In my short time as a professor, I have reviewed hundreds of applications for doctoral programs or for faculty positions at my institutions. Women and men tend to talk about themselves in different ways. Referents—the people who write letters of recommendation—also tend to write about women differently than they write about men. The more I’ve considered this pattern, the more I’ve thought that the application process is an opportunity for women to advocate for themselves. Personal statements are your introduction to a program or position—you get to tell a story about why you’re qualified for that position. Letters of recommendation, similarly, articulate your match to a specific position or program.
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Last year, my partner and I went on the job market. What I learned forever changed my outlook on gender gaps in academia and the inherent sexism pervasive in our culture. Although we are both happy and have since landed jobs in our field, the process was more painful than it should have been, as sexist behavior on the part of prospective employers led to undue stress.
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