Back to School as a Professor (Adjunct Style)
Posted by CathyG in academic career, back to school, career advice, career change on 02 5th, 2010If you are involved in a mid-life career change or a long job search, you may be getting advice to expand your horizons and try new fields. Recently the New York Times suggested that career changers explore the possibility of adjunct teaching. Read the full article here.
The article makes some good points.
First, teaching won’t pay a lot but it can broaden your resume. You’ll have some answers to a prospective employer’s question, “And what are you doing now?” Almost any paid employment will be better than staying home.
Second, you don’t always need an advanced degree or teaching experience. Some departments will welcome you when you just bring successful experience and at least a BA degree. You get support in putting your course together. Some schools even assign you a mentor to help out when you are new.
Third, you may be able to find new contacts and even clients.
However, I would add a few points.
First, never assume anything. Go ahead and apply. Well-meaning friends will say, “They won’t hire you” or worse. Find out for yourself. Informal networking is less effective in academia than any place I know (except maybe government jobs).
Second, tailor your resume to emphasize related experience in the field as well as any teaching, training or even speaking experience. If you’ve got somespare cash, you can hire a coach for an hour or two to help you revise your resume.
Third, you may decide you like teaching and want to pursue a full-time job. It’s very rare to move from adjunct to full-time in the same school. Ask around to see if others have made this move at a particular place where you are teaching. If few people have made this move, build up a portfolio of good course evaluations and apply elsewhere.
Fourth, if you are interested in higher ed teaching, you can’t afford to assume that all degrees are created equal. Academics are selective about degrees and credentials. Some non-traditional degree will be helpful when you stay within your company or even change jobs in your field but will not be recognized by academic institutions.
Finally, I often recommend adjunct teaching as a helpful activity during a job search or career change. If nothing else, doing something new will bring a new perspective to your life and career. Many professionals are energized by novelty.
However, teaching can be exhausting, especially at first. My first days teaching at a junior college left me wiped! After years of experience, teaching a night course left me both tired and too “up” to go to sleep right away.
And yes, you can make contacts but I wouldn’t count on them. Some adjuncts have had great luck: students hire them as consultants and colleagues expand their professional network. Others have zero success: their students are too junior to do much good and colleagues can be aloof and clique-y.
All in all, though, adjunct teaching is a useful addition to your between-jobs activity and I’d recommend checking it out. I made a major career change this way.
For information about returning to school as a student, go here.
Please join the Network for this blog on Facebook. See the link on the right.
read comments (0)Mid-Life Career Strategy: Does an MBA Make Sense For Career Planning?
Posted by CathyG in back to school, career change on 01 31st, 2010Mid-life career changers often consider returning to school. Here are 3 reasons why you might consider getting an MBA… and when you might consider doing something else.
(1) Supplementing skills in a field where you are already successful.
An MBA degree has become extremely popular as a second degree to supplement an existing specialty. For instance, nurses and doctors are seeking business knowledge in such large numbers that some universities have created special programs for them.
This option makes sense if you can use the knowledge immediately and you can pay for the program comfortably. If you are not self-employed, make sure your employer or the employment marketplace will reward your efforts.
(2) Using an MBA degree to find a new career in a totally different field.
“Nathan,” was employed by a firm that marketed business seminars. He wanted to work for a nonprofit firm that promoted green business. He couldn’t see how to make the leap so he thought, “Why not an MBA?”
Nathan needs to talk to at least 6 people who work in firms like the one he wants to join. He needs to target employees at sufficiently high levels in this firm, asking how they achieved their positions. He may find that firms in this field look for MBAs from specific schools, with specific majors and/or with specific experience.
Most important, if you choose an MBA for career change, make sure your program allows networking with other students. Once I taught a class in an Executive MBA program when one participant lost her job. Her resume landed on the desk of a classmate who recognized her and moved her application to the top of the pile.
(3) Using an MBA to get promoted within your own company.
“Susan” worked for a medium-sized company. She couldn’t understand why her promotions were blocked. Her bosses told her she needed marketing courses. When she completed her marketing courses, they said she needed finance…and maybe an MBA.
Susan needs to figure out if she really needs all this training or if her bosses are finding creative ways to turn her down, over and over again.
Generally you need to look at your company’s history. Sometimes an MBA from just about anywhere will give you a leg up the corporate ladder. But you have to think more broadly. Even with an MBA, you are not protected from company politics and downsizing. Consider what you would do if you had to take your MBA elsewhere. Would you still be recognized?
An MBA will be just part of your career planning challenge. To learn more about career change, visit http://www.MidlifeCareerChoice.com and sign up for the FREE 12-week Midlife Career Strategy e-course: 12 lessons delivered to your inbox. Do the suggested assignments and you’re guaranteed to get an “A” in midlife career strategy.
Or download my Report: Back To School For A Mid-Life Career Change.
