The Four Ps of Placement

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1. Place– you already made this choice

1. where you go to school matters when you go on the market
2. the University of Maryland is a top 30 institution, but it is not Harvard or Stanford
3. our students find jobs, but a lot will also depend on how you handle the other three Ps

2. Preparation– this is key

1. you need to make sure you have breadth in field of political science
2. but you also need depth and ambition in your area of specialization
3. you must have appropriate training in the right methodologies and research skills that will allow you to answer the questions you ask in your dissertation; don’t take easy courses, take relevant ones

3. People– you need to get to know people and make sure they know you

1. Here at UM, you need to construct a strong mentoring committee, while also consulting with faculty other than your committee members; you also should take advantage of all opportunities such as workshops and colloquia
2. Outside of UM, you can meet people by signing up for institutes/ workshops in specialized topics (such as the ones in Quantitative and Qualitative Methods, Political Psychology, Law, and Security); present papers at conferences such as the membership meetings of APSA and regional APSAs; send your good papers or introduce yourself to people whose work you build upon; of course you should publish papers so others get to know you and your work; and apply for fellowships and grants.

4. PhD– The best thing you can do to get a job is to complete the dissertation; it has be done well, but eventually–it just has to be done! Getting a Ph.D. should not be a career in itself!