A Comprehensive *Public Relations* Job Market Material Share

Here are all of the job application materials I submitted to the College of Communication at DePaul University (Chicago, USA), where I applied for the position of Assistant Professor of Public Relations. I was one of the finalists invited for on-campus interviews.

If you’re on the Journalism job market, you might want to check out my journalism job market materials here

I’m sharing my job market materials here along with the spreadsheet template I used for organizing job ads and keeping track of applications.

Through my blog, I’m also sharing:

• General advice on the academic job market based on my experience
• Calendar Guide for the Academic Job Market

I hope you find these resources helpful. My goal is to level the playing field as much as possible, providing practical aids and insights that can make your job search more organized and a little less daunting. I am also indebted to so many people that generously offered their time, experience, and advice while I was navigating the job market; this is my way of paying it forward. I recognize that not everyone has access to the kind of support I was fortunate to receive from mentors and colleagues. By sharing these resources, I am hoping to extend a helping hand to those navigating the job market journey, especially to those who may feel isolated or under-supported. Remember you’re not alone! 💙

Summary of my journey

I knew I would be on the job market for 2023-24 by May, so I started promoting myself being on the job market starting at the AEJMC job hub in August. I applied to around 25 schools for an assistant professor position (including open rank searches) in my field (mostly in journalism, public relations, and other strategic communication fields), and another 10 in computer science and public policy, targeting AI ethics and social science roles despite being less familiar with their culture. After applying to R1s and research-focused R2s known for their strong communities, I received 7 Zoom interview requests (all from journalism, public relations, and other strategic communication fields; none from other fields), progressed to campus visits with three schools, and received two official offers. Ultimately, I accepted the offer from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

---

Cover Letter

Dear Dr. Uysal and Members of the Search Committee,

I’m privileged to offer this cover letter for the position of Assistant Professor of Public Relations at the College of Communication, DePaul University. As a Ph.D. Candidate in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I am on track to graduate with my Ph.D. in media and communication in May 2024.

As a UNC Royster Fellow and Richard Cole Fellow, I am an active researcher with 5 years of research experience at the intersection of AI ethics, digital platforms, and strategic communication. I bring with me a unique blend of interdisciplinary expertise, methodological rigor, and a proven track record of scholarly contributions. To date, I have published three first-authored journal articles, two book chapters, and two publications in the popular press. I have four journal articles under review, with one invited for revise and resubmit. I have received multiple research awards, including PR division’s top student paper award at the 72nd International Communication Association conference (ICA), the William Francis Clingman Jr. Ethics Award and the Minnie S. & Eli A. Rubinstein Research Award from the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, and nine other competitive fellowships and travel grants to date. This summer, I was honored with the Inez Kaiser Graduate Students of Color Award at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) conference.

My research provides theoretical and practical implications regarding AI ethics and digital platforms in strategic communication and public relations. My first-authored study with Dr. Suman Lee (UNC), published in Public Relations Review, presented a crisis communication model through a case study of an AI chatbot company, using co-orientation theory to analyze discrepancies between organization and public perceptions, especially in ethical crises related to AI. This study offers valuable insights into crisis communication with implications for communication practitioners seeking effective strategies to manage public perception during ethical crises and for researchers aiming to advance theoretical understanding of crisis communication in the context of emerging technologies. In another first-authored study with Dr. Shannon McGregor (UNC) and Dr. Bridget Barrett (U of Colorado), published in Information, Communication, and Society, I investigated public perceptions of organizational responsibility on online content. Based on a survey dataset of 10,000 Americans, this study offers crucial insight for understanding publics’ relationships with technology and digital platforms. This study offers vital insights into public perceptions of organizational responsibility in the online content realm, providing PR practitioners and scholars with actionable knowledge to navigate this evolving landscape. In a recent solo-authored work, accepted to the upcoming National Communication Association (NCA) and soon to be submitted to Public Relations Review, I suggest an AI Social Responsibility (AISR) framework and critically assess the strategic communications of major AI companies about their corporate social responsibility in AI ethics.

My dissertation extends my research trajectory by investigating how different strategic actors frame the values and ethics around AI technology, including federal government agencies, tech companies, and news organizations. Using a comprehensive dataset of press releases and persuasive messages from key governmental and tech entities, as well as news articles, I aim to discern the dominant voices in the public discourse on AI ethics and those that are missing or marginalized. Specifically, I investigate who wields influence over defining, understanding, and communicating AI ethics and how narratives from one strategic actor are accepted, rejected, or interpreted by another. The role of public relations in shaping public discourse around AI ethics is one of the critical contributions of my project. To conduct this study, I developed a multifaceted integrative framing study approach, seamlessly incorporating computational data collection, computational data analysis, and qualitative and interpretive analyses, enabling a systematic and nuanced identification of frames and the meticulous tracking of their evolution and shifts over time.

