Jobs for Philosophers

Placement Practices

To: All Philosophy Departments and Graduate Students Seeking Positions in Philosophy

Fr: The Board of Officers of the APA

Re: Placement Practices

The APA discourages the nomination by graduate departments of job seekers for positions in philosophy, and the submission of their dossiers in response to announcements of positions, without their knowledge or interest. This may seriously mislead those who are conducting searches, and may have unfortunate consequences both for those who are not interested and for genuinely interested applicants.

Graduate departments using a nomination procedure or submitting dossiers on behalf of job seekers should either attest explicitly that the job seekers wish to be considered for the positions in question, or (preferably) ensure that the job seekers themselves submit personal letters of application for these positions.

Departments conducting searches are encouraged to recommend or require explicitly (in their position announcements) that each candidate, to be assured of full consideration, should submit a personal letter of application for, and interest in, the announced position.

(Statement prepared by the APA Committee on the Status and Future of the Profession. Policy approved by the Board of Officers at its 1994 annual meeting).