Academic search committees will likely review hundreds of applications for a single position. Each application can be 5-20 pages in length. You can imagine search committee fatigue! Your tasks when preparing your application materials are to engage the reader, communicate your fit, articulate a vision of who you are as a researcher and teacher, and demonstrate your potential as a future colleague and member of their team. The ultimate goal of your application packet is to be invited for an interview.
Academic research and teaching positions typically call for a cover letter (aka Statement of Interest) and curriculum vitae (CV). Additional supporting documents, depending upon the position, might include:
- 3-5 letters of recommendation
- Research Statement
- Teaching Philosophy Statement or Statement of Teaching Interest or Evidence of Teaching Excellence or Teaching Portfolio
- Diversity Statement
- Sample Syllabi
- Course Evaluations
- Dissertation Abstract or Publications or Writing Sample
- Portfolio (for MFA)
Some institutions (e.g., community colleges) may request a “professional resume”, which generally means a CV outlining your academic accomplishments, but also emphasizes teaching abilities and administrative skills.
Tips and Sample Documents
CV's and Cover Letters
- Tips for writing a CV and CV samples - Internship and Career Center
- Tips for writing a cover letter, cover letter template, and cover letter samples - Internship and Career Center
Research Documents
- Research Statements - Duke University
- Writing a Research Plan - ScienceCareers.org
- Research Statement Rubric - University of Delaware
Teaching Documents
- How to Write a Teaching Statement - Instructional Development, UC Santa Barbara
- Statement of Teaching Philosophy Rubric - University of Michigan
- Compiling a Teaching Portfolio - UC Berkeley
Diversity Documents
- The Effective Diversity Statement - Inside Higher Ed
- Guidelines for Writing A Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - UC Davis Academic Affairs
Online Support - Statement of Teaching Philosophy, Diversity Statement
The Center for Educational Effectiveness had created a self-paced on-demand workshop on Developing a Statement of Teaching Philosophy and Writing a Diversity Statement, hosted on Canvas. Login here to see the workshop materials: https://canvas.ucdavis.edu/enroll/68EAD7
One-on-one Appointments - Application Materials
Internship and Career Center - Make an appointment with a career advisor who can help strategize about content for your application packet, review your CV and cover letter, and provide feedback on your academic job application materials. Select "Faculty Job Application" type for 60-minute appointment availability to review multiple materials.
The Center for Educational Effectiveness - Set up an appointment for a consultation to receive help and feedback when developing your Statement of Teaching Philosophy or Teaching Portfolio.
University Writing Program - Schedule a writing consultation with a Writing Fellow for help focusing your topic, organizing and clarifying your ideas, adapting your style for a specific audience, and overall strengthening of your writing skills.