Application and Interviewing
Suggestions for California
Community College Faculty and
Academic Administrative
Positions
Presented by Diane Clerou
Dean of Human Resources
State Center Community College District
Topics
 1st Workshop – 10am and 1pm
–Application Process
–Interviewing Suggestions
 Second Workshop – 11am
–Minimum Qualifications and
Equivalencies
2
Application Process
 Review the position announcement
 Is this the position you want?
 Do you have the education and experience
required for the position?
 Are you willing to live in that area of the
state?
 Is this location the right place for you and
whomever or what ever you need to
consider?
3
Application Process
 Use the position announcement to set up a
plan to ensure all of your documentation
gets in ON TIME!
– Deadlines are NOT suggestions
– All documents MUST be in by the deadline
listed on the position announcement
– Use checklist and setup timeline
– Your fax MUST be received prior to the date
and time of the deadline
4
Application Process
 Read each position announcement carefully
as the required documents may vary greatly
from one district to another, and from one
division to another within the same district
 For EVERY document you submit make
sure it is NEAT, NO SPELLING ERRORS,
NO PUNCTUATION OR GRAMMATICAL
ERRORS
5
Application Process
 Typical documents required for a complete
application packet:
– Application
– Letter of Application or Letter of Interest
– Resume or placement file
– Letters of Recommendation
– References
– Transcripts
6
Application Process
– Application:
 Answer every question on the application
 Type it or print it very neatly
 This application and your entire application packet is
a reflection of your personality and professionalism
7
Application Process
 Letter of Interest (aka Letter of Application)
– Your education and experience and how they meet the
requirements
– If you do not meet min. quals. state your argument for
equivalency (and complete any form)
– Address every duty listed on the position announcement
that you have experience with, or state how you believe
other experience or education have prepared you to
perform that duty
8
Application Process
 Resume and/or placement file
– UPDATE everything!
– Revise your resume when applying for different
types of jobs
 Selection committee members are not impressed
when a candidate uses one letter of interest or one
resume for all jobs
9
Application Process
 Letters of Recommendation
– Make sure your letters are no older than the
position announcement stipulates
 Example: 1 year old – 3 years old
– If letters are not NEW, call the letter writer and
let him/her know you are sending their letter
again, where to, how you are qualified for this
position
– Make sure he/she still supports your job search
10
Application Process
 References
– Make sure their contact information is accurate
 Name, phone number, address, title
– Call them and make sure they know where you
are applying, why you are qualified
– Make sure they still support your job search
– Highly likely your references and letter writers
will be contacted so be SURE they positively
and unequivocally support you!
11
Application Process
 Transcripts:
– Unofficial copies are fine to complete your
application packet unless the position
announcement specifies “official”
– Make sure copies are clear
– Official transcripts are required once you are
offered a position
12
Application Process
 Degrees acquired outside of US must have
evaluation service assessment
 Meet the deadline
13
Application Process
 Have someone proof read EVERYTHING
before you send it in
 Have the proof reader check your
documentation against the position
announcement to ensure you addressed
everything
14
Application Process
 Be accurate with dates, times, places and
names
 Provide enough detail to sell yourself and
get you through the paper screen
– HR will screen for:
 Completeness of the application packet
 Minimum qualifications: educ and experience
 If you are not certain you meet the min. quals then
complete the EQUIVALENCY PETITION
15
Application Process
 The division or department selection
committees will screen for:
– Completeness
– Neatness of application packet
– Recency of information
– Education, experience, equivalency
– Fit with needs of department
16
Interviewing Suggestions
 Prior to interview visit college site
 Talk to people in and outside of the district
 Be aware of the
District’s/College’s/Division’s mission
statements, vision statements, culture
 Research District’s/College’s/Division’s/
local community’s demographics, and major
industry for the area
 Infuse this info into your interview
17
Interviewing Suggestions
 Make up sample questions using the position
announcement
– Practice answering those questions while looking in the
mirror
 If you have to do a teaching, counseling or any
other kind of demonstration as part of the interview
process, PRACTICE IT!
– Teaching demonstrations – might use the selection
committee as the students; give handouts – PREPARE!
