Written by Teresa Blumenthal, Associate Editor for SPR.

Quick Facts

Resource Type: Book
Title: The Professor Is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your PhD into a Job
Author: Dr. Karen Kelsky
Year of Publication: 2015

Book Synopsis and Layout

The Professor Is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your PhD into a Job is a practical guide to the academic job market. This book not only explains the multifaceted nature of being a candidate, but also includes specific instructions and examples for an applicant’s materials and interview preparation. Readers are invited to assess their assumptions of the market, rethink how they present themselves through their application materials, and reconceptualize their self-portrayal during interviews. 

Dr. Kelsky organized the book to guide the reader through the entire job-market process, from the state of the academy to how to be a successful campus visitor. The Professor Is In includes ten unique sections, with multiple chapters (totalling 63!) in each section. Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of chapters –they are succinct, well organized, and aptly named. The chapters focus on specific documents and/or facets of the complete job application process, allowing the reader to easily return for precise advice. For example, if an individual is seeking guidance on their research statement, they can turn to chapter 27 and learn everything they need to know about research statements: from what they are to what information to include. Kelsky even includes specific language to use or avoid when drafting documents! The first eight sections are specifically related to academia and the application process and the last two sections include advice regarding advisors and information about leaving academia.

Spanish and Portuguese Review Relevance

Graduate students in humanities, and all disciplines, will find this book  to be an excellent resource when preparing for the academic job market. With a PhD in anthropology and both a successful academic and business record, the author tells a story accessible to all disciplines and relevant to whatever phase an applicant might be in in their job market journey. In fact, chapter 16 discusses publication as an essential part of preparation for the job market. The author emphasizes thinking about publishing early on in the grad student career. A graduate student peer-reviewed journal like SPR may be an excellent venue for graduate students to consider for publication during their graduate student journey. If you’re considering publishing in SPR, learn about the types of submissions SPR publishes and gain insight into how to transform your term papers into publishable manuscripts! Kelsky also explains the importance of and how to cultivate a five year plan (pp. 48-51) to guide students through their graduate program and attain attributes of a competitive candidate along the way. At the end of the chapter (six) she includes an example of a five year plan (p. 50) and how to blend all the work completed during graduate school into a cohesive narrative for the job market. 

Important to mention is that Dr. Kelsky worked in the academy for two decades as a tenured professor and department head before deciding to leave the profession. During her experience, she observed that many candidates on the job market were underprepared, and she decided to start a blog to provide resources. She maintains an active website and offers services to strengthen application materials (from C.V.s to Job Talks) and navigate the job market. Graduate students in Spanish and Portuguese seeking to prepare for the job market will find Dr. Kelsky’s book and website are accessible and honest resources. 

Personal Highlights

A mentor told me that if I wanted to go on the academic job market, I would have to read this book. Several months later I was talking with someone who is tenure track and I asked for input and she said, “Buy The Professor Is In and do everything it says”. I took their advice and never looked back. This book is absolutely necessary for any graduate student seeking to go on the job market. I found the book to be extraordinarily honest while also providing hope through decisive instruction. I wish I had read this book at the beginning of graduate school, but am beyond thankful that I have it now.  

If you have used this resource, let us know in the comments below. And if you choose to give this resource a try, report back on this post! We’d love to know which chapter has been most helpful to you in your preparation for/experience on the job market! 

Stay tuned next month for another resource for graduate students! 

MLA Reference
Kelsky, Karen. The Professor Is In: The Essential Guide to Turning Your PhD into a Job. Three Rivers Press, New York, 2015.

APA Reference
Kelsky, K. (2015). The professor is in: The essential guide to turning your PhD into a job. Three Rivers Press.