Applying for a job as a lecturer

[MsWalterMitty]

Not sure if this is the right section 🧐

I’m currently in the process of applying for a job as a lecturer in a field i have been involved in for the past 20yrs. I have also been a qualified teacher for 3yrs.

But I’n worried as I’m not naturally academic. It’s a lot of genuine hard effort on my part to even scrape above average academically. I have always been a mid range learner… Cs in school, merits in college, 2:2 in uni. It is only my
Pgce I have ever gained a distinction!

I’m good at my job, experienced and have developed my practice over the years through theory.

But I’m worried they wont even look at me due to my lower than average academic scores.

Is there any point me trying?

My ex husband is a head of school at university and has hired people from all walks of life.

@Terribleluck

My ex husband is a head of school at university and has hired people from all walks of life.

This is great to hear! Thanks!!

I’m just reading though this forum and there’s mention of producing academic papers as a requirement to becoming a lecturer.

I can’t see any requirements in the vacancy ad. Is this usually a given?

I’ll find the vacancy and attach it here

jobs.cumbria.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx?ref=XX051921

My ex had multiple papers in his field before he applied for a lecturer position. Generally you are a postdoc for 3-10 years before you are going to be considered but it depends on your subject too, I only know about stem

Have you looked at the person specification? You need all the essentials and at least some of the desirables usually

To me that looks like a teaching focused post (and not a research post as is more common for some posts entitled lecturer). It sounds like you have a good chance and you would be able to meet most/all of the essential criteria set out in the job description. I would focus on how you demonstrate the qualities and experience sought in the supporting documents in your application. Good luck!

It's that really all a lecturer gets paid?
I would have imagined the salary too be a fair bit higher than that.

The ad says "have an interest in research" which impies you have research expérience and have published articles.

@MrsFin

It's that really all a lecturer gets paid? I would have imagined the salary too be a fair bit higher than that.

No it’s quite typical!

— OP I took a quick look at the spec and I’d say your skills sound a good fit. As a pp says, it sounds very much like a teaching/practice-based rather than a research role so I would not worry about published papers. Good luck!

@gogohm

Have you looked at the person specification? You need all the essentials and at least some of the desirables usually

I have all essentials and all but one desirables ( i can’t drive a trailer! Legally!!!)

@Flamingolingo

To me that looks like a teaching focused post (and not a research post as is more common for some posts entitled lecturer). It sounds like you have a good chance and you would be able to meet most/all of the essential criteria set out in the job description. I would focus on how you demonstrate the qualities and experience sought in the supporting documents in your application. Good luck!

Thanks

@Roseau18

The ad says "have an interest in research" which impies you have research expérience and have published articles.

Oh, I didn’t read it like that. I guess there’s no point then

My take home pay as a lecturer on a permanent contract after tax and pension was £2180. It’s a badly paid profession these days.

I’ve finally been promoted (everything suspended during Covid) but I’m still on take home pay that only just makes single living affordable. I only made it through as I’m in a long-term relationship with a generous partner

Thanks @foxgoosefinch I guess I have nothing to lose!

@Notanotherusernamenow

My take home pay as a lecturer on a permanent contract after tax and pension was £2180. It’s a badly paid profession these days.

I’ve finally been promoted (everything suspended during Covid) but I’m still on take home pay that only just makes single living affordable. I only made it through as I’m in a long-term relationship with a generous partner

It’s more than take home pay for a teacher ay the too of the scale without UPS. But yeah, I was surprised at how low it was!

I read it as a standard lecturer post as well, which will expect some research. That said Cumbria isn't a research focussed uni at all so if you genuinely have years and years of scholarly-informed experience to teach Masters students, then you have nothing to lose.

Interest in research generally means will do some if needed, but more is a way of screening you are able to understand the use of best research and use it to inform your teaching. Putting something in the application to show you will adapt to best practice, update skills etc and such will likely to be adequate as it is a teaching role not a full academic one being advertised. Good luck with the job.

If you meet the criteria, go for it.

I'm surprised they aren't asking for an MSc / MA level qualification, but maybe there aren't many applicants with a masters in this domain.

they might ask about your plans to publish research, so if you have any documents you have written to share, do point to those. But this job seems to be very focused on hands-on teaching, so if you've got plenty of experience with that, then go for it.

Do you think you would be interested in research? I think so long as you realise you need to be prepared to do it then go for it.

There will be research bids out there you could apply for.

Yes lecturing is poorly paid!

I can only tell you from the experience of my ex-husband's school/uni. It used to be a very niche field and research/postgraduate degrees weren't necessary. Industry experience is much more important to him. Many of his lecturers have barely their undergrads, but they all were/are expected to get a PGCE (they call it something else but it's essentially the same thing) within two years. Many of his staff haven't published anything even many years after holding their posts. I'd say go for it!

You should definitely go for it. Think about how you could talk about areas you’d be interested in researching, and how available research would inform your teaching.
Come back and let us know!

I used to interview candidates and I know you can be smart with how you fill in your application to meet the essential and desirable specifications.

Use your life and career experience to show how you meet each of the criteria. Obviously don’t lie but you can be creative. Don’t waffle, use a bullet point approach. Believe me, when you have to read a lot of applications you lose the will to live if there is waffle.

If it’s a job you want, then definitely go for it. Enthusiasm in your application and your interview can’t be overstated. Good luck.

Definitely apply. Just say in the interview that you would be interested in publishing some research and would be excited to be given the opportunity and support to do so. Maybe have a think about a specific area you could say you’re particularly interested in…..how to encourage under represented groups into outdoor activities or something.

I’m a senior lecturer/programme lead and I only have a 2:2 degree. I applied for a post which said PhD essential and didn’t even have a masters at the time and got the job. I’ve never published a piece of research in my life. I make vague threats of doing so every year at my annual review and then trot off for another year and concentrate on teaching! 😆

@Roseau18

The ad says "have an interest in research" which impies you have research expérience and have published articles.

If it's a teaching-focused job it means saying on the form or at interview "Yes, I'd really like to do some research" and, at interview, maybe making some suggestions as to what you'd like to do, particularly ones which fit into what is already being done in the department. There's a lot of pressure at the moment on essentially teaching departments to be seen to be researching as well, when the reality is that the staff are so busy teaching that they have little to no opportunity to do research.

If they really wanted research they would use wording like 'Essential - PhD or Masters with willingness to undertake PhD'.

@Rolypolybabies

Interest in research generally means will do some if needed, but more is a way of screening you are able to understand the use of best research and use it to inform your teaching. Putting something in the application to show you will adapt to best practice, update skills etc and such will likely to be adequate as it is a teaching role not a full academic one being advertised. Good luck with the job.

Thank you.

Such conflicting views! I think I will apply and if I’m not suitable, so be it!

I am interested in research, I have developed my professional CPD through research courses, gaining additional quals, but not publishing stuff