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[alleyoxenfree]

I want to add something that ABDs might not consider, which is that, as some other new threads note, it is possible to exhaust yourself in multiple years of jobhunting.  And adding a year in which you are not quite competitive to your overall total may not be as wise, if you have other alternatives, like a good post-doc where you are, or additional funding somehow to stay put.  Or best of all situations, unlimited time to write because you are supported by spouse.

In other words, this year you're fresh and raring to go.  In year three or four, as you continue to stalk the elusive tt beast, you may wish you had one less year of disappointment under your belt.  It's a delicate balance.  You will gain experience and if the gods find in your favor, a job.  Or you will gain experience, and not find a job, and get a little more discouraged.  Having had several successful searches, and yet being on the market yet again, I find myself more selective about where I'm willing to devote time because the process itself can be brutal.  Pace yourselves, protect yourselves, and keep writing foremost while you test the waters.

[hegemony]

And I wanted to encourage you all.  I'm on a search committee right now and we definitely consider ABDs.  In fact an ABD can have an advantage.  If you have a publication or two (doesn't have to be out yet, could be in press), you look great.  In other words, you don't have to have published very much to look energetic.  It might seem as if the applicants who finished two or three years ago would have the edge, but not all of them have great publication records; they need exponentially more publications to give the same impression of energy and productivity.

So come on and apply.  Here's another encouraging fact: the job opening may attract a hundred applicants, but not all of those applicants are competitive.  By that I mean that a surprising proportion of them are from people who have no idea how to put together a CV (don't tell me at length about what you are knitting -- seriously), some of them are from people in foreign countries who have no idea how the job market works (don't apply if you really want to teach high school but you think academia might be a good stopgap measure), and a lot are from people who are not really in the field but are hoping we're really flexible.  I don't blame them for trying, but if we advertise for a person who can teach French at all levels, applicants who have never taught French but who write about how the 19th-century English regarded the French are not competitive.

So it's not as bad as you think.  If you send a focused, professional application for a job in your field, we'll be delighted to read it.

[thehighking]

And I wanted to encourage you all.  I'm on a search committee right now and we definitely consider ABDs.  In fact an ABD can have an advantage.  If you have a publication or two (doesn't have to be out yet, could be in press), you look great.  In other words, you don't have to have published very much to look energetic.  It might seem as if the applicants who finished two or three years ago would have the edge, but not all of them have great publication records; they need exponentially more publications to give the same impression of energy and productivity.

So come on and apply.  Here's another encouraging fact: the job opening may attract a hundred applicants, but not all of those applicants are competitive.  By that I mean that a surprising proportion of them are from people who have no idea how to put together a CV (don't tell me at length about what you are knitting -- seriously), some of them are from people in foreign countries who have no idea how the job market works (don't apply if you really want to teach high school but you think academia might be a good stopgap measure), and a lot are from people who are not really in the field but are hoping we're really flexible.  I don't blame them for trying, but if we advertise for a person who can teach French at all levels, applicants who have never taught French but who write about how the 19th-century English regarded the French are not competitive.

So it's not as bad as you think.  If you send a focused, professional application for a job in your field, we'll be delighted to read it.

Thank you, hegemony.

May all SCs be like yours! :)

[pink_]

Not to rain on the ABD parade, but there are plenty of SCs, esp in MLA fields, who will not consider ABD apps.  For example, if you are in 20thC American lit, chances are you will not get (m)any MLA interviews until you have your degree in hand.  There's just too much competition, and that's an easy way to cut the pile of apps (in the hundreds) in half.  I do know people who got jobs as ABDs, but they had all defended or had the defense scheduled by the MLA convention.

That's not to say that you shouldn't apply.  By all means, you might get lucky.  But it is to say that you need to keep your expectations in check and finish your dissertation.  I know a lot of people who basically set the diss aside during the winter in favor of checking the job wikis or waiting by the phone.  It can be hard to focus on your research or your revisions or whatever, but it's very important.

And seconding what larryc said about punctuation as well as what grassy said about the relative anonymity of this space.   

