Timing of applying for first post-PhD job

[bathsh3ba]

I'm probably about 3-4 months off submitting my PhD. I guess I could submit it quicker if I really wanted to. Similarly, my funding was extended because of coronavirus, so I could take longer.

Social sciences. 1 article published, 2 under review currently, 1 conference paper this summer. Have professional experience as came back to academia in my 30s.

I've been monitoring the job boards as I want a job ideally which is mainly teaching. Most jobs I see say you need to have your PhD to apply, some say you can be 'close to completing'. Does anyone know if that means submitted but waiting for viva/passed viva with minor corrections or if it can mean close to submitting?

I'm worried about finishing and having to wait a year to find an academic job because I've missed this year's rounds. I could probably get casual teaching work at my current university for the year but with 2 kids and as a single parent, the prospect of being unemployed is starting to worry me!

I would apply for anything and everything you see. Put a likely date of submission on your CV. You get practise applying and you may be lucky enough to get the job. I was shortlisted for two jobs before I submitted but got the job I am in currently post submission but before the viva.

As a heads up as well which I didn't know, the standard notice period in HE is 3 months and many people seem to take longer before taking up a new post so four to five months after the job offer would be negotiable I think.

agree. apply for teaching jobs asap - some have a long lead time.

postdoc jobs sometimes have much shorter gaps from interview until start-date, but will wait for the right person.

Thank you both. I figured the job market is so competitive some practice can't hurt but I didn't want to apply if I was just going to make myself look stupid!

Apply, apply, apply! but be prepared not to be shortlisted. If a job specification has a PhD as "Essential" then it's unlikely you'll be shortlisted.

In your CV, be frank about your planned date of submission. But be aware that the selection committee may assume that schedule will slip. And then there's the examination & corrections process.

But you have a good research & publication trajectory, and teaching experience, so you stand a reasonable chance of being interviewed for teaching-only jobs.

Good luck!

Thank you. I approached my supervisor about it too and she is supportive of me starting to apply, so I am preparing my first applications to send off, and anticipating my first rejections, but it's all good practice!

Good luck @bathsh3ba, I would totally agree about applying now. One of my PhD students has just started a job and is submitting next week.