HOW TO BECOME A UNIVERSITY LECTURER

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HOW TO BECOME A UNIVERSITY LECTURER

• Matthew Johnson
• Archaeology, School of Humanities
• University of Southampton
• m.h.johnson_at_soton.ac.uk

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Structure of Talk

• University Archaeology today
• What Universities require of their staff
• What it is like to be a lecturer
• How to acquire the skills and get the job

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University Archaeology today

• Fewer than 30 depts in UK (c.28 members of SCFA)
  a small world
• Varies widely in rest of world (N America
  Europe Australia)
• UK depts quite similar (8-25 posts, scores at
  RAE) not as divided as e.g. History

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Key Changes/Drivers to Staff Recruitment

• Recession
• Student numbers stable/declining
• Research Evaluation Framework
• Themed funding/impacts
• League tables
• Increasing nos. of posts in new Universities
  (Heritage, Conservation)

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Key Priorities of a Lecturer

• Teaching
• Research (grants, publications, students)
• Administration/leadership
• NB. Priorities between these are not always
  explicit (your HoD is not a trained manager)
• Stress results from trying to juggle these
• Key skill therefore is setting priorities, having
  a personal plan and sticking to it

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Whats It Like? Two Myths

• Universities are ivory towers
• Lecturers are underpaid and overburdened
• Lecturers do work long hours, but out of choice
  most enjoy what they do
• (Lecturer minimum 27183 plus pay rise)

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Typical Day of Junior Lecturer

• Prepare and give 1-2 lectures
• See personal tutees/deal with knocks on door
• Staff or sub-group meeting
• Seminars, other group events
• Usually a day/week at home, to do research
• Also 14 weeks vacation

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Good reasons for being a lecturer

• Passionate about archaeology
• Enjoy researching and writing
• Like performing (not just lectures)

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Bad reasons for being a lecturer

• To get down with the kids
• Primary aim to teach
• Didnt want a stressful job
• Because everyone expects it/high status

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How to get thereChoose the Right PhD Supervisor

• NOT the most popular lecturer
• Committed to you
• Politically savvy will use their contacts for
  you
• Senior/on their way to being senior

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Get the Right Skills

• Have more than one string to your bow
• Give papers network (not just at TAG)
• Do some teaching try to lead in this area
• Be aware of general state of archaeology
• Get the PhD finished!

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Post-Docs Publish, Publish, Publish
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www.jobs.ac.ukTimes Higher Education
SupplementThe Guardian (Tuesdays)www.saa.org
Where to Look for Jobs
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Read the Job Specs.

• A legal requirement
• No hidden agendas
• BUT written by other lecturers, not managers
• Ask yourself would I want to work with this
  person?

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Selection Process

• Advert
• Job Description
• Shortlisting
• References (less important)
• Presentation
• Interview

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Presentation/Interview

• Show youve thought about the Department and
  University
• Possible colleagues links
• Be a team player, but not a doormat
• Be relentlessly positive
• Be yourself!

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Afterwards

• Thank them!
• Be assertive (but not aggressive) in getting
  feedback