Adjunct Faculty Cover Letter Example and Template

An adjunct faculty member is a type of educator at a college, university or graduate school. Adjunct faculty members currently applying for teaching positions typically submit cover letters as part of their applications. Knowing how to compose a cover letter that aligns with a search committee's job description can help you increase your chances of advancing to further rounds of the application process. You may find it useful to look at cover letters and resume samples to gain a better understanding of how to organize these documents. In this article, we discuss how to write an adjunct faculty cover letter and provide an example cover letter that you can use as a reference when writing yours. When you're ready to start applying to adjunct faculty teaching jobs, upload a resume file or build an Indeed Resume. Abigail Smith
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abigail.smith@email.com May 15, 2023 Dear Hiring Manager, I'm thrilled to be applying for the Adjunct Instructor position in the history department at Glendale University. I'm currently earning my Ph.D. in history at the neighboring Willow Tree University and believe that this position would help me achieve my ultimate goal of becoming an experienced History Professor. I look forward both to helping students enrolled in prerequisite courses feel enthusiastic about history and to delve deeper into medieval history with your upperclassmen. I currently teach a course at Willow Tree University called "Medieval Lives," which is a prerequisite course that focuses on the habits and mindsets of ordinary people in the middle ages and emphasizes cross-cultural studies. While I inherited some of this course's materials from the previous instructor, I've also taken the time to develop some of my own scaffolded assignments in alignment with the department's regulations. My personalized materials include readings from historians offering alternative perspectives on medieval myths about the feudal system and weekly writing assignments culminating in a larger research paper. So far, 83% of the class is on track to pass the course, which is 7% higher than usual. During the recent mid-term evaluations from my students, many of them praised the course for helping them feel more engaged with history, despite majoring in other subjects. I'm excited about the opportunity at Glendale University to continue sharing and learning with general education students at your university while also having the new opportunity of teaching higher-level courses. Thank you for considering me for the History Adjunct Instructor position at Glendale University. I've included my CV, references and list of publications in this application packet, as requested. If you'd like, I'd be happy to come to your institution to give a sample presentation to give you a better idea of my teaching style and materials. Sincerely,
Abigail Smith To upload the template into Google Docs, go to File > Open > and select the correct downloaded file.

How to write an adjunct faculty cover letter

Following are the steps for writing a cover letter to apply for an adjunct faculty position:

1. Review the job posting

Carefully review the job description, paying close attention to the skills and experiences that the faculty search committee desires in their candidates. Assess how your abilities, traits and professional experiences align with these desired qualifications. Understanding what the search committee's looking for in their candidates can help you craft a cover letter that highlights your most relevant qualifications. Take the time to learn more about the academic institution and the role you'd have as an adjunct faculty member there. Adjunct faculty positions can vary based on multiple factors, including your exact title, the subjects and grade levels you teach and the institution's focus areas. For example, a search committee looking for a mathematics adjunct teacher for a large university may request different qualifications in their candidates than a search committee seeking a mathematics adjunct instructor for a small liberal arts college. Related: Top Adjunct Professor Salaries by State and Career Description

2. Write a cover letter outline

Create an outline for your cover letter based on your research related to the job description and academic institution. Making an outline before you start writing your cover letter can help ensure that you have space to incorporate your most relevant experiences and skills while keeping your cover letter concise. While adjunct faculty cover letters can vary in length, most are between one and a half to two pages. Be sure to design an outline that follows any specific request from the search committee related to your cover letter. For example, some search committees might request that the first page of your cover letter follows a traditional business letter format and that the second page lists your publications, presentations and other academic accomplishments. Related: How To Write a Cover Letter Outline

3. Add a heading

Put your contact information at the top of the cover letter. Contact details include your first and last name, email address and phone number, each on a separate line. Below this information, write the date. Write a salutation, meaning a formal greeting to the recipient of the letter. If you know the name of the professional who made the job posting, address the letter to them. This professional may be the chair of the department you're applying to work in or a member of the search committee. If you're not sure who might read your cover letter, you can address it to the hiring manager. Related: How To Create an Adjunct Professor Resume: Steps and Sample

4. Compose an introduction

Open your letter with an introductory sentence that specifies the role you're applying to and the name of the academic institution. Explain in two to three sentences why you're interested in this adjunct position or institution and how the role aligns with your career goals. For example, you might write about how you want to eventually become a full-time professor or how you're excited about the institution's liberal arts curriculum. Related: Pros and Cons of Being an Adjunct Professor (With Skills)

5. Explain your qualifications

In the body paragraphs of your adjunct faculty cover letter, describe your key or most relevant qualifications. If you have experience as an adjunct instructor or in similar roles, such as a teaching assistant or tutor, focus on explaining those experiences so that the search committee can get a better idea of your teaching style or methodology. State the full names of the courses that you've taught and the names of the programs or institutions where you taught them. If you have minimal experience as an adjunct instructor or in a related position, focus your cover letter on experiences that highlight your transferable skills, meaning your abilities that can provide value in a range of jobs and industries. For example, if you have experience in retail, you could emphasize how these positions have honed your verbal communication and organization skills. Mention any experiences you have in these roles similar to the job duties of a teacher, such as conducting meetings or leading training seminars. Compose your adjunct faculty cover letter in a professional tone. This can help convey to the search committee that you're committed to pursuing a career in academia. It's also important to try to maintain a positive writing tone so that the hiring committee can get a sense of your enthusiasm for teaching. Related: How To Write an Adjunct Professor Cover Letter Without Experience

6. Provide evidence of your skills

When possible, provide evidence to support your skills, traits and experiences. Evidence might include specific details or examples related to your previous jobs, data, publications or presentations. Incorporating evidence into your cover letter can help the search committee develop a better understanding of what you might be like as an adjunct member at their institution. Related: How To Become a Lecturer: Your Guide To Starting a Career as a Professor

7. Incorporate keywords

Use keywords, meaning specific words and phrases related to being an adjunct teacher or working in academia, throughout your cover letter. Adding keywords to your cover letter can help ensure that your application materials successfully pass through any Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software that some prospective employers use. Including keywords can also demonstrate that you've taken the time to learn about the position and the institution. You can find adjunct faculty keywords through strategies such as:

Including phrases related to the desired qualifications of candidates from the job posting
Subscribing to journals or emails about the latest developments in your field and academia
Joining a professional association for instructors in your academic discipline
Attending academic conferences, lectures, workshops and networking events

8. Personalize your adjunct faculty cover letter

Customize a different version of your cover letter for each adjunct faculty job application that you submit. Personalizing your adjunct faculty cover letter can increase your chances of advancing further in the application process, such as by getting a request for an interview. One strategy for personalizing your cover letter is to discuss how you might benefit the institution or its students. For example, you could write about how your teaching philosophy has helped other students or about the research opportunities you might pursue at this institution. Consider offering to provide the search committee with a trial presentation or classroom session. A trial presentation can give the search committee the opportunity to directly witness your teaching style and classroom presence. Only include this offer in your adjunct faculty cover letter if you're either able to travel to the institution in person or if you're comfortable giving the presentation online. Related: How To Write a Personalized Cover Letter

9. Edit and proofread

Edit your address faculty cover letter before you submit your application. Check that you've highlighted your best qualifications using concise language in a professional tone. You may find it helpful to read your cover letter aloud or have a friend review it to help you get a more objective perspective on how the letter might sound to a search committee. Related: Benefits of Working at a University and 7 Jobs You Can Get Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.