Where to next? I need a new job.
May 25, 2017 9:07 AM Subscribe
I need a new job-- help me think outside the box! (Nonprofit and education background).
Currently, I work at a nonprofit and am placed in an urban middle school. I do lots of direct interaction with youth and families, coordinating with partner organizations and the school, and directly managing staffing/programming etc.
I am feeling pretty burnt out. Not everything is bad-- overall I find working with the kids rewarding though exhausting, and I have a good relationship with school admin and really everyone I work with. Most of my frustration stems from the organization that directly employs me-- I feel that the program director is just coasting and is not interested in addressing the systematic issues that are affecting the quality of the program or thinking about how to move it forward or develop it. I think there's a lot of potential being wasted and the systematic problems make my day to day work harder and less satisfying. I also don't feel like I'm developing professionally or being challenged-- I feel stuck, and bored. (Okay, rant over!)
I'm starting to look around at other jobs and while a lot of what I'm looking at is pretty similar-- program coordinator/manager type stuff, mostly in youth development organizations-- I would like to think outside the box a little more about other career paths or jobs that might be a good fit for me. I feel like in some ways I fell into this, and I'm not sure if I want to stay on this career path.
I'm 6 years out of college. My previous experience is as follows:
Directly before this, I had a different job at the same organization in a better run department that was more office-based project management (funding was lost for this position). I liked the following about this job:
-I enjoyed and was good at keeping track of all of the details and timelines. I liked ensuring that things would go smoothly and efficiently so that everyone could focus on doing their jobs. I liked the focus on problem solving and continuously improving practice and gathering feedback and data to inform discussions about changes.
-I liked that I was doing a wide variety of work--detail work, writing, meetings for different projects, being out at programs-- and that my days were always different. I learned a lot.
-I did a fair amount of work with data in this position-- pulling and analyzing reports, building new reports, creating data visuals and reports. I enjoyed this but have no formal training in it.
-On the negative side, holding folks accountable for the project was sometimes frustrating and I missed working directly with youth.
Before that, I worked in environmental education for several years at a couple different organizations, doing programs for school groups in classrooms and outside.
I liked: -Lots of fun! I really enjoyed teaching in these small groups and hands-on settings.
I didn't like: -The low pay and the hours are really difficult to sustain long-term.
Any thoughts or ideas about jobs or fields I should look into? I don't necessarily need to keep working with youth or in a nonprofit, although both of those things would be fine. I think that I need help thinking about how my skills could be applied more broadly and how to present my skills to a wider pool of employers.
I currently have a BA (no teaching credential). I am not particularly opposed to going to grad school but it would need to be for something specific or with a specific goal in mind.
Thanks.
Currently, I work at a nonprofit and am placed in an urban middle school. I do lots of direct interaction with youth and families, coordinating with partner organizations and the school, and directly managing staffing/programming etc.
I am feeling pretty burnt out. Not everything is bad-- overall I find working with the kids rewarding though exhausting, and I have a good relationship with school admin and really everyone I work with. Most of my frustration stems from the organization that directly employs me-- I feel that the program director is just coasting and is not interested in addressing the systematic issues that are affecting the quality of the program or thinking about how to move it forward or develop it. I think there's a lot of potential being wasted and the systematic problems make my day to day work harder and less satisfying. I also don't feel like I'm developing professionally or being challenged-- I feel stuck, and bored. (Okay, rant over!)
I'm starting to look around at other jobs and while a lot of what I'm looking at is pretty similar-- program coordinator/manager type stuff, mostly in youth development organizations-- I would like to think outside the box a little more about other career paths or jobs that might be a good fit for me. I feel like in some ways I fell into this, and I'm not sure if I want to stay on this career path.
I'm 6 years out of college. My previous experience is as follows:
Directly before this, I had a different job at the same organization in a better run department that was more office-based project management (funding was lost for this position). I liked the following about this job:
-I enjoyed and was good at keeping track of all of the details and timelines. I liked ensuring that things would go smoothly and efficiently so that everyone could focus on doing their jobs. I liked the focus on problem solving and continuously improving practice and gathering feedback and data to inform discussions about changes.
