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Job outlook for adjunct instructors in the United States
Adjunct instructor job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected adjunct instructor job growth rate is 2% from 2018-2028.
About 5,400 new jobs for adjunct instructors are projected over the next decade.
Adjunct instructor salaries have increased 6% for adjunct instructors in the last 5 years.
There are over 377,290 adjunct instructors currently employed in the United States.
There are 40,633 active adjunct instructor job openings in the US.
The average adjunct instructor salary is $52,030.
Are adjunct instructor jobs in demand?
Adjunct instructor job and salary trends over time
Adjunct instructor jobs over time
Adjunct instructor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 377,290 | 0.11% |
| 2020 | 1,061,425 | 0.32% |
| 2019 | 1,107,778 | 0.33% |
| 2018 | 552,351 | 0.17% |
| 2017 | 554,049 | 0.17% |
Average adjunct instructor salary over time
Adjunct instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,030 | $25.01 | +2.5% |
| 2024 | $50,758 | $24.40 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | $50,621 | $24.34 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $49,717 | $23.90 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $48,874 | $23.50 | +3.7% |
Adjunct instructor jobs by state
Most common states for adjunct instructors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 129 | 19% |
| 2 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 929 | 17% |
| 3 | Alaska | 739,795 | 122 | 16% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,259 | 15% |
| 5 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 488 | 12% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 69 | 11% |
| 7 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 487 | 10% |
| 8 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 544 | 9% |
| 9 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 287 | 9% |
| 10 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 155 | 9% |
| 11 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 90 | 9% |
| 12 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,573 | 8% |
| 13 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 778 | 8% |
| 14 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 753 | 8% |
| 15 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 568 | 8% |
| 16 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 519 | 8% |
| 17 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 242 | 8% |
| 18 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 83 | 8% |
| 19 | Delaware | 961,939 | 73 | 8% |
| 20 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 47 | 8% |
Most common cities for adjunct instructors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Des Moines | 12 | 6% | $52,933 |
| 2 | Council Bluffs | 4 | 6% | $52,708 |
| 3 | Cedar Rapids | 5 | 4% | $53,427 |
| 4 | Decatur | 3 | 4% | $41,110 |
| 5 | Port Arthur | 2 | 4% | $42,694 |
| 6 | Waterloo | 2 | 3% | $53,557 |
| 7 | Anchorage | 6 | 2% | $51,557 |
| 8 | Cheyenne | 1 | 2% | $46,271 |
| 9 | Durham | 2 | 1% | $48,139 |
| 10 | Fort Collins | 2 | 1% | $47,614 |
| 11 | Baltimore | 2 | 0% | $49,698 |
| 12 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $58,885 |
Adjunct Instructor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of adjunct instructor experts
Tiffin University
Christopher Newport University
Kean University
University of Oregon
Georgia College and State University
North Carolina State University
University of Maine
College of the Marshall Islands
Skidmore College
Lehigh University
Ashford University
Mercy College
Franklin and Marshall College
Grambling State University
Skidmore College
College of Charleston
Shaw University
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Alex Holte PhD: My advice for someone new to the field of academia is to learn time management skills early and learn what type of service work you find interesting and would like to contribute to. From there, learn how to say “no” to opportunities that may not align with your goals as well. I feel a lot of new professors tend to find the need to be involved in everything, which can result in burning out later in their career.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Alex Holte PhD: I would say being able to work with AI may be something that is more important in the next 3-5 years. Right now it’s a new technology and people are just now learning how to integrate it in the workplace, but I feel it is possible the future workforce of tomorrow will necessitate some form of being able to use AI technology.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Alex Holte PhD: When you are starting out at any career, it is important to negotiate your salary. Many candidates feel that they have to accept their first offer, but in reality, at many jobs, there is some room for negotiation. Be mindful however, to not request a salary that is much higher than what is being offered as they may feel like a compromise would not be possible and move on to the next candidate.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Stuart Inglis: Anatomy and Physiology is a unique field of study. While many feel apprehensive towards it, in particular when it involves dissection or physiology studies on animals, those who pursue it tend to be very passionate about the subject matter. As is the case for anyone who answers the call to teach, the satisfaction in educating the future generation is fulfilling. This is particularly so when working with kindred spirits who feel the same passion for the subject material. The dislikes would be the same as seen in teaching in any discipline; Interactions with apathetic and unappreciative students and pressures from administration to maintain a certain class average And received positive course evaluations.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stuart Inglis: The field of anatomy and physiology is always in demand, as it is a critical component in the education of anyone pursuing a career in the medical field. Essentially every institution of higher learning has some sort of anatomy and physiology course that needs to be taught. There has also been a general trend over the past several years of insufficient numbers of qualified candidates to replace the large number of faculty that have been retiring. Students graduating with a masters or doctoral degree in the anatomical or physiological sciences have a very good chance of being hired into vacant faculty positions. For doctoral graduates that have a successful research program, having an additional background in teaching in anatomy and physiology makes them more marketable and desirable for faculty positions focused on research but still requiring a certain amount of teaching.
