Understanding the job market
Most graduating PhDs seeking jobs in academia, government, or industry will participate in the job market for economists and may interview around the time of the ASSA Annual Meeting in early January.
The job market process
The AEA provides a guide to the job market process created by John Cawley. It details the following:
- Preparing to go on the job market
- Applying for academic jobs
- Signaling
- Interviewing
- Campus visits
- The secondary market "Scramble"
- Offers and negotiating
- Getting a head start on succeeding as an assistant professor
- Diversity
- The dual job search
Job openings for economists
The American Economic Association provides the JOE Network (Job Openings for Economists Network) for employers and job-seekers who are participating in the annual economics job market cycle.
The AEA's Committee on the Job Market posts information and updates in various reports and webinars on the economics job market.
Current salary and job market information
There are several sources of current salary and job market information for economists:
- The Fed describes potential career opportunities for economics PhDs
- The Fed describes research assistant opportunities for those without PhDs in economics
- The Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Arkansas conducts an annual "Survey of the Labor Market for New Ph.D. Hires in Economics."
- The American Economic Association publishes results of its Universal Academic Questionnaire in each May issue of AEA Papers and Proceedings.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes information on economists in the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Further reading
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