Applying for jobs in academia

Increase your chances of gaining an academic post

Tips for successful academic applications

If you want to get a job in academia after your PhD, you are likely to be applying for

a postdoctoral research position (most common in scientific and technical subject areas), or
a junior lectureship or fellowship (most common in arts and humanities subject areas).

For these jobs your applications should focus primarily on the knowledge gained and output (in the form of publications) from your research. You also need to show experience of, or the potential to, generate research funding, in addition to teaching and supervision skills.

The most common way to apply for academic jobs is to submit a university application form, along with an academic-style CV and covering letter. Make sure to submit the documentation exactly as requested, by the closing date.

Alternatively, you may send out a speculative CV to the head of each research group in your field, to see if there are any current vacancies you can apply for.

Either way, you must submit a well-written and carefully researched application.

Before putting in an application, find out as much as you can about the university and the department you are applying to, such as what is taught within the department and what you could contribute to the curriculum.
Make sure you know the research interests of the staff, and think about how they link with your own areas of interest.
Look carefully at the person specification and make sure you fulfil the essential criteria. If you don’t have the desirable criteria, it’s still worth applying – make the most of the knowledge and skills you do have.
If an advert gives the name of someone to whom you can make informal enquiries, use this as an opportunity to find out more about the job and make a positive impression.
- Email the contact to ask when it would be convenient to phone.
- Have some questions prepared, for instance about the balance of teaching to research, or the administrative duties in the post.
- Make sure you don’t ask questions that have already been answered in the job description and person specification.
Work your way through the person specification and make sure you have given evidence in your application form, CV and covering letter that shows you have the relevant experience and knowledge.
Follow all instructions – for example, by sending in multiple copies of your application in paper format. If this is what they ask for, do it.
Keep a copy of all your applications to help you prepare for your interviews.