Dr. Stephanie Opfer
Associate Professor of English, Assistant Dean of the School of Creative and Media ArtsTiffin University
Visual And Performing Arts
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Because of the state of higher education in our country today, teaching in higher education can be a difficult field to break into. However, most colleges and universities still hire adjunct instructors (part-time instructors). Students shouldn't be afraid to teach as an adjunct for a while to get some experience and decide if teaching is for them.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Flexibility and adaptability will be the biggest skills instructors will need. The state of higher education is changing, and the 'ivory tower' is going away. Colleges and universities are starting to focus more on career-oriented programs, which include practical and application skill sets. In order to stay relevant, the focus of humanities classes like art and film should be on teaching students analysis, synthesis, and other critical-thinking skills. The content becomes less important and becomes only the vehicle for teaching these skills.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stephanie Opfer: Unfortunately, teaching as an adjunct does not pay well. Students should keep their full-time jobs and teach part-time until they find a full-time job at a college or university. That part-time teaching provides them valuable experience and connections that make them more competitive candidates for full-time positions because they'd also be competing with candidates who have PhDs. So adjunct work is more of a long-term investment rather than an immediate return. Also, even full-time teaching jobs don't pay particularly well, so they'll really need to love teaching if they want to do it full-time. If they don't like teaching as an adjunct, they won't like doing it full-time.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Mike Levine: My advice would be to keep an open mind in terms of the kind of early career job you will get: lecturer, adjunct, and visiting assistant professor positions are each helpful springboards towards landing an assistant prof role. So, if you don't immediately land an assistant prof position following graduation, don't get discouraged! As well, you might have to move around a bit. Like the military, it is rare that you'll find an academic job in your own backyard. So be prepared to pick up and move to where your next gig takes you.
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: First, I would tell all students that it is VERY different from teaching k-12. Unlike K-12, you are not placed in a school with a teaching job upon graduation; teaching in higher education is one of the most competitive fields, period. The next difference is that you are expected to be an expert/ master of your field. If you're also willing to accept that you will likely have to work as an adjunct professor (for low pay) first, then go for it! Teaching in higher education is the most rewarding job, especially for people who love learning.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: Awareness and familiarity with technology has become more important, and it will continue to be more important in the next 3-5 years. With everything from peer-reviewed journals available online, to AI, technology is an important part of higher education.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Mia Fiore Ph.D.: Maximize your salary potential by teaching at a state school- if you do you can join the PSLF program and after ten years, your student loans will be forgiven.
Mary Wood
Professor of EnglishUniversity of Oregon
English Language And Literature
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Mary Wood: It depends on what level the teacher is at (college level or K-12 and if K-12 do you mean elementary, middle, or high school), whether they're in public or private education, etc. Those who wish to become K-12 English teachers would take some literature classes in our department but would do most of their teacher training in the School of Education.
Matheson Sanchez Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Criminal JusticeGeorgia College and State University
Criminal Justice And Corrections
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Matheson Sanchez Ph.D.: This is a tricky question, because many salaries in the criminal justice system are set by legislative budgetary decisions. In other words, a supervisor usually has no power to offer any incentivizing packages or increased salary. However, it's not all bad news. More than ever before, many areas in the CJ system are desperate for qualified applicants to fill their ranks. This means that salaries are going up just about everywhere. Furthermore, students should consider broadening their job search to include a nation-wide scope. It can at times be worth it to relocate for a substantially higher salary. Lastly, CJ professionals should consider an advanced degree in the field, such as the top-ranked MSCJ program at Georgia College & State University. This is one of the most effective ways to increase salary and long-term earning potential in the CJ system.
