Teaching in Higher Ed

jobs

For Students: So You Say You Want a Reference?

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Reference

A student once asked me if I would provide a reference for her on a job that was her dream opportunity. She had always wanted to be an interior decorator and now had a possibility of working directly for a woman who had a large design firm in Newport Beach and learn from her first-hand. The woman was quite nervous about hiring a recent grad, since she had been burned by more than a few in the past. However, she was impressed with the young woman and wanted to at least speak to someone who knew her well.

I ended up spending an hour and forty-five minutes on the phone with this woman, talking about her needs for the position and giving examples of ways that I had seen the candidate demonstrate those skills and character traits in my interactions with her over the years. My background in human resources was helpful as we discussed her business goals and need for specific talents related to her firm. She ended up taking the risk and the young woman got her dream job… and the chance to gain valuable experience she would take with her throughout her career.

You will be asked to provide references on a pretty regular basis, during college and beyond. People you ask to be a reference for you are the individuals who will influence the decision makers about whether you should get that internship, go on that missions trip, or be offered that new job.

BEFORE

I hope some of you will be reading this post before the time you need a reference, because thinking about the aspect of building solid relationships in advance will have a big payoff for you. Here are just some of the ways that I’m influenced about the nature of any reference I will give for a student:

  • Do they show up on time and are fully present for classes?
  • Do they take responsibility for their choices and actions?
  • Are they curious?
  • What type of energy and passion do they show for learning and for life?
  • Are they respectful of the people around them?
  • How have they demonstrated that they want to help others succeed?
  • What is the level of quality of work that they submit for classes?
  • Have they gotten involved in organizations that help them learn experientially (such as SIFE or ASB) in addition to taking classes?
  • What level of maturity do they demonstrate on a consistent basis?

Along with any reference I provide for a student goes my reputation. I don’t take lightly the integrity that I think is crucial, anytime I talk about how effective I think someone will be in a given situation. I’ve been working, professionally in Orange County for over 15 years and have built a reputation for someone who knows quality people who will excel in a given job. Now is the time for you to start getting to know your professors and other professionals who can ultimately make a big difference in your ability to achieve your goals.

DURING

When you ask someone to be your reference, there are a series of questions you should answer for them in the process, so they can assess if it makes sense for them to be the person to represent you:

  • What is it that you’re pursuing that requires you to get a reference? Talk about the opportunity and the organization associated with the possibility.
  • What knowledge, skills, and attitudes are being sought?
  • What do you have to offer in terms of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes? Be specific in your answers and provide an example of how you’ve demonstrated that you have acquired the competencies thus far.

Occasionally, you’ll be asked to provide a reference before you have had an opportunity to build strong relationships with your professors at school. The better you do at presenting yourself and at addressing the questions outlined above, the more likely they will be to believe you’ll be a good fit for the opportunity.

AFTER

Remember that once your reference has agreed to help you, does not mean that his or her possibilities of influencing whether or not you get the job are over.

‘But email is so much more convenient,’ you might argue. Yes, that is true. However, you want that person to be willing to go out of his or her way for you, so it makes sense that you’ll go to the extra effort to thank thank them properly and sincerely. Not many people write thank you notes today, so you will allow yourself to stand out from the crowd and be noticed as worth someone’s investment of time.

I recently wrote a letter for a student who was seeking a number of scholarship opportunities. She sent me a thank you card that not only communicated her appreciation, but also indicated that she was successful in obtaining her scholarships. She specified how much money I helped her save by my investment of time in writing her the letter. Her letter will make a nice addition to my tenure application in the next couple of years and you can bet that I’ll be more than happy to help her however I can as she pursues her dreams.

Find a job in higher ed

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You have decided that you want to seek a position teaching in higher education. It is time to take all your years of business or research experience and put it to good use.

Where do you begin?

MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
To teach at the university level, you are pretty much going to need at least a MA (master's) level of education in the field in which you wish to teach. This is true for the vast majority of accredited universities and junior colleges.
If you are seeking a full-time tenure-track position, you will likely need to either be on your way to a doctorate, or to have already earned one in the field in which you wish to teach.

