Lynne Webb
University of Memphis


In my opinion, job seekers do not need home pages, but could benefit from having them. Most searches for academic positions continue to operate following the traditional procedure of requesting written applications in the position advertisement. While the advertisement itself probably will appear in both print and electronic venues, the ad typically requests that applicants mail hard copy of curriculum vitae, student evaluations, and reprints to a given surface address. Obviously a curriculum vita could list a website as well as an e-mail address. My experience is that members of search committees who regularly surf the net will visit candidates' websites, should the candidate look particularly interesting.

The traditional search processes next involve the arrival of letters of reference via snail mail. A secretary files the letters of recommendation with the candidates, application papers. Thus, search committee members review literally candidates, paper records in individual file folders.

Before discussing the pool of applicants as a committee, individual search committee members review the files one by one, typically alone in an office making individual judgments. Later, the committee members meet to discuss their evaluations and attempt to reach consensus. The committee develops a "short list" of four to ten finalists who are invited to participate in preliminary interviews, typically conducted via telephone. Ultimately one, two or three finalists are flown to campus for face-to-face interviews.

Given the trend toward increased computer literacy among the professorate as well as the trend toward institutions providing both professors and students with convenient internet access, I suspect website technology slowly but surely will continue to enter the job search process. Indeed, I foresee increased and gradual dependence on various computer-based technologies in the job search process. Where and how will this occur? I have three predictions:

1. I notice that candidates who have studied the institution's, college's and department's websites prior to the interview speak with more authority, knowledge, and insight. Interviewers view them as technologically hip and well prepared for the interview. In a few years, interviewees who have not studied institutional websites prior to preliminary interviews simply will not be invited to campus interviews.

2. Candidates for administrative posts are evaluated, in-part, on both the form and content of their websites. Higher education administration recognizes the internet as an inexpensive and effective channel of communication; institutional websites are viewed as essential components in initiatives for recruitment and retention of students as well as public relations with potential donors. Virtually every administrator is expected to oversee website development and maintenance for his/her individual unit. Search committees can look directly at the candidate's success thus far at this task by examining his/her personal and unit's websites. Indeed, given that search committees are evaluating administrative candidates in part based on their websites, I think it is only a matter of time before job candidates for professorial positions are evaluated on the same criteria.

3. I think preliminary job interviews will be conducted via interactive video e-mail as soon as the technology is widely used and available. Thus, computer-mediated communication (CMC) as well as interpersonal communication skill will become increasingly important for professorial job applicants.

In conclusion, I predict an increased reliance on computer-based technologies to carry out the same, traditional steps currently employed in the academic job search process. My advise to job seekers is this: If you claim CMC as a specialty area, develop a website for your job search. You will not be competitive without one. Any potential colleagues with high technical skills, the very people with whom you will want to develop collaborative relationships upon obtaining the job, will check out your website and may ask you questions about it during preliminary as well as on-campus interviews. If you are not claiming CMC as a specialty, but want to provide potential colleagues with maximum access to information about you as a person and a scholar in an effort to increase your odds of connecting with evaluators, develop a website for your job search.

Please note that the candidate retains full editorial control over his/her website and can present the record in the best possible light. Know, however, that any attempt to misrepresent work or otherwise deceive evaluators may be detected and will leave a very negative impression. Therefore, I advise candidates to prepare their websites with the same careful attention to accuracy and detail that they devote to their scholarship. A well-prepared website may earn a plum appointment. A poorly prepared website may cause irreparable harm to the candidate's reputation in the field.

What should a candidate's website contain? I would recommend at least the following:

1. All the candidate's conference paper, publications and manuscripts under review. Still photographs of the candidate's portfolio work, if relevant.

2. The latest syllabus for each class taught as well as for each class in which the candidate served as a teaching assistant.

3. Additional class materials developed by the candidate that provide unique or especially helpful learning opportunities, such as hand-outs, assignments, structured learning activities, etc.

4. A statement of teaching philosophy.

5. List of e-mail addresses for references.

6. A detailed and complete curriculum vita (cv).

7. Separate click access to separate sections of the cv (publications, teaching experience, awards, etc.).

8. A short video of the candidate teaching a class and/or presenting a paper at a conference or colloquium.

9. A short video of student work (presenting speeches or oral reports) supervised by the candidate.

10. Scanned written excerpts of student comments from teaching evaluations in the student's actual handwriting.