can tell you that the last time we ran a nonfiction search, we literally received hundreds of applications. (Haven't you noticed that there are far fewer nonfiction openings these days than fiction or poetry?) Almost all of them were from people who primarily wrote nonfiction; the few exceptions quickly found their way to the "no" pile. Sorry, but that's the way it is.

'''Q: This is really my first full-year on the market.I half-heartedly tried last year but all eight positions I applied to were canceled due to budget cuts.I graduated from an MFA program in 2007 with a focus on creative nonfiction.I’ve built some lit journal publications, including a book scheduled to come out next summer from a major national press.Though I was a TA in grad school and a managing editor on the program's magazine, the market was so bad that I had to take a 9-5 office job that’s only loosely tied to education. I’m worried that the gap and my time out of the classroom will hurt.And I’m seriously wondering if a PhD is the way to go, which my heart isn't into—a creative writing doctorate even though I have a book?A lit doctorate heavy on theory?Perhaps I should look for a visiting gig?I’ve always been told the work overshadows the degree in creative writing, but a good number of openings are asking for PhDs now.I’m careful not to get my hopes up, and I’m realistic about all that’s involved with a teaching position and of course how competitive things are, but despite all that, I really love the classroom and academia.Again, I'm young and inexperienced in this.I guess I don’t have a true question, but any advice for someone in my position, or the many others like us?'''

A: I think, if you're mobile, visiting gigs are perfect for someone in your position. I got a fancy year-long visiting gig at a place that (at the time) would never have hired me TT, and it meant that the next year, I got way more interviews since I had the 'fancy' school on my c.v. and an extra year of teaching. I'm convinced that this also helped me get my current (TT) job. Also, any other teaching experience you can get in the meantime will help you. Can you teach a local workshop once a week in the evenings at a non-profit center or as an adjunct? I'd be reluctant, if I were on a hiring committee, to hire someone who hadn't logged at least some hours in the classroom as the instructor of record, with good student reviews. Also, what about post-MFA fellowships--have you looked into these (like the GWU, Colgate, UNC Chapel Hill, and Louisville situations)? These switch genres and do rotate through CNF). Congrats on the book!!  Addendum:  Poster #3 makes excellent points too!

A: Try to avoid investing more time in a PhD at all costs. The market can't sustain those already graduated and you will spend 5-8 years spending money, working on material you don't care much about, and not increasing your real skills. If you can't live without teaching, look for other outlets. Humanities PhD's are a vestigal organ, and very few of us will ever make a living off the years we could have spent writing instead. (But I'm not cynical at all.)

A: The first answer here, seems to me spot-on. But I'm not so jaded on the Ph.D.. Here's why: 1) It couldl double your possibilities on the market (many schools still will not look at MFAs) 2) If you choose a top-five program then you may very well be in a place where you are one of several writers who had books published with good presses before applying. 3) It would give you time to write a second book (and 2 books seems scarily the norm for the current competition) 4) I've known plenty of folks to breeze through in 1 1/2 to 3 years (hell, but possible). 4) You may have the opportunity to teach a better variety of courses in your field in a Ph.D. program (particularly if you already have a book). 5) It can't make your writing or teaching worse to read a lot of great literature in a craft-oriented program. 6) Theory? What's that? Ph.D.s in top writing-programs pretty much scorn theory. Al of which is to say--I view my own Ph.D. experience as invaluable--not the drudgery alluded to at all--and I culled infinite wisdom (and network connections!) from the Pulitzer and National Book Award writers I studied with. All that said, though: If your heart's not in it then--well ;that's the key, isn't it. Hard to be happy doing something you don't want to do--regardless of benefits.

