Resource Sharing
Resource Sharing
Hi folks! Below I have shared some materials I have used for developing my NSF GRFP and NIH K99/R00 applications. I've also written some thoughts about choosing a postdoc and going on the job market. Feel free to share this page with others if you find it useful.
Here is the official NSF GRFP website for all the information you need to know about the fellowship.
Here a self-assessment rubric I used. Keep in mind, I applied in 2017, so this might have changed.
Here is my own research statement.
My biggest advice is to reach out to those who have received the fellowship to politely ask for their materials. Even people you do not know. I believe the NSF publishes a list of recipients each year. Look through the list and find people in your own field and contact them. The worst is they do not respond. No problem! Reach out to more people! Chances are, you will meet many kind individuals who would be more than happy to help uplift another peer.
Here is the official NIH website for information about the K99/R00.
Here are two blogs from folks online that I have found informative with lots of details about the application process.
Here is where you can find success rates of Ks and all other NIH grants by year and institution:
My institute, NICHD, has a success rate around 30% each year, which it is not bad. If your application is relevant for multiple institutes, it might be worthwhile to look at their success rates to know which might give you a better chance of getting funded. Even scholars with temporary visas can apply.
If you go here, you will find publicly available applications released by the NIA (National Institute of Aging). But they might not be as field-relevant.
Here is my biosketch for my application. This is a common component of any NIH grant application so it is good to consider developing one. I'm happy to share more materials if you reach out to me personally.
And as always, I recommend reaching out widely to other previous recipients to politely ask for their materials. The NIH reporter website is where I go to search for K99 applications that have been funded. If you do advanced filter by K99, your NIH institute of interest, year, and key words, you will be able to find some that are particularly relevant to your own research. It shows a short summary of each project and you can determine whether the project is field-relevant to yours. Then you can email the PI to see if they’re willing to share their materials with you. I was able to connect with two generous peers that way.
One last thing, the waiting game for the NIH is longgg and is based on what cycle you applied, when Congress passes the budget, and how quickly your NIH institute works. Basically, everything outside of your control after submission! Be prepared to not know for certain whether you will receive the K for an entire year or even longer (although you should receive your impact score at a reasonable time and would have some ideas early on whether you should resubmit a second time or wait). Keep in contact with your program officer.
Due to the competitive nature of the academic job market, postdocs have become increasingly common in the social sciences in the US, including sociology. For those who are considering a postdoc, here are some advice from others that I've found helpful as well as some observations of my own. Take it with a grain of salt and use your own judgement regarding what is best for you.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a postdoc?
Advantages of a postdoc come in terms of time and opportunity
Time:
to get more papers published and develop your research agenda further
to seriously consider whether you want to continue down the academic route (after finally attaining your PhD)
to recover from your burnout and breathe before taking on new teaching/service demands as a faculty
Opportunity
to develop new areas of expertise and skills
to create new social ties for collaboration or mentoring
to see how a different academic institution work
Disadvantages manifest largely in terms of instability
Instability
in relationships: people move in and out of your life more quickly as a postdoc, either because you have to leave or they have to go. Maintaining meaningful friendships or romantic relationships can be difficult.
in finance: postdocs are often underpaid. You get paid more than you were as a graduate student but often not enough to do all the things you want to do.
in your future: postdocs have a short-term expiration date. You're there knowing that you might not be in a couple of years. The uncertainties can be stressful, especially if you have a partner and/or young children to consider.
How to choose?
So far, I have seen three types of postdoc
Postdocs funded by a grant for a specific research project
This postdoc is attached to a principal investigator (PI or faculty member who received the grant) and you have to dedicate a substantial amount of time to that research project that the grant funds. If the research project aligns well with you own research agenda (and you get publications out of it) and your PI is someone you admire and is well-regarded in your field, great! The postdoc can help you reinforce your position as an emerging expert in the field and develop your network. If not, it can make it difficult for you to prioritize your own research. Some PIs may prioritize advancing their research project over mentoring you as a scholar. So, it is important to be clear of their expectations and your own.