Finding a new Mid-Life Career : Med School at Age 51
Posted by CathyG in age discrimination, back to school, career change on 12 26th, 2009A Canadian CEO, Brian Levy, returned to medical school after his corporate job wet sour. To be sure, he enjoyed a number of advantages. He’d left corporate life with a package of $11 million. He drives to the hospital in a Lexus. But his profs say he works harder and he’s the most prepared for any medical presentation. He has real empathy with the patients.
Inspirational to a point: it helps if you’ve got the money and family support. But if you’re worried about having energy and brainpower for this kind of career change, read about it here.
Mid-Life Career Change: Choosing an MBA or Doctoral Program Online
Posted by CathyG in MBA programs, academic career, back to school, career advice on 12 13th, 2009
Choosing the wrong school can be hazardous to your bank account, your goals and even your current job.
On October 10, 2004, Sixty Minutes (a CBS-TV news program) featured a segment about a “university” that claimed to offer degrees through online courses. Many students believed they were signing up for a legitimate program. After all, the page looked fine and the school claimed to be accredited.
Accordingly, students forked over hundreds, even thousands of dollars, only to learn that these “degrees” would do them more harm than good. When prospective employers saw the university’s name on resumes, they were turned off. “We won’t hire someone who wants to go there,” they would say. And one woman’s employer fired her on the spot after she began referring to herself as “Dr X,” honestly believing she had earned a Ph.D.
Students who signed up for these universities weren’t stupid. They had heard about programs that gave credit for life experience. They were told to write a paper that would serve as the basis for evaluating their experience. Sadly, many toiled over this paper, believing they would be evaluated before entering a degree program. The school’s former employees reported that nobody actually read those papers. Only a few clerical employees served as the school’s “staff.” Their main job was to process checks.
The problem is: Prospective students usually realize they need to choose an accredited university. But what does “accredited” mean? Your university may have found a way to buy accreditation just as students find a way to buy degrees.
Anyway, accreditation is not enough. You need to learn how this university will be regarded among various audiences: other universities, employers, and the general public. You also need to assess whether this university really will offer the best path to reach your own goals.
Adults struggling to choose MBA (and other) programs wisely can download a guide: Back to School for Your New Career.
Why Mid-Life Career Change Doesn’t Happen
Posted by CathyG in 21st century, back to school, career advice, career change, career planning, controversial, resume, time management on 08 30th, 2009Many mid-career executives and professionals are miserable in their jobs and frustrated with their careers. They wake up each day, dreading to go to work. They swear they’re ready to make a change. They buy a ton of self-help books. And nothing happens. Here’s why.
Mistake #1: Feeling desperate (and hopeless at the same time). You think, “Well, I’m so comfortable… Then you realize, “I’ve been here three years. I can’t wait another day. I’ve got to get out of here. Clients sometimes say things like, “I don’t care if I get fired,” or, “Maybe I’ll go bankrupt. So what?” What they mean is, “The situation is scary. I’ve waited so long…and it seems hopeless.
The truth is: waiting too long for a change can damage your career. When you are really unhappy, you can sabotage your own success, often unconsciously setting yourself up to be fired. But when I begin to talk with these clients, we almost always uncover realistic, hopeful opportunities. The answer is to get into purposeful, guided action. Once you start moving, the panic goes away. Just plan your trajectory so you aren’t spinning wheels.
Mistake #2: Feeling overwhelmed. When you think about career change, there’s so much to do. Networking. Phone calls. Interviews. Research. Career search is rarely linear. It’s messy and zig-zag. Think “playground basketball” instead of “pro football.”
The good news is: once you take the first action, it’s like pulling on a thread to release a knot. First one part unravels…and then the next. And you see daylight just when you are ready to give up.
I’ve written my own prescription for action: 21-Day Extreme Career Makeover.
Shopping for an Online MBA Degree Program
Posted by CathyG in academic career, back to school on 08 23rd, 2009Career changers often ask me how to choose an online degree. I’ve never taken a degree online but have taught in several programs that are 100% online or that have an online component.
(1) Decide whether you really need another degree. I like to tell the story of a student who was taking courses when I taught in a live classroom many years ago. When she asked about career advancement, her boss kept telling her to take more courses. She sought my advice on what course to take next. I advised her to find a new job. Her boss seemed to be stalling.
(2) Find out whether you can achieve your goal with an online degree. If you aim for a job in a specific company or organization, make sure they’ll accept your degree. Many students are surprised to learn that some universities do not hire graduates of online programs for teaching positions. Even though your university is accredited, a specific career may not be open to you.
(3) Don’t shop based on price. Focus on the school’s track record. Where are their alumni now? What kind of faculty do they have?
For more info, visit my guide to Mid-Life Education .
Book Review: Job Search In a Bad Economy
Posted by CathyG in 21st century, back to school, job loss, job search on 07 20th, 2009Ford Myers : Get The Job You Want Even When No One’s Hiring
This book is one of the better career change and job search books I’ve read in a while. The best sections come at the beginning (as happens with most career books). There’s good advice on introspection and I especially like the Ideal Day Exercise.
