Dani Babb, PhD | Founder of Faculty Job Tools
Helping Educators Find Online Teaching Work for Over 20 Years
I’ve been helping educators find work in the online space for over 20 years. I wrote the first mainstream book on how to get these jobs back in 2005 and have seen three editions hit the shelves since then. After helping thousands of people expand their workloads, I’ve noticed some recent and common mistakes. If you’re wondering why your applications are hitting a brick wall, it could be one of these.
1. You Aren’t Connecting the Dots
I see so many CVs where professional experience is just… there. You cannot leave it up to a hiring manager to guess why your corporate background matters. You need to neatly spell out exactly how your experience translates to online higher education. Why does it matter to the student? Why does it matter to the university? Identify that link clearly and don’t leave a single thing open to interpretation.
2. You’re Pigeonholing Yourself
We’ve all heard that “jack of all trades, master of none” is alive and well in academia, and nobody wants to hire someone who isn’t an expert. But most of us have credentials in more than one field. Your job is to tie those fields together cleanly. When you show administrators how your multiple trades work together for the student’s benefit, you become an advantage, not a risk. It tells them you can fulfill multiple roles, which makes you a much more attractive hire.
3. You’re Missing the Transcripts
This sounds like a “no-brainer,” but have your unofficial transcripts ready to upload the second you start an application. Believe it or not, people actually fake their credentials. Having your transcripts ready proves you are who you say you are. Sometimes, an administrator might even look at them and find a different area where you’re qualified to teach that you hadn’t even considered.
4. You Aren’t “Leveling Up”
The market changes. If you’re in IT, for example, the future is clearly in Data Science, AI, and Cybersecurity. There are tons of jobs in these areas, but you have to be qualified to take them. Go get those 18 graduate hours and add them to your CV. If you don’t stay current, you’re going to get left behind.
5. Your References Are Too Corporate
I love that your former CEO thinks you’re great, but universities want to know if you can actually teach. You need at least one or two references from a college or university. Even if it’s a professor you had years ago, you need that academic validation on your list.
6. You’re Still Listing Your GPA
It’s time to stop. Listing your GPA is old school—I’ve removed it from every single CV I write for my clients in the past year. We aren’t in second grade anymore. Your college, your degree, and your major are all they need to know. Let’s get rid of the fluff and get to the heart of your actual experience.
Wait—Why Are You Still Doing This Yourself?
At Faculty Job Tools, we realize that finding work is a full-time job in itself. That’s why we do the hard work for you. We find the leads that aren’t on the big job boards, the Founder writes CVs that actually work, and we even offer a service where we fill out the applications for you.
Stop making these mistakes and let us help you get to work.
About the author...
Through Faculty Job Tools, Dr. Dani Babb offers / Academic Resume (CV) Services / Custom Job Search / LinkedIn Marketing Services / Online Teaching Email Leads / Teaching Application Completion Service / The Complete Faculty Placement Suite.
Dr. Dani Babb founded Faculty Job Tools to help educators navigate the academic hiring process with clarity, confidence, and results. Since 2003, I’ve worked with tens of thousands of professors and aspiring instructors to land meaningful teaching positions across higher education.
As a professor, doctoral mentor, and author of multiple editions of Make Money Teaching Online, I bring decades of firsthand experience on both sides of the hiring process. I regularly interview deans, department chairs, and hiring managers to learn exactly what they’re looking for—insights I share directly with every client I work with.
Dr. Dani Babb also leads a community of educators in the free Online Faculty Jobs Networking Group on Facebook, where members post job openings, share advice, and support one another through every step of the academic job search.
Dr. Dani Babb remains personally involved in every part of Faculty Job Tools because I care deeply about helping educators find opportunities that fit their expertise and passion. My goal is to make the process straightforward, transparent, and genuinely supportive—for every faculty member who’s ready for their next chapter.