The APS Mentoring Forum by Colleen Cosgrove Hegg (Physiologist 52:17-18,2009) highlighted the important steps necessary to initiate your job search. But, now that you have started looking, how do you land the position in the department that is "perfect" for your career goals and research interests? The secret to getting your foot in the door involves the assembly of a strong, effective, professional academic job search portfolio. What is an academic job search portfolio? It is a concise but comprehensive summary of your professional growth that highlights your professional training, goals, and work philosophy. It contains a collection of documents intended to showcase your potential to garner extramural grant support, lead a comprehensive and innovative research program, and demonstrate your commitment to excellence in teaching. Your academic job search portfolio should tell prospective employers that you meet all expected requirements for the advertised position, and, in general, it will fulfill the requested documents needed for the initial application. There are several components to an academic job search portfolio. Each has its own unique role, and each provides information that is critical to getting the position that you desire. The five major components of an academic job search portfolio are as follows: 1) Cover letter 2) Curriculum vitae (CV) 3) Research statement 4) Teaching philosophy statement 5) References
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