18
Interviewing Suggestions
 Know yourself so you can sell yourself
 What are your values, cultural experiences
which will be an asset for this position
 Be clear on the education and experience
you have that prove you can do the job
 Be clear on what you can bring to the
students/department/college to improve it
19
Interviewing Suggestions
 Promoting diversity in the workplace remains a
legal obligation for CCC’s
 Title 5 section 53024(a)(2) and Educ. Code 87360
 Mandate Districts hire faculty and administrators
who demonstrate sensitivity to and understanding
of the needs of the diverse academic,
socioeconomic, cultural, disability and ethnic
backgrounds of students.
– There is a question on the application and there will be
a question in the interview on this subject.
20
Minimum Qualifications and
Equivalency for Faculty and
Administrators
Presented by Diane Clerou
Dean of Human Resources
State Center Community College
District
Minimum Qualifications (MQ’s)
 1988 - Assembly Bill 1725:
– set minimum standards for faculty and
educational administrators in Calif. community
colleges
– Abolished credential system
– Replaced with MQ’s
 Some require MA
 For those with no MA required: AA + 6 yrs., BA + 2
yrs., OR
 Equivalency
22
Minimum Qualifications
 What are MQ’s?
– Established and revised by agreement between
Academic Senate of CCC’s and the Board of
Governors of CCC’s
– Set the floor for education and experience
– Districts have hiring authority but must adhere
to MQ’s when establishing hiring criteria
 May exceed MQ’s but not require less
23
Equivalencies
 Title 5 section 53430 allows a District to hire
a person who possesses qualifications
different from, but equivalent to, those listed
on the disciplines list, according to criteria
and procedures agreed upon by the
Academic Senate and representatives of the
Board of Trustees.
24
Equivalencies
– Equivalency committees comprised of faculty
and administrators; ratio set in agreement
 Ex: FCC has 2 faculty from each division; 2
administrators (HR ex-officio)
– Allows for local decision making
25
Equivalencies
 Used to be equivalencies by course, now
can only be by discipline
 Each district has its own equivalency form
– Due by application filing deadline
– “If in doubt – fill it out”
– Forms available on-line or ask HR Assistant
26
Minimum Qualifications
 MQ’s also apply to:
–
–
–
–
Health services professionals
Non-credit instructors
Apprenticeship instructors
DSP & S personnel (Disabled Special Programs and
Services)
– EOPS personnel (Extended Opportunity Programs &
Services
– Learning assistance and tutoring coordinators and work
experience coordinators
27
Minimum Qualifications
 A degree that is more advanced than the
one listed (and is in the appropriate field) will
satisfy the requirements.
– Example: if the MQ is a Master’s in psychology,
a Ph.D. in psychology will also satisfy the
requirement
28
Minimum Qualifications
 Title 5 section 53406 states, “All degrees
and units used to satisfy minimum
qualifications shall be from accredited
institutions…”
 “Accredited” means a “postsecondary
institution accredited by an accreditation
agency recognized by either the U.S.
Department of Education or the Council on
Postsecondary Accreditation.”
29
Minimum Qualifications
 Title 5 section 53417 “In addition to other minimum
qualifications…a faculty member …shall include a
current, valid certificate to work or a license to
practice in California, whenever the instructor’s
possession of such a certificate or license is
required for program or course approval, or when
current occupational certification is essential for
effective instruction…”
– Ex: Calif. RN license; Calif. CPA
30
Minimum Qualifications
 Examples of MQ’s:
– History: Master’s in history OR Bachelor’s in
history AND Master’s in political science,
humanities, geography, area studies, women’s
studies, social science, or ethnic studies OR the
equivalent
31
Minimum Qualifications
 Examples of MQ’s:
– Business: Master’s in business, business
management, business administration, accountancy,
finance, marketing, or business education OR
Bachelor’s in any of the above AND Master’s in
economics, personnel management, public
administration, or JD or L.LB degree OR Bachelor’s in
economics with a business emphasis AND Master’s in
personnel management, public administration, or JD or
LL.B degree OR the equivalent.
32
Minimum Qualifications
 Exceptions to MQ’s:
– Ethnic Studies: Master’s in the ethnic studies
field OR the equivalent OR See Interdisciplinary
Studies
– Interdisciplinary Studies: Master’s in the
interdisciplinary area OR Master’s in one of the
disciplines included in the interdisciplinary area
and upper division or graduate course work in at
least one other constituent discipline
33
Minimum Qualifications
 Comprehensive list of Minimum
Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators
in California Community Colleges at
– http://www.cccco.edu/Portals/4/AA/Min%20Qual
s%20Creds/min%20_quals%20_rev_Jan12200
6.pdf
34