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Justin Whitehill Ph.D.: Perseverance pays off. Its worth it to pursue the career you want and not settle and be unhappy.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Justin Whitehill Ph.D.: In the area of genetics and genomics, the identification of areas of the genome that can be CRISPR’d and used to add an immediate benefit is going to be very important as every cropping system races to make genome editing a reality. AI will likely play a huge role in predicting genes/regions of the genome that will provide the biggest benefits.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Justin Whitehill Ph.D.: I wouldn’t know, I’m a professor.
Jane Kuandre
Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Jane Kuandre: My advice for someone looking to pursue a career in academia would be to focus on building a strong publication record, developing a network of collaborators, and continuously seeking opportunities for professional development.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jane Kuandre: Some essential skills for success in academia include critical thinking, effective communication, time management, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Jane Kuandre: Networking is crucial for career advancement in academia as it allows individuals to establish collaborations, gain access to resources, and stay updated on the latest research trends.
Dr. Elizabeth Neiman
Director of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies ProgramUniversity of Maine
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, And Group Studies
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Dr. Elizabeth Neiman: Students interested in enhancing their program of study with a WGS minor just 3 additional courses to take in WGS so as to complete a minor. Nursing students who have taken advantage of this opportunity report to me that they are excited about the perspectives that WGS studies provides them and that they feel more prepared than ever to begin a career in Nursing.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Elizabeth Neiman: I can reflect better on how I'd guide students to think about the work they do at UMaine in Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies so as to prepare for potential careers.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Elizabeth Neiman: Rather than answer your questions, I'll give you some background information: Since becoming Director of the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies program at UMaine in fall 2022, I have been doing a great deal of outreach to faculty in other departments across the university.
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Alexander Velasquez: My general advice to any graduate beginning their career in their field is to continue to learn and be a student of your craft. Be open to learning new things because you never know how they will improve your skills and qualifications. For example, I am currently learning video editing. I never thought I would bother to learn video editing, but it makes me a more versatile instructor being able to give students the option of doing video projects, combining and editing them, and having a digital record of what students have learned in the classroom. And given the rise of online learning, it's important nowadays to be an effective instructor both in the traditional in-person format and within the digital landscape.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Alexander Velasquez: I think that in the next three to five years the most important skills to have—and I mean this—will be critical thinking and imagination. This may sound a bit outlandish, and maybe even a bit naive, but hear me out: Artificial intelligence is making strides to the point where papers are writing themselves with simple instructions, videos are generating themselves with simple instructions, and software is beginning to write itself; and all this has been happening within the last few years. We may begin to see that in the next three to five years, once coveted programming jobs could become automated. Now, what I'm *not* saying is don't go to school for computer programming; but what I *am* saying is that the nature of work and employment *is* changing. For example, if you and and AI are making a video, and both of you have the same script, same voiceover, and so on, the only thing separating your final product from the AI's is the way you *think and imagine*, the perspective that you have as someone who can think critically about the information and lay it out in a visually appealing manner. AI can't do that—at least not yet—because it simply spits out the information it's given. But critical thought, metalevel thinking about information, is what will be one of the most important assets to have in the coming three to five years.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Alexander Velasquez: I think everyone should look into their career fields and find out what it is that makes you more valuable in that field. Are there any certifications that you can get? What is it that you need to know or learn that companies will find valuable? Much can be learned online, so pick up as many of those skills as you can, and make sure they're on your resume or CV. I believe all those things could maximize salary potential, especially when starting out.