[blueamber]

I think there are differences across disciplines. I would like to know more regarding the competitiveness of ABDs in specific disciplines, especially from experienced members in SC. Let's say management (not including accounting and finance, as I know the market for these two fields is so good anyway). Besides general criteria, what else we, as ABDs, can do to be more competitive on the market? Indeed, it would be even better to be something that we can improve over a couple of months. :)

[blueamber]

I just reviewed the ads that I have applied so far. Most of them do have a qualification requirement like 'PhD in xxx'. It never occurred to me that ABDs are less competitive for such jobs. While those jobs all start Fall 2010, I'm sure that I'll be a PhD before next Summer if I get a job offer. Am I wrong? Any idea?

[blueamber]

While those jobs all start Fall 2010, I'm sure that I'll be a PhD before next Summer.

And I've made this clear in the first paragraph of my cover letter.

[berkeleygirl]

And I wanted to encourage you all.  I'm on a search committee right now and we definitely consider ABDs.  In fact an ABD can have an advantage.  If you have a publication or two (doesn't have to be out yet, could be in press), you look great.  In other words, you don't have to have published very much to look energetic.  It might seem as if the applicants who finished two or three years ago would have the edge, but not all of them have great publication records; they need exponentially more publications to give the same impression of energy and productivity.

So come on and apply.  Here's another encouraging fact: the job opening may attract a hundred applicants, but not all of those applicants are competitive.  By that I mean that a surprising proportion of them are from people who have no idea how to put together a CV (don't tell me at length about what you are knitting -- seriously), some of them are from people in foreign countries who have no idea how the job market works (don't apply if you really want to teach high school but you think academia might be a good stopgap measure), and a lot are from people who are not really in the field but are hoping we're really flexible.  I don't blame them for trying, but if we advertise for a person who can teach French at all levels, applicants who have never taught French but who write about how the 19th-century English regarded the French are not competitive.

So it's not as bad as you think.  If you send a focused, professional application for a job in your field, we'll be delighted to read it.

Thanks for an encouraging post! I am in interdisciplinary area studies, so I am applying to three different fields, but only when they are specifically related to my work. I am not sure how this will pan out, but we will see soon enough. I know several graduates from my department who landed tt jobs in MLA fields as an ABD.  So don't be discouraged until 100% of your apps came back as a rejection. Last year, I applied for a bunch of things and the rejection letters came flowing in, until the very last one, which was positive.

I too have heard from many folks that the majority of applicants have awful cover letters and C.V.s as well as unrelated degrees.  I think all of us ABDs know its tough, but to second blueamber, I'd also like to know how to position ourselves in a competitive manner.  

blueamber-I am also filing in the spring, and will have my PhD by xxx date as stated in my cover letter too (see larryc's post yesterday). don't sweat it until you have to! Just don't put the diss down during this distracting season.  Best of luck to all of you!

[larryc]

I just reviewed the ads that I have applied so far. Most of them do have a qualification requirement like 'PhD in xxx'. It never occurred to me that ABDs are less competitive for such jobs. While those jobs all start Fall 2010, I'm sure that I'll be a PhD before next Summer if I get a job offer. Am I wrong? Any idea?

I have served on too many search committees and can tell you that every single ABD claims to be certain of completion by the start date. We don't necessarily toss these applications, but we do turn directly to the advisor's letter of recommendation. If it does not specifically say that the dissertation will be complete by the start date, the application goes to the bottom of the pile.

[pink_]

I just reviewed the ads that I have applied so far. Most of them do have a qualification requirement like 'PhD in xxx'. It never occurred to me that ABDs are less competitive for such jobs. While those jobs all start Fall 2010, I'm sure that I'll be a PhD before next Summer if I get a job offer. Am I wrong? Any idea?

How close are you to being done?
Have you scheduled your defense?
Have you had conversations about the defense with those writing your letters of recommendation?
Do you specify in your letters that you expect to defend by X date and file by summer 2010?
Will your advisor back these claims when asked about them?

