Preparing Future Faculty Survey Results: Does It Make a Difference?

We wanted to understand the difference PFF makes for U of M alums in terms of the academic job search and their early career successes and satisfactions, so we surveyed our University of Minnesota alumni. According to their responses, PFF has indeed made a difference! Being part of PFF helped respondents get their jobs and has helped them do their jobs well. Read on for an overview of what PFF alums say.

What difference did PFF make on the job search?

• "There were 376 candidates for my current position. I was later told that one of the things that differentiated me from other candidates was my PFF certification, attesting to my commitment to teaching. I have always been and will be glad that I decided to get involved with PFF!"

When asked about their job search experience, the majority of alumni reported that the PFF experience was valuable in preparing them for productively completing the job search, and realistically carrying out their new faculty roles while being a supportive and productive colleague.

What impact did PFF have on what you do in the classroom?

• "I would have floundered had I not had PFF. I really think it helped me be a highly competent teacher right away and made me aware of very important pedagogical issues of which I would still be unaware without the program."
• "I felt like PFF really helped me to be a successful faculty member. My training in self-evaluation made me a super star around here on my self-assessment for my tenure file."

Like the "Quick Starters" in Robert Boice's study of new faculty, PFF alumni report time-effective preparation for classes they will teach (far less time than the average new faculty member reports) while getting higher than average ratings on student evaluations.

What impact does PFF have on job satisfaction?

• "I believe the biggest benefit of my PFF experience is the confidence that it gave me while on the job market and when starting my job. I feel like I had a much better idea than my peers of "what I was in for" regarding both the job search and the academic life at a liberal arts college. Also, the PFF experience and my mentorship at St. Thomas helped me to see what that environment was about and to decide that it was for me."
• "I greatly appreciated my PFF experience, especially the many creative ideas for interactive activities and assessment. I refer back to my notes from PFF quite often as I prepare for classes now."

While 77% of faculty nation-wide report they are at least satisfied with their jobs, 92% of PFF alums report they are at least satisfied, with more than 63% reporting levels of more than satisfied or very satisfied.