Career Development Webinars

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Academic Careers Panel for PhD Students

 

Schar School of Policy and Government
George Mason University
Academic Careers Workshop

Friday, September 26, 2025, 3:00 to 4:15pm
Hybrid - Van Metre Hall room 602 and Zoom

I. Preparation for an Academic Career – Dr. Justin Gest

  • the nature of the academic job market
  • how to find job announcements
  • what courses to take, what fields to cover
  • getting teaching experience
  • how to network

II. The Application Process – Dr. Jennifer Victor

  • how to ask for letters of recommendation
  • how to write a job application cover letter
  • finding a job with a PhD in academia
  • what type of college/university to consider
  • what you should know about the university and position
  • to which departments should you apply

III. Developing your Research Agenda – Dr. Jack Goldstone

  • identifying your research area
  • strategic publishing
  • presenting research at professional conferences

IV. Interviewing – Dr. Gregory Koblentz

  • preparing a job talk
  • teaching a class as a guest lecturer
  • questions to expect
  • what to know about the position, university, faculty
  • negotiating an offer
  • career strategies: academic, government, think tank

Academic Careers Workshop

Useful articles:

General

The Irrepressible Women Planners, “The Yellow Book: How (Not) to Get Ahead in Academia,” 3rd Addition, 2011

Ms. Mentor, Advice Columnist, The Chronicle of Higher Education

Martin Krieger, blog “The Scholar’s Survival Manual: A Road Map for Students, Faculty and Administrators”

Martin Krieger, blog “This Weeks Findings in Planning”

Leonard Cassuto, “6 Tips to Improve Your Cover Letter,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, September 8, 2019.

Before you graduate:

Patricia Gosling and Bart Noordam, “Mastering Your PhD: Defending Your Thesis with Flair,” AAAS
(on line)

David D. Perlmutter and Lance Porter, “Thinking Beyond the Dissertation,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 12, 2005.

Graduate Connections Newsletter, “Getting the Most Out of a Research Conference”

Alessandro Angelini, “Art of the Conference Paper,” Inside Higher Ed (November 3, 2010).

A Teaching Career:

Russ Olwell, “Regional Public Universities – Where the Action is,” Tomorrow’s Professor Thomas Cronin, “On Celebrating College Teaching,” PS: Political Science & Politics (September 1991),
pp. 482-491.

Lanethea Mathews-Gardner, et al., “Getting a Job at a Teaching Institution,” PSOnLine, www.apsanet.org (July 2008), pp. 575-578.

Applying for positions:

A. Wuffle, “Uncle Wuffle’s Advice on Job Talks,” PSOnline, www.apsanet.org (October 2006),
pp. 883-886.

Ron E. Hassner, “Trial by Fire: Surviving the Job Talk Q&A,” PSOnline: www.apsanet.org Patricia Armstrong, et al., “How Would You Teach This Class?,” The Chronicle of Higher Education,
June 22, 2005.

Stephen Saideman, “Job Talk Suggestions”

Developing Your Career:

Ann Forsyth, “Forsyth, on Writing and Tenure”

David Thunder, “Back to Basics: Twelve Rules for Writing a Publishable Article,” PS: Political Science and Politics (July 2004), pp. 493-495.

Gary King, “Publication, Publication,” PS: Political Science and Politics (January 2006), p. 119-125.

Brian Taylor, “How to Fail in Grant Writing,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 5, 2010.

Salary Negotiation & Expectations

Interview Skills Clinic

Tips for Obtaining a Security Clearance

Federal Job Search Strategies Webinar

Partnership for Public Service Schar School PAID Internship Information Session

U.S. Job Search for International Students

How to Choose your MPA Concentration Area

How to Choose your GCP Concentration Area

Academic Careers Panel for PhD Students

 

What is Your Call to Serve - Landing a Career in Federal Service

Navigating Jobs & Internships on Capitol Hill

Micro-Mentorship: Careers in Local Government

How to Choose Your MPP Emphasis

Atlantic Council Recruitment Information Session

Election CFO Information Session

2020 Foreign Service Mentor Panel

Developing an Organization in an Online Environment

Additional Resources

Federal Job Search Strategies

Additional Resources:

Salary Negotiations & Expectations

Additional Resources:

The Top 3 Traits of Great Policy Analysts

United Nations Early-Career Professionals Information Session (Hosted by Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA))

UNITED NATIONS EARLY-CAREER PROFESSIONALS INFORMATION SESSION (HOSTED BY NETWORK OF SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC POLICY, AFFAIRS, AND ADMINISTRATION (NASPAA))