faulker059

At this time of the year, EconJobMarket (EJM) gets a lot of support requests from candidates about specifying their references and about communicating with them.  Here are a few common questions and answers related to references (also called “recommenders”): 1. How are reference accounts established in EJM? EJM has a large database of references.  A new reference account is established whenever a candidate specifies a reference for an application and provides the proper identification for this person (including the reference’s own email address), and when the reference does not already have an account.  The database has been constructed over the past few years.  If your references provided letters on job-market candidates in the past, they probably already have reference accounts with EJM.  In this case, when you submit an application via EJM and give your references’ names and email addresses, they will be shown as already in the database. 2. Are my references ...

Junior candidate: As the of the application phase of the job market begins, you are surely working diligently on your job-market packet and plans for the coming months.   You may have some questions about how to handle the process and what to expect.   Those of us associated with EconJobMarket (EJM) have relevant experience on both sides of the market (working to place graduate students, recruiting for our own departments, and also as candidates ourselves).   Like most faculty members, we are in the habit of doling out advice, solicited or not.   So, for what it’s worth, here is a short list of common questions and answers.   These questions are geared toward the Ph.D. student who plans to graduate at the end of this academic year.   Most also apply to candidates who have already completed a Ph.D. degree. 1. Whom should I rely on to provide guidance? Your main dissertation advisor, along with others on your dissertation committee, should be your primary so...

I am an economics professor at UC San Diego, one of the founders of EconJobMarket (EJM), and the current CEO/Director of EJM.  I and the other EJM directors decided to start this blog as a way of providing information and tips during the job-market season. There are several reasons why we are doing this.  First, this blog is a place where we can post answers to questions and support requests that we routinely receive, but written in a more comprehensive way than is common with a long list of "frequently asked questions."  Users of EJM (candidates, recruiters, references/proxies) often ask for information about features of the EJM system and for help using the web site.  We hope that by providing some details here, and then referring people to blog posts, we can communicate more efficiently.  (We are running EJM as volunteers, so any time savings is a plus.)  Second, we'll use this blog to provide general advice for candidates on how the market works, what t...

There are two initiatives I'd like to draw attention to today. The first is Scientific Malaysian , an independent attempt to connect Malaysians interested in science and to raise the profile of the Malaysian scientific community. It's an interesting initiative, so definitely check it out. The other is a survey by a Malaysian undergraduate studying at the University of Michigan in the US. Jian Wei is trying to understand whether there is a relation between emotional attachment to one's country and one's desire to participate in its national affairs. Finding good data is a challenge for social scientists everywhere, so if you can give Jian Wei your dua sen, I'm sure he'd appreciate it.

A friend still in university, with Kian Ming's advice, has initiated a public policy competition for Malaysian youth. This is the sort of initiative and independence which more of our students should have. Registration has closed, and now almost 50 teams from a variety of schools and universities are competing for 16 spots in the final, where public policymakers will judge their ideas. The final round, to be held at UCSI University, looks like it will be exciting, even if you aren't participating -- how often do you get to hear 16 teams of Malaysian youth putting their policy suggestions out there for actual policymakers to listen to and critique? The final will be held on Sunday 4 September, 2 to 5:30PM at the UCSI University North Wing, Kuala Lumpur Campus, in Cheras. The judges include the Chief Commissioner of the MACC, and the Speaker of the Selangor State Legislative Assembly. For more details and to guarantee a seat at the final, visit: http://malaysiapublicpolicycompeti...

Like most young people, I'm still not sure what I want to do with my life. Most people I think have an inkling of their personality and their interests, but not much of an idea of how to translate this into a vocation, career, or ideally, a calling. This is what makes the book What's After SPM?: 101 Stories, 101 Young Malaysians (edited by Roshan Thiran) so compelling. When I first got the book, I left it on my bedside table when I turned in for the night; my father picked it up, and the next day itself, he bought a few copies for my siblings and cousin. That tells you something about how important this book is, and what kind of niche it fills. Before I continue, in the interest of full disclosure, I received a copy of this book free of charge in return for agreeing to review it. I was not given any other compensation or instructions. I also happen to know a few of those 101 Malaysians who wrote for the book -- one of whom is my co-blogger here, Kian Ming. The title of the boo...

The Sun is running a "Malaysia and Me" writing competition for Malaysians between the ages of 15 and 30. If you are a student or youth, this is an excellent chance to participate in an important conversation about the future of our country. Details follow after the jump. HAVE you something interesting to say about your country and you? On any aspect that inspires you or delights you or even annoys you? If you do, share it with your fellow Malaysians by taking part in the theSun-1MDB ‘Malaysia and Me’ Writing Competition which closes on July 29. The top three prizes are RM5,000, RM3,000 and RM2,000. There are also 10 Consolation Prizes of RM500 each. If you are a Malaysian between the ages of 15 and 30, you are eligible to take part, and can send in as many as three entries. Your entry must be your own original work, and it must not have been published before. The competition is organised by theSun in conjunction with Merdeka 2011, with the aim of encouraging literary exp...