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[larryc]

I am getting a sense that I am beginning told that US universities and other organizations really don’t have much desire for those of us with somewhat unique experiences, or maybe they don’t know how to evaluate foreign experience, while in other locations these types of qualifications may be more prized.

No, that is not at all what you have been told in this thread. It is the opposite of what you have been told.  It is however, what you want to believe.

[jtsmr]

2. Work on my cover letter. I think I need to educate the SCs a little about my PhD-granting university and its ranking, and also highlight that I do have US academic experience.

3. Work on my letter writers. I would guess that US universities feel less worried if foreign candidates have American faculty members write letters of recommendations for them. Furthermore, for my non-American writers, I may have to educate them on what it means to write a letter of recommendation for a US position (as European letters tend to be a lot more downplayed, in my experience).

Wutan, I want so badly to say clan--wutan may know what I mean, makes some very, very wise suggestions and states some great advice for the non-US Ph.Der.  As someone already pointed out, American SCs may know of a Sorbonne or an Oxford, by reputation only, but that certainly won't sway an SCC or SCM over a candidate doing research at a known university, sometimes even a SLAC, here in the States.  The university's or SLAC's scholars and research output would be known more so than a uni abroad.

Some Americans make the mistake of thinking that their overseas Ph.D./doctorate will entitle them to certain types of favorable attention.  Not so.  A professor in my department with a Canadian Ph.D. is having difficulty providing equivalence status. The person probably shouldn't have been hired.  Nonetheless, I keep hearing about this and similar stories. 

Wutan, you provide great advice for those with international Ph.Ds seeking to penetrate the market

[spork]

One other point:  unless the OP has a Ph.D. from a reputable institution in business or accounting, he won't be considered qualified for a faculty position in business.  The same constraint exists in disciplines like political science and economics.  "Development" and "poverty reduction" might be areas of experience and/or talent but unfortunately they are not free-standing academic disciplines.

[mountain_ivy]

Having chaired and sat on search committees at my CC, I know that we would look favorably at someone with your experience.  However, from our financial/reality perspective, you'd be GU--geographically undesirable, meaning that there's no way we could pay any travel expenses to interview you. 

[ajarn]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts (although Larry the guru c seems to think anyone questioning the existing system is personally attaching him or something). I can see and understand all the reasons given why I am undesirable to US Universities; however all of these factors are even greater at foreign universities and organizations outside of my current home. However, these factors do not seem to prevent foreign institutions from expressing interest and eventually hiring me. Many have attached the why not part of the question but the why part has been left unanswered.

From my experience US Universities appear to have a very different perspective of international experience than do organizations in other locations. I have done some research in this area, but mostly about businesses, not universities and there does appear to be a distinct difference in how American companies value overseas work experience (promote those with at a slower rate than those without) and foreign organizations (promote those with at faster rates than those without). At least that seems to be the case if we believe those silly quantitative researchers. Lots of reasons could explain this, one being, most US companies rely far more on domestic markets than do foreign companies. However, as my field is business, not education, I can’t really see a connection between Americans having foreign experience and poor performance in the classroom.  Maybe there is research that shows this to be the case, but it goes against intuition.

Larry(knowitall)c

So much hostility.

“Have you had anyone within American academia look at your application materials--your cover letter, vita, teaching portfolio? You may not be presenting yourself effectively.”

No, but once again you miss the point. I also have never had anyone within academia in other regions look at my application material (which are in more of an American style than a European or Asian one) and get interviews. I have read all the articles and stuff about ‘how” to present yourself, unless there is some secret code used, I can’t see this as a problem. Again, if it were a problem, why only in the US, why not on other continents?

Do foreign universities and organizations have more money to recruit than American Universities? (Doesn’t seem likely). Are foreign universities and organizations less bureaucratic than American ones? (Not from my experiences).  Anyway, I got a good job that I am excited about, but it is probably not the type of job I will spent the rest of life doing (It is in a fairly remote area of a developing county), so I will probably be looking again in three or four years to move back into academia (let me hope larryc is not on the search committees I will send my applications to).

[emperor_of_ice_cream]

I'm an American living and working in academe outside the U.S.  I've had job offers in both U.S. and non-U.S. academe.  My hypothesis:  there is more competition for the U.S. positions, because not only Americans but people of other nationalities, as well as Americans living abroad, will all apply for American positions.  By contrast, it is much less common for Americans to apply to overseas positions.  Therefore the reason you have been less successful when applying for positions in the U.S. is simply (as has been noted here earlier) that the competition is fiercer.

I do not agree with a general criticism of U.S. academe as elitist and exclusionary in some of the ways that have been implied here.  However, I *would* agree that Americans tend to be more parochial in their (our) view of the value of non-U.S. academe in general.  In short, the problem is not that American universities won't offer you a job, but that more Americans won't apply for jobs overseas, if you see what I mean.

My 2 cents. 

