Resident tutors have an additional advantage, says James, assistant senior tutor of Cabot House.

"If you've already been here and you're a valued tutor, they'd love to have you back again," James says of House staff. "In fact, they're happy and sad when you find a job. Happy for you and sad for them."

"It does take the pressure off to know that you have security, a nice place to live, a nice community, and the possibility of teaching. It's still really stressful, though," he adds.

And that is where students want help from Harvard--in stress management and strategizing when they approach the job market.

Harvard offers other benefits. The departments' dossier services handle its students job applications for life, providing confidential recommendations and sending materials to potential employers, says GSAS Director of Fellowships Cynthia E. Verba. And an eager alumni network helps students get established in non-academic jobs.

"They can't be very helpful in academic jobs," she says, noting the merit system's reliability. "In theory nobody can call a department and say, 'Have I got a student for you, and here's my $10,000 donation to the department."

In departments like economics, students can spend a year or more working outside of academia while publishing and attending conferences, and can reenter the job market later.