Career as a College Professor by Institute For Career Research

Author:Institute For Career Research
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Institute For Career Research
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Personal Qualifications

College professors need a special combination of intellectual aptitude, social skills, and personal traits such as persistence and curiosity.

The common stereotype of the absent minded professor is far from an accurate picture. Some professors are brilliant, far-out analytic thinkers like Einstein. And while a certain amount of intellectual competence is necessary, unless the professor is locked in the so-called Ivory Tower doing solitary research, the social skills and ability to understand and get along with others are far more important.

Few professors, and only at the most prestigious universities, spend the majority of their time in research. All teachers must work with students, colleagues and a variety of college personnel.

Professors may team-teach, meaning several teachers share a portion of one course. Or they must work as a team on committees.

Reviews and evaluations at the college level usually include peers and students. In order to receive a positive evaluation and achieve tenure or a permanent position, college teachers must be able to act and interact with others. As in many positions in the business world, an understanding of the political environment is as important if not more so than expertise in the field.

College teachers in most colleges must be able to understand and work with a diversity of cultures. The college environment no longer has a traditional student; they are all nontraditional. The majority of students are now in their 30s. Over half of students are female. And the student bodies consist of many races and cultures. So an openness and sensitivity to many cultures are needed.

This is a very people intense occupation. College teachers must have both emotional distancing and emotional involvement skills. College students are often in crisis and teachers many times are involved in helping them solve their problems. Sometimes the attempt is successful, sometimes the stories are tragic. College professors must be able, at times, to distance themselves from the emotionally laden circumstances of the students or they will be overwhelmed.

On the other hand, master teachers also have the ability to become close to and involved with some of their students. Students want professors who show genuine caring and concern. At the graduate level, professors become less of an authority figure and much more of a mentor or colleague. College professors must be able to create a balance between involvement and distance with the students.

On the more academic or intellectual side, college teachers must have good language, numeracy, and written skills. Despite brilliance in a physical science, the teacher must be able to communicate clearly. Tests, assignments and directions must be understandable. And even a sociology professor or child development professor must have advanced mathematical skills for research, or to understand research and to do some of the necessary routine work like grading and record keeping.

Finally the college professor must be persistent. Persistence is necessary in preparation, such as obtaining a master's or doctoral degree. Persistence is often necessary in obtaining a job in this highly competitive field. And persistence may be necessary in obtaining funds and opportunities for research.

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