Education can be an incredibly inspirational and rewarding career path, as well as a very competitive and challenging one. If you’re asking yourself if working in education is the right fit for you, get started on your journey with this pros and cons list!
Working in education may be a good fit for you if…
- You’re passionate about your subject area. Love for your subject area makes the job much easier and more meaningful. Imagine being able to share your passion and inspire the next generation to unlock their full potential!
- You’re a natural motivator and mentor. There’s no shortage of need for guidance and inspiration in a school setting. And while great leadership skills have a place in all roles in education, school administration might be in your future if this is a particular strength of yours.
- You have great communication and interpersonal skills. Working in a school means constant exposure to different kinds of learners, ages, and backgrounds. Being able to provide clear directions and excel in written and verbal communication is vital. It’s equally important to bring emotional intelligence and social sensitivity to the varied relationships you’ll experience at school.
- You’re organized and resourceful. Expect to do more with less while being adaptable and flexible to inevitable changes to curriculum, schedules, or procedures. Multitasking and time management are key organizational skills that a career in education requires. All school jobs will also require a fair amount of preparation and administrative work, including teaching roles, which are not typically associated with administrative work.
- You’re naturally patient and resilient. A demanding workload combined with a caretaker role means that mental and emotional stress management is paramount for a career in education. It helps to be able to bounce back quickly and have a healthy sense of good humor!
- You would benefit from a typical school schedule. While there’s less flexibility with daily routine and vacations than in the private sector, those with children at home might enjoy work hours that reflect school schedules and make childcare and transportation easier to manage. Long summer vacations are another added perk!
Working in education may not be a good fit for you if…
- You don’t want to work with children. This one is obvious – but on the flip side, if you’re not interested in administrative duties at all, it can be equally difficult for employees who find themselves no longer working directly with students.
- You don’t want to work with people. Schools are centered around relationships between teachers, parents, students, support staff, and administrators. If you prefer to work alone, working in a school is probably not for you. In this vein, being able to accept support from others is vital. While some find the support system within schools to be a dream scenario, other more independently minded employees may find the team environment challenging.
- You’re extremely shy. While there’s nothing wrong with a little shyness, teachers and other school staff are constantly expected to engage in public speaking, interface with colleagues, and reach out to parents. Timid or quiet individuals may struggle to find their way in a school setting where it will be difficult for them to build their confidence.
- You’re impatient and/or you’re adverse to change. Patience – with children, adults, and circumstance – is a must-have in a chaotic school environment. If this doesn’t sound like you, a more steady or predictable job role may be a better fit.
- You tend to take on the stress of others as your own. If you have difficulty setting emotional boundaries, working in a school setting likely won’t work out, particularly around children who may come from difficult backgrounds.
Knowing your strengths is key to finding a professional home in any industry. While there’s no one-size-fits all solution, we all have unique gifts and quirky personality traits that lay out the path in front of us, or at least clear it up a bit!
To find your ideal job in K-12 Education please visit www.olasjobs.org/jobs
