2019 – Academic Job Boot Camp (IHR)

Academic Job Boot Camp – Saturday 11th May 2018

The Academic Job Boot Camp is a free half-day event for early career historians sponsored by History UK and supported by History Lab. 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 you receive at the event is designed to improve your chances the next time you apply for an academic job.

How will the boot camp work?You will take part in a simulation of 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 a dozen universities nationwide. You will also deliver job presentations to other early career historians.

You will receive feedback on your interview and presentation. You will have the opportunity to observe how others fare. The event will end with a roundtable, after which there will be drinks and a dinner(*) at a nearby pub and restaurant.

You can read posts about the job boot camps in previous years, here, here and here.

Itinerary(all locations at Institute of Historical Research):

12.45-1.30: Lunch and Welcome (Wolfson 1)

Please arrive at this event at 12.45 in Wolfson 1 in the IHR basement. Please notify Lucie Natthews-Jones if you have any dietary requirements by 1st May.

1.30-3.45: Presentation or Job Interviews. 

During the afternoon you will be asked to participate in four activities:

  1. a 30 minute interview; you will be informed of the exact time of your interview on the day
  2. observing a 30 minute interview; the time of this will also be made clear to you on the day
  3. give a 5 minute presentation; there will then be time for 3-4 minutes of questions
  4. listen to presentations, ask questions and to give feedback.

3.45-4.00: Coffee and Tea Break

This event is free and sponsored by History UK, History Lab Plus and the Institute of Historical Research.

4.00-5.00: Roundtable on with tips on how to secure an academic position

5.00-7.30: Networking and dinner (*please note that participants will have to cover the costs of their own dinner).

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 and look at the further particulars for the job http://bit.ly/2o696yy, then submit a letter of application and CV to Sue Davison (Sue.Davison@sas.ac.uk).

Questions should be directed to Lucinda Matthews-Jones (l.m.matthew-jones@ljmu.ac.uk).

We have a limited number of travel bursaries that you will be able to apply for. We will cover part or full costs of travel. Please indicate whether you will be applying for a travel bursary, as well as the approximate cost of advance tickets, in your email applying for the job. We reserve the right to pay full or partial costs, depending on demand.

The deadline for your application is noon on Friday 12thApril and applicants will be contacted by the following week to let them know if they have been successful.