Preparing your job market materials

The end of August is bittersweet, the end of summer and the start of fall, so many transitions and the beginning of a new chapter for teachers and students of all ages. As I put my son on the bus to start his last year of elementary school this morning, I was thinking about how the start of a new grade is really a marker of time. It’s the day children move on from their past chapter, even though they are growing up before our eyes every day. Jack will come home today with a new teacher and an idea of what school will be like this year, maybe some new friends, and thus, 6th grade will be off and running. Check out the neighborhood gang at our bus stop, including three new Kindergartners and one baby sister, ready for the new year.

If only it were so easy to start a new job! Can’t we just pack our backpacks, get on the bus, and get there? If you are on the academic job market you are juggling all the start of school tasks with the deadlines that come from applying for positions for next fall. It’s a lot to manage, and I am here to help.  Did you know that Polished Owl has a guide for that?

Here you will find step-by-step guidance on how to talk about your teaching in each component of your job market dossier, whether you are asked for a full teaching portfolio, a teaching statement, or evidence of teaching effectiveness. Do you repeat what’s in your cover letter in your teaching statement? How should you format your teaching evaluations? The most important thing is to be authentic. What story you do want to tell, and how can you use each piece of the dossier to your advantage? 

The advice in this guide comes from years of experience consulting with hundreds of graduate students navigating the academic job market. You can do it, too! Think of preparing your materials like packing your backpack, getting yourself organized and ready for that next bus to come. I hope you will find it helpful, share it with your friends and colleagues on the job market, and reach out to talk to me for feedback and support!