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[sisqa_]

Hi,

I have just gotten a tt position in Europe, after having tried - without any success - to get an academic position in Australia. This new position is quite prestigious, a very small teaching load, nice colleagues, a nice city, and I can freely develop my research interersts. As I haven't had much teaching experience yet (only one research postdoc), it will certainly look good on my cv. On the other hand, my long-term plans are still to live in Australia.

Any advice on how to maximize my chances to eventually succeed in getting hired in Australia? What should I most focus on in the next years?

During my Ph.D. I have spent some months in Australia, so I do know some researchers there, who are very friendly, but not really inclined to pull strings for me. I think, they would (& did) write great references, but would (&did) not invest much time/efforts to help me getting a job there. (I don't think I could expect that - I only wrote it to give an impression of the level of support/connections I have there).

From my experiences, a lot of hires in Australia are inside jobs, as Australians quite naturally want to stay there. Sometimes they go abroad for a two-year postdoc, but then return to their university. Generally, I have the feeling, that as an outsider, I'll have to be very good to make a chance at all.

How should I tailor my research agenda in the next year? Any general advice? Should I try go get grants for international collaborations - with gthe people I already know in Australia, or alternatively should I search for new collaborators there? Or should I just try to do the best possibly research I can and hope that I build a really good cv, that somehow will convince an Australian search committee?

 

[sisqa_]

Hi -

 I just realize that my questions better belongs to the "Working Overseas" forum, so I'll re-post it there.

[kecko]

Ah, you and me both--mountains, oceans, open space, and warm all year round. Australia is that paradise (well, if you forget giant spiders, killer bugs, box jellyfish, trees with sap that burns, rampant sexism, conservative politics and all that other great stuff!)...
I've been trying to get out there, but I know it is very difficult to do so. The only things I can suggest is to make friends with people there, do some unique research and offer to do exchange lecturing one term, go to conferences there whenever you can (nothing like a 24 hour plane journey)...
I have heard New Zealand is a little more open, so you might try to get a position there--then at least you'd be closer to where you want to be and more likely to make the connections you need.
Collaborations are a great way to go, if you can make some friends there--it does seem to be about who you know in Australia.

[case_insensitive]

Since we don't know your field, advice will only be general. I imagine this can be quite different from field to field. 

I have been offered positions in Aus and NZ, but I don't know what the magic formula is.  Why would it be different from elsewhere?  Publish in good journals, build a good reputation in the research community, develop relationships in your target geography if possible, do a good job in the classroom... these things don't change, me thinks.

I suspect that to some extent, getting a job depends on whether plenty of folks in the country are qualified for that position (or not).  Most countries have policies that make hiring citizens easier if not preferred.

case insensitive

[sisqa_]

Hi -

thanks for the answers!

My field is a subdiscipline of psychology. There is generally a fair number of psychology jobs, but as I did my M.A. in another field, and only my Ph.D. in psychology, I might be a less intersting candidate for a psychology faculty, as I could not teach a broad area of courses (or, less say, I haven't taight them yet). My current assistant prof job is related to my M.A., and in that area there are less jobs, I'm afraid.

Regarding "building connections" - would you recommend I try to collaborate with the people I already know in my field (and who know that I'm really eager to come back) but haven't actively supported me so far except for writing references, or should I try to start collaborations with others (in the hope that they might be more interested in helping me to find a job there). I do know the important people in the field in Oz (have worked for one of them, and know the others from workshops, talks, conferences etc.)

[case_insensitive]

Hi -

thanks for the answers!

My field is a subdiscipline of psychology. There is generally a fair number of psychology jobs, but as I did my M.A. in another field, and only my Ph.D. in psychology, I might be a less intersting candidate for a psychology faculty, as I could not teach a broad area of courses (or, less say, I haven't taight them yet). My current assistant prof job is related to my M.A., and in that area there are less jobs, I'm afraid.

Regarding "building connections" - would you recommend I try to collaborate with the people I already know in my field (and who know that I'm really eager to come back) but haven't actively supported me so far except for writing references, or should I try to start collaborations with others (in the hope that they might be more interested in helping me to find a job there). I do know the important people in the field in Oz (have worked for one of them, and know the others from workshops, talks, conferences etc.)

I'd say collaborate with whomever is interested in collaborating...

If your MA is in another field and your current employment is in that field, you'll need to go far out of your way to sell yourself in the field in which you completed your PhD, that means show them your interests are there, show them research in that area, professional activity in that area, etc. and downplay the unrelated area... you can do this in your cover letter, in the way you design your c.v, etc. as well.