A: Bottom line: if you look at AWP's annual report on the job market, there's a spike in 04? 05? of around 160ish T-T CW jobs. Those days will likely either a) never come again, or b) not come again for a long, long time. Schools can essentially ask for whatever they want and receive a wealth of applicants who have that and more, so that even if the minimum requirements are an MFA and one book, one is up against 2- & 3- & 4- book poets with Ph.Ds and many years' experience in teaching. If serious about teaching, then fellowships, visiting gigs, and especially Ph.Ds will be useful, if not essential. Whether the MFA should be a terminal degree is, alas, an utterly different question than whether or not it IS. (Of course, other things can and do trump uber-qualification--a splashy debut book, an inside candidacy, a spousal hire, an early major prize--)

A: The schools that are expressing a preference for Ph.D.s are doing so because they are smaller, with smaller English departments and higher teaching loads, and they need people to teach lit classes as well as writing classes (and probably comp classes, too). In my humble opinion, that makes these jobs far less desirable; the more desirable jobs -- with lower teaching loads, and a requirement to teach only creative writing (and, frankly, at more prestigious schools/programs) -- care much more about your publishing record than your degree. In many cases, they hire well-published faculty who have nothing higher than a BA.

C: This previous comment about hiring "well-published faculty who have nothing higher than a B.A." is completely naive. Bottom line: you want to teach in an M.F.A. program, then you better have, at the very least, an M.F.A. of your own, along with a record of "teaching excellence." The 2/2 job is not some magical position where you're granted all the time in the world to write and publish--you are joining an English Department, where you will be expected to participate in the everyday administrative and committee tasks within the Department (and sometimes within the larger Humanitites or Arts & Sciences school division) in addition to teaching and mentoring both graduate and undergraduates. Being well-published (unless you are a Toni Morrison) does not give you a free pass or lighten your potential workload.

A: I don't think the commenter is naive at all; there are, indeed, people on faculty at MFA programs who only have B.A.s.  Then again, they tend to be superstars -- winners of Pulitzers and/or National Book Awards, authors of runaway bestsellers (you think anyone would have turned away Frank McCourt?), etc. There are plenty of well-published writers teaching with MFA's or terminal MA's -- many more, I would bet, than Ph.D.'s. Ph.D.'s, after all, tend to publish less, and what they do publish tends to be with academic, not mainstream/commercial, presses. What is important is that you publish -- well, frequently, with highly-regarded presses and to good reviews. As for this business about the 2/2 job not requiring any work: Who said that? I read and re-read all the comments, and no one even hinted at that. What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?

A: Perhaps this previous conversation should turn into a good old M.F.A. v. Ph.D. debate (that's always a fun one). Answers #3 and 4 (up above) seem pretty credible and practical. To claim that Ph.D.'s publish less seems grossly mistaken (publishing with an academic/university press is not any less notable than a mainstream/commerical press; though, maybe we're talking the differences between a poet and a fiction/non-fiction writer).

A: As someone wrote here, it seems poets inhabit their own universe with its own rules, but in the world of creative/literary prose, publishing with an academic/university press is, unfortunately, less "notable" than publishing with a mainstream/commercial press. To think otherwise would be, as someone else (?) wrote, "completely naive."

A/Q: I'm a CW PhD who does not scorn theory, and there are many of us out here. I'm curious though, which do people consider the "top" (5, let's say) CW PhD progs? I'd say Denver, Houston and Utah are definitely in there. Others that would make your list? I don't find any official rankings online; does anyone know if/where they exist?

A: Atlantic Monthly had an article some years back with their rankings--very thorough breakdown, US New World Report did them farther back--10 plus years? Then there was the infamous, recent, PW rankings--all sets were inflammatory for schools that did not make it to the top--legitimately so. Nevertheless those rankings--whether just or not--do tend to stick in the pool of consciousness--Iowa, UVA, Houston, Brown. Johns Hopkins, Utah, FSU--all these stick in my memory from differennt reports--wondering what this question has to do with theory? Hmm. Anyway--I imagine the top five shifts around quite a bit--and depends entirely upon individualized perceptions of students who attended the programs.

A: Yes, I was just responding to two different comments above in the same breath, as it were. I was asking about PhD rankings, however, not MFA rankings, which is what you've given. I do see the Atlantic Monthly article. I wonder what criteria they used for those rankings. Anyway, I'm as interested in people's individual perceptions of CW PhD programs (and it can be a fun momentary distraction to compile these lists). I certainly don't take these rankings as gospel, though.

'''Q: Is it a general expectation that the writing sample be from one's published work, or are committees open to newer work as well? I have a couple of books published, but like everyone else, I'm sure, I'm most excited about my manuscripts in progress (one is under contract, one is not), and would prefer to lead with that material. Have people found any reason to not just go with what you feel is your own strongest material, regardless of publication status?'''

