Applicant  FAQ's  (Frequently Asked Questions)

Please note more FAQs are available online by selecting 'FAQs' from the 'Help' menu after login.

Questions about:

      Reference Letters

    Can I upload a copy of a reference letter for my reference writer?
      No. Your reference writer is the only person who can upload a reference letter.

    Can I extend the expiration dates on my reference letters?

      No. Your reference writer is the only person who can make changes to the expiration date of a reference letter.

    Did my reference letters get submitted to AcademicJobsOnline?

      To find out whether your reference letters have been submitted to AcademicJobsOnline, click on the the Status link in the header or footer of the AJO website after you've logged in. Then click on the name of the department, which will bring up your application to that department. You will be able to see which reference letters have been received for your application.

      The references you submitted are listed in the References section, about 2/3 of the way down the page. To the right of each reference is Received, where a date will be listed only if the reference letter has been received. This Date Received item will be your indication as to whether the department has received a reference letter from this listed reference.

    What happens if my reference writer refuses to use AcademicJobsOnline?

      In that case, give your reference writer information about sending in the letter via regular mail. You can also indicate this on your cover sheet in the References section, where there is a checkbox advising that a reference writer has requested to send the letter by postal mail.

    Will AcademicJobsOnline notify my reference writers that they need to submit their reference letters?

      Assuming your reference writer does not limit access to the letter, it should be viewable to any AcademicJobsOnline employer to whom you made an application. On your cover sheet in the References section, you can check the box, email or email again, which will send instructions to your reference writer.

    How can I submit more reference letters than the school requires?

    Can you tell me how to specify who my reference writers are on the AcademicJobsOnline site without automated emails being sent to them requesting references?

      List your references on your cover sheet and do not check the box that says, email notify on submit.

      Applicant Portfolio

    I have created a new portfolio by using a new email address, how do I delete my old portfolio?
      If you wish to continue using the new Portfolio, the old portfolio will be automatically deleted 12 (twelve) months after the last log in.

      If you wish to use the old portfolio and you have not applied for any jobs using the new portfolio, you can log into the new account and use the Caution... Delete my account right now option on the cover sheet. After completing this step, log into the old account (using old email login). Then go to the cover sheet page, change your email address and click on the Submit button.

    How do I go about deleting my portfolio from AcademicJobsOnline completely?

      Your portfolio will automatically be deleted 12 months after your last login.

      Alternatively, on your cover sheet, where it says, Remove my account and all files once all the jobs I've applied for are finished, you may check this box if you wish to remove all your data from the system (essentially "deleting yourself").

      This will cause your files to be deleted 3 months after all the jobs you've applied for are marked "finished" by the employer. For applicants who never apply for any jobs, checking this box will cause an account to be deleted after 6 months.

    How long does my portfolio stay on AcademicJobsOnline?

    • Old applicant accounts will automatically be deleted after 6 months after all jobs applied for are finished.
    • An account is deleted after 3 months if it is marked to be removed once the applicant's jobs are finished (see previous question above) — or if it is marked as "off market" by the applicant.
    • If an applicant hasn't tried to login for 12 months, the account will be deleted at that point.

    I am having trouble uploading documents to my portfolio. Are there special formats?

      Yes, here is a list of the acceptable formats: PDF, Word, Postscript, DVI, GIF, JPEG, LaTex, Tex, RTF, URL, HTML, TEXT (use the URL format with caution). If you still continue to have problems, then Contact Us for help.

    Which files from my portfolio do employers have access to when I apply for a particular job?

      Employers only have access to the files that you have selected when applying for that particular job.

      Password Issues

    I am setting up a new account, but AcademicJobsOnline keeps rejecting my chosen password?
      Currently a password has to be at least 6 characters long and cannot contain a simple dictionary word or a simple sequence of characters next to each other on the keyboard. For example, 'application' and 'qwerty' are not valid passwords, whereas 'applic1tion' and 'qwexrty' are valid.

    What is the procedure to change the password that was given to me?

      Go to the Login page, enter your email address and your current password, then where it says, new password... if you want to change, enter a new password of your choice. — Please remember that a password has to be at least 6 characters long and cannot contain a simple dictionary word or a simple sequence of characters next to each other on the keyboard. For example, 'application' and 'qwerty' are not valid passwords, whereas 'applic1tion' and 'qwexrty' are valid.

    I cannot remember my password. How do I get a new one?

      Go to the Login page and click the link, Forgot your password?. This will take you to a new screen where you can provide your email address. After you click Submit, AcademicJobsOnline will send you an email with a new password.

       Cover Sheet

    Can my cover sheet be seen by anyone?
      If you check the box next to List me in the "Job Wanted" (or "Free Agent") list (located near the bottom) when you create your cover sheet, your cover sheet can only be seen by participating AcademicJobsOnline employers. If you do not check that box, your cover sheet can be seen only by employers to whom you have made an application.

    After I have applied for a job, will the employer see a change that I subsequently made to my cover sheet?

      The new information will be viewable to the employer — however, you have no way of knowing when an employer might visit the screen. Therefore you may wish to notify the employer that you have updated the file.

      Creating a New Account with AcademicJobsOnline

    How do I open an account with AcademicJobsOnline?

    What is a "login token"?

      After you complete the initial login, you will automatically receive an email from AcademicJobsOnline with your login token. The login token is a special password that will allow you to complete the creation of your account. Once you have received it, come back to the applicant login screen and cut and paste the token login into the text field to create a new account.

      Applying for Jobs

    Can an application be submitted by email to AcademicJobsoOnine.org?
      No, AcademicJobsOnline is an automated job system. You will need to register for an account. Once you have registered, you may then apply for a job using the AcademicJobsOnline system.

    Can I receive emails about new job postings?

      Yes. Go to the "Search" page and search for the jobs that you are interested in, or just click Submit for all the jobs. You can then save the search by giving it a name and check the email notify of new jobs checkbox to get the email when anything new fits the search. You can save as many searches as you like.

      The search can only be saved for up to 6 months. It is automatically deleted after that.

    Some employers request material that is not on the list of items I am automatically asked to submit. How do I include extra items that are not on that list?

      You must contact the school directly.

    How can I withdraw an application either during the active application period, or after jobs have finished?

      During the active application period, go to your "Status" screen and select the job title of the school for which you have applied. At the bottom of that screen, use the withdraw button.

      Once a job is marked as finished by the employer, you are not able to withdraw your application. AcademicJobsOnline give employers the right to access records of completed job searches.

    How can I delete the list of old job applications that I see on my status screen?

      You cannot delete the list. However, the old job applications will disappear after the employer marks the jobs as finished or deleted and six months have passed.


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