Conclusion to article (draft)

At our presentation on this very subject at the ECCTYC conference, one attendee asked in an overwhelmed and befuddled voice, “How in the world did you do all this?” One of us replied, “You just do it. You can worry about sleep later.” But while that may be true to a large extent, it is important to recognize that all of us didn’t necessarily do all of the above. Or if we did, we did them in varying degrees of intensity. The point is that you push yourself to stand out from the crowd. Anyone who has a chance of getting the job has an MA at least, just like you. So making yourself a student of the hiring process will certainly make you much more prepared for the numerous tests you will take along the way. Every tangible and intangible job-related act you engage in could be the one that puts you over the edge. And reading this article is probably a pretty good start.

Ok, here's another one...

I'm not sure which I like better...look forward to your comments.

Documenting our education and experience and facing an interview room full of intelligent and professional professors who might eventually become our colleagues were neither the first steps nor the last steps in a long journey toward a full-time position. The journey began in graduate school and continues today, and while we can claim no profound knowledge or long list of interview experience, the process and subsequent reflection has taught us a lot about what it takes to get hired at a community college in California.

A couple of questions...

Do we want to use the intro to introduce ourselves (literally)?
Do we want to mention our presentation at ECCTYC in the intro?
Do we want to set up the organization of the essay (literally)?

Introduction Draft

Hi folks...

Here's one of my drafts for the introduction...I have several. I'll keep posting them here as I complete them. Take a look and we'll talk on Friday.

After a rigorous application process and interviewing schedule, Modesto Junior College hired several new faculty members to their Literature and Language Division in the Fall of 2005. While we shared a few characteristics, our unique personalities, preparation, teaching methods, education, and experiences provided for a well-rounded hire. Serendipity, it’s been said, is the best summation of the hiring process, and while we claim no expertise or profound knowledge in this arena, we hope our experiences throughout this process will provide some sense of control for those who are still struggling for a position.

PS- Did I say that I'd draft the conclusion, too?