Hi,
I just read your post. You can always cold send your resume to the dept. chairman but there is a downside to it. You run the risk of being cold shouldered as your job appl. will be basically unsolicited. (When in my late teens my dad used to always tell me to never shy away from asking somebody for advice/help/a job, etc. The worst that could happen is you'll get "no" for an answer.)
You wrote "Problem is there are currently no positions available at the unversity that fit my qualifications". If a full time teaching position is not available have you thought about taking up an adjunct faculty position. Is the univ. at Flagstaff an Arizona State U? In most U's students rate faculty at the end of the quarter/semester. If at the end of 2-3 quarts/sems your students rate you highly the dept. chair could consider giving you a full time position, even if it is not tenured!
This happened to me in 1992. I graduated 4.00 GPA with an MBA in Los Angeles. The dean of the busn school & one of the dept. chairs were behind me to take up a teaching position at the busn school. Since I was already working full time with the federal govt. I opted for an adjunct position. One year later the dean & dept. chair (based on highly rated student feedback) tried talking me into taking up a full time position but I had to decline the offer. (In those days the fed govt had some of the best non-salary benefits and what with jetting around the world at Uncle Sam's expense! It's another story that I quit 11 yrs into my job.)
My advice to you, go ahead and cold send your resume and hope for the best. Dont shy away even if it's an adjunct position. Best of luck.
Sam.

I would suggest (as Sam did) to just go ahead and send.. explain how you'd like to return to the USA and chose THEIR "U" as your first of many options!! never hurts to butter them up a bit..
worst case scenario.. it's a NO!

is there any particular reason why you are only focusing on that "U"? because there are MANY VERY good schools in North America.. one of the most prestigious in Canada is right here in Montreal! Sir George Williams University aka Corcordia U or McGill U!

I actually have a friend at McGill...it's a world class university!!! :-)

Calgary and BC are also assume.

Arizona for one special reason......Dad lives near Phoenix. :-) but I like snow....so Flaggstaff :-)

Thank you for the advice, buttering up academics is always a good idea.

I am thinking more and more about my Dad's suggestion of trying to move to Flaggstaff, AZ. Problem is there are currently no positions available at the unversity that fit my qualifications. I am thinking about writing a letter to the department head and sending my CV, asking if there is any position I could obtain in the department.

Questions:
1. What do you think f the idea of sending a cold CV (Resume)

2. If I do send one, any suggestions on how to approach the head
of department?

Just don't mention Arsenal

First it takrs courage, so good for you. Send all your links, to check your endorsements, reference s etc.Also your contact details are available both in the cover letter put your career objectives or career statements after your name and contact details. It should reflect what you intend to do with your career now snd in the future, aspirations, ambitions. Format it so the employer would be interested in looking at in.and lastly remember they don't know you from Adam and are doing you a favour reading it.Have a friend or colleague read it for 10 seconds did the key points come across? If not for them then most likely not a stranger. Butt in any case if they write back, and regret they can't help you take the time to write them appreciating the time they took to read it. They will remember that for future job openings. Best of luck... fingers crossed

Where I work we get resumes sent often through e-mail. Not saying all company's do it but I do take the time to print them off and read them. If is is someone that has the experience that we require I show it to the owners and keep them in a folder till we are ready to hire..

I then send a e-mail back saying just that...

If they are not someone we would hire I just let them know at the time we are not hiring.

It never hurts to e-mail them I have known many that have been hired that way..

We actually hired a guy from Colorado by his resume and the owners called and talked to him on the phone... prior to him moving to the area...

Just saying you never know till you put yourself out there...