How do you improve your chances of getting an academic job?

By Mel Rohse and Dean D'Souza. From seeking careers advice to winning a research grant, Mel and Dean question what it takes to secure a job in academia.
Mel Rohse, PhD in peace studies
I recently had an interesting conversation with a lecturer at the University of Birmingham. As I was telling her about the difficulties I had encountered in my job hunt so far, she offered some thoughts from her own experience. She suggested that, with the REF (Research Excellence Framework) just over, departments may start to look for younger academics to invest in, rather than focusing mainly on recruiting chairs, readers and professors. More...