How to hire an adjunct political science instructor

How to hire an adjunct political science instructor, step by step

Here's a step-by-step adjunct political science instructor hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an adjunct political science instructor job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new adjunct political science instructor
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the adjunct political science instructor you need to hire. Certain adjunct political science instructor roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An adjunct political science instructor's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, adjunct political science instructors from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents adjunct political science instructor salaries for various positions.

   Type of Adjunct Political Science Instructor	Description	Hourly rate
   Adjunct Political Science Instructor	Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and career and technical subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.	$27-77
   Instructor	Instructors are responsible for imparting knowledge to students. They are well-versed in different topics related to their area of teaching... Show more	$14-45
   Political Science Instructor	Political science instructors must have an undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degree, though some community colleges will hire teachers with a master's degree. This career requires skills in critical thinking, interpersonal, speaking, and writing... Show more	$16-42

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • International Relations
   • Public Administration
   • Syllabus
   • Political Science Courses
   • Political Theory
   • Criminal Justice
   • Comparative Politics
   • Blackboard
   • American Politics
   • American History
   • Local Government
   • Course Objectives
   • HCC
   • Course Materials

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Prepare substantive and ethics materials to train paralegals on various topics including unauthorize practice of law by non-attorney employees.
   • Have developed professional presentations using PowerPoint and other programs vital to learning and supporting teaching plans.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your adjunct political science instructor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An adjunct political science instructor can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, adjunct political science instructors' average salary in arkansas is 48% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level adjunct political science instructors 64% less than senior-level adjunct political science instructors.
   • Certifications. An adjunct political science instructor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an adjunct political science instructor's salary.

   Average adjunct political science instructor salary

   $97,263yearly

   $46.76 hourly rate

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   Entry-level adjunct political science instructor salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing an adjunct political science instructor job description

   A job description for an adjunct political science instructor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an adjunct political science instructor job description:

   Adjunct political science instructor job description example

   Arizona College is actively seeking a General Education Adjunct - PSC 101 - Political Science for our Las Vegas, Nevada Campus!
   Ideal candidates are able to visit our Las Vegas campus as needed, throughout the semester.
   Why Should You Work with Us? Arizona College of Nursing is a rapidly growing organization focused on providing students the opportunity to change their lives through education. Our high quality, academically challenging BSN program prepares students for in-demand nursing jobs in communities across the nation. Driving our growth is the desire to address the nations nursing shortage while providing students the opportunity to pursue their dreams and passion. With eleven campuses across six states, the college is poised to become one of the leading providers of nursing graduates to the healthcare workforce.
   Our culture is built around a shared commitment to provide students the resources, education, and support they need to be successful. As a team, we continually embrace our core values and hold each other accountable for living them every day. These shared values are:
   Passion: We love helping others succeed. Excellence: We strive to be the best. Adaptability: We learn, in part by trying new ideas. Accountability: We own our results. Integrity: We do the right thing
   What You'll Do: Your main responsibility will be teaching courses in accordance with college and departmental policies and procedures by creating a dynamic learning environment conducive to student engagement in a classroom/online hybrid setting. · Keep students engaged in a classroom environment while following an established curriculum/syllabus. · Create positive educational climate for students to learn in while establishing and communicating clear objectives for all learning activities. · Meet course and school-wide student performance goals. · Manage student behavior in the classroom/online. Observe and evaluate student's performance. · Identify and refer students who are "at risk" of not being successful to the Student Success Coordinator. · Provide ongoing student advisement and academic counseling by tutoring and mentoring students on an individual basis when needed. · Grade tests and projects, maintain grade books, track attendance and perform other administrative duties as needed. · Administer oral, written, or performance tests to measure progress and to evaluate training effectiveness. · Participate in ongoing conferences, seminars, and training sessions. · Provide input and participate in academic committees formed for the purpose of enrichment of both the programs and students.
   This overview represents major duties, responsibilities, and authorities of the position, and is not intended to be a complete list of all tasks and functions. Other duties may be assigned. Commitment to Arizona College is on a course by course basis.
   What We Need from You:
   We have an amazing team, so we want to make sure our standards are upheld. We've listed below the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for this position: Unparalleled subject matter expertise in area of study. Working knowledge of instructional theory and basic education principles, practices, and methodologies. Ability to work with a diverse student population. Must be an excellent and active listener, consistent, reflective and self-aware. Possess a professional and collaborative demeanor with the heart of a teacher. A personality that has the ability to address and resolve conflicts with integrity and compassion, and that can actively develop effective relationships at all levels. Superior ability to communicate persuasively, effectively and thoughtfully, to promote collaboration and teamwork, and to engender trust and respect. Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written abilities. Exceptional ability to organize, prioritize, and multi-task in an extremely dynamic environment. Ability to think critically by applying problem solving practices, acquiring relevant information, using technology and other resources appropriately, and evaluating alternatives.
   Time to Impress Us: We're proud of our experienced team so we're looking for someone with a background that can match. The required qualifications for this role are: A Master's degree with a minimum of 15 or more graduate credit hours earned directly in course subject; a Doctorate degree is considered highly advantageous. Minimum of one year of prior teaching experience at the post-secondary level. Computer literacy with Canvas, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Apps, and the Internet. What We Are Offering You: Competitive pay and opportunities for professional development. Dynamic organizational culture within a supportive working environment. For consideration, only online applications will be accepted. For further information, you may contact your local campus. Campus contact information is listed on our website at www.arizonacollege.edu Our schools prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law to the extent prohibited by law.
   
   
   
   
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5. Post your job

   To find adjunct political science instructors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any adjunct political science instructors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level adjunct political science instructors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your adjunct political science instructor job on Zippia to find and attract quality adjunct political science instructor candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as k12jobspot, learn4good, serious teachers, teachingjobs.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit adjunct political science instructors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new adjunct political science instructor

   Once you have selected a candidate for the adjunct political science instructor position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new adjunct political science instructor first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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