Aurelie Matheron
Assistant Professor of FrenchSkidmore College
Romance Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Aurelie Matheron: Present yourself as a professional in your cover letter and interviews. The people who interview you will look at you as a future colleague and not a student. Use the past “I” to show what the future “I” will do. Meaning: in your interviews, say “I have developed X courses/projects and I have acquired X skills useful for a collaborative project at your institution. For instance, one project I will develop is XYZ.” You show your experience/expertise and how you will be using your skills. Don’t dwell too much on the “past I” and, I’d say, don’t use the past “we” => “at my former institution, we would do X or Z.” => this shows that you still view yourself as part of that community and don’t project yourself at your new institution. Once you have the job: observe the dynamics of your new work place. Meet with colleagues who also recently got a job at your institution. They will help you navigate the first year.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Aurelie Matheron: Leadership: you will be in positions of leading a program/department. Learn from current chairs by observing their own skills during meetings and moments of decision. Collaboration: develop interpersonal and interprofessional relationships that will allow you to build collaborative projects (interdepartmental courses, for instance).
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Aurelie Matheron: Do some research online about how much someone earns at your stage of the career. If there is a significant gap, point out (diplomatically) that, because of your extensive experience in XYZ, you would like to get a X% increase in your salary. Be reasonable: if you want a 3% increase, ask for 5% (not 10% or more). Justify your negotiation: why should they pay me more? What experience can I show them to justify my request? If you have a higher offer from another place, you can say that “I have received another generous offer and would like to know about the possibility for matching that offer.” Salary is not the only thing you can negotiate: office space, computer/laptop, sabbaticals, course release, etc. Again, be reasonable: if you think you are entitled to XYZ requests, you also have to show why.
Dr. Floyd Beachum
Bennett Professor of Urban School LeadershipLehigh University
Educational Administration And Supervision
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Floyd Beachum: This advice would be for a recent graduate of a doctoral program who is interested in pursuing
a career as a faculty member at a college or university. Three quick pieces of advice I would give
include: get organized, get focused, and get moving. Get organized in terms of getting all of
their materials together as they embark upon a new position or as they look for a position. They
will need to have easy access to relevant documents, official paperwork, files, and/or work
products. Organization is the key to a better work flow. Get focused in terms of having the right
mindset to be successful as an academic. This requires that the person work diligently to
develop a research agenda in which they will have to publish articles, books, book chapters, and
present their research at academic conferences. Two major conferences in educational
leadership are the annual meeting of the University Council of Educational Administration
(UCEA) and the American Educational Research Association (AERA). Focus also includes
teaching various courses in educational leadership. It will take a considerable amount of time to
plan, read, coordinate, teach the course, and continuously learn while teaching. Focus also
means getting used to serving on various department, college, and/or university committees.
Service work helps evenly distribute work loads to help accomplish the goals of that college or
university. The last step, is get moving. This means that once the preliminary steps are taken,
then the person should be very purposeful as they go about doing all of the things mentioned
here. There is no time to waste because a person in the role of a new faculty member usually
has about three years before their first big review and six years before they must go up for
tenure and promotion. These decision points are high stakes because if they are productive,
then employment continues, if they are not productive, specific improvement advice can be
given and/or employment can be terminated.
Fabio Lanza
ProfessorAshford University
History
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Fabio Lanza: I tell them not to expect that they can achieve the same, old-style academic career (like mine, for example). A tenure-track job in a research university to be clear. Those jobs exist but they are becoming rarer and rarer. I also tell them that if they forecast incurring in serious (or even non-serious) debt in order to get a PhD, they should not do it. They should not pursue that path at all. In the program, they should take all the chances they have to learn new skills, including skills that don't seem directly related to an academic career.
What will help Adjunct Instructors increase their earning potential?
Fabio Lanza: Difficult to say, given how quickly things change. Digital humanities was and still is fashionable and important. Public history (museum, exhibitions, outreach). And teaching.
Dr. Eric Martone
Interim Dean of the School of Education, Associate Professor, History/Social Studies Education, Editor, Global Education ReviewMercy College
School of Education
What skills will help Adjunct Instructors earn the most?
Dr. Eric Martone: Educators who are compassionate, with strong leadership skills, willing to make take chances to make a difference.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Adjunct Instructors?
M. Alison Kibler Ph.D.: Some things seem to have changed in the pandemic, but F&M's graduates in American Studies did quite well in the first pandemic season of job hunting.
What type of skills will young Adjunct Instructors need?
M. Alison Kibler Ph.D.: The key for today's graduate is to come ready with relevant skills and experience. A college degree without relevant skills and experience will just not be as sufficient as in previous years to land that first, post-graduate role.