[ajarn]

E of I

Good points, and I can see what you are saying to a certain extent, but the jobs I have applied for overseas are not limited to Americans. I have to compete against Brits, Germans, Japanese, Nepalese, Finns, Norwegians and others as well. In my opinion, competition overseas can be pretty tough as well, especially with the new limitations on visas for foreigners in the US.

For example I recently applied for a position at a non elite university very near where I grew up in the Midwest. The university published a newsletter on its faculty and I looked up the qualifications of the other faculty members of the department to get an idea of what would be required. To be perfectly honest, I was not overly impressed with the qualifications of the current faculty members, few had many publications beyond an article of two in the local corn growers bulletin, many did not have a PhD (although those without did have substantial industry experience). I don't know, if competition is that fierce, what did this Uni hire these guys? In my opinion, my qualifications would look pretty favorable compared to the exiting faculty members at this place. I made sure to mention that in reality, I was a local and could maybe make a campus visit while visiting home and the school would not be required to foot the bill. The positions I have applied for overseas appear to me to be far more prestigious and competitive than this position.

I received........... nothing, nada, bumpkins. No thank you for applying we will get back to you later, no go screw yourself, absolute silence. No acknowledgement that I even existed. This is the typical response I get from American Universities.

My recent job search was interesting, I interviewed on three continents and did a video conference to a fourth. The majority of jobs I applied for were with American Universities, I received zero interview offers from American Unis, and only a handful even acknowledged receipt of my application.

There is no doubt that at the top American schools, competition is fierce, however America has far more universities and university positions than just about any where in the world, and nearly all of them teach business subjects (my field). You would think I might fit in “somewhere.”   

I hope I don’t come off as whining, it’s not really my point. I am quite happy with my life and career. And I am not really ready to go back home, but it is a little discomforting to think if there is an emergency and I have to go home to care for my parents or something like that, I would be unemployable.

[spork]

Yes, you do come across as whining.

[spork]

Or maybe petulant.  It's hard to distinguish between the two.

[sandgrounder]

On the 'why are you viewed more favourably in other continents' - certainly in Europe the primary concern is publications and other scholarly activities. In your field non-academic experience would also be seen as a plus not a minus. Familiarity with the teaching  /admin system is not seen as vital if the applicant has shown that they have successfully worked abroad before and so can adapt. Therefore I'd imagine the slightly different priorities elsewhere work in your favour whereas the US priorities work against you.
Things do vary a lot. For example it is unheard of in my field nowadays in Europe that someone without a completed PhD would be hired for a TT equivalent post - universities are interested in whether or not people can complete research so an ABD would be rejected automatically.  This isn't the case in the US.
You're right - the non-US market is much more competitive that I think most Americans realise - in fact the US job market in my part of the world is often viewed as much less competitive than our national markets, and a sort of second chance if you know you have no hope at home! But regardless of how competitive things are, it still goes on whether you fit that institution's hiring priorities.
I have a lot of sympathy for your position as I spent the first few years after my PhD working abroad and had a very difficult time getting a job in my own country when I wanted to return. My c.v. didn't fit what was expected of someone who had done their degrees there. All I can say from my own experience was that after I got someone senior in my home country to go over my application materials critically, I changed a lot of the material to emphasise different things and suddenly started getting interviews and offers...

[wutan]

Wutan, I want so badly to say clan--wutan may know what I mean, makes some very, very wise suggestions and states some great advice for the non-US Ph.Der.

I do know what you mean, but that is not really the inspiration for my moniker. ;)

Wutan, you provide great advice for those with international Ph.Ds seeking to penetrate the market

Thanks---it is advice earned the hard way, both from my experiences on the job market this year (40 applications and 2 on-campus interviews, which I now see as being not too bad under the circumstances) as well as gleaned from the sage advice that can be found in these fora. Anyway, I will be much better prepared for another round next year, if it comes to that.

In closing, my feeling is that research universities have much wider horizons than the smaller, teaching-oriented institutions, simply because RUs are more attuned to the international research community. These are also the places that are likely to have a high percentage of international faculty members who are more open to foreign researchers and who are more likely to invite foreign candidates on interviews. In my case, this is exactly the kind of university I want to go, but those who are looking for a SLAC or CC may find it more difficult.

[procrastinating]

These are also the places that are likely to have a high percentage of international faculty members who are more open to foreign researchers and who are more likely to invite foreign candidates on interviews.

Good point....I think this is exactly the issue. 

US universities, like many aspects of American society, run the complete gamut:  the best are the strongest in the world (and therefore insanely competitive for job applicants) but there are many, many other schools at every level. 

The OP is faced with the following Catch 22:  Only R1 universities will seriously consider foreign applicants, but these are exactly the schools that receive hundreds of highly qualified applicants per position and are therefore very picky. 

[helpful]

I once met an HR person from a university who said that University hiring processes are antiquated and wrong headed. Applications are rarely acknowledged, letters saying you didn't get a job are rarely sent out, etc. This has nothing to do with you being overseas...it happens to everyone.  There is really no solution to it -- departments are over-stretched; they get little training in hiring procedures, and procedures and regulations around hiring are rarely written down.