Postdocs funded by a training grant or an internal initiative from the college/department
An NIH T32 from a pop center is a great example. I think the sociology department at Rice runs a long-standing postdoctoral program that also fits the bill. The intent behind this kind of postdoc is to train early career scholars. So from the start, the main focus is on your professional growth. You generally have more freedom to choose who you would like to work with, and they expect you to dedicate all of your time to developing your own research.
Postdocs from a competitive fellowship/grant
A UC Presidential Postdoc, NSF Postdoc, or NIH K99 Postdoc are all examples of this last (and rare) type of postdoctoral opportunity. They are highly competitive but also highly desirable. They will look extra great on your CV. In addition to the freedom to choose your mentor and your research, they also tend to provide more generous salary and research funding (for travels, workshops, equipment, etc.).
My general advice is that the third is better than the second is better than the first in terms of freedom and support. At the same time, the number of opportunities for each type is also inversely related.
Things to generally avoid:
Teaching: avoid postdocs that require teaching. It can suck up a lot of your time. Some positions posted as postdocs have such high teaching demands that they are essentially lectureships.
One-year postdoc: avoid one-year postdocs with no opportunity to renew. Often time, postdocs are posted as a contract that extends for "for one year from the start date, with the possibility of renewal for an additional year." These are multi-year postdocs, worded this way so that they have to option to let you go if your performance is really subpar. Still, it is always good to clarify if there is funding for the position to continue beyond the first year. One-year postdoc is more stress than it is worth: you typically graduate and finish your dissertation in the summer, move and start your position in the fall, and then you have to be on the job market immediately again in order to find your next position. Generally not worth it.
Potential Materials Needed for Postdoc Applications:
Cover letter
Research statement and/or research proposal (i.e., what project you propose to do during your postdoc appointment)
CV
Zoom interview and/or presentation of research
I was asked to do a data analysis task within a given time limit once for a postdoc interview, but I think that is very rare. Generally, the application process for a postdoc is like an academic faculty position, but less intense.
The academic job market in Sociology is always rough and I know it has been especially so lately. I feel very fortunate to have found a position last year and I benefited immensely from the insights and support of my mentors and peers. I hope the thoughts and materials I share below may be of help to others.
During the 2024-2025 job market year, I applied to 40 positions, had 8 zoom interviews, 6 campus visits, and 3 offers. Please note, my search was geared toward tenure-track positions at research institutions only. As always, take what I say with a grain of salt, talk with your trusted mentors, and use your own judgement about what's best for you.
Focus on what you can control. One thing I quickly learned from my time on the market is how much is NOT within your control. And if you think about them too much, they can drive you up the wall. And luck is part of the equation as well. I was surprised to learn several faculty members I know took multiple years to land their first tenure-track job. Some folks told me they were about to give up on academia and just happen to receive that one offer that changed their trajectory. That makes sense. Some market years are worse than others. Last year, when I was on the market, medical sociology was surprisingly hot and I was lucky to ride that wave. Someone candidly told me they felt part of the reason they received their offer was because of whom their advisor knew. These are some of the many factors that are not without your control, so I will not speak about them beyond this point, but I want to emphasize that not receiving an offer is not indicative of your abilities or talent. Don't take it personally. Focus on what you can control and how to maximize your chances.
Things you can control include your publication records--well, to some extent--and your application materials. I wrote "to some extent" because when your paper gets published depends on a host of factors, some of which are not within your control, such as whether the journal can find reviewers for your article and how long it takes for the reviews to get back. But here are some things to think about when it comes to building a strong publication record, which is the main evaluation criteria for research-oriented academic jobs.
Publications:
Timing: One thing I was less aware of as a graduate student was how long the publication process can take. My first first-author article took two-plus years to be accepted for publication from the time I first submitted it (~3 months to receive a rejection from my first journal submission, ~1 month to revise and send it somewhere else, ~9 months before receiving an R&R from my second journal submission, ~3 months to revise and resubmit, 4 months before receiving a minor R&R, 1 month to revise and resubmit, ~3 months before acceptance). Fortunately, my subsequent publications have taken less and less time from submission to acceptance, but it does take experience and practice.
