Thread by @cutchabaldy

It's a JOB APPLICATION season for Tenure Track hires and in case people have last minute questions I wanted to offer the following thread (now that I've been on a bunch o' job committees here's what I've learned on the other side...) 1/many #TenureTrack #JobApps

First - even if you follow all the things you may just not get through. It sooks. Some of it is totally random. Depends on the job. Depends on the people on the committee. Depends on who is leading the committee. Depends on if one person in the room didn't get coffee that day...

Second - committee members are Faculty and faculty are busy. We have all the things to do (classes, meetings, research, emails...) so if information isn't easy to find we ain't finding it for you. Make it easy. We should read every last word in your CV - not everyone will.

Let's talk Cover letter.
This will be the most scrutinized thing.
It will likely be the thing all committee members actually read.
Should be 2 pages (at least) but not longer than 3. Some may say "this is 2 pgs. That's tooo long." But nobody will likely complain about 2 pgs.

Cover letters should answer all the minimum qualifications right up front so that nobody has to go hunting for them. Committee wants to be able to easily answer "how does this person meet min. quals?"
A great letter will also show how person meets "preferred quals" too.

Cover letters should also have more than just declarative statements. So "I support diversity" is not helpful. We want to see HOW you support diversity. Numbers are good. Examples are better.

Often- if it isn't in the cover letter some committee members will go "this person didn't meet min. quals." And you have to get lucky that someone else in the committee happens to remember where you did meet min. quals (in your CV etc.) Don't make people hunt. They won't hunt.

Cover letters should not say "see my CV to answer this minimum quals question..." because people might not see your CV. We are sometimes looking at over 100 applications. We have to do this in a short amount of time. The easier you make it to find information upfront the better.

A great cover letter (answers min. quals, shows examples, shows preferred quals etc.) may at least get you to the next part where we start to look through other application materials. Otherwise you're gambling there MIGHT be someone who will try to look through everything else.

Once you get through cover letter screening it's on to various materials. Likely the most reviewed will be any statements you were asked to write (research statement, teaching philosophy, diversity statement). Diversity statements can set you apart so spend time with them.

Diversity statements are something that committees hope show how future faculty are thinking about how (*keywords*) equity, inclusion, equity gaps, and diversity of student experience, backgrounds, learning styles are informing your own research, scholarship, and teaching style.

If there is diversity statement we hope to see someone is truly thinking about necessary interventions into academia that acknowledges diversity and demonstrates that you (the faculty) understand how much more diverse students are (and how to embrace and teach to that diversity).

Many times applicants gloss over diversity or think "I took a diversity training" or "I acknowledge that diversity exists" is what people want to hear. To stand out - take time to show how diversity shapes you and your teaching/work. Show how you support and elevate diversity.

I'm usually reading (because we are at a teaching institution) for how diversity plays a role in your understanding and pedagogical approach to the classroom. But I'm also a researcher - so I like to see how it plays a role in research as well.

The other thing I will say about reading job apps is that what usually stands out to me (after the cover letter and any statements that were written) is the writing sample. If I'm truly interested I will look closely at writing so I can talk more about your work w/ the committee.

Much of what we decide (as committee members) to spend the most time with is personal preference. However, in my experience, it really goes (1) cover letter; (2) written statements asked for; (3) writing sample; (4) Syllabus; (5) teaching evals/CV

Once we've gone through ALL of the applicants (again sometimes over 100 apps) we meet together to discuss and determine who we want to invite for a campus visit.

Important to remember, you will have some committee members who reviewed every last thing; some who only looked at cover letters and CVs; some that looked over a few people closely after they read their cover letters and decided to look at more.

We need to be armed with info so that we can support our recommendations. That's why you want to make it easy on us. If it's easy to refer to your cover letter for most things - great. And if you stood out (because of your statements) even better.

Other random thoughts - it matters if the cover letter is personalized. We like to see very personal cover letters, especially those that talk about the excitement for our community/city/town as well as the job.

Some people be petty. So they will concentrate on things like spelling, weird wording, long sentences etc. It's best to think of the things you write as needing to be accessible to a wide audience. We need to be able to quickly digest what you are saying in anything you write.

I try to remind myself as a committee member that I was on the other side, anxiously writing and rewriting all my materials, trying to compose the perfect thing... I know it's nerve wracking. My best advice is to have a sense of humor if you can. And keep applying...