Don't focus on limited your teaching to what you already know how to do  but rather be clear about what you are interested in teaching, which is presumably much broader than what you have taught already.

Oz is lovely. I loved living there years ago.  I hope you find your dream job.

[figee]

Regarding "building connections" - would you recommend I try to collaborate with the people I already know in my field (and who know that I'm really eager to come back) but haven't actively supported me so far except for writing references, or should I try to start collaborations with others (in the hope that they might be more interested in helping me to find a job there). I do know the important people in the field in Oz (have worked for one of them, and know the others from workshops, talks, conferences etc.)

I'm a little bit confused as to exactly how much more you want these people to do.  Jobs in Australia are no more dominated by internal hires than other places.  Some things to consider, however,are:

• that Australia is a long way from everywhere else.  People therefore want to make hires who are going to stay and be happy working in a relatively small, underfunded and isolated academic community
  that most Australian academics are expected to teach quite high loads so without both teaching experience and a developing research profile (which is becoming increasingly important) you might be struggling.
  that Australian higher education is going through a pretty major shift in culture, and hires are expected to be performing at a very high level to be able to attract research funding

As for your collaborators, it is unclear what you want them to do.  In a field like psychology, where it is very competitive, writing references may be all they are in a position to do. 

In practical terms, you may need to come out, get on a research project, get some teaching experience and go in that way.  As things stand, there is probably partly an element of 'too far away and too junior/ good/ unproven' and doubts as to whether you'd really come.

[sisqa_]

Thanks, figee, for your answer.

To clarify - when I was working in Australia, the person I worked for was very happy with our collaboration (as I know from other sources & great references), but did not support me very much in finding a follow-up position in Oz (as e.g. in writing a collaborative grant, introducing me to colleagues that might hire s.o., employing me as a postdoc on their grant). They were very happy when I found a postdoc position in the States and  hired their own Ph.D. student as postdoc - something that is perfectly understandable.... Thanks for the tip, that the other might be worried, that I'd not come or leave quickly - I'll try to emphasize my strong geographical motivation better.

[figee]

Thanks, figee, for your answer.

To clarify - when I was working in Australia, the person I worked for was very happy with our collaboration (as I know from other sources & great references), but did not support me very much in finding a follow-up position in Oz (as e.g. in writing a collaborative grant, introducing me to colleagues that might hire s.o., employing me as a postdoc on their grant). They were very happy when I found a postdoc position in the States and  hired their own Ph.D. student as postdoc - something that is perfectly understandable.... Thanks for the tip, that the other might be worried, that I'd not come or leave quickly - I'll try to emphasize my strong geographical motivation better.

I think you need to investigate the realities of research funding in Australia a bit more.  In terms of writing collaborative grants, the main funding agencies over here require the main applicants to be already employed full time at a university.  You may then be able to apply for RAs but not necessarily.  This is one reason why your collaborators may not have been able to fund you.  Second, were you eligible for a post-doc?  If not, that's why a younger scholar may have been given the chance.  Your s.o. point is well made, but again, the culture here doesn't really support that kind of connection (at least in my experience).  The market here is small.

I'd reiterate that your best bet is probably to try to shift over here and be working here, or build up your CV OS then try and get back.  It may take a while: I applied to four jobs at my current university before landing this one.  I only got this one after I had taught casually in the department for 12 months, had landed a post-doc at another institution and was actively increasing my research portfolio.

Any further information you'd like, feel free to send me a message.

Fi

[gobelin]

Hi Sisqa,

I think you've had some good advice here.  I am sure some teaching experience will help.  I have known several people get jobs in Australia and they all had good research CVs as well as being well-rounded academics.

Psychology as a discipline has quite tight boundaries though, and although it is relevant to many areas, psychologists are not always as positive about interdisciplinary folk as they ought to be.  If you are working in a different but related field at the moment, it will be important to keep your hand in in psychology: be a member of relevant professional societies, attend psychology conferences, publish in good psychology journals.  And if you think of yourself as primarily a psychologist, it might be best to aim to get back into a psychology department at some point.

How badly do you want to get to Oz?  The other thing to consider is immigration.  Australia has a points-based programme for skilled migrants and if you look at this list of occupations in demand, you will see that psychologists are on the list.  You could get your visa and be there within six months.  Of course then you would still have to find a job there. 

If you keep improving your CV, as you would for any academic job, that can only help.  Australian universities advertising on jobs.ac.uk, for example, are clearly happy to consider international applicants.

Good luck!