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03 Aug 2017Working Paper Summaries

The Accounting Rookie Job Market: A Practitioner’s Guide

by Ethan Rouen

Aimed at accounting PhD students but potentially useful to other new academics and job seekers, this first-person essay offers suggestions for the dissertation process and subsequent job search. The writer tries to relieve some of the stress and confusion that inevitably comes with completing a PhD and finding a first academic job.

Author Abstract

This paper offers guidance and shares collective wisdom for accounting Ph.D. students who will be entering the academic job market. It is divided into two sections. The first offers subjective advice on the dissertation process—from choosing a topic to surviving the inevitable self-doubt—from my personal experience and the experiences of other former job candidates. The second section focuses mainly on factual components of the job market, providing details that will be useful to candidates before they begin the search. It concludes with subjective advice on how to make the job hunt more enjoyable. Both sections are organized chronologically and attempt to be comprehensive, beginning with choosing a dissertation topic and adviser, and concluding with the decision to accept an offer.

Paper Information

Full Working Paper Text
Working Paper Publication Date: July 2017
HBS Working Paper Number: HBS Working Paper, No. 18-008
Faculty Unit(s): Accounting and Management

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Ethan C. Rouen

Assistant Professor of Business Administration

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