PhD/PsyD Getting career advice?

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futureapppsy2

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I'm planning on being on the academic and post-doc job markets for the 2015-2016 job cycle. I want to get a sense of what to work on over the next year, as I've rather try to shore up weak points now than find out what they are when it's too late to do anything. I'm aiming primarily for positions at R2-type universities but also interested in post-docs with a research/clinical balance or even a primarily clinical balance to better round myself out clinically.

With that in mind, what are some good, specific questions to ask mentors, advisors, etc in order to get more specific feedback?

Thanks!

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it sounds like saying something along the lines of the following would help get some guidance from a mentor:

"I'm planning on being on the academic and post-doc job markets for the 2015-2016 job cycle. I want to get a sense of what to work on over the next year, as I've rather try to shore up weak points now than find out what they are when it's too late to do anything. I'm aiming primarily for positions at R2-type universities but also interested in post-docs with a research/clinical balance or even a primarily clinical balance to better round myself out clinically."
 
Show your CV to a couple of people who mentor post-docs and/or who have been on search committees for academic jobs in the recent past. Ask for honest, upfront feedback on any weaknesses in your CV if you were to apply this year. Then take whatever they say and work on that in the next year. I'd also, in addition to saying what kind of position you want, indicate *why* you want that position. Is an R2 appealing to you because you don't want the pressure of an R1? Because you want to teach? Because you want to mentor masters students? The "why" would matter to me in terms of the feedback I'd give, because I'd look at your CV a little differently depending on the ultimate goal.
 
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I would start researching internship sites that offer post-docs, not that you have to follow through with your future internship's post-doc track but those programs will be more geared towards assisting you on an "R2-type" university position.

I applied to both pure clinical and clinical/research internships. I ended up at a pure clinical site with the acknowledgment (to the Training Director) during my interview that I will pursue research on my own/on the side during internship year, but that I was interested in their training program with this full disclosure. Sure, it would've supported my goals of being an academic had I ranked another research/clinical site higher, but having been through the process, those folks that matched at those sites seem like they will be well on their way with greater opportunities for post-docs. I'll just have to kick butt & finish my dissertation, present it every where (for feedback @ conferences) and get it published...in my spare time.
 
Show your CV to a couple of people who mentor post-docs and/or who have been on search committees for academic jobs in the recent past. Ask for honest, upfront feedback on any weaknesses in your CV if you were to apply this year. Then take whatever they say and work on that in the next year. I'd also, in addition to saying what kind of position you want, indicate *why* you want that position. Is an R2 appealing to you because you don't want the pressure of an R1? Because you want to teach? Because you want to mentor masters students? The "why" would matter to me in terms of the feedback I'd give, because I'd look at your CV a little differently depending on the ultimate goal.

I've tried that approach, but I've found that it generally leads to pretty general feedback (e.g., "you have a lot of publications and that should impress search committees, but getting of course, having even more would be helpful, and the IF the better") that is basically in line with what I've been doing so far. It made me wonder if 'm not asking specific enough questions or if that's just the natural limit to advice that can be given. The "whys" of an R2 might be good to add, though. Essentially, I want an environment where I can mentor/teach masters students and will research is valued but without as much heavy pressure to get large federal grants as there is at R1s (IME working with faculty there and talking to them about their positions).
 
Part of the problem is that over a year out, it's hard to tell what the job market is going to look like....whether you have "enough" publications will depend on who else is on the market, and what the jobs actually look like. Some places want a particular research area, others are looking to fill a teaching niche, and these aren't always evident from the job ad, either. Is it true that more publications is probably better? Probably. Another problem is that some faculty just aren't good at giving specific feedback. Any feedback you get should be taken with a grain of salt because people can only speak from their own opinion, not that of a search committee, which is possibly why folks don't want to give specifics.

If you really want to get specific feedback, I suggest actually putting together a mock application packet. Job ads for next year should start popping up soon. Pick one that you like and put together some materials for it, including the research and teaching statements as well as a cover letter. Give those things (plus a CV) to a willing faculty member with the job ad and then ask questions like "If you were on the search committee for this job (and if we are to take the ad at it's word), how would you gauge my fit for this job? Am I selling myself appropriately for this job in terms of research and teaching?" You could put notes in the margins, like "here's what I'm trying to get across with this paragraph, is it working?" You will be judged by your CV absolutely, but the statements can help you tell your story, sometimes even the process of writing them can help you figure out what you might benefit from bolstering in the next year.
 
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