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II. SUGGESTIONS: SOME STEPS TO FINDING A CAREER AND A JOB, AND RETAINING PROFESSIONAL IDENTIFICATION WITH ACADEMIC PHILOSOPHY

 SOME STEPS TO FINDING A CAREER AND A JOB

This section gives some general suggestions for philosophers who might be considering a non-academic career, or trying to find such a career, or just a job. We leave more specific counseling to those qualified to give it: professional career counselors, placement (and outplacement) advisors, and recruiters.

One activity is vital: talking to people. Some of the conversations will not be beneficial, but some will be, and it is not possible to tell in advance which people will turn out to be the helpful ones or which bit of advice is germane. Talk to your friends. Talk to your friends' friends. Contact people who have made the transition from academic philosophy to a non-academic career. (But be careful not to impose. Such people are often willing to give advice, but not necessarily at the very moment that a call comes in.) In short: network, network, network.

The most general point to be made here is that philosophers, by virtue of being philosophers, have skills, talents, and qualifications applicable to many non-academic fields. In a number of fields where they lack a knowledge of the day-to-day work, they have at least a majority of the capacities that determine success in that work over the long run. These points are not generally stressed in either graduate or undergraduate education in philosophy; and while philosophy departments are becoming more aware of the sorts of things we have been emphasizing and of the rapid transferability of philosophical training to non-academic pursuits, few placement officers have much knowledge of the range of non-academic opportunities for philosophers.

At the same time, it is important to remember that making the move from academic philosophy, or graduate school, to a non-academic career, requires first a voyage of discovery, to explore regions where there are no marked career paths. And second, it is important to remember that getting a job outside of the academy, especially for somebody who has no other sort of training or credentials to offer, requires a marketing campaign, to convince potential employers that a philosopher brings valuable skills to another kind of work.

Researching Fields. An assessment of one's general interests and educational background will indicate some fields for exploration, but philosophers and students of philosophy seeking non-academic jobs may benefit greatly from considering more career options than those that appeal to them on the basis of their initial interests. As the career sketches in Section III suggest, the range of positions philosophers have found congenial is surprisingly wide. There are, moreover, jobs which, though not initially attractive to most philosophers, can in time be tailored to the interests of their occupants. In this connection, the following points may be useful.

First, without research into the nature of non-academic jobs, philosophers are likely to overlook potentially attractive options. Second, without some knowledge of the demands of a non-academic job, philosophers are unlikely to be able to get the job even if they are qualified. This is because, by and large, non-academic employers will not have a clear idea of what a philosopher can contribute and may even begin with the assumption that philosophical training is quite unlikely to be relevant.

There is much literature on many kinds of jobs, but often one can find an informed person in the field willing to talk about careers in that area. One may also seek out appropriate people through one's own contacts, one's placement office, or an organization to which one belongs. In exploring career options, philosophers may do well to get information about positions above what appears to be the usual entry level for college graduates who have little or no experience or special training in the field. One may, in some such cases, start higher up than is usual by convincing the employer that one's overall training is sufficient for the job, or at least has prepared one to do it well given a brief orientation or training period.

Informational Interviewing. To do this one contacts (usually by telephone) the person in an organization who is responsible for the project or area one is exploring, explains briefly what one wants to know (indicating, if possible, what sort of thing one has already learned), and requests an appointment to discuss the matter. In the interview one can often learn about possible jobs, convey relevant information about oneself, present oneself as a qualified potential worker, and develop a contact useful in seeking a position. An informational interview need not be done in search of a position, and in any case one should abide by one's initial intention to seek information. If the interviewer wishes to pursue possible employment, that is another matter. Otherwise, efforts to secure a job in the organization in question should be made later.

Presenting Oneself. Two aspects of this deserve particular comment: getting an interview with a non-academic employer, and conducting oneself in such an interview. Placement advisors, previous employers, friends, and contacts are useful resources in both processes. But it may help to add just these few points. The first is generally familiar, yet bears repetition: a vita is not a resume and is not normally appropriate for non-academic applications. (Some suggestions about writing resumes appear below.) Second, while in many cases telephone calls are better initial approaches than letters (even if only letters are requested), this is not always so. When one must apply in writing, cover letters (if appropriate) are particularly important. Such letters should be as short as possible. If it is not obvious that one has the announced qualifications for the position, such a letter can state, in factual rather than self-congratulatory language, the ways in which one sees oneself as qualifying.

