Academic Job Boot Camp – Wednesday 13 September 2023, online event.
History UK is pleased to be running the Academic Job Boot Camp again this year. All early career historians are encouraged to apply, with preference being given to those who have already completed or submitted their PhDs.
- Are you thinking about applying for your first lectureship in history?
- Submitting applications and never hearing back?
- Wishing you could have a ‘test run’ for job applications and interviews?
The Academic Job Boot Camp is a free half-day event for early career historians, sponsored by History UK and supported by History Lab Plus. It will help you to structure your academic CV, hone your cover letter, rehearse your job presentation, and undergo a mock interview, as well as demystifying some of the processes around academic recruitment. The experience, feedback, and advice that you receive at the event is intended to improve your chances the next time you apply for an academic job.
How will the boot camp work?
This event simulates all stages of the job application process, up to and including being interviewed as a shortlisted candidate. You will be interviewed by experienced academics drawn from universities nationwide. You will also deliver a job presentation to other early career historians.
You will receive feedback on your academic CV and cover letter, interview, and presentation. You will also have the opportunity to observe how others approach the job application process, providing peer feedback and support. The event will end with a roundtable discussion, offering the chance to ask questions of academics who have been involved in university recruitment – as well as chatting and networking with others in similar positions to you.
As in recent years, this event will take place entirely online. However, many universities were already moving towards introducing online elements to the job application process before the pandemic, so experience with this kind of format is likely to be useful in the future.
You can read posts about the academic job boot camps from previous years here, here, and here.
Outline Itinerary (all events to take place online, exact timings TBC):
1-1.15: Welcome.
An introduction to the event and History UK from Simon Peplow, Education Officer for History UK.
1.15-3.15: Presentation or Job Interviews.
During the afternoon you will be asked to participate in four activities:
- a 30-minute mock interview; you will be informed of the exact time of your interview on the day.
- observe a 30-minute mock interview; the time of this will also be made clear to you on the day.
- give a 5-minute presentation addressing the question ‘How does your research inform your teaching practices?’, followed by 3-4 minutes of questions; led by an experienced academic in front of other early career historians who will provide written feedback.
- observe presentations from other attendees, ask questions and provide written feedback.
3.15-3.30: Break.
(As an online event, the obligatory tea/coffee break will unfortunately have to be self-catered!)
3.30-4.30: Roundtable discussion and advice for navigating the academic job market.
This online event is free and sponsored by History UK and History Lab Plus.
To participate, you will need to apply for an imaginary lectureship in a real history programme. Please read the job advert for the Imaginary Lectureship in History here https://shorturl.at/LOSUZ, then submit a letter of application and academic CV to Simon Peplow (Simon.Peplow@warwick.ac.uk). Please also contact Simon if you have any questions about this event.
The deadline for applications is 12noon on Wednesday 30 August 2023.
The online event will take place on Wednesday 13 September 2023.