All this to say, start your research process early, have multiple papers going, and push papers out for publications at least a full year before you need to be on the job market. Be aware of the typical time to first decision for the journal you have chosen to submit your work. As a graduate student or postdoc, you have a short clock. When deciding where to send your paper, you need to be strategic about the journal's reputation, time-to-decision, and acceptance rate. Consult your mentors, consult other junior faculty in your field, and do a search online to understand these factors well before you make your first submission.
Authorship: By the time you are on the job market, you would want at least one first-author publication out and multiple publications under your name. Some subfields might even emphasize a sole-author publication. But having at least one where you are listed as a first-author is an important priority. The next priority is having multiple publications. And of course you should always aim for well regarded journals in your fields. And R&R also has some weight, especially if it is in a well-regarded journal.
Build an armor for rejections early: You cannot take rejections personally. Don't be discouraged by harsh feedback. Send your papers to your mentor early for feedback. You might be wasting a lot of time making the phasing of your manuscript perfect when it is your framing or method that needs major overhaul. Best to know that earlier than later. Mentors are not there for you to impress. They are there to support you and they would feel most gratify to see you grow and improve with their help. Be open to their feedback and prepare to make necessary changes, even major ones. Journal rejections are the norms, especially when you're sending it to well-regarded journals. Make the revision that you think is necessary based on the reviews you receive and send it back out quickly. Don't sit on it. The longer it sits, the more you forget, and the harder it is to revise.
Job Materials
Another aspect of your job search that is within your control is the application materials you submit. Make sure you they are some of the most well-crafted documents you have ever written. Two elements you want to show in each step of your application process is fit and enthusiasm. Convince the search committee that you are the best candidate for the job and convey how eager you are to join their department. Here is a typical job market timeline.
Sociology academic job market occurs in the early fall. It begins earlier and earlier each year because there will always be some university trying to start and end their search early so that they can avoid major competition. This means some deadlines can be as early as the end of August. The majority of deadlines, however, will likely be at the end of September and early October. Still, work to have your application materials ready by late August. These include a research statement, a generic cover letter that you can tweak for different positions, and a teaching statement.
Working backward, it means you should start drafting your statements in late spring or early summer. Spend a few months to revise and get feedback on your materials from your mentors and peers. Minor point: Make should you check and double check that you reference the right institution and spell their name (or shortname) correctly in all your materials. I know this sounds silly. I thought so too until I had 10+ applications to juggle and accidentally misspelled the short name of one institution. If you do catch yourself making that mistake after having submitted your materials, stay calm. Correct the typo, double check, then email the search committee head and mention that you have made some changes to your application and would like to ask if they would accept your updated job application, which is attached in your email.
You should also be vocal about your job search the year leading up to it. Tell your mentors, friends, colleagues, and people you meet at conferences and workshops. Make sure everyone knows so that they can help you be on the look out for any job lead. Search committee members are often active at conferences, and they're willing to meet with potential applicants to give them more details about the job or simple advice. Ask to meet these members in person if you can. These are going opportunities to make a good impression and show your enthusiasm for the job that goes beyond just submitting an application. Also, sign up to be on the job market candidate list if your department has one. Some ASA sections also highlight their job market candidates. Submit a short bio about yourself whenever you have the opportunity to. Create a professional website about yourself if you can. Make your search known. Make your professional identity known.
Over the summer, notify your letter writers that you will be the job market, and ask them for letters of recommendation. Summer is a good time to ask for letters because faculty members have less going on and can give more attention to personalizing your letter. Make sure you give your writers at least a few weeks notice before the letter is due.
After applications are due, the next step is usually the zoom interview invitation. This occurs after the search committee has had the chance to meet and create a candidate shortlist. Zoom interviews have become more and more common. Out of the six campus visits I did, only one came directly after my application submission--without a zoom interview. The other five came after I have done a 20-30 min zoom interview first. I should note that I had two other zoom interviews that did not result in a campus visit invitation.
