Employment During Difficult Economic Times
The current economic downturn affects everyone, including those in academe: "Constricted funds for student aid, lack of available capital for construction and renovation, and…the freezing of new hires for faculty positions" (Trachtenberg 2008: A112) will have an impact across all sectors of higher education. Some presidents of colleges are returning part of their pay or turning down raises in light of the situation (Lewin 2008). Other universities are terminating adjunct positions, reducing the availability of various student support facilities, or turning off the air conditioning and heat when buildings are vacant in the evenings and weekends (Moran and Wiedeman 2008).

It is no surprise, therefore, that the job market for faculty may become tighter. A difficult reality of the job market is that while schools may have vacancies, they may not choose to hire anyone. In other cases, jobs openings that were announced will be cancelled with no notice. So how do graduate students on the verge of going on the job market deal with these conditions?

The following suggestions will help to make you a distinctive and attractive candidate through a combination of teaching, research, service to your department and university, and participation in training workshops and seminars.

Teaching and Developing a Teaching Style

The first task is to strengthen your C.V. with skills and training that demonstrate your ability to do more as a faculty member. Serving as a TA obviously helps—it not only gives you teaching experience, but you are also able to observe a more experienced instructor and other TAs. It is always a good idea to observe other instructors to help you find your own teaching style and what works for you in the classroom.

If your department does not offer a mentoring program, talk to someone you respect as a teacher and ask him or her to visit your classroom to observe you. This person can be a faculty member in your own department, in another department, or a more senior graduate student. The TA Project developed a guide and form for peer observation that explain how to give feedback, what to consider before starting peer observation, and important areas to focus on during your discussion.

The Teaching Assistant Project also offers a videotaping service. One of our assistants will schedule a time with you to video your lecture, recitation section, or lab section. The video can then be viewed with a faculty member or a member of the TAP staff to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses as an instructor. The form to sign up for this service is available here.

The Importance of Flexibility and Training

Another way to make yourself distinctive is to demonstrate a commitment to teaching. The Teaching Assistant Project offers a variety of certificate programs to help you strengthen your teaching skills and your CV.

Courses on College Teaching

Finally, consider taking one of our seminars on teaching at the university level. These courses are free and will show up on your transcript.

In Spring 2009, we will offer Introduction to College Teaching. Led by an experienced TA with weekly visits from faculty in a variety of disciplines, this course focuses on: testing and grading; assessment and outcomes; technology in the classroom; teaching large classes; motivating students; developing a philosophy of teaching; multiple roles of the faculty member; civic education; and an overview of higher education in the United States.

This course meets for the first twelve weeks of the spring semester on Wednesdays from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in Scott Hall on the College Avenue Campus. Readings are required, along with attendance and class participation.

In Fall 2009, we will offer College Teaching II. The purpose of the class is to help graduate students design and develop materials for, including a syllabus, assignments, and lesson plans for a course they might teach either at Rutgers or in their first faculty position. Topics to be covered will include establishing goals for a course, content delivery (including lecturing, class discussions, and active learning), assignment design, and setting course policies.

Any or all seminars and certificate programs can be added to your C.V. to demonstrate a commitment to teaching. Not all universities offer these programs, so take advantage and set yourself apart during the job search.

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about the job search during these difficult economic times, please email us.

Additional Resources and Cited Material

Field, Kelly. 2008. "As the Economic Crisis Hits Home, Colleges Seek Help From Congress. " The Chronicle of Higher Education. 21 November 2008. 15(13): 17.

Lederman, Doug. 2008. "Trickle-Down Economic Duress. " Inside Higher Ed. 2 October 2008. Accessed 25 November 2008.

Lewin, Tamar. 2008. "Presidents of Colleges Give Back Some Pay. " New York Times (New York edition). 23 November 2008: A24.

Mangan, Katherine. 2008. "Their Budgets Slashed, Public Colleges Share the Pain with A Glut of Applicants. " The Chronicle of Higher Education. 28 November 2008. 55(14): 1.

————. 2008. "Are Colleges Ready to Switch to Digital Course Material. " The Chronicle of Higher Education. 28 November 2008. 55(14): A1.

Moran, Caitlin and Reeves Wiedeman. 2008. "How the Economic Downturn is Affecting Colleges: A Sampling. " The Chronicle of Higher Education. 24 November 2008. 25 November 2008.

Stripling, Jack. 2008. "Big Trouble, Potentially, for Little Colleges. " Inside Higher Ed. 17 October 2008. Accessed 25 November 2008.

————. 2008. "Exceptions to the Rule. " Inside Higher Ed. 25 November 2008. Accessed 25 November 2008.

Trachtenberg, Stephen Joel. 2008. "Want Tenure? Sign on the Dotted Line." The Chronicle of Higher Education. 24 Oct 2008: A112.

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