-I liked that I was doing a wide variety of work--detail work, writing, meetings for different projects, being out at programs-- and that my days were always different. I learned a lot.
-I did a fair amount of work with data in this position-- pulling and analyzing reports, building new reports, creating data visuals and reports. I enjoyed this but have no formal training in it.
-On the negative side, holding folks accountable for the project was sometimes frustrating and I missed working directly with youth.
Before that, I worked in environmental education for several years at a couple different organizations, doing programs for school groups in classrooms and outside.
I liked: -Lots of fun! I really enjoyed teaching in these small groups and hands-on settings.
I didn't like: -The low pay and the hours are really difficult to sustain long-term.
Any thoughts or ideas about jobs or fields I should look into? I don't necessarily need to keep working with youth or in a nonprofit, although both of those things would be fine. I think that I need help thinking about how my skills could be applied more broadly and how to present my skills to a wider pool of employers.
I currently have a BA (no teaching credential). I am not particularly opposed to going to grad school but it would need to be for something specific or with a specific goal in mind.
Thanks.
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posted by The corpse in the library at 10:53 AM on May 25, 2017
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:53 AM on May 25, 2017
Program developer for an academic summer camp (e.g. language camp, music camp, programming camp, whatever you have an interest in).
posted by Capri at 11:05 AM on May 25, 2017
posted by Capri at 11:05 AM on May 25, 2017
I currently work as a "career coordinator" of sorts at a private vocational school, and it seems like it corresponds quite well with what you are looking for.
While it does involve quite a bit of interaction with students (which it sounds like you enjoy) and employer-related event planning (which provides plenty of opportunities to keep track of small details and timelines), it also involves working with data (pulling reports and thinking strategically about how to address relevant issues), as well as lots of keeping track of where current students are in terms of pursuing certification in their field (again, lots of detail work and high need to keep track of things for the students), as well as a ton of keeping track of whether or not graduates are employed out in the field in adherence with relevant timelines (again, lots of spreadsheets and detail work).
In addition to this (at least in my role) there is quite a bit of opportunity to interact with other departments, cross-train within different areas of the organization, and a near-infinite range of daily interactions with students (from helping an individual student with certification paperwork to presenting to a large student group).
As if that were not enough of an explanation of "why it's fun and why you should consider trying it too" - then there is the fact that I am busily typing and posting about it on what is supposed to be my day off. I hope that helps clinch the evidence if nothing else will :)
posted by soaringpineapple at 4:06 PM on May 25, 2017
While it does involve quite a bit of interaction with students (which it sounds like you enjoy) and employer-related event planning (which provides plenty of opportunities to keep track of small details and timelines), it also involves working with data (pulling reports and thinking strategically about how to address relevant issues), as well as lots of keeping track of where current students are in terms of pursuing certification in their field (again, lots of detail work and high need to keep track of things for the students), as well as a ton of keeping track of whether or not graduates are employed out in the field in adherence with relevant timelines (again, lots of spreadsheets and detail work).
In addition to this (at least in my role) there is quite a bit of opportunity to interact with other departments, cross-train within different areas of the organization, and a near-infinite range of daily interactions with students (from helping an individual student with certification paperwork to presenting to a large student group).
As if that were not enough of an explanation of "why it's fun and why you should consider trying it too" - then there is the fact that I am busily typing and posting about it on what is supposed to be my day off. I hope that helps clinch the evidence if nothing else will :)
posted by soaringpineapple at 4:06 PM on May 25, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
Options might range from science museums to raptor centers to oddball places like nuclear power plants and dams, which often include interpretive centers that are popular with schools (to the extent field trips remain a thing) because they're free. In a related vein, you might consider zoos and larger park systems, including NPS (or equivalent if you're not in the US). There's a lot of places that are trying to incorporate environmental themes into their interpretation and could use help.
If you have a mod post your location, you may receive some specific suggestions.
posted by carmicha at 10:19 AM on May 25, 2017