In addition to research, teaching and mentoring are at the core of my career identity. As an instructor at UNC-Chapel Hill, I have combined my expertise in both public relations and data science to prepare students for their media careers. At UNC-Chapel Hill, I’ve earned evaluations that are significantly above average (4.81/5.0 and 4.82/5.0), with student comments often praising my availability, expertise and feedback, as well as my engaging and encouraging classroom presence. I also look forward to mentoring students with an open-door policy. I believe that faculty’s readiness to offer invaluable guidance on research, teaching, and professional growth has a large impact on graduate students both professionally and personally.

I am prepared to teach public relations courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels, including courses on Research, Data and Insights, PR Campaigns, Crisis Communication Management, Diversity & Current Issues in Advertising and Public Relations, and Communication Campaigns for Social Changes. On the graduate level, I am prepared to teach Public Relations Foundations, Communication Ethics and Law, Research, Data, and Insights, and Consumer Insights. I also look forward to developing courses for special topics centering AI, social media, and ethics in the public relations context. I’ve also devoted significant service to the school and the field. I am actively involved in reviewing manuscripts for both conferences and journals. I am also passionate about supporting professional development opportunities for Ph.D. students and junior scholars. This year, I have co-organized two initiatives, both in collaboration with Data & Society, including a training workshop for junior scholars on communicating their research to policymakers and exploring opportunities to promote research.

Lastly, I take my commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) seriously. This is reflected in my research, teaching, and community engagement. My research focuses on marginalized communities, seeking solutions for historical inequalities and digital harms. In teaching, I include feminist and standpoint theories, offering students valuable tools for understanding their world. Qualitative feedback shows students of color find validation in my classes. At the Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP), I collaborate to meet marginalized communities' information needs.

With my research expertise, my effectiveness in the classroom, and my commitment to serving marginalized communities, I will bring rigorous research, innovative and inclusive teaching, and new collaborations to DePaul University’s College of Communication. Please feel free to contact me at any time at heesoo@unc.edu or [my cell number]. Thank you for this opportunity and for your consideration of my application. I look forward to the committee’s response.

Sincerely,

Heesoo Jang
Hussman School of Journalism and Media
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Teaching Statement

I view teaching and mentoring as integral to my career identity. I strive to prepare my students for rapidly evolving professional landscapes, particularly those impacted by emerging technologies. This drives my mission in the classroom: to provide them with immersive, practical experiences that promote profound learning and critical thinking, setting them up for success as they venture into their initial career pathways. These experiences are not just about learning the ropes; they are about grasping the underlying principles and nuances that govern the evolving landscapes of modern media professions.

To achieve this mission, my teaching methodology strikes a harmonious balance between abstract concepts and tangible practice. Knowledge without application is like a compass without a map – it might point you in the right direction, but it won’t guide you through the journey. By intertwining theoretical foundations with real-world scenarios, I empower students to bridge the gap between classroom insights and professional realities. I pair lessons with short in-class assignments so that students learn through doing. Throughout this process, I frequently incorporate collaborative learning and group discussions, as I believe that students interacting with one another fosters understanding across lines of difference, which in turn enhances learning and fosters creativity and innovation.

I have teaching experience for both undergraduate and graduate students in diverse settings. As the instructor of record for a Media Ethics course at UNC-Chapel Hill, I introduced students to up-to-date case studies and guided discussions around the implications of different media ethics concepts and frameworks, equipping them to engage critically and ethically with emerging technologies in their future roles in public relations, advertising, and journalism. I also served as the teaching assistant for our school’s Market Intelligence course for the past three semesters, where students obtain hands-on experience with data and media analytics. In spring 2023, I co-instructed a research-project based undergraduate class with Dr. Daniel Kreiss, where we led a group of 14 students on a social science research project that included a content analysis of news articles and interviews with media professionals. I have delivered guest lectures on the ethical and societal issues of social media platforms, big data, and AI for diverse audiences, including undergraduate students (U of Alabama), graduate students (Wayne State U), journalists (UNC-Chapel Hill), and public relations professionals (Public Relations Society of America). Additionally, I’ve conducted method-oriented guest lectures centered around computational analysis and quantitative research techniques for both undergraduate (York College of Pennsylvania) and graduate (Sociologists of Digital Things (SDT) community) students.

Across two semesters as an instructor of record at UNC-Chapel Hill, I’ve earned numeric evaluations that are significantly above average (4.81/5.0 and 4.82/5.0), with student comments often praising my availability, my expertise and feedback, as well as my engaging and encouraging classroom presence. Having taught during the pandemic, these evaluations also reflect my ability to effectively teach online and hybrid courses. Specifically, I revamped my curriculum to incorporate interactive ways of facilitating meaningful virtual interactions among my students, including Google Jamboard, Poll Everywhere, and asynchronous Sakai discussion boards, while consistently guiding small group projects through Zoom breakout rooms to ensure collaborative learning experiences. When we slowly moved to hybrid, I relocated the final project meetings to in-person settings, carefully managing group sizes to avoid large gatherings while still facilitating valuable face-to-face interactions. One of my most recent guest lectures on AI ethics was presented to public relations practitioners at the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)—practitioners have also praised my ability to engage them with both broad context and tactical guidance of the ever-changing landscape of technology, industry, and society.

