Academics?

Hi all,

I'm wondering about the application/hiring process for academia in the UK. I've been working in higher ed in the US since 2014, and worked in Ireland as well during/after my PhD. My field is peace & conflict studies, and have also taught in international/global studies, politics, and liberal studies. I'm currently working on the administrative end but looking to get back into teaching once I'm in the UK. I'm on jobs.ac.uk (wish they'd update their app) and THEunijobs (which is repetitive of the jobs.ac.uk posts).

Any insight would be helpful!

This is not going to be terribly helpful, but I'm told "it's who you know." Fortunately, I've not had to jump the hoops for an academic job here.  What level institution are you hoping for?

Best of luck!

We have a few academic folks here, but they moved with job offers already in hand from what I remember. Do you have any UK contacts from your studies? I would definitely network as much as possible. Teaching at the university level is always pretty high competition!

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We have a few academic folks here, but they moved with job offers already in hand from what I remember. Do you have any UK contacts from your studies? I would definitely network as much as possible. Teaching at the university level is always pretty high competition!

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What she said. You might have more luck at the college level? Either way, especially in political science, competition is going to be stiff for any lecturer positions that may come available. Oh, and be sure you know what they're doing with the Uni pensions....

Thanks all. I am interested to learn more about the hiring process rather than the job market itself (it's very difficult to get into most everywhere). I have experience in the US in interviewing and job talks but was keen to hear about the specific British quirks to the hiring process.

I am networking and doing what I can to get friends to look out for me for something in my field. I am applying for a spouse settlement visa and so I won't be applying for a visa to work - like in the US those are incredibly difficult to secure and most job postings indicate that they are unable to support candidates who require a work visa.

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Thanks all. I am interested to learn more about the hiring process rather than the job market itself (it's very difficult to get into most everywhere). I have experience in the US in interviewing and job talks but was keen to hear about the specific British quirks to the hiring process.

I am networking and doing what I can to get friends to look out for me for something in my field. I am applying for a spouse settlement visa and so I won't be applying for a visa to work - like in the US those are incredibly difficult to secure and most job postings indicate that they are unable to support candidates who require a work visa.

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I think the biggest difference is simply how long the hiring process is here traditionally.  I recently took a new job with a company that was looking to move quickly and it took about six weeks.  And you know what?  That was REALLY quick for the UK.

I think the biggest difference is simply how long the hiring process is here traditionally.  I recently took a new job with a company that was looking to move quickly and it took about six weeks.  And you know what?  That was REALLY quick for the UK.

I applied for my current job in May 2017. I was hired in October 2017 and started work late November 2017. I don't think the US is any better for my line of work

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No, it's not.

I used to work for a major research Uni in the States and did recruitment/hiring of faculty for well over a decade, in a couple of different disciplines.  Basically the process was the same across the board. We started the process in June/July of a given year, advertising hit the journals by Aug/Sept, applications received and winnowed through, invitations to first interviews made by the end of November for interviews/flyouts/job talks in January/February, committees met and selected finalists in March, finalists out for the second round in March/April. Files put in to the administration for proposal for appointment in March/April/May.  Hiring would be effective July 1 of that year for the school term that started in the fall.

I hated that part of the job, by the way. We got hundreds and hundreds of applications, and guess who was responsible for processing them all?