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[phdandjobless]

Sorry if this is a stupid question but here goes . . .

If a faculty position is advertised as "Associate Professor" does that automatically mean that you cannot apply unless you are presently an "Assistant Professor"  Nothing in the job ad indicates such . . . but just wondering if that is the general assumption.

[helpful]

It would mean you would have to be close to tenure as an assistant professor, ie. in year 3, 4 or 5 of your tenure clock.

[systeme_d_]

I disagree.

When an "Associate Professor" position is posted, applicants should already be associate professors, or at the very least, be up for associate very soon.  And by very soon, I would think that year 5 would be ok, but no earlier. 

If the department was looking for anything other than a hire at the rank of Associate, then the ad would have said so.

[fiona]

"Associate Professor" means "qualified to be Associate Professor." When I was an Associate Professor, I applied for jobs designated "Professor" (i. e., full professor) and got the promotion along with being hired.

But being hired as an Associate or Full usually means that the university also tenures you as part of hiring you. So you need to have a tenurable record, which involves publication (except at community colleges) and may require a certain number of years of teaching.

The Fiona

[systeme_d_]

"Associate Professor" means "qualified to be Associate Professor." When I was an Associate Professor, I applied for jobs designated "Professor" (i. e., full professor) and got the promotion along with being hired.

But being hired as an Associate or Full usually means that the university also tenures you as part of hiring you. So you need to have a tenurable record, which involves publication (except at community colleges) and may require a certain number of years of teaching.

The Fiona

This is perfectly expressed.  Usually, the point of hiring at Associate is to get a person tenurable at the time of hire.

[clean]

If you are otherwise qualified, apply.  All you have to lose is the cost of postage and printing. 

I was offered a job at the rank of associate while still ABD.  It was a union school and it was the only way that they could even come close to the market salary for my discipline.  (I turned them down anyway).

Given that you are jobless, there may be a visiting position available if they are still looking for this fall.

[drsmarty]

Tenurable at the time of hire doesn't mean that you will be granted tenure. In my experience, even if you are qualified for tenure, many Universities prefer that you to wait a year or so before applying.

I have twice been offered Associate rank while I was an Assistant, but, as others have said, my experience warranted the rank