NKU Banner
 

 

  

Inside the Academic Job Market

by John Alberti, Jon Cullick, Tonya Krouse
Northern Kentucky University

a presentation for part-time and full-time adjunct faculty

The three of us are tenure-track faculty, but we have also been adjunct faculty. We have been job seekers, members and chairs of search committees, and department administrators. From both sides of the hiring process, we have seen many successful and unsuccessful job applications. The suggestions below are based upon our combined experiences in the job market.

THE MARKET
The term "job market" is not a metaphor; it is an actual market of buyers and sellers. To be successful, keep in mind that you are trying to sell yourself in the midst of heavy competition. Take the process seriously and show potential employers what makes you unique in the market.

PLANNING
The best advice we can offer might be this: do not wait for a job to become available to prepare application materials. Success in the market depends upon early planning. Always think about what you want to be doing in the next five years, and be proactive about doing it. Prepare your cover letter, CV, and letters of recommendation now, and keep them up to date. This way, if a job opportunity opens, everything will be ready and polished.

MENTORING
It is okay to be on the job market, and it is okay for other faculty and administrators in our department to know you are in the job market! John, Jon, and Tonya are willing to offer assistance. We invite you to show us drafts of cover letters and CVs, or talk with us about planning for the job market.

CURRICULUM VITAE

  • A curriculum vita is a rhetorical document, making an argument about your credentials. Put it together deliberately, to make the argument you want.
  • Keep the format simple and easy to follow. Use Times Roman font with bold, italics, capital letters, or bullet points to create headings and subheadings. Do not use flashy fonts/styles or expensive paper in the academic job market.
  • Avoid ambiguity. Do not write anything that could leave a reader guessing about your credentials. (For example, put a date next to every degree to show whether it has already been earned yet.)
COVER LETTERS
  • Be focused, clear, direct, and concise. Your cover letter lets readers “hear” how you teach and how you talk as a colleague.
  • Focus on the needs of the institution and why you are suitable to the institution; explain how the work you do will serve the institution.
  • Offer specific, concrete evidence. (For example, offer one description of a course you designed to illustrate who you are as a teacher.)
  • Describe your research in plain terms, to an audience of non-specialists. This will show your readers that you know how to teach what you have studied. If applying for a position at a teaching university, make sure your letter focuses on teaching; show that what you teach grows out of your research.
  • If your letter is to an individual, address the envelope and begin the letter with the formal academic titles of "Dr. or "Professor," unless you are certain that a different title is called for. Addressing individuals as "Mr." or "Ms." suggests that you are not familiar with academic etiquette.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

  • Give recommenders everything they need to write a good letter for you. Writing a letter of recommendation takes plenty of time and information.
  • Ask for recommendations several weeks or even months before you think you will need them. Again, it is okay to let other faculty and administrators know that you intend to go on the job market.
  • Seek recommendations in writing and provide full contact information and a specific deadline date.
  • Give recommenders your CV and other materials, such as your teaching portfolio, syllabi, and teaching evaluations. Do not ask recommenders to locate materials themselves, as that will cause delay.
  • Do not assume your recommenders remember everything about you. Remind them of what you have done. (For example, say to them, “In the letter, would you comment on the workshops I attended and my work on the XYZ committee?”)
  • Invite recommenders to observe your classes before writing letters. A classroom visit results in a much stronger letter.
  • If you are leaving a position, or if a supervisor is leaving a position, ask for a letter of recommendation now, because if you contact that person in the future, they might not remember enough to write you a letter.

The University of Michigan Career Center has a useful Academic Job Search web page for new Ph.D.'s.