Our third point concerns conduct in interviews. Philosophers and students of philosophy often must on the one hand know as much as they can about how their philosophical capacities bear on the job and express this well, and yet on the other hand resist being defensive or loquacious about their education. Asking the right questions and speaking from the employer's perspective can help greatly. It is very desirable to identify, beforehand, the work in the organization that matches one's abilities. One can then specifically discuss how, if hired, one can contribute. In doing so, it may be possible to persuade the employer that one's philosophical training, combined with teaching and other experience, is sufficient to warrant starting at a high level of responsibility or with greater autonomy than usual. Quite apart from the specific content of the interview, however, it is likely to be important to go beyond offering solid, pertinent information about one's capacities in relation to the work of the organization in question. Job interviewers will usually be seriously considering one's ability to get along with others and to put people at ease, and there is no substitute for good will and a cooperative disposition.

Follow-up of interviews is important. While there are times when it is clear after an interview that there is no point in pursuing the position further, there is also times when appropriate follow-up can lead to an offer that would not otherwise be extended. Where there is a promising but uncertain prospect, one may find it desirable, after an interview, to try (without being intrusive) to get more information about the organization from one or more persons employed there. This can be highly useful if one needs to seek further consideration, such as a second interview. On the other hand, if one does not receive an offer, it may be useful, in connection with future applications; to make a tactful inquiry regarding one' s perceived strengths and weaknesses.

Resumes. Resumes can be prepared in many ways, and for different purposes, and a person may be well advised to have differently designed resumes. Alternative resumes are particularly recommended to people applying for jobs with very different sorts of requirements. A resume may emphasize the job experience one has had (normally listing employers in reverse chronological order); the positions one has held or major jobs one has done (making chronology, and perhaps even employers, secondary); the skills one has to offer; or some combination of these. Brevity, readability, and an active, positive tone are important.

Resumes are used most often by prospective employers for their personnel staff to decide whom to interview, frequently from a long list of applicants. In a large organization, it is not uncommon for the person responsible for screening to know the job requirements only in outline. This should be kept in mind when writing resumes, which are often a basis for speedy elimination of most applicants. Employment counselors often recommend avoiding sending resumes or, if they must be sent, making them short, job-specific, and skill-oriented. They usually recommend making personal contacts instead, preferably with people who have the final hiring authority rather than their personnel officers. They often stress that, as in writing a resume, one be brief and concentrate on conveying skills appropriate to the work of the prospective employer.

Pursuing Specialized Training. As noted above, among the non-academic jobs which philosophers have found rewarding are a number that cannot be obtained without some specialized training. It is clearly important to determine, in advance of application if possible, whether a position absolutely requires special training as a condition of employment (or success). It should be emphasized, however, that recent years have plainly shown that many kinds of specialized training present no obstacle to philosophers or students of philosophy, provided they have the time and money for further coursework, a whole new degree program, or a suitable training program. Among the courses of special training which philosophers and philosophy students (including undergraduate majors) have recently pursued in addition to law school and computer science programs, are programs in business administration, medicine, theology, teacher certification, and internships of various kinds.

Training on the Job. Having spoken of jobs requiring specialized training, we want to emphasize that an immense amount of such training (and much general training) is done by employers on the job. Many employers train employees at considerable expense even when they have hired them expecting good preparation for the relevant jobs. This is an important fact for philosophers interested in non-academic employment. Philosophers and students of philosophy tend to be eminently capable of learning fast. In some instances, particularly where they are fairly close to meeting the technical qualifications for a position that interests them, the main obstacle to their obtaining one may be the lack of a good way to communicate the extent of their preparation. Some non-academic employers can be convinced that it is preferable to hire a better person and do on-the-job training than to employ a certified professional who has fewer of the basic abilities that produce high-quality work over the years.

RETAINING PROFESSIONAL IDENTIFICATION WITH PHILOSOPHY

Philosophers whose careers are not academic can maintain philosophical identifications and in some cases may profit much from so doing. There is certainly no need for philosophers or students of philosophy to regard taking a (permanent) non-academic position as "leaving philosophy." It is not vocational training at all, despite the large number of careers for which the capacities it develops are excellent preparation. To call attention to some of the ways in which non-academically employed philosophers can continue their philosophical inquiries and remain actively in touch with philosophical colleagues, a few of the existing opportunities and models are described below.

