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A fulfilling academic career often means progress up the ladder, but it takes more than a good CV or high student feedback evaluations to catch the eye of the promotions committee. Over the years I have been on several of these, a referee for applicants and an external adviser for applicants at other universities, as well as being asked for advice about what to emphasise in promotion applications. 

So, I feel I can offer advice for those eyeing the next academic level.

When to apply for promotion in academia

A common question is: “How do I know I am ready to apply for promotion?” One response is: “Why do you want a promotion?” 

A desire for more pay or to keep up with others around you who have been promoted or because you have been in the same position for several years are not good reasons. 

Better responses are that you have been performing above your job position, you consistently exceed expectations, you are successfully leading people and projects, or your outputs are above the benchmarks that have been recognised by colleagues and peers.

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If you do want to move up the career path, a good place to start is a discussion with your head of school, senior colleagues or a mentor/champion to obtain their feedback about your perceived readiness for a more senior role. You can talk about skills that need improving before applying, as well as seek advice, encouragement and support.

On a practical level, you should be sure that you can demonstrate that your performance is above the job description benchmarks required for the promotion role. One piece of advice I received was to “act like a professor before you are a professor”. 

Another sign of your readiness is that you have proof or evidence for your achievements, successes and your impact in the wider community that fit the institution’s criteria for promotion. All these you can present in your application. 

How to apply for promotion

If you are applying for a promotion, you will likely have to fill out a structured section of the application with your teaching, research and service achievements. Follow the requirements and start these pages early. You should give yourself time to demonstrate a sustained trajectory of achievement. In writing your argument, communicate a strong, positive story about yourself that emphasises performance and impact, contribution to the institution, leadership and reputation.

Let’s look at these themes one by one.

Performance and impact

Your application should detail your performance record and the impact of your academic activities. Most institutions will provide performance benchmarks for the position and the expectations in teaching, research and service, which you can use as a measure. This could include expected student feedback scores, research publication outputs and membership or chair of specific types of committees. 

Your research output should emphasise impact more than activity. Beyond listing that your paper(s) have been accepted by a journal, you need to show the impact the work has generated. This can include citations, replications and implications used by others. 

Understanding the latest technology and topical issues will also show that you are on top of your discipline. This can be shown by explaining how you teach the statistical software or present artificial intelligence to students in an innovative way, or give seminars to colleagues.  

Contribution to the institution 

Promotions committees look for what you have brought to the institution in your current position. It is one thing to undertake activities to promote yourself, but what have you done to support the university? In what ways have you assisted in the running of the institution? 

You should be able to show that you work well with colleagues and help achieve the organisational mission, vision and values statements. Outline how your activities have contributed to university collegiality and alignment with institutional goals. You should include involvement in committees, such as faculty, course or reaccreditation committees, and activities that support the university, faculty or school, including open days, information nights or semester welcome events.

Leadership and initiative 

Indicators of readiness for promotion include leadership activity and instances of influence; you should show that you can guide others, make decisions to achieve a goal and take responsibility for outcomes. 

As part of career planning, it’s a good idea to keep track of leadership achievements, and progress in skills and people-management capacity.

Reputation and evidence 

Recognition of achievement and impact is powerful evidence for promotion. Outline how your activities have been recognised. This can be from students or colleagues within the institution or external recognition from other institutions, a discipline association, industry or government body. Awards, grants, letters of appreciation, direct quotes from emails, or feedback or references from those who are known and respected in their field are all worthwhile inclusions. 

You should demonstrate your standing in your community and the esteem in which you are held. To confirm this, provide credible quotes or external links for proof of your claims, including being asked to present seminars, join projects, examine a thesis or be an external adviser.

While some people are fulfilled with a teaching career and get their job satisfaction in the classroom, if you have decided to explore your options for a promotion, I hope these themes are helpful. Good luck with your application.

David Waller is a professor and former head of the marketing discipline group at the University of Technology Sydney.

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