With so many different institutions asking for so many different documents, the faculty job market can feel overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to be. This workshop will break down the academic job search into manageable, strategic steps so you can approach the process with clarity and confidence. 

Whether you’re just beginning to explore faculty positions or are ready to submit your first applications, this session will help you build a realistic timeline, prioritize your efforts, juggle competing responsibilities, and stay grounded throughout the year. 

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to: 

• Assess your readiness for the academic job market and identify the right types of positions for your goals 
• Analyze job descriptions and understand different departments’ expectations 
• Build a concrete, step-by-step job search timeline 
• Track your applications and tailor materials efficiently 

We may not be able to eliminate job search stress entirely, but proper planning can make the process feel much more manageable and achievable.  

Your CV is often the first thing a search committee sees — and in a competitive job market, how you present your accomplishments matters just as much as the accomplishments themselves. A well-organized, clearly formatted CV signals professionalism, self-awareness, and an understanding of departmental needs, while a cluttered or poorly structured one can undersell even the strongest record.  

In this session, you’ll learn how to: 

• Structure your CV for maximum clarity and impact, from section order to formatting choices 
• Decide what to include, what to cut, and how to categorize your experiences 
• Write concise, effective descriptions that highlight the significance of your work 
• Tailor your CV for different types of faculty positions (research-intensive vs. teaching-intensive) 
• Avoid the most common CV mistakes that distract reviewers or bury your accomplishments 

Whether you’re refining an existing draft or starting from scratch, this session will give you practical, actionable guidance you can apply right away. 

The cover letter is one of the most important documents in your faculty application. Unlike the CV, which catalogues your accomplishments, the cover letter asks you to do something far more nuanced: translate your research, teaching, and service into a compelling argument for why you’re the right fit for this department, at this moment. 

In this session, you’ll learn how to move beyond a generic summary of your work and craft a letter that speaks directly to a department’s specific needs, culture, and priorities — without misrepresenting who you are as a scholar. Participants will leave with practical tools to: 

• Decode job ads and departmental websites for meaningful signals 
• Structure a cover letter that balances research, teaching, and fit 
• Adapt a single letter efficiently across multiple applications  
• Avoid the most common mistakes that cause strong candidates to be screened out early 

Whether you’re applying to R1 universities or teaching-focused institutions, this webinar will help you write with clarity, confidence, and purpose. 

The research statement is where many scholars stumble — not because their work isn’t compelling, but because they lose sight of the bigger picture: why the research matters, where it’s going, and what it means for the department that hires you. 

In this session, you’ll learn how to step back from the granular details of your work and write a research statement that is intellectually rigorous and broadly accessible. We’ll examine how to frame your scholarship within larger conversations in your field, articulate a clear and coherent research agenda, and demonstrate the trajectory and significance of your work, all without sacrificing depth or nuance. 

Our expert faculty panelists will address how to: 

• Open with a compelling framing that situates your work in a larger scholarly context 
• Balance specificity and accessibility for mixed search committee audiences 
• Present past, present, and future research as a unified, forward-looking agenda 
• Calibrate detail and length for different institution types 
• Avoid the most common structural and rhetorical pitfalls that bury the significance of strong scholarship 

This session will be co-presented with Dr. Sunny Shin, Professor of Microbiology, and Dr. Amy C. Offner, Associate Professor of History. 

Many teaching statements make similar claims: that the candidate is a student-centered educator, that they foster critical thinking, that they create inclusive classrooms. These claims may all be true, but without concrete evidence to support them, search committees may remain unconvinced. 

In this session, you’ll learn how to transform a vague, declaration-heavy teaching statement into a vivid, evidence-driven document that demonstrates pedagogical skill and intentionality. We’ll explore how to ground abstract principles in specific classroom moments, course design decisions, and student outcomes, showing search committees not just what you believe about teaching, but how those beliefs play out in practice. 

Participants will leave knowing how to: 

• Identify the abstract claims in their current teaching statement and replace them with concrete, specific evidence 
• Use classroom anecdotes, assignments, and course design choices as proof of pedagogical philosophy 
• Strike the right balance between theory and practice  
• Write with a voice that is reflective and authentic rather than formulaic 
• Tailor the teaching statement for different kinds of institutions 

Whether teaching has been central to your PhD/postdoc experience or you’re working to make the most of limited classroom time, this session will help you write a teaching statement that is specific, credible, and genuinely memorable. 

This session will be presented by Penn’s Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation (CETLI).

While the CV, cover letter, research statement, and teaching statement are the core documents of most faculty applications, search committees may request additional materials, or may ask you to approach standard documents in a non-standard format.  

In this session, you will get advice on how to approach creating these new documents, or customizing your other documents, so that you are providing the search committee with the information they need. From diversity statements that address your commitment to equity and inclusion, to statements of faith required by religiously affiliated institutions, to combined statements that collapse multiple documents into one, we’ll explore the intent behind these types of documents and what strategies you can use to write them.  

Takeaways from this workshop include: 

• Identifying common “extra” documents in faculty applications (e.g., diversity statements, statements of faith, combined statements) and understanding why institutions request them. 
• Learning practical strategies for tailoring new or existing materials so they clearly address a search committee’s specific prompts and priorities. 
• Practicing how to articulate your commitments (e.g., to equity, inclusion, or institutional mission) in ways that are authentic, concrete, and aligned with different types of institutions. 

