I got a job as an instructor...

[sanantone]

...at a nationally-accredited, for-profit college. I feel like I'm selling my soul to the devil, but I really need to get out of my current job because I hate it with a passion. I don't know if the teaching experience will look good on my CV. Considering the type of school it is, it'll probably keep me out of the better colleges when I graduate with my PhD. I can always keep it off my CV and focus on the instructional assistantship I'll be starting next semester or school year at Texas State.

[cookderosa]

I say CONGRATULATIONS to you!! If a spot opened up today in my town at an NA school I'd take it without hesitation. What may make the transition hard is teaching online only instead of both, so my suggestion is trying to do some community college adjunct work if possible. (you didn't say if it was online or on the ground, so I'm just musing) If nothing in a degree program is open, it's always easy to teach in the non-credit division. Fill your resume with teaching, and by diffusing it a bit, you'll create the picture of being "well-rounded" and "adaptable" which are wins.

[Jonathan Whatley]

I don't know if the teaching experience will look good on my CV.

It certainly will.

Considering the type of school it is, it'll probably keep me out of the better colleges when I graduate with my PhD.

I strongly believe it won't. It's your first postsecondary teaching job out of your master's. Really, directing courses for college credit independently at this stage of your career should be impressive full stop. And it is. At worst this will give you war stories perfect for future humblebragging.

You're also in or around criminal justice, where diverse teaching environments are part of the field – not only NA schools but also police academies, continuing education programs, etc. And Jennifer says it all about adaptability.

Congratulations! And well deserved. The world is more right now that someone's paying you to teach. You sure teach us things.

[sanantone]

I say CONGRATULATIONS to you!! If a spot opened up today in my town at an NA school I'd take it without hesitation. What may make the transition hard is teaching online only instead of both, so my suggestion is trying to do some community college adjunct work if possible. (you didn't say if it was online or on the ground, so I'm just musing) If nothing in a degree program is open, it's always easy to teach in the non-credit division. Fill your resume with teaching, and by diffusing it a bit, you'll create the picture of being "well-rounded" and "adaptable" which are wins.

I will be teaching on campus at first. I will have the option of teaching online in the future.


Thank you for the congratulations, but I have heard about the stigma of teaching at for profits when trying to transition to traditional schools. I also read a study that said it's difficult to go from low prestige colleges to high prestige colleges.

[UptonSinclair]

Does it pay the bills? If so, you one up on many of the Phd's currently in the academic job market.

Congrats

[cookderosa]

I will be teaching on campus at first. I will have the option of teaching online in the future.


Thank you for the congratulations, but I have heard about the stigma of teaching at for profits when trying to transition to traditional schools. I also read a study that said it's difficult to go from low prestige colleges to high prestige colleges.

Yes, and you know, if you attend school online no one will ever take your degree seriously <grin> Hogwash. There is no one way, there is no right way. You make YOUR way.

[Lindagerr]

Teaching is one of those things where it doesn't seem to matter as much where you got the experience but that you have it.
I know PhD's that have taught at CC as adjuncts to start and moved up to "real" colleges Like Rutgers and I know MAA's that have started teaching at a CC and taught as adjunct at 3 others before finally getting full professorship at another.

Where you start doesn't matter get the experience and be a good teacher get good reviews on Ratemyprofessor.com so kids want to be in your class and it will be an asset to whatever comes next.

[Daithi]

I think it is pretty cool that you've landed yourself a teaching job. I would think that having teaching experience on a resume/CV would be a great thing, but I don't have experience in the academic world, so I can't say one way or another.

Regardless of how a future prestigious university may see it, you get out of a job you despise, and that has to be worth something. In any event, I say congratulations!

P.S. I just thought of something. I do have a friend, who has an MBA from Bryant, that started teaching night courses at a CC. This gave him the experience to land a full time position teaching at Johnson & Wales.

[topdog98]

I'll be surprised if you have any students since you'll probably advise all of them to drop your class and take a CLEP instead.

Seriously, congratulations, and you'll do a great job. It soulds like a wonderful oppurtunity, and I echo what others have already said.

[taylor]

Congrats!!! Based on a lot of your posts it seems like academia will suit you well. Now go out there and show your colleagues and future students that there's a new sheriff in town. Make a great first impression ride your new mountain bike on campus and do a couple of popper wheelies and then do one of those cool screeching side stops when you park your bike. JK please don't take my advice I don't want you to get fired on your first day of work for acting like a juvenile. Good luck!