    FIND POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS
    There are differing types of teaching positions in higher ed, with varying pay scales:
    Community colleges ($$$)
    University Extension programs ($$$)
    For-profit universities ($)
    Private non-profit universities ($$ or $$$)
    Faith-based universities ($)
    State schools ($$)
    Research-oriented universities ($$$$)

    Herc

    Here are some links for jobs in higher ed:

    The Chronicle of Higher Education Job Postings
    Southern California Higher Education Recruitment Consortium
    Higher Education Jobs
    Academic Keys

    I also found information when I was job seeking in the Orange County Business Journal's Book of Lists, which may be found at your local library's reference desk. They have listings of educational companies in a given area (in this case, OC, but you can find similiar listings in your community's business publications).

    ENSURE ALIGNMENT WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AND MISSION
    Before you invest your time in the application process, be sure that your experience is sufficient to teach at that specific university. If the university has a large focus on research and you haven't published a single journal article, don't bother trying to show how your real-world experience is more than adequate to make up for your shortcomings. It is better to spend your time focusing on institutions in which your experience and publication record are in sync.

    Additionally, many universities have a specific faith tradition around which their organizational mission is centered. Contrary to popular belief, universities can discriminate against individuals who do not have the same religious beliefs as the institution, as long as their mission clearly articulates the faith tenants of the school.

    If the school in which you are applying has specified that they are seeking applicants from a specific faith tradition, it is best to look elsewhere for employment, as case law supports such discrimination that supports a school's mission.

    There are a fair many schools that have a history with a given church denomination that do not require you to be of that religion or denomination, however, so it is best to do your research to be sure your time is being spent on those activities that are going to get you closer to your career in higher ed.

      GO THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS OR SEND AN UNSOLICITED COMMUNICATION
      Depending again on the university, they may require that all applicants go through their formal application process, or you may be welcome to send unsolicited communications to the university.

      Community colleges are wonderful employers, so therefore have the law of supply in their favor. Their applications processes are notoriously long and ardurous. Assuming you meet the qualifications, however, it is still a good idea to go through the work, as you often are able to use the same application process at multiple institutions that are in the same network. Additionally, if you save your responses (perhaps in a separate word processing document), then you will often be able to copy and paste your answers on to other online applications.

      Most community colleges and universities tend to hire first from people who have served as adjunct faculty. That's why it is a good place to start to work as an adjunct professor (part time), if you are considering a career in higher education. This way, you have a taste of what these types of jobs are like and you are beginning the process of building the relationships and the credibility with people in hiring (or influential) positions.

      My first adjunct position was at Vanguard University (where I now teach full time) and I obtained the position by sending an unsolicited communication to the chair of the business department. I had a standard cover letter and resume (CV) that outlined who I was, why I was qualified to teach, in addition to how I saw my own values and mission aligning with the university's. They called to tell me that my application was on file. I took that to mean they were politely saying no, but I did receive word many months later that they were looking for someone to teach a class and there began my great adventure of working at Vanguard. I have also taught at Cal State Fullerton, UCI, and Chapman and had unsolicited letters and emails help in those endeavors. From what I hear, community colleges tend to be more by-the-book and you're wastine your time to do anything but the formal application process. Of course, as soon as I say that, someone is bound to give some great advice in the comments section about how to get in to community college teaching positions without going through the formal process.

        FOCUS YOUR EFFORTS ON THE PERSON DOING THE HIRING
        Accompany your cover letter and resume (CV) with a list of the classes that the university teaches that you're specifically qualified to teach. List the class on the left (use their naming conventions) and list bullets on the right showing why you're a good person to teach that specific class.

        Recognize that universities have their own timing and seasons and get your application to them in plenty of time before the next semester or term begins. Be thinking six months in advance of their schedule, as they will often want to publicize the people who will be teaching their classes and getting you incorporated into their marketing materials and internal communication mechanisms (such as email, etc.).

        You have invested a lot in your education and your work experience. Congratulations on your next step in giving back to others who are looking to do the same.

        Please add your suggestions in the comments section. I plan on continually editing this post to incorporate the current best practices in higher education positions job seeking.