A: You sound like a prose writer, yes? I think for poets, it's pretty easy to stick a few poems from each collection into a 10 or 20 page sample. That being said, it's easy for me to be infatuated with my new work, but it often takes a while for me to figure out if it's really good. With the published stuff, I know it's at least passed muster with others. Is there a way you might include both? Or include a sample of published work, but a 1-page description of the new project with it? You can always read new new work at a job talk too. But if the new work is somehow stylistically super-different than your earlier work (and again, this seems to happen more with poets) and is indicative of the type of stuff you see yourself writing for a while, you might send that if it's a better match with what the faculty at an institution produce (e.g. if you're a narrative poet that's gone experimental/language-esque and are applying for a job at Buffalo).

A: This might be too touchy-feely, but when I sent in writing samples (for the TT job I eventually got), I sent in the work that I felt was my truest--meaning it best represented the kind of poet I think I am--and that included both published and unpublished work. Another poet in my department later told me that the piece she liked best was the one I've had the most trouble getting published. It was definitely the "riskiest" work I sent. This is all just to say that no, I don't see a reason not to go with what you think is your strongest material, and publication status might be somewhat secondary. To people who have served on search committees: If you are really impressed with a candidate's writing sample, does its publication status influence your assessment of it?

A: I can't speak for poets -- it sounds like they have their own universe with its own rules -- but as far as fiction and nonfiction are concerned, you absolutely should NOT send anything that hasn't been published. No one -- especially in this market -- will read an unpublished manuscript. Whoever and wherever they are, they are getting hundreds of applications, the vast majority of which will contain writing samples that have been published. You're much better off sending a "weaker" work that has been published than a "stronger" work that hasn't. If you must, you can talk about your as-yet-unpublished work in your cover letter, but don't dwell on it too much; you might inadvertently start to raise questions about why it hasn't been published yet.

'''Q: Along the lines of the above question--how do people with multiple works negotiate writing about them in that one paragraph (if you abide by that standard, and if you don't, can you say why)? Do you focus evenly on each book or more on one if it seems to relate to the style of institution you're applying to, etc.? '''

A: I have multiple books (more than 2), so I have two paragraphs on my work that deal with the issues and themes my work tackles, and how these have evolved (along with my style) over the course of my projects (including my most recent). At a certain point sticking to the 'one-paragraph on your work' format becomes unrealistic--especially based on the stats listed above for those of us on the list with both writerly and academic interests, rich employment histories, and multiple book publications.

A: Two paragraphs is too many. No matter how much you've published, you shouldn't devote more than a paragraph to it. Really. If it's been published, they'll read it (assuming you send it along), and your work will speak for itself; if it hasn't, they're not going to want to read more than a couple of sentences about it. Use the space to talk about teaching, and let your work speak for itself.

A: A bit late to talk about covers--but I've always had 2 paragraphs to discuss books--have had lots of interview requests and have a job now--so I'd not say it's off-limits strategy.

Q: '''Is it appropriate, if committees ask for more information (dossier, writing sample, etc.) to email to ask them if the application is complete or to make sure the materials arrived? '''

A: It's not advisable--folks are terribly busy--but if you must then email the secretary and not the search chair. Secretaries tend to be very sweet about complying. Another strategy: Send a SASE in the form of the post card with your materials (you may need to have these placed with your dossier service)--that way all folks have to do is put your postcard in the mail to acknowledge receipt.

A: I've always gone by 'no'; if you are worried about the arrival, ask for a signature upon request when mailing, or tracking. I know it's stressful feeling like it's out of your hands, but it's normal to NOT hear back from a department after a dossier request until they schedule interviews.

Q: When committees call for a "writing sample" but don't specify how many poems/pages, should you send a copy of your published book?

A: Yes

A; This is not a simple yes or no question, and the answer will vary by genre, too. For poetry, if you have individual poems published in very prestigious magazines or journals, you'll definitely do better to send photocopies of your work with the publication name displayed prominently at the top or bottom of the page. If you do send a book, just be prepared to not get it back, or to get it back smudged/dog-eared, etc.

A: Really? I had both prestigious pubs and a book--got the current job after sending the book--and got back all books in mint condition.

