Mentoring Workshop Job Market Research Productivity Marcelle Chauvet

Mentoring Workshop Job Market Research Productivity Marcelle Chauvet Department of Economics University of California, Riverside

Job Market

Job Market Paper Decisions on topic l Individual interest on the question l. Advisor’s interest on the question l. Assessment of future demand for the topic l Top journals (field and general) in the last 2 -3 years l. Google Scholar (papers and citation) lhttp: //biblio. repec. org/ lhttp: //www. nber. org/papersbyprog/ lwww. ssrn. com l

Job Market Paper Has anyone worked (or is working) on this question? l Is the paper feasible (given time constraint, existing methodologies)? l. Is the question addressed relevant and interesting (for at least a subgroup of researchers? ) l. Are the assumptions made sounded? Are there any basic inconsistencies (model derivation, adequate methodology, etc. ) l

Job Market Paper Should you target your paper to academia, government, or industry jobs? l If you are sure about which kind of job you would like to have l If you are not sure – target academia l l Theoretical and empirical papers

Job Market Paper A well structured paper is crucial l Introduction should include a clear question and motivation l English should be carefully revised l

Research Project and Introduction Step 1: Opening paragraph -discussion of the issue. l Step 2: what is done in the paper l Step 3: Why it is interesting motivation and what others have done in the past that is related to this paper) l Step 4: How will the paper improve on previous work, i. e. the contribution. l

Research Project and Introduction (cont. ) Step 5: How the question is going to be answered – methodology l (Step 6: Description of the data, priors or calibration) l Step 7 – Preview of results l Step 8 – Structure of the paper l

Job Market Strategies Applying to Academic and Non. Academic Institutions: l Package: cover letter, Job Market paper, abstracts of other papers, CV l Number of applications l Advisor and committee’s role: letters of recommendation and personal recommendations l

Job Market Strategies Interviews Dress Code l Prepare, and Prepare l Warm-up l Presentation: 1 -2 minutes rule l Answering questions l Asking questions (do your homework!) l l Illegal questions Follow up – show interest l

Job Market Strategies: Fly-out Contacting other schools l One-to-one Interviews l Presentation l l Structure l Answering questions Clarification questions l. Off-base questions l. Difficult technical questions l l Testy vs. light sense of humor

Job Market Strategies: Negotiating Offer l If you may have another offer l If you do not have another offer

Summing up Understand the rules of the game 4 Be bold 4 Be assertive 4 Be prepared 4

Research Productivity

Research Productivity l Motivation to do the paper l Write a research project and Plan l Divide tasks with co-author (if any) Establish deadlines (conference submission, presentations, etc. ) l

Research Productivity Never enough time, and tasks always take much longer than planned l Procrastination – result of bad planning, and of being overwhelmed. l What to do? l Revise plan often, adjusting for more realistic goals and timing l

Research Productivity Plan amount of time allocated in each task beforehand l l research, correcting exams, writing referee reports, answering emails, personal tasks Revise plan l. Divide tasks in small steps l. Plan your day the day before l. Revise plan again – give yourself some small awards l. Keep track of time and meeting goals established l

Balance of Tasks: Research, Teaching, Service

Research Payoff l l l Tenure Motivation/interest Academic standing Opportunity cost of doing anything else than research Payoff generally not immediate for young economists, large as time passes by Hurdle – referee reports and rejections

Teaching Payoff l l l Tenure Motivation/interest Working with students Teaching - Time on teaching is more predictable Cost and benefit of saying yes or no to extra teaching

Service Payoff l l l Tenure Motivation/interest Time on service is not predictable Types of Service: committees, editorial board of journals, etc. Cost and benefit of saying yes or no to Service Opportunity cost

Balance: Personal and Professional Life

Strategies l l l Prioritize Plan ahead Allow time for unpredictable personal events Need for more productivity, and more efficient use of time Learn how to say no to service, extra teaching, and other demands on your time with low payoff

Strategies l Do not put your family in second plan l Be more productive and strategic with your time instead!

Strategies for women l Children, job market, and tenure Timing l Count even more on unpredictable time allocation l More than ever, need for clear plans, productivity strategies l Have projects set up, ready to go l