Assistant professor of psychology skills for your resume and career

Regarding hiring instructors, our department first ensures the candidates have the appropriate degree in the content area we're most interested in hiring. I can not tell you how many candidate applications we have to wade through who are not qualified from the outset.

Those who have experience teaching use experiential and active teaching methods that engage students, and a strong presence with students in the classroom (during teaching demos) is important. We are a teaching institution, so a strong teaching record is paramount, while new hires are asked to do independent research in partial completion of promotion and tenure requirements. Those candidates who are effective problem solvers, resourceful critical thinkers, and can work collaboratively with others are individuals we'd likely hire.

Candidates who have a strong handle on computer skills and programs common to our profession (SPSS, Microsoft Office, Qualtrix, etc.) will prove to be stronger candidates than those who lack those skills.

At the end of the day, most universities have a defined pay scale associated with the various schools in which a candidate will be teaching. Humanities instructors earn far less than those in business and nursing on our campus. Having skills or certifications that are highly desirable will, at the very least, help candidates to rise to the top of the candidate pool. For example, I am a Board Certified Art Therapist. At the time of my hire, a colleague had just obtained an interdisciplinary grant to examine intersections between fine arts and psychology in treating addictions. So, while the job description didn't note they were looking for an art therapist, my experience, training, and certifications were unique and valuable.

Additionally, I would recommend that new graduates be willing to look outside of the scope of their "ideal" role and consider positions within agencies or companies where growth is possible. There, transferable skills and potential leadership opportunities can be gained. For example, several years before my role as a Lecturer in the psychology department, I worked in private practice. I'd experienced several consecutive losses and knew I wanted to take a break from direct client care for a while. While selling an item on the FB marketplace, I conversed with a gentleman who worked at Cigna Behavioral Health and asked if I was looking to leave private practice and wondered if I would apply to a Care Manager position within his agency. I did, was hired, and spent three years engaging in Utilization Review and Benefits management, consulting on clinical cases from a more academic perspective, applying my skills as a therapist through the lens of benefits management. I would have never in a million years been searching for that role. But, I believe it further prepared me for this teaching position in ways I could not have predicted at that time.