2017 Berkshire Conference on the History of Women, Genders and Sexualities

June 01 - 04, 2017

This Birds of a Feather session will provide attendees with a platform to discuss how to prepare for the job market. Many graduate students do not receive a lot of constructive advice on how to prepare themselves for the marketplace. While advisors may have the best intentions, many have been off of the market for years, so their suggestions may not apply to the current market. With the help of a our discussion leaders, graduate students and recent graduates will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss best practices for preparing to enter the job market. Possible topics include:

• When should I start preparing for the job market?

• Presenting and publishing: How should my CV look like when I enter the job market?

• What are employers typically looking for in a “good” candidate?

• What type of documents do employers need from me?

• How do I secure recommendations from faculty members? Do they matter?

• What will search committees expect from me?

• Dressing for interviews: What do I wear?

• What to expect during the interview

• They haven’t called or emailed! How to keep from being discouraged.  

Expected Audience: The audience is expected to consist of graduate students and junior faculty who have recently graduated from their program. I estimate the audience to be at least 20 people.