Having a hard time getting started on your job materials? Then join us for this in-person writing studio to jump-start the writing process. Use this time to work in a quiet and supportive space, or share your documents with Career Services advisors and receive immediate feedback. Bring your laptop and prepare to make meaningful progress on your applications! Snacks will be provided.

Location: Career Services Offices, 3935 Walnut Street, Room 212

(Take the elevator or stairs to the second floor, turn right, and head down the hallway; room 212 will be on your left. Please bring your PennCard to access the building.)

Pre-registration is required! The number of attendees is limited by the size of the space, so please be sure to register in advance.

The academic job market is increasingly global, and for many PhDs and postdocs the most promising opportunities may be across borders. Whether you were trained in the United States and are considering positions abroad, or you are an international scholar navigating a job search outside your home country, applying for faculty roles in unfamiliar national contexts comes with a distinct set of challenges. The expectations, conventions, cultures, and timelines of hiring can vary from country to country, and materials that work well in one context can miss the mark in another. 

This workshop will introduce you to the questions you need to consider before applying for faculty jobs outside the US, as well as some resources that can support an international search. Join us to learn more about where to find international opportunities, how to network with Penn alumni/former postdocs already in international faculty roles, and what resources are available to help you adapt your application materials and approaches to different national contexts.  

Takeaways from this workshop include: 

• Identifying key questions to ask yourself before pursuing faculty positions outside the US, including personal, professional, and logistical considerations. 
• Learning where and how to find international faculty opportunities, and ways to connect with Penn alumni and former postdocs already in roles abroad. 
• Developing strategies for adapting your CV, cover letters, and other application materials so they align with different countries’ conventions and institutional cultures. 

When you’re deep in the process of writing cover letters and research statements, interviews can feel like a distant concern. But understanding the structure of faculty job interviews from the start can help you prepare more confidently, so you can present a coherent and compelling professional story in person.  

In this session, we’ll walk through the basic structure and timeline of academic interviews, from initial screening calls to campus visits, so you know when and how to prepare for each stage. We’ll identify the concrete steps you can begin taking now to set yourself up for a stronger interview experience later. And we’ll address how your written materials and interview presentation can work together as a coherent whole. 

Takeaways from this workshop include: 

• Understanding the overall structure and timeline of the faculty interview process, from first‑round screens to campus visits, so you know what to expect at each stage. 
• Identifying concrete steps you can start taking now, while you are still focused on applications, to position yourself for stronger interviews later. 
• Learning how to connect your written materials (CV, cover letters, statements) with your interview performance so they present a coherent, compelling professional story. 

You’ve spent years designing research, synthesizing literature, solving complex problems, and presenting your findings. But when it comes to describing what you actually do on your resume or in an interview, it can feel surprisingly hard to put into words — especially for roles outside academia.  

This workshop is designed to help you bridge that gap. We’ll move beyond the CV mindset and practice translating your research and teaching experiences into language that resonates with employers in industry, government, nonprofits, and more.  

In this session, you will learn to:  

• Identify the transferable skills embedded in your everyday PhD work — from project management and data analysis to mentorship, writing, and stakeholder communication  
• Develop strategies for reframing academic experience in terms of impact, process, and measurable outcomes  
• Practice articulating your skills for different industries and professional contexts 

PhDs and postdocs have many skills that non-academic employers are seeking. This workshop will help you communicate those skills in the language of your target industry.  

Building a professional network is one of the most valuable things you can do before, during, and after a job search, but many PhDs and postdocs wonder how to make that networking feel genuine, rather than transactional. In this workshop, we will share advice on approaches to build real connections with people whose work you find interesting, whether inside academia or far beyond it. We will cover best practices for finding people, crafting outreach messages that get responses, and having enjoyable, informative conversations as part of your informational interviews. 

We’ll also cover how to use AI tools to come up with questions, and even personalize outreach, without losing the curiosity and authenticity that make people actually want to respond. 

Takeaways from this workshop include: 

• Understanding what makes networking feel authentic rather than transactional, and how to apply those principles across academic and nonacademic contexts. 
• Learning practical strategies for finding people whose work interests you, writing outreach messages that get responses, and having engaging informational interviews. 
• Developing approaches to using AI tools to brainstorm questions and personalize outreach while still sounding like yourself. 

Are you currently on the faculty job market? Are you looking for a supportive community of peers to connect with throughout the process, even after this prep camp is over? Are you seeking a safe space to ask questions, vent, or celebrate? Then the Faculty Job Search Cohort is the perfect opportunity for you! Join us for this intro session to learn more about the structure of the cohort, what you can expect to gain, and the requirements for participation.

The cohort will meet biweekly throughout the fall semester to help participants navigate the academic job market and provide ongoing support with the application process, with a focus on collaborative learning. Career Services advisors will offer advice, resources, and targeted information tailored to the specific needs of the participants.  
 
The cohort will be selected through an application process, ensuring that it comprises individuals who are committed to making the most of this opportunity, and who are available for in-person meetings. Applications are due August 16. Please apply through this link.

Having a hard time getting started on your job materials? Then join us for this in-person writing studio to jump-start the writing process. Use this time to work in a quiet and supportive space, or share your documents with Career Services advisors and receive immediate feedback. Bring your laptop and prepare to make meaningful progress on your applications! Snacks will be provided.

Location: Career Services Offices, 3935 Walnut Street, Room 212

(Take the elevator or stairs to the second floor, turn right, and head down the hallway; room 212 will be on your left. Please bring your PennCard to access the building.)

Pre-registration is required! The number of attendees is limited by the size of the space, so please be sure to register in advance.