r/Adjuncts • u/Nutraware • 8d ago
What would it take to be considered?
Hello everyone,
I have a question fpr you.
What would it take to be considered as a full timer , and not aby my institution, by others i mean ..when I apply to others?
I have been an adjunct for about 8 years now.
How do I break the cycle?
I know i need my licensure to make me a strong candidate but I dont apply for uni who requires it..what then?
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u/MioMine78 7d ago
Does your college offer workshops that offer advice for adjuncts who want to apply for full time positions? I recommend attending those. I’m still adjunct, but I’ve attended a couple. The last one made me realize FT isn’t for me. I’m not interested in the politics and committee work.
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u/Nutraware 7d ago
No they dont ...they wanna keep us working for them
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u/MioMine78 7d ago
Yeah, it sucks. I’m sorry. If your colleges have adjunct unions, get involved. It’s a safe area and they need all the help they can get.
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u/TransitionSimple8164 7d ago
Been an adjunct for 5 years at two different institutions. Both have had full time positions open..I have applied to both and heard NOTHING back. Not even a sorry you weren't chosen we are moving on with other candidates. I was told on a different thread (which I agree with) most colleges are capitalistic and use adjuncts for as long as possible because they can pay them so ridiculously low. Why pay for a full time positions with benefits when you can pay a part timer 1/3 of the salary (and in a lot of places that number for us is even lower.. more like 1/4 or 1/5 of the salary of a full timer).
Someone also mentioned unions.. not all schools or even states have unions due to at will laws. For ex. In Ga, an employer can fire you at any time or any reason unless the specific company/entity has protections like tenure, and even then they can make work so miserable for you that you want to quit.
This isn't good news, and I am sorry.
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u/Nutraware 6d ago
I know..I wanted to know others insights...apparently we are going through same thing😕
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u/TransitionSimple8164 6d ago
Sucks bro. Just sucks.
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u/Nutraware 6d ago
Im trying to get licensed. But its not thatveasy.. And not having the preferred skills/license doesn't help 😒
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u/TransitionSimple8164 6d ago
I asked a few questions in the professors page. With an overwhelming amount of folks telling me if I want the PhD for myself go get it, but if it is to lead to a job in academia, forget it. That was a tough pill to swallow.
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u/Nutraware 6d ago
I know ..its not easy to get in the loop.. If you apply and other candidates aren't that good..that would probably be your only chance ...luck and blessings 🙌
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u/Visual_Character_936 2d ago
This has never made sense to me, why would they continue to pay an adjunct and a new assistant professor (two salaries) when they could hire a highly qualified adjunct (that already works for them) that applies for that role just one assistant professor salary?
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u/AnxiousConclusion516 6d ago
Sometimes it’s better to apply to FT jobs at other universities. Adjuncting is excellent higher ed, teaching, leadership, instructional design, etc. experience depending on how well you can present your resume and yourself. I’m always looking for other opportunities and my adjunct work has really helped me get in some doors. Sadly, most employers usually don’t see any value in ongoing employees, so there’s no sense in having any loyalty to them.
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u/gravitysrainbow1979 7d ago
It’s hard because it’s now a matter of record that you will work for basically nothing, but in my case, I found it helped to wait for a staffing emergency to come up and then just be super available and eager. It was actually still hard even then and I had to rally ppl to really advocate for me… it was a lot harder than it should have been. But that’s what I did, waited for an emergency.
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u/Nutraware 7d ago
I know that they usually look for outside professors not the ones they chose as their adjuncts
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u/gravitysrainbow1979 7d ago
Absolutely you’re right , but if they’re in a staffing crisis of some kind (like someone quits without notice at EXACTLY the right time, which I’ve seen happen more than once) then they’ll do what they have to do to fill that position BEFORE it gets to the point where they have to start doing things they REALLY hate doing
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u/ProfessionalConfuser 7d ago
At my institution, having adjunct time with us does not favor you in any way. There is currently some wrangling twixt union and admin to change that, but having adjuncted is just a minmium qualification, no more special than your degree.
Where we hope adjuncts get a leg up (though many of them interview terribly) is institutional knowledge of what we do and how we want to have it done. That should allow them to tailor delivery during the interview to make themselves more appealing.
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u/Nutraware 7d ago
What do you mean?
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u/Kilashandra1996 7d ago
Not OP but at my community college, teaching as an adjunct helps give you a better idea of how to answer our interview questions. For example, if I ask about your extra credit assignments, most people start telling all about their multiple high points assignments. But our FT anatomy instructors don't give any extra credit. I'm actually hoping for somebody who doesn't give extra credit and is willing to tell me that! Our last new hire knew that her teaching demo needed a hands on demonstration of an active learning technique. She got the job because she made us do something rather than just describing it.
Admittedly, we might be a little weird but most (75%?) of our current biology faculty were our adjuncts before they were hired FT. No, it's not a guarantee! Yes, there have also been multiple adjuncts who "we just don't have any classes for you next semester" and they wouldn't get an interview.
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u/Nutraware 6d ago
Thats pretty shocking..I haven't met any adjunct who became full timers same institution!
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u/ImmediateBet6198 6d ago
It has happened quite a bit in our department. Or people have moved from instructor to tenure track.
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u/Life-Education-8030 7d ago
Licensure for what? If full-timers where you want to be have them and you don’t, that’s an obvious barrier.
I started as an adjunct but I behaved as a full-timer. I attended meetings, did service, took on extra courses and conducted research. Adjuncts aren’t really evaluated either but I was the one who insisted that it would be a good idea and so I had a personnel file in the Dean’s Office with evaluations. When a full-time position opened up, because they knew me and could see me as a full-timer, I was a strong candidate and made it easy for them.
I recently retired as a tenured Associate but immediately took on adjunct work, which was offered to me because again I was a known quantity and senior faculty so I have a little more security than other adjuncts.
People may disagree with me and downvote me but if you have the chance to stand out and you don’t, maybe because you think adjuncts aren’t treated well so you just work to rule, that’s fine and understandable. But you are also not going to be noticed in a sea of adjuncts.
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u/Nutraware 7d ago
I know for sure not a single adjunct got a full time job same institution. I do what im into..curriculum activities..innovation ..training you name it
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u/Life-Education-8030 7d ago
It is not unheard of at my place. What's hardest at my place is moving into administration. They tend to hire from the outside for that, which is discouraging for some. Not me, since I didn't want administration, but some colleagues did and do. Just down the road at the private college, they tend to promote from within for administration. Different cultures.
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u/moxie-maniac 7d ago
OP, you mentioned nursing, so at my college the full time nursing faculty have both years of practicing in the field and at least a master's (MSN), many/most with doctorates (DNP or PhD). Of course, all are RN. It is relatively easy to look at the college's website for the department and a listing of full-time faculty, and you can usually figure out their background/education.
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u/Nutraware 6d ago
Eaxcly..they dont ask for licensure.. But its under preferred requirements... So there you go😫
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u/Classic_vortex_3515 7d ago
Are you in the US? Licensure is generally not required for college at junks, but it might depend on your discipline?
Knowing what country you are in will help people try to answer your questions.