Adjunct Professor Resume

An adjunct professor role gives you an opportunity to teach college-level courses and bring fresh perspectives to the classroom.

If hired, you’ll also be a valuable resource for professors who are on sabbatical or for understaffed departments.

But because adjunct professors play such an important role in the academic community, competition will be fierce. So to find a new job, you’ll need an effective adjunct professor resume or CV that presents your top teaching abilities and qualifications.

What is a CV?

Ever been asked to submit a CV? Learn what a CV is and when you need to use one by reading our expert-written guide.

Read Our Guide

 

Below are three tips to help you write a standout adjunct professor resume:

1. List your hard and soft skills

You’ll work with students who have different backgrounds and levels of expertise as an adjunct professor. So showcase your hard and soft skills on your adjunct professor resume to prove you’re capable of handling the work.

First, hard skills (also called technical skills) are teachable abilities that can be quantified, such as proficiency in a foreign language or experience with classroom technology.

Your adjunct professor-related hard skills should include any specialized knowledge or professional experience you have in your field. For example, if you’re a math professor, you might list your knowledge of calculus and statistics.

Next, soft skills are personal qualities that make you successful in your professional and personal life. For instance, adjunct professors need people skills to successfully manage a classroom, collaborate with professors and administrators, and interact with students.

Other examples soft skills for adjunct professors include:

• communication: list skills that prove you can explain course concepts clearly, answer student questions, and resolve any conflicts that may arise
• organization: adjunct professors often face challenges such as large class sizes or last-minute changes in course schedules, so list your organizational skills to show you can quickly assess situations and problem-solve by producing action plans
• time management: adjunct professors often teach multiple courses simultaneously, so highlight your time management skills and ability to meet every deadline

2. Introduce yourself with a compelling resume objective

One way to make your resume for an adjunct professor role stand out is to write an attention-grabbing resume objective showcasing your passion and credentials.

A concise 2–4 sentence resume objective helps potential employers understand why you’re interested in the position and what skills you’d bring to their teaching community.

To write an adjunct professor resume objective highlighting you as a well-rounded candidate, try mentioning your:

• years of teaching experience (if applicable)
• publications or presentations
• awards or scholarships
• motivation for applying

In just a few short sentences, you can write a clear resume objective statement, like so:

Adjunct Professor with 5 years of teaching experience and a Master’s degree in Education from Brown University. Recipient of the 2019 Rhodes Scholarship. Passionate about teaching and sharing my knowledge. Seeking a part-time Adjunct Professor position in the history department at [University Name] where I can help undergraduate students achieve their academic goals.

3. Quantify your adjunct professor resume with hard numbers

When writing your adjunct professor resume, don’t forget to quantify your experience by using hard numbers.

Providing these numbers is essential for adjunct professors because they emphasize the previous accomplishments on your resume and let hiring managers quickly see the impact you’ve had at other schools.

Having measurable results also shows if you’ve been successful at engaging students and helping them achieve high scores, so use these numbers throughout your resume bullet points.

Some good examples of hard numbers to use on an adjunct professor resume include:

• the number of students or courses you taught
• the percentage of students who passed your course
• any awards or distinctions you received
• the number of papers or articles you published

Have a look at these bolded hard numbers in an applicant’s work experience section: