Recently, I was asked how, as a dean, I evaluate potential faculty members. It’s a great question, especially for up-and-coming scholars who are considering a future in Christian higher education.
While I can only speak from my own perspective, and recognize others may have different or additional features for which they look in a prospective faculty member, I believe that these represent a reliable framework that emerging scholars should consider.
It’s also worth noting that this isn’t an official checklist, nor are these necessarily listed in any order of priority. So here’s a look under the hood of how I approach evaluating prospective faculty candidates, in particular when it comes to full-time, tenure-track roles.
1. The Process Starts With the Search Committee
Unlike the hiring processes in many other fields, before anything gets to my desk, the vetting of a candidate usually starts with a search committee. These committees evaluate applicants, conduct interviews, and narrow the field. My analysis sometimes enters the conversation early, but more often, it comes after I’ve received the committee’s recommendations. This allows for input from the existing faculty community as to who their future colleagues might be, rather than the selection being determined by any one person.
Generally speaking, it is only after the committee has made recommendations that I deeply engage the process.
2. Doctrinal Alignment Matters Deeply
Talbot is a conservative evangelical school and we’re also broadly evangelical. That means our school’s doctrinal statement is foundational to who we are and how we have collectively decided to represent Christianity to the outside world. Therefore, alignment with our doctrinal statement is non-negotiable.
It’s surprising how many applicants raise theological “what about if I am close?” after reading it. Here’s a better way: If you’re applying to a school, read its doctrinal statement carefully. If it’s not a good fit, it’s better to recognize that early and apply to schools with whom you are more aligned theologically. In my experience (and I’ve seen it across several institutions), schools don’t drift toward orthodoxy—they drift away, often one hire at a time.
3. Academic Background and Institutional Credibility
Next, I look at where the candidate earned his or her degrees. Yes, the academic reputation of your alma mater matters. For example, if your Ph.D. is from a school that produces a high volume of doctorates quickly, search committees (and deans) are more skeptical.
One common question is whether earning all your degrees from one institution isn’t a deal breaker. For me, it’s not a deal breaker, but it does make me want to understand why. Exposure to multiple academic cultures usually contributes to the formation of well-rounded scholars, so a lack of institutional diversity would be a point of conversation if the candidate were to move forward.
It’s also worth recognizing the reality that what kind of doctorate a candidate holds matters as well. It’s very difficult to land a tenure-track role at national institutions like Biola with a D.Min. That is not to say that a D.Min. is not valuable (I personally have one!). But because Ph.D. programs are more academically rigorous—and are focused on making unique contributions to academic thought—it is the standard for academia. In a time when the supply of prospective candidates is so large, and comprised of so many Ph.D. holders, they tend to edge out the D.Min. competition. There are exceptions, but they are not common.
4. Publishing: The Scholarly Output
This one’s straightforward: If you’re applying for a professor role, you need to show that you’re actively contributing to your field. That means peer-reviewed journal articles, books, and ongoing scholarly engagement. If there’s little or no evidence of this, it’s hard to make a case for a tenure-track position. In no small measure the scholarship put out by a candidate can address questions created by any “issues” in the institutional credibility previously noted (e.g., reputation of the school from which he or she received a degree).
