If your career goal is to teach in higher education, we have advice for you directly from Andrea, a Senior Faculty Recruiter for Walden University. She has spent countless hours reviewing applications and searching for talented instructors to fill faculty positions.
Here is her advice:
- Apply for positions that match your academic credentials, experience, and career goals.
- Watch college or university websites for open positions. They often post on their own website before posting on the large job boards.
- Seek out programs that are growing or institutions adding new programs, for example, the recent growth in Nurse Practitioner programs.
- Keep in mind that an institution can often receive up to 150 applications for one open position depending on the requirements and candidate pool. To get an interview, you need to show that not only are you qualified but that you are one of the best-qualified applicants.
- Update your LinkedIn profile. Use keywords relevant to your field and experience. LinkedIn is the go-to tool for recruiters to search for talent.
- Have a clear, concise, and well-organized curriculum vita (CV). Use a traditional format with:
- A short tailored summary showcasing your professional and research focus.
- Your education section at or near the top of the document.
- Your experience in chronological order with your most recent experience first.
- Keywords relevant to your field; recruiters use applicant tracking systems to search large numbers of CVs for keywords related to the education, knowledge, experience, and skills required for a position.
- Publications and professional presentations if you have them; these sections are important and will help you stand out from other applicants.
- Use the college or university’s applicant tracking system to apply and to check the status of your application. It is ok to reach out through email with questions or to let an internal contact know that you submitted an application, but keep emails to a minimum.
- Prepare for the interview well in advance.
- The initial phone interview is intended to screen applicants for a fit with the organization’s culture and to check that the compensation is in line with the applicant’s expectations.
- Prepare to give a short sample classroom presentation via video, Skype, or live as part of the interview process.
- Prepare to discuss your academic and professional experience; include examples.
- Share your enthusiasm for teaching.
- Be patient, the process can take months.
We thank Andrea for sharing her advice!
You can find more information about finding a position in higher education at Career Services Doctoral Resources and view higher education job postings at Higher Education/Online Learning Job Opportunities page
Written by Denise Pranke, Senior Career Services Advisor
