How to Become a Professor at a Community College

Becoming a professor at a community college can be tough, especially in today’s academic job market. Competition is fierce. Many colleges face budget cuts on a regular basis. Most community colleges do prefer to hire candidates with a PhD. Cases in which exceptions are made, however, do exist. It is not out of the question to be hired as a full-time professor at a community college if you possess a Master’s degree, as opposed to a PhD.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Completing the Ground Work

1. Obtain the necessary education you need: either a Master’s degree and/or a PhD. This article assumes that you have already completed Step 1. If you have not, you must first realize that you will not be able to become a community college professor without at least a Master’s degree in your field of study.

2. Obtain experience as a T.A. (Teaching Assistant) at the university from which you received or are currently working on your degree. If you have already graduated and you did not serve as a T.A., you can still have a career at a community college. If, however, you are currently in school, check with your program advisor to see if you can obtain a position as a Teaching Assistant.

3. Update your CV. A CV, or curriculum vitae, is primarily used when candidates apply for positions that involve academic, education, scientific or research positions. A curriculum vitae is longer (up to two or more pages) than a traditional resume and should include a detailed account of your educational and academic background and skills. You should also include any teaching and research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honors, affiliations and other details.

4. Brush up on your networking and aggressive job seeking skills! If your goal is to become a community college professor, you need to get used to utilizing assertive communication skills and demonstrating your marketability to others. Attend networking functions. Talk to anyone you know who works in the academic field and ask for pointers and advice.

The Job Search

5. Decide whether or not you would like to make your search local/regional or national. Are you willing to relocate to become a community college professor?

6. Make a list of the community colleges to which you would like to apply. If your search is a local/regional one, you may or may not wish to research the demographics of local community colleges in your area. Also, consider whether or not you want to work at a community college near your home, or if you are willing to travel.

7. Check the website and/or call the Human Resources department to see if there are any current openings. Make a special note of any colleges which are currently hiring for certain faculty positions. You will want to prioritize those in your job search.

8. Send your information and/or fill out applications for community colleges which are currently hiring. Even if only adjunct positions are available, consider applying to simply get your foot in the door. Make it known in your interview that you eventually hope to move into a full-time position.

9. Send your information (CV, resume) to the colleges for which you wish to work, even if they are not hiring. They will have your information on file and will contact you if a position becomes available (either adjunct or full-time). If you manage to land a full-time position at a community college right away, congratulations. If you get hired as an adjunct or part-time instructor, aim to be the best teacher on campus. Make it known to your superiors that you eventually hope to move into a full-time position. Maintain regular contact with your superiors to assess the likelihood of you moving into a full-time position.

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