Whether or not you will be a competitive candidate really depends on your field and your own answers to the above questions.  It also depends in part on your competition.  Part of what makes my field so difficult is the sheer numbers of other applicants.  If you are in a less populated discipline or field of study that could change things dramatically.

[blueamber]

Thanks pink_! For your questions, I think my dissertation is 70% ready given that I've presented two empirical chapters in international conferences. I haven't scheduled a defense, but I do specify in my cover letter that I'll defend in next Spring, and I'm sure that my advisor will back me up on this claim.
Unfortunately, I think I am in a popular area, i.e. management. Based on my experience in those international conferences, I believe there are plenty of candidates just like me in my field.

I just reviewed the ads that I have applied so far. Most of them do have a qualification requirement like 'PhD in xxx'. It never occurred to me that ABDs are less competitive for such jobs. While those jobs all start Fall 2010, I'm sure that I'll be a PhD before next Summer if I get a job offer. Am I wrong? Any idea?

How close are you to being done?
Have you scheduled your defense?
Have you had conversations about the defense with those writing your letters of recommendation?
Do you specify in your letters that you expect to defend by X date and file by summer 2010?
Will your advisor back these claims when asked about them?

Whether or not you will be a competitive candidate really depends on your field and your own answers to the above questions.  It also depends in part on your competition.  Part of what makes my field so difficult is the sheer numbers of other applicants.  If you are in a less populated discipline or field of study that could change things dramatically.

[glowdart]

I just reviewed the ads that I have applied so far. Most of them do have a qualification requirement like 'PhD in xxx'. It never occurred to me that ABDs are less competitive for such jobs. While those jobs all start Fall 2010, I'm sure that I'll be a PhD before next Summer if I get a job offer. Am I wrong? Any idea?

I have served on too many search committees and can tell you that every single ABD claims to be certain of completion by the start date. We don't necessarily toss these applications, but we do turn directly to the advisor's letter of recommendation. If it does not specifically say that the dissertation will be complete by the start date, the application goes to the bottom of the pile.

Exactly.  A lot of schools have had too many ABD people not finish on time, and then they have to run the search again the next year (assuming they don't lose the line) because the ABD hire was canned for not making an October 31st (or whatever) degree-in-hand date.  Some places will let you be a lecturer until you are done.  Other places just fire you if you are not done by a certain date. 

[blueamber]

Thanks larryc and glowdart for the inputs!
Wow! I only paid attention to my research and teaching experiences in my application materials before. It really helps to know that SCs actually worry if ABDs can finish on time!

[carebearstare]

I just reviewed the ads that I have applied so far. Most of them do have a qualification requirement like 'PhD in xxx'. It never occurred to me that ABDs are less competitive for such jobs. While those jobs all start Fall 2010, I'm sure that I'll be a PhD before next Summer if I get a job offer. Am I wrong? Any idea?

I have served on too many search committees and can tell you that every single ABD claims to be certain of completion by the start date. We don't necessarily toss these applications, but we do turn directly to the advisor's letter of recommendation. If it does not specifically say that the dissertation will be complete by the start date, the application goes to the bottom of the pile.

Exactly.  A lot of schools have had too many ABD people not finish on time, and then they have to run the search again the next year (assuming they don't lose the line) because the ABD hire was canned for not making an October 31st (or whatever) degree-in-hand date.  Some places will let you be a lecturer until you are done.  Other places just fire you if you are not done by a certain date. 

Let it be known, also, that at many places you will be paid less without your PhD in hand. And some places will not stop your tenure clock, either, meaning you are wasting valuable time for starting your research agenda if you are finishing the diss.

[abdbcb]

Just for the record, I am in a VAP at a fancy SLAC (top 20) and two others in my seven person department got their TT jobs here in the last 3 years as ABDs. They both were expected to finish in the first semester, neither did. But both defended within 12 months or so, no one got fired or, as far as I know, even threatened. And they did get a little raise upon filing. I'm not trying to be delusional, I'm just saying in some fields, especially with specific subfields, etc etc, it happens.