I am prepared to teach public relations courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels, including courses on Research, Data and Insights, PR Campaigns, Crisis Communication Management, Diversity & Current Issues in Advertising and Public Relations, and Communication Campaigns for Social Changes. On the graduate level, I am prepared to teach Public Relations Foundations, Communication Ethics and Law, Research, Data, and Insights, and Consumer Insights. I also look forward to developing courses for special topics centering AI, social media, and ethics in the public relations context.

I also look forward to mentoring graduate students with an open-door policy. Throughout the past few years of my Ph.D. program, I have actively mentored junior graduate students within my program and as part of research groups. I have provided guidance in navigating literature, methodological choices, and various other aspects of their academic pursuits. I firmly believe that faculty’s readiness to offer invaluable guidance on research, teaching, and professional growth has a large impact on graduate students both professionally and personally. As students explore their research interests and chart the course of their careers, I am deeply committed to serving as an accessible and supportive mentor. For instance, I have taken the initiative to nurture junior academics' opportunities for increasing their research impacts. One such effort was my co-organization of the ‘Empowering Junior Academics in Tech Policy’ workshop, an interdisciplinary event designed for junior academics. This workshop, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Melinda Sebastian at Data & Society and Dr. Evaglia Tavoulareas at Georgetown University, aimed to provide insights into technology policy space and how to effectively communicate their research to a government audience. Additionally, I have extended invitations to junior academics to participate in policy discussion series that I co-organized with Data & Society, fostering connections between them and multi-stakeholder agencies within the federal government.

Driven by my dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), I strive to create a learning environment where all students feel valued and are encouraged to share their unique perspectives and experiences. As an engaged member of ABIDE (Access, Belonging, Inclusivity, Diversity, and Equity), the Inclusive Teaching Discussion Group & Book Club in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at UNC, I have cultivated skills and insights essential for the practical implementation of DEI principles in educational settings. I prioritize supporting various aspects of academic freedom and fulfilling DEI goals by incorporating diverse curricula and inviting guest lecturers like Dr. Michele Meyer (Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media) and Dr. Madhavi Reddi (York College of Penn), who bring crucial insights into ethical media representations across lines of identity and diverse cultural expressions. I cover topics such as feminist and standpoint theory that are typically omitted from standard course textbooks. Additionally, by integrating paired discussions in my teaching approach, I create an interactive learning environment where diverse perspectives can intersect and enrich the collective understanding, enabling students to appreciate the value of varying viewpoints and experiences.

Lastly, as a survivor who has experienced a death by suicide of a loved one in my 20s, mental health is a core value in my personal and professional life. I strongly advocate for mental health awareness, support, and resources in all facets of academia and community engagement. The compounded impact of the pandemic, several suicides on campus, and lockdowns due to active shooter situations during my time at UNC highlighted the critical importance of DEI in conjunction with mental health considerations. Particularly crucial during the Fall of 2021, I employed a flexible, hybrid teaching model and provided tailored support to students, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by students of different backgrounds. For example, I offered one-on-one office hours to students who needed more time and space, ensuring they received the education they needed while also utilizing school resources to take care of themselves.

In conclusion, my teaching philosophy is deeply rooted in fostering a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking abilities necessary to excel in the rapidly evolving media landscape. I understand the unique challenges and opportunities within the field of public relations and aim to prepare students not only to excel in their chosen careers but also to become ethical, inquisitive, and adaptable professionals. With these principles in mind, I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to contribute to the mission of nurturing the next generation of PR practitioners, communicators, and scholars.

Research Statement

As an active researcher with 5 years of research experience at the intersection of AI ethics, digital platforms, and public relations, I bring with me a unique blend of interdisciplinary expertise, methodological rigor, and a proven track record of scholarly contributions. I have published three first-authored journal articles, two book chapters, and two publications in the popular press. I have four journal articles under review, with one invited for revise and resubmit. I’ve also presented 15 studies to major refereed conferences such as ICA, AEJMC, NCA, and APSA.