Possible Affiliations with Philosophy Departments. Philosophy departments differ greatly in their resources, the scope of their programs, and their ability to expand their activities in the suggested ways; but many are interacting with non-academically employed philosophers near them, and we believe that many more would be quite receptive to colleagues who wish to join them in some of the department's activities. This interaction has tended to be beneficial and enjoyable to all those involved. Moreover, non-academically employed philosophers may, and in a number of cases have, become valuable resources for academics – e.g., in teaching and research in applied ethics or in computer theory. And academics may, and sometimes have, become resources for non-academic colleagues – e.g., in relation to policy issues or questions about the structure and content of important documents. Furthermore, given certain trends in professional and business education, there may be an increasing role in teaching, or at least in giving special lectures, for successful business and professional people with advanced academic training.

The APA. Non-academically employed philosophers are most welcome to belong to the APA and (even without membership) to attend APA divisional conventions. Members may submit papers to program committees, and any philosopher may volunteer to comment or chair a session by sending the program committee chair a vita and an expression of interest in one or more areas. Second, organizers of group meetings may in some cases also consider volunteers. The APA is quite willing to schedule sessions for appropriate groups of non-academically employed philosophers who would like to meet at a divisional convention. Since APA program committees use blind review, one may volunteer to comment or to chair a session even if one has submitted a paper. A program committee may give some preference, in selecting from among volunteers, to those who have submitted highly rated papers that were not accepted. Simultaneously submitting a paper and volunteering to be on the APA program may thus increase one's chance of appearing on it. People interested in being on an APA program should consult the APA Proceedings and Addresses (sent to all APA members), or consult the APA's website, at http://www.udel.edu/apa, for APA program deadlines and an indication of the scope and addresses of philosophy groups that meet in conjunction with the APA divisions.

Publication. Many philosophy journals use blind review. None requires academic affiliation as a condition of acceptance, and a significant number of authors of articles in philosophy journals do not list an academic affiliation. Some non-academically employed philosophers have also published in journals or magazines in the area of their employment, and some of their writings have become highly respected in the relevant fields. This sort of publication can lead to invitations to do consulting. Some of this work is also potentially useful in producing writings of interest to philosophical publications.

The APA's Rockefeller Prize. To encourage philosophical writing by non- academically employed philosophers, the APA (under a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation) is offering a prize for the best essay submitted by a member of the APA who is not in long-term academic employment. The prize is not offered every year: check the Proceedings and Addresses or the website.

Grant Opportunities. There are many agencies, public and private, whose programs or grants might interest non-academically employed philosophers, and guidelines can usually be readily obtained at libraries or by asking the agency in question for information. Many grant and fellowship opportunities of interest to philosophers are described in the APA Proceedings and Addresses each year, and listed on the APA website.

Groups of Independent Scholars. Many single and multi-disciplinary research organizations have developed near campuses and urban areas. They range from small local interdisciplinary groups, such as the Institute for Independent Studies in New Haven and the Princeton Research Forum (website http://www.princetonol.comlgroups/prf), to the Institute for Research in History (IRH) in New York City, which has over 300 associates from history and related fields. These groups are formed to advance research and discussion among independent scholars. The IRH, which is the model for many such organizations, is built around small interest groups that meet regularly to discuss readings; membership requires active participation in at least one such group. The quite specific focus of these organizations makes them attractive to academic scholars and their non-academic counterparts. The National Council of Independent Scholars (NCIS) is an umbrella group for such organizations and a source of scholarly contact for independent scholars in all fields. NCIS runs conferences, publishes a journal, and maintains a website, http://www.ncis.org, with lots of useful links. Contact NCIS at P. 0. Box 5743, Berkeley, CA 94705, or visit the website.

The Internet. There are many websites devoted to philosophers, and philosophy, and many chat groups. There is also a mind-boggling array of what is called "philosophy." The situation changes too fast to give any real information, though there are some sites listed in Section IV. A good place to start is with the APA website, http://www.udel.edu/apa, and follow the links from there.

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