Professor
Job Description: What does a Professor do?
Professors have an integral yet varying role within academic institutions. Most professors teach undergraduate and graduate students. Professors also partake in research in addition to teaching. Professors who partake in research are also often principal investigators in their respective labs and overlook graduate student related activities. Professors can also take on various roles within their department of study, such as the department head.
Most professors start off as an assistant professor then progress to associate professor and eventually full professor. As they are promoted, their responsibilities also grow.
What would I do?
As a professor, depending on which stream one opts for – teaching or teaching and research – routine activities can vary. Most professors partake in both research and teaching. Exclusively teaching stream professors are less common.
Professors that do not partake in research activities are likely to spend most of their time preparing materials for lectures, teaching, holding office hours, creating assessment materials (i.e. exams) and other course related matters.
professors who conduct research alongside teaching do similar tasks as professor who only teach, in addition to running and managing their labs or research groups. Professors who research also publish academic articles and manage graduate students under their supervision.
Professors – research stream or not – also often speak at conferences and lectures. They also serve on faculty committees and at times may opt to provide their expertise to governments and industries. They are also responsible for various administrative tasks to help run their labs and classes.
Am I suited for this role?
Individuals with the following characteristics may enjoy a career as a professor:
- Individuals who enjoy teaching.
- Individuals with an interest in research or academia.
- Individuals who are analytical.
- Individuals who are good at technical writing.
- Individuals who work well independently.
- Individuals who have excellent management and team management skills.
- Individuals with good organizational skills.
- Individuals who work well in a team environment.
Environment & Typical Day
What are the Wages and Benefits?
Professor salaries are highly variable depending on the type of professorship, seniority, and other factors. According to Statistics Canada the average salary for full professors ranges from $143,400 - $235,550. The median salary was around $175,000. The range of compensation in addition to their salary is $5,041-$21,675.
The table below provides top ten highest and top ten lowest average professional salaries. It is important to note that this data set is from 2018-2019. These numbers have likely increased since due to various factors.
This table was sourced from https://higheredstrategy.com/more-fun-with-faculty-salary-data/ and has been modified to expand on university names.
BENEFITS
Most university professors’ benefits include the following:
- Medical benefits
- Dental benefits
- Disability benefits
- Pension benefits
Many universities provide customizable benefit programs to meet varying needs.
JOB OUTLOOK IN ONTARIO AND OTTAWA
Due to the limited number of higher education institutions in the Ottawa region there is no specific data available for job outlook specific to Ottawa. However, according to the Canadian Occupational Projection System the number of jobs for professors is expected to be at 29,700 and the number of job seekers will be 29,500. The jobs available is greater than the jobs available, this means there is a positive outlook for jobs as professors.
Projection of Cumulative Job Openings and Job Seekers over the Period of 2022-2031
HOW DO I BECOME A PROFESSOR?
To become a professor, you need the following education:
- An undergraduate degree.
- A master’s degree in the field of specialization.
- A doctoral degree in the field of specialization.
It is important to mention that if one is interested in becoming a professor during their undergraduate studies, they should specialize in the area of study they intend to go on to become a professor in. They should also partake in research activities such as research assistantship, this will help them build a network, gain experience in their desired field of specialization and aid in helping them get into a master’s program.
Sometimes individuals may also complete post-doctoral fellowships and further training, however it is not required for all professor positions.
In some areas, such as medicine, law, engineering, etc, professors will require licences or professional certification to teach future professionals. For example, to be a law professor you must have obtained a Juris Doctor and be called to the bar.
WHERE WOULD I WORK?
Most professors work at universities or colleges. At times they may work with the government and industry partners to consult on issues.
HOW DO I FIND A JOB?
One can find professor jobs through:
- A university’s faculty opportunities website (such as the University of Toronto Faculty Opportunities).
- A college’s faculty opportunities website.
- LinkedIn.
- Google Jobs.
- The Chronicle of Higher Education Job Board.
APPLYING FOR A JOB
When applying for a professor role one should make sure to highlight the following in their resume:
- Advanced degrees.
- Publications.
- Research experience.
- Any teaching experience (such as TA roles during graduate studies).
- If they have been a speaker at a conference in the area of study.
- Awards and grants.
One should highlight all these in their cover letter but be sure to not be too repetitive. Instead, one should use their cover letter to build a narrative and demonstrate to the reader why they are an ideal candidate for the role. Further, your resume should reflect your ability to engage and teach students.
WHERE CAN THIS JOB LEAD?
Most individuals start off as assistant professors. These are entry level professor positions that may or may not lead to tenure track. Assistant professors undergo a tenure review, typically five or six years after being appointed. Upon review they may be upgraded to an associate professor and granted tenure. As an associate professor, one works to expand their research and build in their area of expertise. After 6 or so years as an associate professor one can apply to be promoted to a full professor. A full professor is the highest level of professorship.
At any point in this process professors may choose to switch into consulting roles, related to their areas of expertise, with the government or industry partners. Some professors such as professors in law school and medical school may return to practice as a lawyer or doctor full time.