A: I've gotten books back in all kinds of condition -- everything from mint (and probably unopened) to smudged/dog-eared (and even marked!).

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine," or "Plights & Gripes as Bad as Achilles"
'''Q: I must not be the only one who's noticed that most of the on-line applications are run through the same software program. Can't there be a way to create a profile on the system, and therefore not have to fill out the same set of questions every time (address, demographic info, education,etc.)? Then we could have writing samples and CVs and recommendations stored there and just upload cover letters to individual schools!'''

'''Q: Is this it? Are more jobs to come?'''

A: Barring any sudden deaths, yeah, this is probably it.

A: There might be a few more listings in November pre-MLA, and then there are the spring listings (which tend to be more adjunct/visiting positions). It's a weird year though and lots of places seem to be shunning MLA, and places might get late approval for new lines if the economy lifts, so who knows...

A: In this market, anything can happen. I personally know of schools and departments that have not yet had positions approved, but are likely to get them in the next few weeks. At this point, though, there will be very few of those -- at least until spring, when the visiting posts come out.

A: There are always a trickle of jobs, and as of November 5 we're not near the end yet. Real t-t jobs will still come out between now and MLA, and there are always an early Spring flurry before the AWP conference. It is true that post-February lots of things come out as VAPs.

Inside Candidates: General

--A: I think it's true, with very few exceptions, that all candidates hired this year—both inside candidates, and others—will be vastly overqualified to do the work of teaching creative writing, no matter which "chain gang" they're from. One search from last year is a case in point: though the hire (at a non-flashy 3/3 state school in a dumpy location) was from the same chain gang (not Iowa) as the chair of the search committee, the hire had 2 books of poetry, 1 of critical work, 5+ years as a visiting lecturer. I myself am from the Iowa c.g., have a lovely book + other exciting credits, but found it hard to be too vexed about the "insideness" of that hire. There're a lot of dues to be paid in most cases, and most inside hires will have paid them.

--A note on chain gangs, as mentioned below: the number of CW programs which offer serious funding has increased dramatically over the last 15 years; I think the hiring patterns tend to reflect this diversity somewhat (the existence of a "Wash U" chain gang being proof of this?)

--A note on white boys, of which I am one: the homogeneity of some English departments I've sent materials to astonishes me, and I'm not sure this cadre of lumberjacks & fly fishermen needs young white me in its retinue—

The lack of thoughtlessness of what constitutes "diversity" amazes me. To hire someone based on superficialities of skin tone reflects a simple-mindedness that also explains why a department would hire someone for a "non-flashy 3/3 state school in a dumpy location" who is so "overqualified." The university does not exists to subsidize poets. Some of us are excited and happy to teach multiple classes and teach students who don't come prepackaged to succeed, even at "dumpy" state schools. How frustrating that qualified and passionate teachers are overlooked for indifferent individuals from the same homogeneous programs.

--I think a "lack of thoughtlessness" is entirely necessary. As for the diversity thing...um...no one is hired primarily on the basis on their race. In a market where there are at least 300 applicants for 20 positions, a committee can choose among DOZENS of very good, qualified candidates. As for the "indifferent individuals" you mention, I have to say that I haven't met many people teaching poetry who could care less about it—most often, those who get published are zealots, at least about their own aesthetic, and quite often about poetry in general. Anyway, enough.

George Mason poet search thread:

A: Doesn't that mean it puts their top candidate in the catbird seat? She/he could still go to MLA--but from a position of power for having a job in the bag. Say the candidate gets a better offer--what's to keep her/him from breaking GMs contract? Then too--consider this: how many better offers are there to get this year? Folks vying for 2/2 jobs have all of--what--3 schools to choose from?

C: My guess is that that's precisely WHY George Mason did such a speedy search. "The school that runs AWP" knows exactly what it's doing: would you want to wait until MLA (or all the way til the AWP conference) to try and snag the candidate(s) of your choice? If you have the resources, why not fly them both out WAY before all of that, make your offer(s), and seal the deal before other schools even finish digging through their apps. Makes perfect sense. Do you really suppose somebody's gonna sign a contract with GM and then bother to go to Philly for an interview (or, worse, Denver) in the hopes of something better? No way. Signed, sealed, delivered. I wish more schools would go after the folks they wanted, and save us all the misery of the conference lobby fretting.

