The Interfolio Blog

Applying for tenure track positions is often a long, complicated and arduous process. Many applicants are competing against hundreds of other qualified candidates, and are trying to put together an application that will stand out in a very large pool.

This week, Lou Marinoff, chair of the Philosophy department at City College at CUNY, gives us a detailed and revealing look at how the academic search committee process works from a departmental standpoint. 

1. Offering an organized application and ensuring that all your materials arrive on time and in one piece can make the search committee's job much easier.
2. Research and publication, and in addition, demonstration of original thought, greatly enhances a candidate's ranking. Committees look for candidates who do not simply regurgitate graduate-level classwork, but who have gone above and beyond, and developed their own voice and their own viewpoint in whatever field they are pursuing.
3. Teaching ability is very important. Even at institutions where research is highly valued, tenure track professors will be required to do a great deal of instruction. In fact, teaching a class in front of search committees is frequently the last step in landing the job, and can make or break your chances of selection. As Professor Marinoff points out, out of 637 applicants, only 6 made it as far as a campus visit, and all of those were required to teach. We've seen cases where final candidates get to the teaching part of the process and perform so poorly that all final applicants are scrapped and the search committee goes back to the drawing board.
4. Administrative skills are becoming more important. As university departments become more strapped for funding, new hires will be asked to step up to the plate and assist in fundraising activities. While this certainly isn't required, it does differentiate potential candidates from their peers, so try to round out your application with evidence of administrative skills and demonstrated success in raising funds for things like fellowships programs, attendance at conferences or solo research projects.