The Preparing Future Faculty program, in collaboration with the Graduate School, offers a series of four teaching and job search related workshops per semester. A list of the Fall 2009 workshop sessions appears below. Please feel free to contact pff@umn.edu for more information.

Admission is free.

To register, visit: http://www.grad.umn.edu/career/workshops/default.asp?list=grad.

Fall 2009

Writing Your Cover Letter, October 6

The cover letter is one of the most important documents in an academic job searchers dossier. This interactive workshop introduces participants to the nuts and bolts of effective cover letters. During the workshop, participants will review and critique sample letters, applying what they've learned to their own cover letter draft. They will also consider the ways in which institutional type, specific job characteristics, and their own goals and values impact the organization and content of the cover letter. NOTE: Participants should bring a draft of their cover letter to the workshop.

Acing the Campus Visit—From First Hello to Formal Interview Sessions, October 15

This workshop will focus on the range of conversations (including panel interviews) you should be prepared to have with perspective employers as an academic job candidate. The workshop will provide strategies for: (1) talking about your research; (2) talking about teaching; (3) highlighting links between your research and your teaching; (4) planning for a range of informal conversations during on-campus visits, especially opportunities to show your fit as a colleague professionally and personally; and (5) preparing for formal interview portions of the campus visit.

Presenter: Dr. Ilene Alexander, Instructor, Center for Teaching and Learning

Tailoring Materials for the Academic Job Search, October 29

The session will cover how you can make your application stand out from the crowd during the academic job-search process.

Presenter: Dr. Ilene Alexander, Instructor, Center for Teaching and Learning

Writing Your Teaching Philosophy, November 12

The teaching philosophy is an essay that every future faculty member should have. It is commonly requested during the academic job search and is a key document in the dossier for promotion and tenure. Its also difficult to write, and many graduate students dont know where to begin. This interactive workshop takes participants step-by-step through the process of drafting a teaching philosophy. Participants will consider questions such as What is a teaching philosophy? Why do I need one? and What should I put into my teaching philosophy? Participants will complete guided writing exercises during the session and will come away with a first draft of this important essay.