A: It will certainly be someone from the Iowa or Wash U chain gang. And if it's a male I'll eat my shorts. Other jobs which white boys need not apply for (cue protest here) are definitely Greensboro and probably Houston too. Big question is if Cornell is an inside candidate set-up.

C: Person above: are you saying that you think Greensboro and Houston have inside candidates in certain demographic categories, or are you making a general observation about the literary scene? Because the Poets & Writers rankings would seem to contradict you on several fronts. I don't want to over-determine the significance of that particular ranking (or, for that matter, the Whiting Awards list, which only included two women) but to imply that men are at a disadvantage this year is, well, c'mon.

A: No. I meant simply what I wrote.' Greensboro is definitely going to hire a woman, Mason almost definitely, and Houston I'm less sure about but suspect will do the same. Who knows what the general trends are. Certainly not Poets & Writer's. Don't waste your time with that; you might as well read tenny mags or Pregant Gourmet Bride and Stream or Guns & Ammo. Or real literature. And awards are a completely different thing. Personally, I think there's plenty of gender and racial skewing to go around. And guess what: it works all different ways. But it still exists. Anyone who has been on a search committee or on this job market knows that. Love Ya, Doofus.

A: Yes! I am wild!!! And I am speculative!!! I wildly speculate. Especially at bootayyy! But one does in fact have inside knowledge. As I said before, profiling works in all different directions, to the detriment and or benefit of all groups, at different times. You're right that academia is still old school prejudicial. But it's also old school early nineties-ish pc at times. And it would be hard to imagine a worse, more frightening way of hiring than matching judgment of aesthetic or pedagogical merit with nation-wide demographics. Anyhoo. Just you wait, dear, and see this year's hire. The doofus knows the inside doof. And the Doofus will have a doppio macchiato.

C: Ahh, poets....

'''Q: "Ahh, poets," indeed. Who knew there were that many of them out there? I certainly wouldn't have guessed that there would be more poets on the market than writers of prose, and yet the former seem to have taken over this wiki, at least. Why are there so many poets and yet so few poetry jobs? Isn't it irresponsible for graduate programs to keep churning out more and more degreed poets while the market for such poets continues to shrink and shrink? (It's not as if there's all that much for poets to do with such a degree beyond teach and write poetry, after all.) And what's with all the poets who also write (or at least dabble in) creative non-fiction? I would have guessed that the natural crossovers would be non-fiction/fiction and fiction/poetry; poetry and non-fiction don't seem all that compatible, at least not to me. What's up with that? '''

C: Can we keep this to job info and job-related gossip, not asinine musings?

C: Wow. Agressive response. Can we also keep keep our dialogue friendly and supportive?

C: Speaking as someone who did graduate work in poetry and has subsequently decided to shift to nonfiction, it's not unusual at all. Think of all the poets who've published memoirs and personal essays; the two forms seem to be highly compatible. Perhaps I am just lucky, but it was much easier (and cheaper) for me to land a contract for a nonfiction book than it was to send my poetry ms to a zillion contests.

C: I did a double dissertation, poetry collection and memoir. A cnf prof in my masters program said, point blank to the class that had several poets in it, that poets make better essayists because of their trained ears and sense of rhythm / sound. I'm not saying anything here either way, but I agree with the above person--my essays are getting, generally, taken up much faster than my poems; and this might be because there aren't enough strong essays out around 5,000 words. One more thing, too, that everyone is surely conscious of--if you can write in two genres pretty well, and have the pubs and awards to show for it, I think you have a leg up. Am I wrong?

A: Whatever you do, don't switch to History and Theory of Architecture, where there's like, one job every two years.

C: Texas Christian University (beware: potential inside candidate) 

A: Yes, sadly I must concur. Their ad. reads verbatim their visitor's impressive credentials. I sincerely wish schools would not entertain such hocus pocus. Very unimpressive and a waste of everyone's time. I mentioned this one job and the inside candidate to my chair as I think schools must consider how horribly unethical it is to advertise a job that for all intents and purposes is a done deal. TCU needs to have its feet held to the fire on this one!

A: But don't these decisions to publicize jobs come from on high?

