Applying for faculty positions can be a great deal of work, and preparing materials for submission takes time and skill. So, it is essential to consider what should be included in your application to score high during the committee selection process. As a potential full-time faculty member, your application will be scored and reviewed based on many criteria. This post will share tips to package a well-rounded application for full-time faculty positions.

Talk to Faculty in the Department

When seeking and applying for a faculty position, knowing the institution you are applying for and the faculty already working there is vital. So, it is necessary and can only help you talk with some of the faculty in the department. Therefore, research the potential school and department you are applying for and look at the faculty they have. Reach out to the faculty to get a feel of the environment and energy you may be working in, and, if possible, find the newer faculty and get their insight too. This is beneficial as they would be the faculty who have the most insight into what it was like as a candidate, someone who was in your shoes more recently than other members in the department.

Preparing Your Materials

After talking to faculty in the department to which you are applying, use any tips and strategies to align your materials with their expectations. In addition to those tips, I will provide additional things to consider when organizing your application. Below, you will find different categories and criteria used to score initial applications.

Teaching Effectiveness & Student Engagement

One category to be sure to speak to when putting your application packet together is teaching effectiveness and student engagement. Departments want to see that you have a proven record of teaching effectiveness. Some of the criteria that may be used to score your application include:

  • Knowledge and use of innovative teaching strategies to promote student success
  • Knowledge and experience with engaging teaching strategies
  • Knowledge and/or experience engaging students beyond the classroom (advising, student activities, internships, research, etc.)
  • Strong content knowledge closely aligned with the needs of the department/school
  • Strong pedagogical knowledge
  • Strong knowledge of instructional technology and/or distance learning aligned with the needs of the department/school
  • Experience with learning outcomes assessment

Collaborative Experience Within Your Department, College/School, and Community

A second category to be sure to demonstrate your experience is collaboration. Departments want to know they are hiring a faculty member who is a team player and works well with others. If you do not have these professional experiences from other institutions or jobs, call upon your community and/or graduate experiences as they relate to successful collaboration. Some criteria that may be used to evaluate collaboration include:

  • Experience developing and managing partnerships (K-12, business and industry, community organizations, other colleges, e.g., 2+2, etc.)
  • Evidence of successful teamwork and collaboration with colleagues or demonstrated evidence of college/department service
  • Experience mentoring colleagues and/or students
  • Evidence of successful student outreach and/or recruitment activities
  • Experience designing and developing curriculum within multiple modalities
  • Experience developing and/or implementing programming in response to needs within the community (e.g., continuing education, extended learning, and/or workforce education)

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

This category is one that more and more institutions are expecting to be at the core of your teaching philosophy and approach to supporting students broadly. Some criteria to speak to in your application include:

  • Knowledge and experience working with diverse populations (e.g., minority, low income, special needs, veterans, first-generation, varying ages, etc.)
  • Demonstrated knowledge of integrating equity in the discipline’s courses, programs, and college curriculum and eradicating equity gaps
  • Cultural competence and an ability to respect differences and alternative perspectives
  • Demonstrated commitment to institution’s values

Professional Development/Continuous Improvement

The last category shared will be professional development. Institutions like to see that you stay current in your field and continue learning, growing, and expanding your knowledge base. Some things to consider highlighting in your application are:

  • Demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement and understanding of the need for professional growth and development
  • Evidence that candidate aligns career goals with the needs of the institution

Feel free to join us in the conversation on Twitter at @TomlinAntione.


Authors Bio:

Antione D. Tomlin, PhD, PCC is a tenure-track Associate Professor + Chair of the Academic Literacies Department at Anne Arundel Community College. Dr. Tomlin is also an ICF Certified Life Coach.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of Interfolio.