The Philosophers' Cocoon

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Job-Market Reporting Thread (2025-26)
Job-Market Discussion Thread (2025-26)

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  • Do universities use ATS tracking software for academic CVs?

    In our newest “how can we help you?” thread, a reader writes:

    This is probably a very naive question — does anyone know if hiring committees use ATS tracking software on academic CVs? While it seems odd to me that any would, I am not sure if this is a practice anywhere and how it affects CV formatting.

    I ask because my (small) university had some professionalization talks for us PhD students/candidates by a guy who included discussion about ATS tracking software. The university, however, did not have him come back for these talks. So now I am a little more confused than I needed to be.

    For those of you who may not be aware, ATS software automates initial resume screenings, etc. Its use is apparently very widespread in non-academic job markets, and while it might be used for administrative and/or staff hires at universities, I am not aware of it being used in hiring for faculty jobs in academia.

    Do any readers have any experiences/insights to share?

    4

  • Voice-preservation tips for back-to-back teaching?

    In our newest “how can we help you?” thread, a reader writes:

    I have two back-to-back classes this semester, and sometimes towards the end of the second class my throat is getting a bit sore and my voice is getting a bit ragged. I’m scheduled for three back-to-back-to-back courses next semester, which I expect will present the same problem with more frequency and severity. Anyone have any tips for keeping the throat comfortable and the voice mellifluous for over three hours of energetic public speaking?

    For years, I used to teach three 2-hour courses back to back, which meant that if I taught traditionally, I would be speaking loudly for 6 hours straight. That wasn’t tenable (my voice would go hoarse well before my final class), which is one of many reasons that I started having my students do graded in-class group work. Having them do multiple assignments in a single class, giving them 10 or 15 minutes to work and write before discussion, took a huge load off my speaking time (and hence, my voice). This is about the only tip I have, though.

    Do any readers have helpful tips?

    13

  • How do you take/organize notes?

    In our newest “how can we help you?” thread, a reader writes:

    How do people take notes? My approach tends to be to take detailed notes on everything I read, but this is not efficient, especially as my list of papers to read gets longer and longer. Any information on people’s broad research methodologies and how they organize their notes would also be very helpful.

    Good question! For the most part, I don’t really take notes. Occasionally, I’ll jot down a few things in my iPhone’s notepad just to remember some of my thoughts. But when it comes to readings, etc., I mainly just highlight passages and fold/”dogear” book pages to return to later when writing. Sometimes I’ll jot brief notes in the margins or insert a side-comment in a PDF. But that’s about it.

    Do any readers have any better strategies for taking and organizing notes?

    5

  • Requesting alternative job-talk/flyout dates?

    In our newest “how can we help you?” thread, a reader writes:

    I have a question about job talk invitations: In the past, I have accepted invitations on the spot, agreeing to often complicated (intercontinental) trips, independently of given plans. In a present case, the schedule conflict is so extensive that I can’t really accept the proposed date. How do committees react to candidates asking if a different arrangement is possible? Does this kill the vibe? Is there a better or a worse way to do it? Is it healthier to treat job talks like a wedding or the birth of a child–drop everything and go there?

    This seems like a no-brainer to me: just tell them what you need. You’re a finalist for their position, which means they’re really interested in potentially hiring you. Schedule conflicts happen. Plus, if anything, the search committee might even worry that you have a flyout somewhere else–in which case noting the conflict could even be slightly advantageous (since in my experience search committees can in such a competitive environment worry that their most favored candidate might get offers elsewhere first). But these are just my thoughts.

    What are yours?

    8