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[lilith]

I am currently a  TT professor at a great R1 institution, but it's not for me for a variety of reasons.  People like me and I am getting great reviews from students and colleagues, but I am not happy with my particular position, I want to move on.  This is my second year thus next year will be my third and that is when I plan on applying. But, who do I ask concerning recommendation letters?  I don't want to alert anyone I am trying to leave until I have a new job, I have an outgoing chair who likes my work, but who else?  Or is it just inevitable that I will have  to show that I am applying elsewhere. 

[offthemarket]

1. Your outgoing chair! That's great. Current institution base covered.

2. Your dissertation advisor. Even though you're already faculty, many people will think it's weird if that one's missing. Base covered.

3.Since you're already TT at a research institution, you need senior colleagues (Associate or higher) who are bigger names at other universities to write letters for you.  Current or former collaborators, someone who invited you for a symposium talk, someone who was on your committee.

4. If you need another, see #3 (ideally from a different institution than #2 and #3).

[ruralguy]

yes to all of the previous advice.

If its a teaching oriented school you want to move to (or more so than the R1), then be sure at least one person can speak to this well.

[lilith]

Thank you so much for this advice, because I did not think about asking someone who is a bigger name at another University, I would never have thought about that!

[mleok]

It is certainly helpful to get letters from big names at a variety of top schools (ideally places besides those where you've worked, done your degrees, or postdoc'ed), since it indicates a strong national or international reputation. Indeed, this is certainly one of the things I look out for in a candidate for a tenure-track position at a R1 university. Letters from only a limited number of schools where the applicant has had a direct connection suggests that the applicant's work has not had a very broad impact on the field.