Academic Jobs for Philosophers

If you're a grad student, you likely know about the American Philosophical Association's publication, "Jobs for Philosophers". For those unfamiliar, this publication is the main resource for job candidates in North America. You can access Jobs for Philosophers online, but you must be an APA member. The costs for membership vary.1

Recently, the APA has added another service -- The JobSeeker Database. This service allows job applicants to create a profile that prospective employers can review. Again, you must pay to play. You must either be an APA member or, as a non-member, pay $30.00 /year. (Note: As a non-APA member you cannot search the database).

The APA stresses that the JobSeeker Database is not intended to "replace or subvert any part of the traditional hiring process. Use of this service to search for potential job candidates requires confirmation that all applicable state and federal employment regulations are being followed." However, given that this service offers employers a means of efficiently weeding through applicants online rather than off, applicants may feel compelled to reach for their wallets.

A final note: Almost all the information listed in the advertisements of "Jobs for Philosophers" can be found elsewhere for free. Of course, you have to know where to go and this requires investigation. But it might be worth the trouble -- especially if you're interested in applying for humanities jobs in general. Many of these positions will not appear in Jobs for Philosophers.

Philosophy Job Resources:

Jobs for Philosophers
The JobSeeker Database (APA)
Canadian Philosophical Association Job Listings
Careers in Bioethics
Jobs in Philosophy (North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia)

Annual Faculty Salary Report: 1999-2000
Annual Faculty Salary Report: 2000-2001
Landing a Faculty Job in Philosophy

Academic Job Resources

Chronicle of Higher Education Higher Education Supplement
H-Net Job Guide
UK National Information Services and Systems
University Affairs(Canada)
NAGPS Job Bank
HigherEdJobs
Academic Position Network


Top
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1. Here's the cost breakdown for 2000 - 2001:

Student Associate Membership Dues:
Members residing in the U.S. or Canada $35.00

Annual Membership-International Associate Proceedings:
International Associate is open to persons who reside outside the U.S. and Canada. $35.00

Annual Membership-Regular Associate:

Less than $20,000 $35.00
$20,000 to $29,999 $50.00
$30,000 to $39,999 $65.00
$40,000 to $49,999 $80.00
$50,000 to $59,999 $95.00
$60,000 to $69,999 $110.00

Sustaining Membership $175.00
(Members who can voluntarily support the Association with a higher payment)

Life Membership $1400.00

Top

Leaving The Academy: Non-Academic Jobs for Philosophers?

It is a good thing to engage in philosophy just so far as it is an aid to education, and it is not a disgrace for a youth to study it, but when a man who is now growing older still studies philosophy, the situation becomes ridiculous...such a man, even if exceptionally gifted, is doomed to prove less than a man, shunning the city center and market place . . . and living the rest of his life sunk in a corner whispering with three or four boys." (Callicles, heckling Socrates in Plato's Gorgias 485a-d, trans. W.D. Woodhead).

Something less artfully rendered has probably passed through your mind by now: must use brain to make money...get job...stay out of corners. If you've sat through an introduction to Plato, you probably also got the impression that, from Socrates point of view, this way of thinking makes you something of a pimp for your rational faculties. Asking professors for a letter of recommendation for law school could give you a similar impression (advice for prospective law students). But for the moment, we'll set all that aside and indulge your concerns.

Beyond undergraduate studies in philosophy:

Your edge...

Those who defend philosophy as a useful skill usually note the talent with which a good student of philosophy can understand, analyze, and draw appropriate conclusions from, nearly any complex problem or scenario they come across. This is a real asset for those entering the workforce of an economy that is subject to rapid change. In any given organization or company, what counts as key today may not be essential tomorrow. Problems come and go, and indeed whole skill sets can evaporate with a sudden change in technology. Under such conditions, a successful workforce is one that is intellectually flexible in addition to being technically skilled. Therein lies a potential advantage for philosophy students.

The catch...