Start preparing your job talk in late summer. Have at least one public practice of your talk in late September and invite as many faculty members as you can to give you feedback. Your campus invitation can come as early as late September for the early August deadlines and as late as December or January. Even after you've gotten your talk in tip top shape, try to still practice once a week to keep yourself fluent and polished. You want to be prepared to give the talk whenever you receive that invitation email. They may reach out and ask to fly you out the very next week. It would be too late to prepare for your job talk after you've received the invitation, though I have a friend who told me he did that and was successful in landing himself a job. Kudos to him! But I doubt even he would recommend his strategy. Remember, you are focusing on maximizing your chances by focusing on the elements that are within your control. How polished your job talk is is within your control! Anticipate questions during the Q&A. Practice how you would respond to them. If it is a totally new question you haven't thought of, acknowledge the legitimacy of that question and ask if you can have some time to think and follow up with the person after the talk (and of course do follow up).
After receiving the campus invitation, look up the department, familiarize yourself with the faculty list. Know at least a little something about each faculty member (Where did they receive their training? What are their areas of expertise? Are they tenured? Are they the director of some research center that would be of interest to you? Do they have publications or grants or research projects you would be interested to hear more about?). Create a list of questions you would want to ask all faculty members and questions you want to ask specific individuals.
Campus visits are pretty rigidly scheduled. You will likely stay two to three nights. The first night you fly in, you might be invited to a dinner with a couple of faculty members, including the chair of the search committee or of the department. The second day is a full day of activity that includes several 15-20 min meetings with as many faculty members as they can squeeze into your schedule, a lunch break (often with graduate students), a short break to prepare for your talk, followed immediately by your talk, and perhaps even a meeting with the revelant dean or associate dean. Your talk can be scheduled before lunch, after lunch, or even during lunch! I have had it all three ways. You might even have breakfast meetings and dinner meetings with faculty. The third day, you might have more meetings before flying out. You are on the whole time you are there. Be courteous to everyone, from the graduate students to the office admin.
After the campus visit, pad yourself on the back, you have done everything within your power to showcase your fit and enthusiasm for the position. Now let the waiting game before. You can hear back pretty fast or rather slow, dependent on if you were the first candidate they flew out or the last. If you have received an offer from elsewhere, you should consider emailing other places you are waiting to hear back from. However, there are situations when you might not want to do that. Consult with your mentors to know what is the best thing to do. Also, feel free to ask the chair during your campus visit to gauge when you will likely hear back from them. And if you don't hear back from them after 3 weeks, it is fine to send a courteous email to ask about the decision process.
If you receive an offer, congratulations! Celebrate! Think hard about what you need to make this position work and to make life easier for you after you enter your new position. This is the only time you can negotiate so don't let go of the opportunity. Don't push yourself to make a decision unless you have to. Some major things to consider when negotiating: salary, start up/research funding, course releases, partner hire, etc. If you have a competing offer, you have more leverage for your negotiation. Even if you don't, consult with your mentors to discuss negotiation strategies that would yield the best result. If you can, always frame your requests in a way that would benefit you and the department.
Decide how many years you're willing and able to be on the market. I think it's important to ask if and how much more time and effort you're willing to expend to land that academic job if you don't get an offer your first try. Are you in a program that allows you to stay a few years passed nominal time to degree? Are you willing and interested in postdoctoral training? Are you flexible with where you go and where you live? Having a clear idea of your bottom lines will be helpful in keeping yourself sane through this very difficult process.
Resources/Materials
I covered very briefly the elements and timeline of the job market. For more details, talk to your faculty advisors, people who recently experienced the job market, join mentorship programs hosted at your conference, and consult some official resources.
Here are some resources I found helpful: The Professor is In by Karen Kelsky and the Chronicle of Education's articles on job negotiations like this one and this one.
Feel free to reach out if you would like some application materials as reference. I am happy to share. I always find examples helpful.
Good luck with writing!