I just found a great article on Inside Higher Ed by Susan O’Doherty. She discusses her process of leaving one job at a university to take another job at a second university.
Here’s how she starts:
I have been asked to write about a dilemma many academics face now: whether to stay or go. What do you do if you hate your job, or if your hours are non-negotiable and incompatible with your kids’ schedules?
A few years ago, the answer would have been simple: Look elsewhere. But what if you have built up seniority in your adjunct position, or are a fairly sure bet on the tenure track? As a new hire, you would be most vulnerable to cutbacks, and despite glowing assurances in the interview, there are no guarantees that the new position would be a significant improvement over your current one. Are you willing to risk your security for some elusive idea of occupational happiness?
I went through a similar process when I decided to leave college teaching to become a full-time freelance writer focusing on writing college textbook supplements and outdoors/travel back in 1994. At the time I was frustrated with the low pay I received for teaching five courses as a adjunct faculty at two community colleges (Butte College and Shasta College) and with the low probability of ever landing that coveted tenure-track position.
So like Susan, I made the switch. Although she stayed inside academia, I left for the freedom of the freelance writer.
What about you? Have you ever made a major career change? Why? Where you glad you did it? Are you contemplating a career change now?
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