help with application form - academia

[hatwoman]

can anyone offer me any advice on two specific questions. firstly - the on-line application comprises the standard factual info, plus a statement about how you meet he person spec. but also there's a bit for you to add attachments - but no indication as to what sort of attachments. should I attach a cv? copies of publications? a list of publications? a detailed book proposal that I've got a publisher for? a summary of said proposal?

and my second question is that the person spec asks for "a good degree". should I just leave this bit of the person spec off my statement - it's a bit of factual information that will be included in the rest of the application. or should I elaborate on my degree and say something about it? It all gets a bit complicated in that my degree is a 2:1 - not great for academia, and not in the subject that I now work in, and completed getting on for 20 years ago. on the plus side there are some subject parallels and it's from Oxford.(the main bits of relevance to the job are my work, a post-grad qualification from 2005, and publications - in many ways my undergrad degree is really not that significant)

many thanks all.

sorry - another couple of qs - how long do you think the statement should be? and should I stick to the person spec or should I elaborate some other stuff - why I want the job, career plans etc. all the form says is "Please provide a statement in support of your application, which relates to the selection criteria"

What type of post are you going for?

I would definitely attach a list of publications and conference proceedings with perhaps plans for future research e.g. this paper under preparation, this book being written, going to this conference in June.

Have you had good chance to talk about past research in your statement? Perhaps a short list of research undertaken and with whom. If you have any grant applications then definitely put those details down.

I would add something in like 'I have a strong degree from...'. If it is not relevant to the subject then try and make something up linking it your current work - or pointing out that your postgrad work surpasses this.

I would work in bits about why you want the job, how it fits your career etc into the statement when talking about how you meet the criteria? E.g. 'must be research active' = how you are reseach active and what plans you have for the future?

Good luck!

thanks peppapig. I'm getting quite a bit down - but, tbh, even the person spec is a bit thin. and on some of it they say they'll assess in at interview, rather than on the application. I'm still going to put those categories in though.

As well as going through the person spec I think I'm going to add another subhead where I can work in career plans etc. I think it's especially justified as this is a bit of a career change - so I think I need to be more upfront about why I want the job than someone whose cv says that they've always wanted to be an academic.

btw - what made you say book, and conference in june...? do you know me?? or are you just a bit spooky? be honest with me....if you know me I'd like to know!

Lol, I am just psychic

No - I am going to a conference in June so it was in my head. No idea who you are don't worry!

I think adding sub headings to your statement is absolutely fine and a good idea if it is a career change.

ok! I believe you! if you're still there - any thoughts on how long this statement should be...it's rather long...but I think it might be justified in that I need to show the ways in which my research experience is "equivalent to a PhD" and make some argument about this whole change of career direction.

I've divided the "equivalent to PhD" section into
-research experience (4 pieces of research and associated publications)
-active research plans (a book that I was approached by a publisher to do)

• significant knowledge (in addition to the research - my masters and work experience)
• developing research proposals and funding bids
• understanding the application of research in the non-academic sector

although it lacks a PhD I think there's stuff in there that's relevant that someone with a PhD might not have.

I prob shouldn't offer advice! However I would try as hard as I could to address each of their requirements, they will have a check list of the ad prob in front of them, to keep everything fair etc..

Def attach the cv but also fill out as much detail in the answers to the questions in the form even if there is repetition. Def mention papers in prep and press, and any grant applications you have been part of especially if they have been successful.

I'm not sure I would say 'I've always wanted to be an academic/lecturer' on the cv even if you are a career changer. I would never say this (but then I'm not brilliantly successful so make of it what you will.) I would emphasise your interest in this post, this research, this setting, these opportunities and these colleagues. Obviously at the same time as how much you can offer them

Good luck

Could you put the sig knowledge into the other sections? or is this something they have asked for specifically? It's just they asked for the equivalent to a PhD. I wouldn't put your Masters and work experience in a section of their own, I would blend them in with your research experience and the non academic section at the end (assuming your work experience fits well here).

Hope get a shot at it - FWIW my application forms are usually OK but I interview very badly indeed

I sometimes write 3 or 4 A4 pages but I have got the job on those occasions!

Isn't the research sector one of the ones where you are supposed to write more than 2 sides.

I think it is probably a case that the more the better (within reason and as long as you are not rambling or talking crap).

More experience = more to write?

Are you going for a lectureship or a research job by the way?

I think 4 papers already out is more than many new postgrads have so would equate to phd experience in combination with work experience.

Would you be prepared to do a phd - do you have an idea for it? If so I would talk about that in specific detail if you can.

theochris - I didn;t mean that bit about cvs that say "I've always wanted to be an academic" literally. I just meant that some people will have cvs, the content of which clearly implies it's always been their game plan. but not so for me - so I have a bit more explaining to do. and no way would I say something like I've always wanted to be an academic. first because it's not true and second because if it were true they'd put me in the bin (not literally) for taking rather too long in getting down to it...

re your other comment - what I've done is put the research component of the masters (which I got published) under research. but then outlined what else I studied under knowledge. both of these I have put under the bigger heading of "experience equivalent to a phd" (which is their heading) - so they are sort of blended but not totally iyswim. I think it would be a mistake to try to dress up the study component of a masters as independent research. it's not. but it does give me background/post-grad level understanding of particular areas - of the type that you might get in your first year of a phd.

Sorry hard to get a handle on the gist on screen!

Good luck