Employees Ask: How can I work in higher ed without teaching?

So you’ve gone through all the schooling required for your teaching degree, only to be faced with an uphill battle to break into the world of higher education. We’re always here to help if you’re still trying to build a teaching career, but you have so many more opportunities to choose from! If you’re seeking the best higher education careers that aren’t teaching, Top Applicant has your back.

Why not teach?

Before we share our top 3 careers in higher education, we’d like to ask the big question. Why are so many people with teaching degrees leaving teaching positions? Here are two recent statistics that shed some light on this migration:

Burnout

In higher education, nearly half of all faculty members leave their institutions within the first three years of employment. This high turnover can also have an impact on institutional stability, student success, and quality of education.

Culture

A scary statistic about the culture of higher education careers is the prevalence of academic bullying! Studies have shown that a significant number of faculty members experience bullying behaviors such as:

 

Exclusion  Isolation from academic or social activities can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental struggles.
Insults  Threats, or harassment directed at faculty members’ personal lives or character can be damaging to both their career and their mental health!
Undermining  When a faculty member’s work or reputation gets dragged through the mud, the effects ripple throughout their professional and personal life!

 

Many professionals do find success teaching in higher education, and if that’s your passion, you can find resources to grow your skills.! However, we urge every Top Applicant to think outside the box when evaluating career goals! Here are 3 non-traditional higher-education careers to apply for.  

 

 

What Can You Do Instead

Counseling

This alternative to typical higher education careers suits those with a deep desire to further student success. If you enjoy helping students both personally and professionally, value flexibility, and you’d still like to work in the collegiate environment, this one’s for you!

Strategic Management

An education degree can prepare you for a career in strategic management by providing skills like problem-solving, communication, leadership, analysis, and adaptability. These are essential for identifying challenges, strategizing, and leading teams in a constantly changing environment. While it may not be the most traditional path, strategic management can offer a strong foundation for success!

Human Resources

For a non-traditional, lucrative path, HR offices in colleges and universities across the nation yearn for help that understands the stress and intricacies of careers in higher education. If you’re driven to help people regardless of their age and have a strong desire to help teachers stay teaching, why not support your colleagues as a human resources representative?

 

Sign Up, Branch Out

Top Applicant promotes continuing professional development, regardless of where your career takes you! If you’re ready to level up your career, salary, and understanding, there’s only one platform where you can do it all. Sign up to discover ideal opportunities for you with the modern way to hire! 

Sign Up