[figee]

Writing as a non-USA citizen who got a doctorate overseas then returned home.

I think there is a definite difference between the USA and the Rest Of The World in terms of job searches, academia and the rest.  Most of the reasons have been pointed out before - the USA produces a lot of PhDs and each position seems to generate a large number of applications.  This means that search committees can pick and choose a little bit more.  This doesn't tend to be the case so much elsewhere.  Further, the USA does tend towards a more isolationist culture (don't shoot me everyone) than does the rest of the world.  Your difficulty is probably, as others have pointed out, not yours alone and so nothing personal.  This also goes some way towards explaining why other places are prepared to hire you.  Where there is a culture of looking for outside expertise (and I include my beloved home in this), foreigners/ international bodies are more likely to be considered.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts (although Larry the guru c seems to think anyone questioning the existing system is personally attaching him or something). I can see and understand all the reasons given why I am undesirable to US Universities; however all of these factors are even greater at foreign universities and organizations outside of my current home. However, these factors do not seem to prevent foreign institutions from expressing interest and eventually hiring me. Many have attached the why not part of the question but the why part has been left unanswered.

From my experience US Universities appear to have a very different perspective of international experience than do organizations in other locations. I have done some research in this area, but mostly about businesses, not universities and there does appear to be a distinct difference in how American companies value overseas work experience (promote those with at a slower rate than those without) and foreign organizations (promote those with at faster rates than those without). At least that seems to be the case if we believe those silly quantitative researchers. Lots of reasons could explain this, one being, most US companies rely far more on domestic markets than do foreign companies. However, as my field is business, not education, I can’t really see a connection between Americans having foreign experience and poor performance in the classroom.  Maybe there is research that shows this to be the case, but it goes against intuition.

Larry(knowitall)c

So much hostility.

“Have you had anyone within American academia look at your application materials--your cover letter, vita, teaching portfolio? You may not be presenting yourself effectively.”

No, but once again you miss the point. I also have never had anyone within academia in other regions look at my application material (which are in more of an American style than a European or Asian one) and get interviews. I have read all the articles and stuff about ‘how” to present yourself, unless there is some secret code used, I can’t see this as a problem. Again, if it were a problem, why only in the US, why not on other continents?

Do foreign universities and organizations have more money to recruit than American Universities? (Doesn’t seem likely). Are foreign universities and organizations less bureaucratic than American ones? (Not from my experiences).  Anyway, I got a good job that I am excited about, but it is probably not the type of job I will spent the rest of life doing (It is in a fairly remote area of a developing county), so I will probably be looking again in three or four years to move back into academia (let me hope larryc is not on the search committees I will send my applications to).

Look, Larry's advice tends to be right on the money about most things academic.  He's also very experienced in terms of how things actually work in the USA college system, so his suggestion that you have someone check your application materials is a good one.  The fact is that although your characterise yourself as being the same person you were when you left the States, the simple fact is that you have changed fundamentally.  When I returned home after an absence of 5 years, I was an absolute foreigner - people do things strangely here.  But I was cut no slack for not understanding how things worked or why they were different because I was at home.  My point is that as an outsider in a culture you can get away with being a bit 'off'.  People make allowances.  As a returned national, people don't make those allowances.  So Larry's suggestion, it seems to me, was about making sure that your application package addressed the right issues, in the right way, using the right language.  Speaking for myself, I've applied to jobs in the States, the UK, the RoI and Oz.  It wasn't till I got my current job that I really understood how different each of these places are in terms of how applications need to be written.  Getting someone to check them is a good idea.

[ajarn]

Helpful

You have a very appropriate name :).

Thanks all for your insight, lots of food for thought to chew on.

Actually, something I fogot about was I actually did have someone who worked in HR at an American University look over my resume/CV a couple of years ago and suggested some style changes which I did. Nothing much so it slipped my mind. Of course getting someone to look over your material is a good idea, but one thing anyone doing some research on applications and so on will soon find out, is that there is no shortage of conflicting information about the "proper" method of aplying for a job. Just because one person says you have done it 'right" doesn't mean everyone else will agree.

I have always thought substance should rule over style, style preferences can be impossible to predict, therefore what you have accomplished is more important than the order the accomplishments go on the CV. I have been asked why my CV was a little "strange" a couple of times by European organizations that eventually hired me. I explained, my CV was done in an American style and that answer seemed to satisfy those doing the hiring.

So if I am using the wrong fonts or something on my CV, that doesn't seem like a major reason for rejection.

One person mentioned about hiring budgets, while another rmentioned isolationism (no kidding, just look at a map and this is explained) this may explain some of my problems. Foreign organizations may be thinking international in job search and budget accordingly, why US schools think local and budget accordingly, and therefore are not in a position to consider hires from overseas.