Thinking outside the "education" box

I'm sorry if this is long.

I am starting to look at industries that I don't know much about because I have been a permanent substitute for 5 years with no end in sight. I spoke to a career counselor at my alma mater about some options, but since then I have done my own research trying to match the skills I have developed over the years and I am trying to find a good fit.

In previous jobs I have done training, helped write training materials, and helped out with hiring, and I LOVED it, but I'm not finding a whole lot when I search "training and development". Working at a non-profit is intriguing, but I'm not sure how well I would do at fundraising because the thought of making cold calls causes severe anxiety for me. I love the idea of working at a university or college as well in financial aid or academic advising. I'm not even sure if I know what I'm looking for, but I'm hoping someone familiar with these positions can maybe help me make these ideas more concrete.

I have a B.A. in English and an M.S. in El Ed. I guess my question is for anyone in these types of positions, what titles am I looking for when I search for jobs? Where would I look for positions like these (besides the college and university ones)? Are there positions similar to the ones I mentioned?

Also I see a lot of people talking about contacting recruiters. How do I go about contacting one?

I'm sorry for the overload of questions. Also, before anyone says a specific position doesn't pay a lot, it cannot be worse than what I am making now, so I am open to "entry level."

Anything that can help me is appreciated! Thanks so much!

Message edited 3/28/2013 4:04:04 PM.

Re: Thinking outside the "education" box

There are a bunch of options. DH went to school for education, decided not to go that route. He is a trainer for a software company. Many companies have started to outsource training to cut back on expenses, so the jobs can be hard to find. Check out ASTD for more information on those types of jobs.

I work for a test prep company, we have a bunch of people who used to work in traditional education settings. You could be in sales, operations, curriculum development. I work for Kaplan, but there are a ton of other education companies to look into, Pearson, RevPrep, Scholastic.

If you want to go the higher ed admin route, look on the local school sites or on Chronicle of Higher Education job postings.

Hope this helps.

Re: Thinking outside the "education" box

Maybe something health care or social services related?

The ability to write well is a critical skill. Unfortunately, I find it lacking in a professional environment these days.

90% of my job involves writing.

I work for a major home health care provider.

Re: Thinking outside the "education" box

Re: Thinking outside the "education" box

Re: Thinking outside the "education" box

What about positions in HR? Or even working an administrative job at a college?

Re: Thinking outside the "education" box

Working at a college/university could be a good option. The field is actally called higher education administration and you can work in the departments you mentioned as well as student activities, res life, registrar, admissions, etc. Most positions in academic advising do require a masters in higher ed admin, counseling, or some type of education field. NYU & Baruch both have higher ed admin masters degrees, 36 credit programs. Check out positions at your local colleges using your transferable skills and see what happens. Higheredjobs.com is a good website to see what jobs are available in the field too. Good luck.

Re: Thinking outside the "education" box

Thinking outside the

Thanks again for all of these suggestions ladies! Just needed a bit of outside perspective! I appreciate it!

Re: Thinking outside the "education" box

If you're into doing a few different part-time jobs, you could look into college writing center positions.

Re: Thinking outside the "education" box

Are there any particular qualifications to work for agencies that provide services to kids with special needs? DS has a SEIT right now through the CPSE program and she is employed through an agency called Kidz Therapies. There are also a ton of other providers on the list. (He gets OT through NY Therapy Placement Services).

When I was younger, I knew a few women who worked for agencies like this and they had backgrounds in education as well as psychology.

I know his has her degree in special education though. She sees him at school and in the community. Since this is a service that a lot of kids need, I would imagine there is a big need for people.

Who knows though with cuts in education and the like. Definitely worth looking into though. DS loves his SEIT, and he has done so well this year we will probably discontinue services next year, even if they recommend them.

Thinking outside the

They have to be Special Ed certified. I have a ton of experience in ABA because of the school I work in, but they want the certification. I appreciate the suggestions! I've been plugging along in my search with the suggestions everyone gave and I truly appreciate it!

Thinking outside the

Hey Michele,
I'm sorry you're still having to look. Have you thought about educational publishing? That's where I'm beginning to look for freelancing, but I know a lot of the publishers in NYC want people on-site. And as much as the new wave of testing sucks, it's creating jobs for people who know how to write assessments. Shoot me an fm or email if you want- I can send the names of some companies and info on places to look for work.