The "hidden curriculum" of academic hiring only stays hidden if we keep our experiences to ourselves. By sharing your journey through the current job cycle, you help us build an empirical map that replaces rumors with reality and anecdotes with evidence that will help future generations of prospective faculty navigate the system.

Why Join the Study?

Most of what we "know" about the job market comes from the personal experiences of mentors who navigated a very different landscape. Your participation allows us to:

• Benchmark the Present: Identify what the "average" successful applicant looks like in 2026 across different disciplines.
• Understand Structural Factors: Provide the data needed to show how prestige, networks, and demographics influence hiring outcomes.
• Advocate for Transparency: Use large-scale evidence to push for standardized hiring practices and better institutional support for trainees.

Who Should Participate?

We are looking for applicants from all academic disciplines (STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences) who are:

• Currently applying for tenure-track Assistant Professor (or equivalent) positions.
• Have never previously help a tenure-track or equivalent position
• Are late-stage PhD candidates, Postdoctoral researchers, or those in adjunct/visiting roles.
• Applying to institutions within the United States and Canada.