The U.S. academic job market survives the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic

Abstract

Many speculated that the faculty job market would be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially for years. Our examination of faculty job postings from 2018 to 2021 found that while they decreased in 2020, the market recovered in 2021. We also surveyed how the pandemic affected the perceptions, behaviors, and outcomes of individuals on the faculty job market in 2019–20 and 2020–21. Approximately 10% of the faculty job offers made to 2019–20 survey respondents were reported as rescinded. Respondents also reported altering their application documents in response to the pandemic as well as delaying or even abandoning their faculty job search. Thus, while the faculty job market may have recovered, the effect of the pandemic on postdoctoral career choices may have future implications.