| There is no simple answer to the question, "How do I | | | | Before you begin contacting colleges for possible |
| become a part-time college professor?" Although | | | | adjunct positions you must first prepare your |
| there are many considerations, the most important of | | | | "weapons". These weapons are your cover letter and |
| these is your goal. For most, becoming an adjunct | | | | your resume. A cover letter should, in less than a page, |
| professor is a merely a generalized idea. If you do not | | | | describe your teaching experience, your related |
| have clear-cut written goals you do not have a | | | | professional experience, honors, and your educational |
| road-map to follow. If you teach one college-level | | | | background. It should emphasize those points that |
| course you are a college professor the same as if | | | | make you competitive and desirable to the University. |
| you teach 15 courses. The former gives you the | | | | The resume should provide the same information but in |
| bragging rights while the latter gets you a significant | | | | a more comprehensive manner. However, whenever |
| amount of income. Obviously it is important to decide | | | | possible, the resume should not be more than one |
| on what you are trying to accomplish. | | | | page in length. It is well worth the extra time and effort |
| If you have little or no prior teaching experience, the | | | | to produce high-quality documents. |
| best way to begin is to try teaching at the local | | | | Once you have set your goals and prepared your |
| community college. Once you have developed a few | | | | cover letter and resume then it is time to act. Send a |
| semesters of teaching experience and you feel | | | | copy of these documents to the chairs of the |
| confident in handling a classroom, then you are ready | | | | appropriate departments or the academic deans at |
| to teach online. Many institutions only hire professors to | | | | the colleges you wish to teach for and then follow up |
| teach online courses who have previously had | | | | with a phone call to schedule an interview. If they say |
| onground teaching experience. I know people who | | | | no, be persistent by contacting them every couple of |
| were emphatically told to teach for three to four | | | | months. On a weekly basis, go to and and conduct job |
| semesters and then to reapply to the online division. | | | | searches. Persistence and patience pays off. |