Creativity, proactivity along with strong communication skills and intellectual grit to anticipate and respond proactively to the unexpected are the competencies most prized in today's labor market. Showing that one worked through the pandemic, and even pursued additional skills and experiences relevant to a role or field, will make a graduate stand out from among their less prepared and proactive peers.
In the last class of American Studies graduates (class of 2020), I saw some students take a new path to a job. For example, one student had an internship where she worked remotely for a digital marketing firm. This then became a full-time job after graduation. Another student had worked on legal research (also remote) over the summer and in her senior seminar, and then got a job as a legal assistant in the New York DA's office. She hopes to ultimately go to law school. This is a job that other AMS alumni have secured in the past. Other students got jobs as community organizers, teachers, museum curators and entry-level business positions. These paths seemed largely the same as in the past. All built on course work and/or internships where they developed skills and deepened interest in topics. The student that went to work as a community organizer, for example, had done a senior research project on homelessness.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Adjunct Instructor job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Cheyrl Ensley: The demand for teachers is still prevalent. Virtual job fairs and interviews are the current trends. Additionally, employees are looking more at the candidate's knowledge and comfort level with online teaching and using technology to impact student learning.
What Adjunct Instructor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Cheyrl Ensley: Training to be essential is critical. Increasing skills in using technology are necessary. Keeping students engaged and actively learning through technology is a crucial tool that will be extremely important to a teacher, whether teaching in person or virtually. Additionally, the gap year should be used to identify an area of interest for work. Once the site is specified, the graduate should build professional relationships and learn the site's culture.
What general advice would you give to an Adjunct Instructor?
Dr. Cheyrl Ensley: Flexibility is important. The graduate must be prepared and flexible! The graduate must be prepared to teach effectively and efficiently, regardless of the delivery method and flexibility regarding reporting to the school or working from home. Be prepared and accepting of the fact that what is required of you may change unexpectedly. In this age of uncertainty, the graduate must be flexible enough to perform as needed and remain focused on student growth.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Adjunct Instructors?
Tillman W. Nechtman Ph.D.: I do think that we'd be mistaken to think that there won't be a lasting impact from this pandemic on those who graduate while it is ongoing. Economically, there will be ripples for some time. That seems obvious. But, there are other issues to consider too-psychology, for instance. Seniors in the graduating class of 2019 did not get a graduation ceremony to mark that pivotal moment in their lives and in their learning. That's a loss. It needs to be recognized as such. And, it's but one example of the kind of losses we're all experiencing and which we all need to recognize. There is grieving that will need to be done once we've passed through the emergency of this pandemic.
For those who can make a comparison, the pandemic is not unlike getting a dramatic and life-altering medical diagnosis. It changes you. You don't just go back to being who you were before. Of course, History teaches us to appreciate that - the way life is an ongoing journey. Each step makes us a different person than we were before. To reflect more on the economics of this and the specifics of the job market, though, I would say that the pandemic has pushed a number of graduates that I know from last year back home to their parents' houses. Even those who have been fortunate enough to secure work have jobs that are remote right now, and rather than settle in near their jobs, and folks have opted to go home, hunker down with the family, and work from their old bedrooms. Those are the fortunate ones. I know many graduates from last year who did not secure work, and, in that way, I compare the class of 2019 to those who graduated during the Great Recession and struggled through that economic turmoil. Within the academy, hiring freezes will certainly hurt those with Ph.D.'s who are on the market. There simply aren't jobs right now. At my institution, we're still not even certain we can hire people on a temporary basis to replace colleagues going on sabbatical next year. Those sorts of decisions would have been made months ago in normal times. It's hard for me to imagine that that sort of dislocation won't cause economic and career ripples across time.
What type of skills will young Adjunct Instructors need?
Tillman W. Nechtman Ph.D.: When it comes to skills young graduates need, I will speak specifically to the field of History. It's always been the case that History Majors do well in the job market. Now, to be sure, there is the temptation to limit the scope of what jobs we imagine a historian can do. Career Service Offices sometimes think that History Majors teach, work in libraries, and archives, maybe a museum, and that is about it. The fact is that it's not uncommon to find CEO at Fortune 500 companies who were History Majors as undergraduates.
