With summer conference season close to wrapped up, I reflected on mistakes that I made & have seen made by PhD students.
I thought I would share the Top 10 mistakes. (The companion post on 10 smart moves is here: https://lnkd.in/eb5WqCFQ)
Not-savvy students ...
(1) Discount teaching.
Every school needs you to teach. It’s a core part of the job. Expressing contempt for teaching is often the real end of the interview.
(2) Drink too much.
Stick to one beer & then drink tonic. You will say stupid things if tipsy and nervous. You can’t function well with a hangover.
(3) Stay out too late.
My mom always said nothing good happens after midnight. I know no candidate for a job that locked up a campus visit by staying at the bar late. I know several who killed their job prospects.
(4) Express judgy opinions.
You are a student. You likely have heard a lot about what is good research, what schools are good, & about key personalities in your field.
You likely have little direct experience that qualifies you judge any of the above.
Stick to saying nice things - it’ll leave a better impression.
(5) Cast a narrow net.
Even in tight markets, a job is not a birthright.
Apply to many schools so that you have options.
(6) Give a bad presentation.
Treat conference presentations like a job talk.
Practice and smooth them out.
If you present a badly designed slide deck, poorly thought out paper, or lack confidence, it will close doors.
(7) Chase the biggest whale.
If you spot someone at a recruiting school, don’t ditch who you are talking to, to pursue a conversation. That person may be a friend of the recruiter. Academic fields are small.
Be patient. More opportunities will come up.
(8) Forget their audience.
Note again, academic fields are small. If you behave badly, you never know who will hear about it.
I once had a student tell me a rumor that a program was ‘dead’. That was news to me - I was an endowed chair in the program. I was not surprised to later learn of similar lapses in judgement during interviews.
At a conference, every person is your audience and a potential employer.
(9) Forget back up clothes.
I once had shampoo spill out on my clothing. Hotel laundry takes a day. You don’t have a day.
Bring a backup set of clothes in carry on.
(10) Count on advisor reputation to carry them through.
Advisor reputation can carry you only so far. I’m always skeptical of students with one paper with their advisor - bc I don’t know who drove the project.
Be well-prepared to demonstrate your chops - and in doing so - represent your advisor well.
The bottom line is to be aware teaching matters, be mindful of your audience, be respectful of everyone, & remember most academic fields have tight social networks.