Where technical skills are concerned, philosophy may not help you get your first job. But it will certainly help if your continued success depends on adapting quickly to new learning environments. The obvious catch is that if you're a lousy student and can't teach yourself new tricks, you're on your own (philosophy student or not). The bottom line otherwise is this: If you are an undergraduate student, truly enamored by philosophy as a higher calling, but still concerned about your employment future...don't be. Minor in something else -- say, business, economics, biology, or computer science -- and be on your merry way. Even if you see the light while reading Marx, disavow capitalism, and decide never again to be the "football of alien powers", you'll be that much better equipped to fight the powers that be.

Links to check out:

The Uses of Philosophy in Non-Academic Careers

What can you do with a philosophy degree?

Career Handbook for Philosophy Majors

"Working Your [Philosophy] Degree"

What can you do with a philosophy degree, ualr.edu

Famous philosophy majors outside the academia

Job Sites:

Monster.com |JobsOnline |HotJobs
Monster, Canada |+Jobs Canada
Monster, UK
Jobs-at-Australia

More Resources

Beyond graduate studies in philosophy:

Heaven or Hell...

If your planning to attend graduate school in philosophy, chances are you plan to join the academy. Benefits abound for those of the right mind-set. But the road to the academy can be a long and difficult one. Graduate students are an unusual breed. Cloistered in their respective institutions, they often devote many years to subjects which garner little public interest, all the while living at subsistence levels and without real promise of monetary reward or peer recognition. So why do they do it? Immense dedication? Delusions of grandeur? A passion for knowledge? Well, no doubt these and more count among the reasons. Some are noble, others are just plain baffling. But whatever brings one to graduate school, once there for a year or two, the culture can seem inescapable for those who want to keep their job options open. If you leave the academy, it may seem that you are "selling out" or that you've somehow failed in your respective field. If you don't leave, the path of least resistance may end up going nowhere... So, what to do?

The basics...

Practical considerations are obviously one thing. For example, you might consider what priority you place on job security or living location, and what the chances are of you getting what you want given the market and a reasonable assessment your abilities. However, "ideal" considerations --considerations about what you ideally want -- are just as important. There's a simple reason why. Philosophy markets are rarely hot even at the best of times. All things considered, philosophy will likely be impractical as a "career" choice, but the question is: what lights your fire? How passionate are you about philosophy and what is it that you hope to accomplish? If you're dedicated, many of the above concerns simply fall away. On the other hand, if you're already thinking of leaving, your heart may be in the wrong place. That doesn't necessarily mean you should jump ship mid voyage or never begin. Sometimes the only way to know is to climb aboard. But beware of clinging aimlessly, if it is only for fear of "starting over" in a non-academic setting. Mark Johnson discusses the ins and outs of this transition on his website (see "Sellout" below) and welcomes his visitors with an apt quote:

"Every man as long as he remains alive is in himself a multitude of conflicting men."- D.H. Lawrence

Articles

A Non-Academic Career? A print publication offering "information, resources, and background on options for philosophers."

Will Philosophize for Food: Philosophers Between the Academy and the Job Market

Out of Academia: Why do we think that Ph.D.s are only good for making someone into a professor?

Four Steps to Succeeding Outside the Ivory Tower

* Career Options for Ph.D.s. A series of articles by Gwendoyln Bradley (for the Chronicle of Higher Education):

1. Technical Writing 2. Private Schools 3. Campus Careers 4. Nonprofits

Management Consulting - NYT article on the practice of hiring Ph.D.s in Management Consulting companies.

Websites

PhD Jobs - "caters exclusively for postgraduates of all disciplines who wish to work in industry or academia."

Sellout - "What is it like working outside academe? How should you prepare? This site explores these questions and more. Sellout is produced by Mark Johnson, an English literature Ph.D. who works in the software industry."

The Escape Pod for Humanities Ph.D.s. - Job market statistics, success stories, and advice.

Top