Achieving the salary increase you have been waiting for does not happen overnight in higher education. The truth is most institutions have a particular method way of evaluating the performance of their instructors to determine whether or not they receive a salary increase.
First, research data on higher education salaries for faculty, staff, and adjunct instructors for different colleges in the United States.
For Canadian higher education professionals, you can research and analyze post-secondary salary data from PayScale.
If you are not already in higher education, transitioning into a college instructor position will involve dedicating time and effort to your job search to land a new position.
Apply some of the useful strategies below to put yourself in the position of gaining a wage increase.
Eight Methods Higher Education Professionals Can Get a Salary Increase
1. If you want to have a chance for a salary increase, try to make yourself an important part of the school team. Develop some skills that can be a great asset to your department, like learning to operate specialized computer software or furthering your professional development in your subject area, or teaching skills.
While this may not lead to an immediate salary increase, it can increase your value as an instructor and open the door to opportunities not only for a future salary increase but also for a permanent teaching job promotion.
2. Look for training or certifications that can help improve your qualifications as a higher education instructor. For many education professionals, this is often the most practical option to make you eligible for salary increases.
3. Never give up looking for career opportunities to get an excellent job promotion either within your college or by completing training that allows you to handle more than one teaching responsibility. Always network and be on the alert when some position comes up. This means having your college adjunct CV and cover letter ready to go at a moment’s notice.
4. Work as hard as you can and make it a point always to please your administrator. If they see your determination, they might just come with an ideal plan to promote you and give you a salary raise.
5. Be aware of how you perform your duties and job responsibilities as an instructor or professor. Become a reliable and dependable instructor, and these qualities will not take long before somebody up high in the faculty will notice your commitment. When you are indispensable to any school, you increase your value as well.
6. Always make it your point to become a productive teacher. Look for various ways that will allow you to enhance your students’ learning, improve your teaching techniques, and gain comprehensive knowledge of how the school’s mission and objectives.
Research new ways to help increase your students’ overall achievement and contribute to the school’s mission and goals and how your personal skills can help that change.
7. In many higher education teaching positions, you have the opportunity to contribute to the department and the school by completing research and experiments in your field to enhance the school’s reputation and further the study of your area.
This is an excellent way to solidify yourself as a valuable faculty member and show your value to the college or university.
8. Working overtime may be an excellent way to earn a salary increase. And while this may be a short-term increase in wages, it will help you gain more skills and project your image as someone who is dedicated and cares a lot about their work in higher education.
