I found out about this job through wrk4us--a contributor posted the ad to the list (as regularly happens). The wrk4us post happened on April 6th, the application was due the 16th. I had to hustle. The job is a seven month contract research gig co-sponsored by the American Folklife Center, the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture, and the American Folklore Society. They were looking for 4 researchers to essentially catalogue the nation's archives and collections on the 1950s-'60s Civil Rights Movement from May 2010-November 2010. It's a $25,000 gig. (For the record, I've never made $25K in a year, much less in 7 months. The money is quite appealing.) The job ad wanted researchers with experience working with archives, conducting oral histories, and familiarity with databases. It just required an application letter, my CV, and contact info for 3 references. This job was written for me.
Initially I debated applying. I really do want to finish my dissertation soon and this FT job would clearly delay completion. Also, I really would like to charm my way into that policy center I info interviewed in March and they are kinda expecting me to call this summer. Knocking on their door next year is not ideal.
But after talking to newly employed and long timed employed friends who work in and out of academia, everyone said to apply. In fact, many folks couldn't understand my hesitation. Yes, your dissertation will be delayed by 7 months, but so what? Think of all the connections you'll make in these various organizations! Think of the real-world work experience! Think of what $25K can buy! Upon further investigation I realized that the application screener lives in my soon-to-be new home. Even if I don't get this job, I need to get on his radar for help finding a job in City. What better way to introduce myself than through a job letter?
So, okay. I was game. But as an anthropologist, I thought I knew nothing about folklore. (See what disciplinary gatekeeping does? Anthropology=folklore. Duh.) At my hourly "real" job, I asked a coworker if she knew the screener (who she would potentially know professionally) and if she could give me any tips on writing the letter. Out comes a book on the history of folklore as a profession and the suggestion I talk to a retired colleague. Retired Colleague (RC) just happens to know the screener, and oh, btw, is a board member of the Folklife Center.
We're cooking with fire now. Coworker emails RC and sets up a meeting for us. RC and I meet several days before the app is due and she tells me the history of this project and gives a few recommendations on my letter. 10 points for Leadfoot. Also, she casually mentions that she will be seeing screener the following week at a board meeting. 5 bonus points. That book competition I whined about a few weeks ago? Folklore-related, meaning that my immediate boss works with the application screener on the logistics of that project. Obviously, boss is one of my references and my work on that book competition totally showed up in the job letter. 10 points for Leadfoot. My hourly job uses a database (though not the software specified in the job ad). I nicely asked the database manager at my job to look over my paragraph on database familiarity and help me beef it up. Which she did. 5 points for Leadfoot. Oh and my hourly job, yeah, application screener published a book with them several years ago. 1 extra point for Leadfoot's email signature line which mentions Job and 2 extra points for Leadfoot's job app paragraph that talks about work experience in the context of Job.
This is what all those job books call "working your networks." Now I realize in this instance this is a special, stars-aligning-in-the-sky kind of network. But I think elements of all of this is certainly there for all of us. It's just about asking the right people for help. Everyone, and I mean everyone, at my hourly job were falling over trying to help me--giving me suggestions, talking me up to RC, devising reasons to contact the screener and in their bs email mention me. People, even folks we barely know, want to help us find jobs. Accept their help, send a thank you card, and pass on the love when you can.
But I wasn't going to rely on my professional networks alone. I had two very awesome friends/fellow job hunters also look over my letter. Their suggestions made it 1000 times stronger. Seriously. If you want to see the before and after I will gladly send you the pre and post versions. I will also happily look over any letters of yours. Those extra sets of eyes really do make a difference. So in addition to figuring out your professional networks, I realized from this experience that we need buddies in this game who will drop everything to look over a letter and return it hours later. (My job hunting buddies are incredible. Thanks friends!)
So I got all this professional help/networking from my workplace, my buddies made writing improvements on the letter. I sent in the materials. Then the wait began. I continue to wait.
Now, I didn't think this ad was very well publicized and my boss/reference thought it may be an inside job. But last week I found out from a coworker who talked with RC, that the screener received over 100 applications. Over 100 apps for a 7 month gig! People must be hungry. We all assume the screener is still reading through and sorting applications.
Hope burns eternal. I will keep you posted.
Lessons learned from this round:
--Keep your eye open for openings. Be willing to flexibly change future goals and plans if worth it.
--We must work our networks.
--You never know who knows who or how your world intersects with others' worlds.
--People are happy to help. This includes coworkers as well as friends.
--Send your materials to your references ("In the happy event you are contacted as a reference for this job, I thought you'd like my application letter and the job post in hand. Please find them attached").
--Treat your CV as a resume. I totally rewrote my CV now that I understand how effectively resumes can support/backup your letter. While I kept the same categories and basic format before, I added specifics "I supervised 35 student ethnographic projects over 15 weeks". I also cut unimportant stuff and emphasized important stuff. So in my job duties under my hourly job I cut "make photocopies" and replaced it with "taught self how to build and design Filemaker Pro 7 database".
--Tell lots of people about the job. Their positive energy keeps you going and always comes just as you are in the depths of "woo is me, I suck. I'm no good for this job. I'm not even good enough to flip burgers" moment.
--Patience, patience, patience. As my Honey reminds me (now on a daily basis), "these things always take longer than they expect."
Stay tuned!
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