Creative jobs outside of education, possibly finance/math-related?
April 9, 2013 5:11 PM Subscribe
What jobs outside of education would fit my interests and experiences (most of which are education-related)? Are there jobs related to my math major that will appeal to my need for creative outlets in my work?
I've been in education since I left college 8 years ago, including grad school (MA in math education), 4 years of teaching high school math, and 3 years of training or evaluating math/science teachers. I'm trying to find a new job since my current role ends June 1, but I've applied for several jobs and haven't been offered any. I'm wondering if a change of career paths is in order.
My family is continuously encouraging me to leave education, perhaps for finance/actuarial work, because my undergrad degree is in math (and, frankly, because they'd like me to have the opportunity to make a bit more money than I'm currently making, or would make if I returned to the classroom). Finance/business/economics seem pretty dull to me - I do really love math, but applied math has always seemed unappealing to me. It sounds like a lot of looking at spreadsheets and talking about bonds and dividends and money and statistics, none of which sounds good. I know I'm not giving it a fair shot, though, as I don't totally understand what actuaries or accountants or other people in finance do on a daily basis. I do want to expand my job search, because although I'm lucky enough to have the savings I need to be unemployed for a little while as I continue looking for a job, and although I'm passionate about math education, I definitely want to keep my options open.
I do know that my favorite part of any jobs I've had is any time when I can create something - this includes creating lessons plans and projects for students, creating systems and templates for organizing the work of my fellow teacher evaluators, and creating professional development courses, sessions, and resources for the teachers I train. It also means that I highly value any spare time I have, when I can be painting or sewing or working on building my illustration portfolio (I've had a few tiny freelance projects here and there, but nothing has really made me think this is viable as a full-time job, considering my skill level and willingness towards self-promotion). I think that if I left education, which, again, I feel really passionate about, it'd have to be for a job where I can at least feel a little bit creative on a regular basis.
So, here is the question: What jobs, if any, relate to or take advantage of my math major but also appeal to my interest in creating things at work? Or, where would you recommend I look for a job, given my experiences and background as described above? Please feel free to share your experiences transitioning out of education to a more corporate-type job!
I've been in education since I left college 8 years ago, including grad school (MA in math education), 4 years of teaching high school math, and 3 years of training or evaluating math/science teachers. I'm trying to find a new job since my current role ends June 1, but I've applied for several jobs and haven't been offered any. I'm wondering if a change of career paths is in order.
My family is continuously encouraging me to leave education, perhaps for finance/actuarial work, because my undergrad degree is in math (and, frankly, because they'd like me to have the opportunity to make a bit more money than I'm currently making, or would make if I returned to the classroom). Finance/business/economics seem pretty dull to me - I do really love math, but applied math has always seemed unappealing to me. It sounds like a lot of looking at spreadsheets and talking about bonds and dividends and money and statistics, none of which sounds good. I know I'm not giving it a fair shot, though, as I don't totally understand what actuaries or accountants or other people in finance do on a daily basis. I do want to expand my job search, because although I'm lucky enough to have the savings I need to be unemployed for a little while as I continue looking for a job, and although I'm passionate about math education, I definitely want to keep my options open.
I do know that my favorite part of any jobs I've had is any time when I can create something - this includes creating lessons plans and projects for students, creating systems and templates for organizing the work of my fellow teacher evaluators, and creating professional development courses, sessions, and resources for the teachers I train. It also means that I highly value any spare time I have, when I can be painting or sewing or working on building my illustration portfolio (I've had a few tiny freelance projects here and there, but nothing has really made me think this is viable as a full-time job, considering my skill level and willingness towards self-promotion). I think that if I left education, which, again, I feel really passionate about, it'd have to be for a job where I can at least feel a little bit creative on a regular basis.
So, here is the question: What jobs, if any, relate to or take advantage of my math major but also appeal to my interest in creating things at work? Or, where would you recommend I look for a job, given my experiences and background as described above? Please feel free to share your experiences transitioning out of education to a more corporate-type job!
nthing programming. I'm going to sound like the Coast Guard guy here, but if you are reasonably intelligent, and you enjoy creative work without too much human interaction, programming is the career for you. There are lots of reasonably well-paying jobs available (at least in NYC and SF). And if you decide to do almost anything else later on, programming is like a secret superpower that makes you better at your next job.
posted by novalis_dt at 5:29 PM on April 9, 2013
posted by novalis_dt at 5:29 PM on April 9, 2013
You probably already know this, but the big push right now is for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) integrated education. You might consider switching to STEM curriculum like Project Lead The Way, where students do project-based learning, and have plenty of opportunity for creative outlets. I'd also recommend you look outside your comfort zone and consider maybe teaching manufacturing-- the intersection between the creative process of designing a piece on the computer, modeling its properties, and then feeding that file to a computer controlled milling machine and further on into production and sales can be a pretty awesome experience. Also, as I'm sure you know, there is a ton of grant money for STEM right now-- the problem is finding teachers who can do it. Just a thought, and I only mention it because you wrote that part of you still loves education.
posted by seasparrow at 5:48 PM on April 9, 2013
posted by seasparrow at 5:48 PM on April 9, 2013
I get the same joy out of conducting Sales and Use tax audits. If you work for the state, you're constantly exploring how companies work, and how they spend their money (to identify areas of exposure). Then you spend some time developing sampling techniques and trying to answer questions you have with imperfect data.
You work with accounting, but it's definitely not an accounting job.
posted by politikitty at 5:55 PM on April 9, 2013
You work with accounting, but it's definitely not an accounting job.
posted by politikitty at 5:55 PM on April 9, 2013
Best answer: Actuarial work can actually be really interesting. I work for an actuarial consulting firm (as a programmer, not an actuary), and we get to do all sorts of different projects. I'm always learning and getting to solve various math, technical, analytical problems. Building mathematical models is our core business.
Also, it's one of the few growth businesses in the US right now -- actuaries are in demand.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 5:57 PM on April 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, it's one of the few growth businesses in the US right now -- actuaries are in demand.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 5:57 PM on April 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Go into educational technology! You could be a consultant and help develop cool apps and software for teaching math!
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 5:58 PM on April 9, 2013
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 5:58 PM on April 9, 2013
Best answer: Former math teacher and writer here. I'd also recommend educational technology and/or publishing. I've been making web applications for a textbook publishing company for almost seven years now, and can't really imagine doing anything else. It combines math, programming and education, and it also, because it involves the publishing world, satisfies my interests in that department.
And you don't even have to do programming per se. You could also get involved in the editorial side of things, editing textbooks and working with instructors, or helping to design the technology that I end up making.
posted by seemoreglass at 8:18 AM on April 10, 2013
And you don't even have to do programming per se. You could also get involved in the editorial side of things, editing textbooks and working with instructors, or helping to design the technology that I end up making.
posted by seemoreglass at 8:18 AM on April 10, 2013
Response by poster: These are all really awesome ideas, and I'm going to look into them!! I also want to mark them all as best answer. Seriously. Thanks :) I may be reaching out to you to learn more about your ideas!!!
posted by violetish at 3:45 PM on April 10, 2013
posted by violetish at 3:45 PM on April 10, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
The part where math comes in handy is all that logic that we used proving all those theorems. I feel like I can figure out any problem on paper. Then I just have to figure out how to say it in whatever language I'm using.
posted by dawkins_7 at 5:18 PM on April 9, 2013