Think about your own philosophy of life. There is some truth in the old adage that ‘you reap what you sow’. If you are doing a good job as your professor, you will be viewed favorably by the students, parents, and other administrators. They will see you as an excellent instructor who is respected and admired by the college or school you teach in.
Now ask yourself how you can get a good job in the philosophy department at a reputable college or university. One way is to go into administration or leadership positions in philosophy departments. That way, you’ll have a portfolio to show employers. But, most schools don’t have administration positions or philosophy programs in their programs. That means you’re not going to get anywhere if you’re looking for philosophy jobs.
So, the next best option for you is to look for jobs in graduate programs at universities. If you have any graduate courses in philosophy to take, then there should be lots of openings for a philosophy teaching job at such schools. The first thing you have to do is locate the departments at the universities you’re interested in attending. Now, take the time to study the philosophy department policies and procedures of each department.
Then, read the requirements for admission to different philosophy departments. Each department may have slightly different requirements. Some will require more experience in undergraduate courses in philosophy to be considered for admission than others. Other departments may not require that you have any experience at all to apply for the job. But most departments require some prior experience to qualify for the job.
After that, visit graduate schools that you like. At a good school, the department head will interview prospective candidates. Make sure you show up on time, stay on schedule, and demonstrate your academic qualifications. If you can answer the questions they ask, then you’ve already shown them that you are an excellent candidate for the position.
You need to make sure you have enough references to call from the school, however, so make sure you don’t make any last-minute plans to go to another school. This is important so you show them you are a serious candidate for the job.
Once you’ve been accepted into a graduate school, the next step is to write an effective cover letter for the job. This letter should highlight all of your knowledge, experience, qualifications, and leadership abilities for the position, along with your career objectives. It should also contain a summary of a short paragraph about your philosophy research or studies.
It’s also important to write this letter to impress the prospective employer. Be careful not to sound as if you know more than they do. That’s something you want to avoid.
In addition, make sure to include a cover letter that is not less than two pages long. You want it to be impressive but not too lengthy. A two-page letter is usually acceptable. However, if you find yourself with too much space to fit your letter, you can always cut out the filler paragraphs and fill the remainder in with bullet points or numbered lists.
The last thing you want to do when writing your cover letter is to send it back to the graduate school and let them decide whether you’re a good fit for the position. If they agree with your application, then congratulations! If not, then you can simply send it back, thank them for the information, and make a new application. But, you might want to send your new cover letter to other schools.
Professional philosophy jobs are available. But, you’re not going to get them unless you put some effort into applying for them. So, the best thing for you to do now is to start researching for more positions now!
