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How to prepare your application materials

All of your job applications will call for some combination of the following, so prepare and print many copies in advance. This way, you can easily pull them out to assemble individual packets. (In my experience, only a few schools had online applications, though I expect with time that will change.) When you send the applications, call/email to confirm the school has received them (some schools will graciously send confirmation on their own, but many won't).

Do: Splurge and buy professional resume paper and envelopes. Be prepared to drop money on postage, too.

Don't: Procrastinate - or you'll be paying through the nose for overnight delivery.

Curriculum Vitae

Hopefully, you have been updating this every year in grad school, so you'll really only need to add maybe a few entries, and polish the formatting. See Wendy Perry's helpful tips, and show yours to a few colleagues for feedback.

Research statement

This will take a long time!! Start early in the summer to allow time for several rounds of feedback before you have to send this to your recommenders. You'll need a 3-5 page document that explains all of your research to date in a coherent story, then lays out a detailed and convincing plan for the nest 5 years (including multiple avenues and specific plans for seeking funding). This is where you convince search committees that if they invest a significant sum of money to set up a lab for you, you will know what to do with it!! See this excellent how-to article, and absolutely seek feedback from multiple trusted faculty members.

Letters of recommendation

Because of the vagaries of job post timing, you won't be able to wait for an entire list of schools before requesting recommendations. Plan to contact your recommenders in 2-3 waves.

1. During the summer: choose 5 faculty that can speak to different facets of your qualifications (teaching, research, service, etc.) Write them to ask for their recommendation (mention the unique facet you're like them to address), and send a copy of your CV and polished research statement (plus teaching materials if they will write about your teaching).
2. September (or with 1): Send the first batch of job openings (the earliest deadline will likely be Oct.1, and your references need a month's advance as a courtesy). Make up a nice packet with a list of the schools and deadlines, labels for the envelopes (you can use your handy spreadsheet and Mail Merge into Word), and a cover letter for each person where you briefly remind them of your goals (looking for an LAC, etc.) and the unique facet of your abilities you'd like them to address (how I involve underraduates in research, etc.)
3. November. Send the second batch of job openings (those that have been posted since September), just as you sent the first.

Cover letters

This will also be somewhat time-consuming, but needn't all be done in advance. Write at least one basic template, or multiple templates if you are applying to a mix of positions: research universities and smaller colleges, for example. (See samples.) Get feedback from colleagues. Then, as you prepare individual applications, customize the letter for each school. (To avoid confusion, you might want to make the template text red where it absolutely needs to change: address, list of materials enclosed, etc.) To customize beyond the basics, spend some time on the school's website, looking at the school/departments' mission, ongoing research, and courses offered, then modify your template to explain how you fit these and what you can uniquely contribute.

Other

Transcripts

Most places will not require official transcripts, so you can just request a few of those. Xerox one for schools that request unofficial copies. Note that a few schools will request undergraduate transcripts as well (and those may take more time to get), so order a few of those early.

"Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness"

Especially if you are applying to smaller, teaching-focused institutions, be prepared to send teaching documents. Prepare a 500-word statement of teaching philosophy. Also have a sample syllabus at hand, and create a summary of your student evaluations and comments. (If you are asked for 'evidence of teaching effectiveness', send either the evaluation summary, or all of the above.)

Reprints

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