Presidents. Media personalities. Lawyers. Judges. You name it. History Majors are everywhere, and I think I know the reason. History Majors learn to take lots of data - and we're omnivorous about what we call data - and we synthesize it. We give it two frames. First, we weave it into a narrative form, a story, if you will. Second, we give that narrative analytical meaning. We offer a thesis or an argument about the content we're sharing. Those are vital skills. The ability to walk people through data and to help them understand your analysis of that material. What field wouldn't appreciate that set of capabilities? And, I think that explains why History Majors tend to do so well in a host of fields and professions. I don't foresee that that will change in the future.
What experience really stands out on Adjunct Instructor resumes?
Tillman W. Nechtman Ph.D.: In my home department, we've tried to stress that students need to ask themselves how they plan to tell their own story - how they want to present themselves - when they leave the college and head out on the job market. That's a personal question, one only the student can answer, and the answer shapes the things that a particular student will want to put on a resume. For instance, if you wanted to go to graduate school, we'd all suggest that you take the Thesis in History and put in the full-year work on a single research project.
That way, in your cover letter (and never underestimate the value of the cover letter as a tool for guiding potential employers through your CV and your other materials), you can narrate the work you did there. If you think your goal is to work in a museum setting, you should consider taking our class in Public History. That is a course that does a lot of directed research too, and it can span a year as well. But, it's a course that partners students with local public history institutions so that students get first-hand experience mobilizing historical research within a museum or institution of that sort. The key is for students to think about the story; they will tell potential employers. What are the things you did - that unique combination of courses and experiences - that make you stand out against the broader pool of applicants? How will you write that story in a cover letter so strong that nobody reading it will miss that you are the one candidate for the position? Be bold here. Make it clear. You stand out from the pack. Yes, perhaps other have taken a more traditional path to a specific job, but if that employer or graduate program wants somebody who can think outside the box or who brings in a different set of skills that just might shake things up in a positive way, well, make sure they know you're their candidate.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Adjunct Instructors?
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice: It's hard to imagine that there WON'T be an enduring impact of the pandemic. For History graduates, the worst of it is likely to be that two graduating classes will essentially be entering the job market at the same time---the 2020 graduates as well as the 2021 graduates---increasing competition. Many graduates, especially people coming out of a strong public history program like CofC's, have had many of their typical entry-level jobs essentially vanish for the better part of a year (coming back soon, I hope!)---museum work, park service work, historical societies, and so on. For non-history-specific jobs, where History majors are at an advantage (jobs that require good critical thinking and people skills), the market seems likely to bounce back more quickly.
What type of skills will young Adjunct Instructors need?
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice: The most important skill a History degree teaches has is critical thinking and writing, and those are skills that remain valuable for most of the white-collar workforce in this country.
What experience really stands out on Adjunct Instructor resumes?
Dr. Phyllis G. Jestice: The experience that most stands out on resumés, to my mind, is definitely internships or anything where the applicant has had to show initiative and exercise independent thought.
What type of skills will young Adjunct Instructors need?
TaVshea Smith: As a professor of education, I have noticed that there are a variety of skills that young graduates will need to enter the workforce. Young graduates should collaborate with others by building collaborative relationships that represent diverse cultures, lifestyles, races, genders, religions, and viewpoints. It is essential for young graduates, who enter the teaching profession, to be able to work in a team structure and know-how to manage conflict. The pandemic has shown us that technology is critical in education. As teachers, young graduates should know existing digital technologies and demonstrate significant adaptability to new technologies to integrate into their design of lessons and curriculum content. Young graduates must have a strong work ethic, demonstrate personal accountability, and establish effective work habits.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Adjunct Instructors to find work opportunities?
TaVshea Smith: As an educator, graduates should be able to find many work opportunities to teach. The pandemic has highlighted the need for educators to share their immense talent with students and key stakeholders.
How do you envision technology impacting Adjunct Instructors in the next 5 years?
TaVshea Smith: Technology will play a vital role in education in the next five years. The pandemic has changed the way educators think about teaching learners and interacting with families and colleagues. Educators will need to learn various instructional methods of engaging with learners, enhancing instructional practices, and using digital tools ethically and efficiently to create assignments, complete tasks, solve problems, and effectively teach students.