Getting the Tap: Securing Continuous Online Work
by Steven N. Pyser, J.D.
Whether from playing varsity football, neighborhood dodge ball, or attending the eighth grade dance with great optimism, we all remember the awkward moment waiting for an affirming tap on the shoulder–the signal one has been selected. Fast-forward the calendar. You are a credentialed, well-qualified and competent online faculty member. You have successfully finished your online training, mentorship, and have taught or course or two. The student surveys and faculty observations prove your competencies. Despite promises of work and statements you are “next” in the rotation, the phone doesn’t ring. You question whether the training was worth the effort, and quietly resign yourself to possibly never teaching again. You think wistfully, “Look at me, I can be Centerfield.”
Developing the Midas Touch
Some online instructors have a Midas Touch, and teach regularly, even though they may have never met face-to-face with their course scheduler. They routinely land the plum assignments. They are the Faculty “A” List, and enjoy a regular income from their teaching. Just how does one move from being one of many in the system to a regularly employed faculty member? “Success is not a miracle, nor is it a matter of luck. Everything happens for a reason, good or bad, positive or negative” (Tracy, 2000/2002, 14-15). These people are passionate about their teaching, and the people assigning courses know it.
It was Benjamin Franklin who said, “Drive thy business or it will drive thee.” You are an adjunct instructor in the business of providing an educational service for a fee. You can move to the head of the “A” list by understanding that “People don’t buy products or services. They ‘buy’ the people who are selling the products of services. First, you sell yourself as a likable and credible person, and then you sell what you represent” (Tracy, 2000/2002, 213). This point is amplified by Harry Beckwith in Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing:
Our methods for choosing a service are often wild and seemingly arbitrary — anything but intelligent, cost-benefit-oriented behavior … Services are human. Their successes depend on the relationships of people. People are human– frustrating, unpredictable, temperamental, often irrational, and occasionally, half made. But you can spot some patterns in people. The more you can see the patterns and better understand people, the more you will succeed…. (Beckwith, 1997, 245).
Remaining competitive in today’s job market calls for soft skills. “A soft skill refers to the cluster of personality traits, social graces, facility with language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that mark each of us to varying degrees. Persons who rank high in this cluster, with good soft skills, are generally the people that most employers want to hire. Soft skills complement hard skills, which are the technical requirements of a job” (Purdue University–Center for Career Opportunities, 2002). Illustrative soft skills include work ethic, courtesy, teamwork, self-discipline, self-confidence and conformity to prevailing norms. Further, after a job rejection, developing resiliency can increase your employment opportunities by positioning you to “bounce back and find a way to have things turn out well” (Siebert, n. d.).
You’ll land course assignments more successfully by blending soft skills and resiliency with an understanding of the “what’s in it for me” (WIFM) principle. The “me” in WIFM, however, refers to others. Those who get the tap understand that you can achieve more by helping others succeed. When interacting with people, consider what can you say or do to move their priorities forward. Apply your critical thinking skills, and develop a list of WIFMs unique to them and their circumstances. It’s easier than you might think: simply step into the shoes of the people assigning you courses, include their WIFMs; then, tell your supervisors how hiring you helps them and brings value to the university.
Positioned to Receive the Tap
How do you position yourself to get the tap? It has been said the business of business is business. You must under-promise and over-deliver. For instance, strive to answer questions from administrators, colleagues, and students the same day (or by the following day). Place course deliverables in your calendar, and review deadlines daily. Fulfill all contractual expectations on time. Work to earn the respect of your students, and to avoid, when possible, grade grievances. Speak well of your institution and be approachable. Those who get the tap are easy to converse with, consistent, reliable and have earned the respect of their colleagues and the right to be rehired. Close this loop of goodwill by answering offers of work at once. Don’t forget the personal touch: If possible, call and accept the assignment personally.
Ongoing employment as distance learning faculty requires an entrepreneurial approach and integrity. The key is simple: people don’t want to know how much you know until they know how much you care–open and contribute to a “Relationship Bank.” The currency is free, and should be frequently deposited as WIFMs with simple reminders you care. Personal contact is preferred over email. Remember, the person on the other line is a real person being with human problems. Make it a point during your conversations to learn about them; remember their hobbies, names of their kids, their interests, where they vacation. Drop them email with information that interests them. When they help you, send a commendation note to their supervisor showing your appreciation. And don’t forget to ask (not in the same breath) if it is all right to check in with them regularly about course availability — and do so.
Landing plum course assignments starts with doing the right things and good manners. Are you certified to teach across the curriculum? Does everyone who can offer you a course know about you? Learn when the University starts its staffing. It can be three to four months before scheduled courses start. Enter that date in your calendar with a reminder to check in with the course scheduler. Let course schedulers know that are you are able to substitute for courses, and are available on short notice. When you are assigned a course say “thank you,” and thank them again, personally, after the course has ended.
Dedicate yourself to implementing these strategies with genuine intention and sincerity. People know when you are “real,” or pursuing your own agenda singularly and at their expense. These approaches have served me well, and they can serve you well, too. The ultimate reward, of course, is getting the tap–being held in high regard and fielding offers of plum work assignments as a distance learning instructor on a regular basis.
References
Beckwith, H. (1997). Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing. New York: Warner Books, Inc.
Purdue University–Center for Career Opportunities. (2002). ‘Soft Skills’ A Key to Employment Today (20th ed., Vol. 2). Retrieved June 30, 2006, from Purdue University Web site: https://www.cco.purdue.edu/Articles/Article-SoftSkills.shtml
Siebert, A. (n.d.). The Five Levels of Resiliency. Retrieved June 30, 2006, from Resiliency Center Web site: http://www.resiliencycenter.com/articles/5levels.shtml
Tracy, B. (2002). The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. (Original work published 2000)