The book is divided into bite-size chapters, each just a page or two. With the Table of Contents, it’s easy to find what you want.
Chapters 7 and 8 are especially good. Career advice in the 21st century has been turned upside down. You can’t stop the storm so learn to walk in the rain. Yes!
For implementation, I like the advice on networking. Myers is right: These days, job search doesn’t include networking. It’s ALL networking.
The resume sections look good, but I would check with people in your own industry. I still find it hard to believe people get jobs with functional resumes. There’s a good example of a cover letter on page 124.
Some quibbles:
On page 27, the author suggests substitute teaching as a temporary stopgap career. I’ve never heard of substitute teaching in “colleges and universities.” The closest reality would be taking a position as an adjunct, where you teach one course for $1500-$3000. You get lots of work and little respect. Sometimes those jobs do help you network but you can’t count on it. If you’ve never taught, you’ll be amazed at how much energy you need (even for a 50-minute college class) and how tired you’ll feel afterward.
On page 168, the author provides a good sample acceptance letter – for an entry or lower-level job. For a job paying over $70,000 (the salary mentioned) you won’t be expected to track your hours and you probably won’t get by with 35 hours a week. An executive acceptance letter would have more detail.
Obviously reviewers can’t comment on every single chapter. However, I want to emphasize that Myers wisely warns readers about scams. He doesn’t go far enough. I once got hired by an executive who decided to pay for a resume blasting service, i.e., get his resume sent to thousands of “hiring managers.” They promised to “put him in front of” employers who had the power to hire him.
I explained that only recruiters (also known as headhunters) could do this legitimately. Nevertheless, he was not deterred. He’s not alone. The author would do many job hunters a service by warning against specific scams and recommending steps to take when hiring a career coach or counselor. Sadly, many job hunters go for the scams and then distrust legitimate professionals who warn them. They think we’re being self-serving. By the time they figure things out, they can’t afford the real deal.
MA Degree: Worthwhile or Waste of time?
Posted by CathyG in back to school, career planning on 07 5th, 2009Today’s New York Tmes includes a discussion of the Masters Degree. “Is the degree worth getting?” the editors ask. Dozens of people wrote to comment.
An MA degree never has been particularly helpful except in certain fields, such as business and social work. But graduate school can offer opportunities beyond the value of the degree. For instance, you make connections that can lead to jobs.
So I would answer this question with, “It depends.” I wrote an ebook about going back to school at midlife. You can learn more here.
Unemployed? Don’t just job hunt, says Penelope Trunk.
Posted by CathyG in back to school, career advice, career planning, job loss, job search on 03 7th, 2009Get these 5 excellent suggestions for what to do when unemployed, from Penelope Trunk. Click here.
Here’s what she says, with my comments.
1. Create your own job. Good advice. Julia Cameron talks about actresses who work when they’re not working — they’ll workshop scripts or teach acting classes. Penelope worked in her boyfriend’s company for 2 hours a day, so she didn’t have to say she was unemployed.
2. Focus on accomplishment, not “work per se.” Penelope got into swing dance during one of her laid-off times. I call this developing a creative project, such as writing a novel. You get a sense of accomplishment and purpose, as well as confidence.
3. Start a blog about the work you want to do. Penelope suggests targeting your desired industry. It’s a great way to demonstrate your knowledge in a laid-back, professional way. She writes, “Everyone who is unemployed should be blogging as a way to get their next job.” I agree.
4. Start your own business. Looks good on your resume and who knows? Might be your next career. My own suggestion: Want to start an Internet business? Consider Alexandria Brown’s blueprint to get started. .
5. Practice promoting yourself to everyone you meet. Another great idea. Practice speaking professionally, even when you talk to friends. Then when you “go pro,” you won’t be acting. You will speak this way naturally,
My rule: Don’t ever put yourself down. You’re allowed to share your doubts and fears only with a paid consultant or coach. Check out my Bragging101 program for specific tips on self-promotion.
Career Change: From Detour to Express Road
Posted by CathyG in back to school, career advice, career change, career coaching, career planning, relocation, resume on 01 29th, 2009Career counselors, career coaches and career guidebooks often give the impression that career change happens in a straight line. But in fact career change typically happens in a zig zag: you move in one direction and then another and eventually realize you’ve landed in the right place.
Career change can also take a lesson from chaos theory. I recently discovered that scientists used chaos theory to help a Japanese spacecraft land on the moon. The craft was low in fuel but the Japanese wanted to claim a moon landing. Scientists calculated a fuel-efficient trajectory that would take the craft to the moon by way of…the sun! What appeared to be a giant detour made the trip possible.
Careers sometimes work the same way. Here’s a story of an MBA (from University of Texas at Austin) who achieved his dream career via a detour to the Peace Corps. Click here to learn more.