My research provides theoretical and practical implications regarding AI ethics and digital platforms in strategic communication and public relations. My first-authored study with Dr. Suman Lee (UNC), published in Public Relations Review, presented a crisis communication model through a case study of an AI chatbot company, using co-orientation theory to analyze discrepancies between organization and public perceptions, especially in ethical crises related to AI. This study offers valuable insights into crisis communication within AI companies, with implications for communication practitioners seeking effective strategies to manage public perception during ethical crises and for researchers aiming to advance theoretical understanding of crisis communication in the context of emerging technologies. In another first-authored study with Dr. Shannon McGregor (UNC) and Dr. Bridget Barrett (U of Colorado), published in Information, Communication, and Society, I investigated public perceptions of organizational responsibility on online content. Based on a survey dataset of 10,000 Americans, this study offers crucial insight for understanding publics’ relationships with technology and digital platforms. This study offers vital insights into public perceptions of organizational responsibility in the online content realm, providing PR practitioners and scholars with actionable knowledge to navigate this evolving landscape. In a recent solo-authored work, accepted to the upcoming National Communication Association (NCA) and soon to be submitted to Public Relations Review, I suggest an AI Social Responsibility (AISR) framework and critically assess the strategic communications of major AI companies about their corporate social responsibility in AI ethics. This framework provides a useful tool for both practitioners and scholars aiming to enhance ethical messaging, navigate potential crises, and advance the academic understanding of responsible communication regarding the use of AI technology.

With my expertise in computational social science research methods, I am also heavily engaged in several ongoing collaborations. For instance, in a co-authored study led by Dr. Allison Archer (U of Houston), invited for revise and resubmit in the International Journal of Press/Politics, an integral contribution I made to this study was the development of programs using YouTube APIs and Python packages like youtube-dl to scrape and analyze the content of YouTube videos, including metadata and transcripts. In another co-authored project with Dr. Shannon McGregor (UNC) and Dr. Erik Peterson (Rice U) that I initiated as part of my work at the Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP), I have played a substantial role in designing the research methodology for accessing and collecting data from organization websites.

For my dissertation project, I examine how various strategic actors shape public discourse as they frame the values and ethics around AI technology, including federal government agencies, tech companies, and news organizations. Using a comprehensive dataset of press releases and persuasive messages from key governmental and tech entities, as well as news articles, I aim to discern the dominant voices in the public discourse on AI ethics and those that are missing or marginalized. Specifically, I investigate who wields influence over defining, understanding, and communicating AI ethics and how narratives from one strategic actor are accepted, rejected, or interpreted by another. The role of public relations in shaping public discourse around AI ethics is one of the critical contributions of my project. To conduct this study, I developed a multifaceted integrative framing study approach, seamlessly incorporating computational data collection, computational data analysis, and qualitative and interpretive analyses, enabling a systematic and nuanced identification of frames and the meticulous tracking of their evolution and shifts over time.

At its core, my research seeks to grapple with issues of ethics and social inequity in technology, which fuels my passion and motivation for rigorous investigation. My studies on AI and digital platforms focus on questions that examine who wields power in determining how these technologies function, according to whose rules and values they operate, and how we can ensure that the voices of historically marginalized communities are heard and incorporated into the process. By shedding light on these power dynamics and marginalized voices in the technology sector, my work underscores the importance of holding tech organizations, policymakers, and communication professionals accountable for safeguarding democratic values and ensuring that technology serves the greater societal good. For example, my research seeks to empower public relations practitioners to play a pivotal role in shaping the narrative around AI and digital platforms, encouraging them to provide comprehensive and equitable coverage. Thus, when designing research studies, I ensure that my work has a direct impact on organizational practices and policy implications, thereby influencing people’s lives and the democratic process.

I am a mixed-methods scholar by training, employing a combination of computational, quantitative, and qualitative methods to address my research questions. This comprehensive approach enables me to leverage the strengths of each method, ensuring a holistic and multifaceted understanding of the phenomena under investigation. This integrative stance empowers me to explore research questions from diverse angles, fostering not only a more comprehensive grasp of the intricate relationships and dynamics that shape the interplay between technology and society but also encouraging my collaborations across disciplines and methodological fields.

I possess a strong proficiency in the acquisition of research grants and funding, evident through my accomplished track record of securing financial support for numerous projects throughout my doctoral journey, including research funds from the Richard Cole Fellowship and the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC). Most recently, I submitted a grant proposal to Microsoft as a co-principal investigator, with Dr. Shannon McGregor (UNC) and Dr. Daniel Kreiss (UNC), for a research project assessing the quality of AI language models regarding election information. Looking ahead, I am enthusiastic about exploring a diverse range of funding sources. These sources include not only those from foundations and associations, such as the Arthur W. Page Center and AEJMC, but also grants from major technology companies like Google and Microsoft, as well as federal government agencies such as the National Science Foundation.

Disclosure about reference checks/letters

DePaul University did not request reference letters at the application stage, which was one of the criteria I took into account when selecting schools to apply to. I find it inconsiderate to ask for reference letters this early, as it can be a significant demand on both the applicants and references' time. Instead, DePaul asked for reference letters when I was invited for the on-campus interview. My references sent their letters directly to the search chair.