How to Find a Part-time Position in College Teaching Position

Looking for extra income? There are many types of part-time jobs from which to choose. For those with the appropriate college education and experience, adjunct teaching can be a great choice.

I chuckle a bit when I read job postings for part-time (a.k.a. adjunct) college instructors that require two years of prior teaching experience. It’s the chicken or egg thing. Which comes first? You mean you can’t get a job teaching unless you have had a job teaching? So the question is how do you get a job with little or no prior teaching experience?

I have worked as a college adjunct; and, as a college administrator, I have hired hundreds of adjuncts. Here are my 10 tips for landing that first college teaching position:

1. Identify all the opportunities in your area. Check college websites for job postings. In my part of the country, every college advertises openings on their website. Many have online application processes also. Be sure to check out the community colleges in your area. These two-year schools tend to provide more opportunities for new adjuncts.
2. Apply early, well before the start of a term. Colleges attempt to assign classes well in advance of each term.
3. Apply again at the “last minute.” There are always a few openings still available a week or two before classes start. Twice in my adjunct career, I landed a teaching assignment with less than a week to prepare, but that’s the name of the adjunct game.
4. Make sure you meet the minimum criteria. If it says a master's degree in English is required, don’t waste your time if you only have a bachelor's degree or if your master's is in communications. Unless the ad specifies such options, the likelihood of you getting the job is nil. Sometimes, however, a college will accept a “related” masters with 15 or 18 graduate credit hours in the specific discipline. (Note: Many career and technical education positions require less than a bachelor’s degree.)
5. Sharpen the Saw*. Assuming your academic credentials miss the mark a bit, go back to school. Take the courses you need to qualify for openings at colleges near you.
6. Apply for non-credit teaching positions at local colleges. These positions have less stringent requirements, and the experience will look good on your resume and may help secure a credit teaching position.
7. Put a teaching spin on your resume. Emphasize “pseudo-teaching” experience if you are short on classroom teaching. Have you trained co-workers? Have you taught Sunday school? Have you spoken at your local Rotary? Do you educate the customers you deal with on your job?
8. Synergize* (Is that a verb?) your background. You can write a resume with little or no experience. Whether through reading, surfing the Internet, networking, or osmosis, you need be familiar with the skills, qualities and characteristics of a good college instructor. Then explain on the application how your education and experience relate to the job requirements. Some good characteristics to emphasize are passion for the subject, desire to give back, willingness to put in long hours of preparation time, and good computer skills. By all means, you should always emphasize that you are not in it for the money.
9. Be Proatiive*. Attend college-sponsored job fairs. Sometimes these events include part-time teaching opportunities. Make cold calls to hiring authorities; however, don't be pushy.
10. Keep fishing. When I was a kid and the fish weren’t biting, I’d reel in my line and go hunt for snakes. But Dad would quickly remind me, “You can’t catch any fish if your line isn’t in the water.” Get the point? By the way, I do not recommend hunting for snakes as a diversion from adjunct job hunting. I got bit once, and that was the last time I remember picking up a snake.

* I have used three of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People . If you haven’t read the book, I highly recommend you get a copy!