A: Yes, as in the federal regulations on high. C: But this happens at many places (the inside candidate). I've been to a few on-campus interviews where I've only found out when I got there that there was an inside candidate (pre job-wiki). It's a well-known phenomenon. Also, on occasion, someone bests the inside candidate for the job--it's been known to happen. It's definitely a cruddy practice, but TCU isn't nearly the only school that does this, and they're legally required to list the job.

A: This regards this thread, and another. First, as frustrating as it is when an inside candidate gets hired somewhere, schools, departments and committees are doing nothing wrong by interviewing even when the inside candidate is the clear favorite for the job. Even if it weren't, as the person aboilve claims, a national law, it certainly comes from higher up in the administration, and for good reason. Not only do schools want to make sure as many qualified candidates as possible are being looked at, but they also need to gaurd against the real possibility that their inside candidate could take a job elsewhere. Secondly, I think it is very uncool to post a link to a specific person on this website. I think the spirit of the website is to help each other find jobs, and by posting a link to someone as an "inside candidate" could create resentment towards the person, or even harm that person's job search. I very much wish that whoever posted it would take it down.

C: Ok, I posted it. I took it down. Maybe even building a link is not cool either. I suppose if google can locate an insider in .04 seconds, it doesn't need to be here also. Apologies if anybody's feelings were hurt. I agree about the inside candidate stuff. It's easy to scoff at from the outside (I know people who interviewed for three of those jobs that are mentioned above from last year), but being an insider is hard too, since you've been hired at some capacity and are trying to prove yourself and stay on for a TT line while they're ferrying people onto campus and you're biting your nails. I feel worst for the folks sent to campus only to find out that there is an insider already there. And you're right (above) that the insider is back on the market too (out of necessity since their job is up) and they might leave so it's all legal and necessary and above board--and yet harrowing for all.

C: I agree that for the inside candidate whose job is honestly (and in the case, I must question the school's intent!) up for grabs, his or her life is a hell. However, many schools simply go through the motions of a search, when the truth is universities are free -- as are all employers -- to simply hire who they like. Visitors are very often just offered the job. This is not illegal.

Cornell:

Well, Cornell has expressed interest to at least one female candidate--suggesting they may not deem a whopping three TT gals as an inordinate amount consider having on faculty. Female queried was definitely an outside--and not an inside--candidate.

Oh, boy--I stand corrected on the inside candidate bit! Thanks (above respondent--GM thread)) for providing the link to the visiting prof.--if she doesn't get it I'll eat my hat.

I don't think it's cool to put folks' names on here, but links: why not? Also: maybe she won't get it since she earned her MFA there, and schools tend (right?) not to like hiring their own as it can appear too insular. Any other thoughts on that? Anybody out there get at TT job from where they got one of their degrees?

C: Inside candidates are tricky business--last year, 5 out of 6 schools hired insiders (Oregon, Case Western, Loyola U. Chicago, Washington College, Ohio State-Lima). UC-Denver could have hired a insider, but the possible insider got a job at Boulder, where he knew people anyway. But, at least, none of these people had degrees from the hiring institution.

C: "Maybe she won't get it since she earned her MFA there" (above): Not to name names, but the "lead poet" there also holds a degree from Cornell....right? (I'm not comp. savvy enough to get the link in here--but then again we all know who the lead poet at Cornell is, right?).

C: People I've been talking to have said that inside candidates are not a good sign. According to some, if the person a) is at least five years out of the degree, or b) has earned a degree elsewhere, then often schools do not see a problem with hiring an alum.

DePaul:

Q: Someone noted above that this is the "3rd year of a search" to fill this position. Is that a concern? Is there something dysfunctional about this department? Or, do they just keep losing their top candidates to other schools?

A: As someone who has been on a search committee, I bet it's fairly likely funding got pulled in the search process. Ours was pulled after a month and once we were ready to set up 8 MLA interviews. No funding for our position this year, but they say next, so who really knows. In this economy it's just freaking crazy and a miracle any committee makes it all the way through (wasting their weekends in campus file rooms...).

A: Is that a bad sign? A sign of ﬁnancial instability at the school?

A: "3rd year of search" is not true. DePaul hired last year in non-fiction and in previous years advertised visiting professor positions, not tenure-track.