Starting Over

As mentioned in my blog a few days ago, I am going to be leaving my current position for somewhere else. Whether that is another teaching position or something else, I don’t yet know. I’m rather disgusted and disheartened by the state of public education at the present time. I have been through two schools and three administrations in the last 8 months, and while I have tried to meet the changes with a positive energy, all I feel in return is beaten.

A good friend, whom I don’t connect with often enough, suggested I take the opportunity to really ask myself several questions:

• Look at your “if I could do anything” dream job list
• see if any could be modified to work from home (pandemic)

So I went back to a year ago when I had to dip into the this-n-that “gig life” trying to find income sources. The things I ended up doing all involved:

• learning new information
• analytical/critical reading
• writing
• editing
• projects (clear beginning and end)

I didn’t get a lot of this work, but I got several projects. My personal joy was immense both during each project as well as when I would successfully complete them. The projects all involved:

• creative thinking
• collaboration in goal-setting, but
• the bulk of the work was done solo
• very little repetition

I found some work through a professional temp agency. I found other projects through online connections when I marketed myself as an editor or copy writer.

I had looked into getting a certificate in, for example, technical writing or copy writing, but that idea hit me as the money was flat running out and my health and family finances required me to find full-time work. I couldn’t live with the idea if I’d remained “selfish” and we’d gone under. So I went back to find a teaching position. I landed one only for that to go pear-shaped because of FTE stuff (too long to explain – let’s just call it educational funding politics)

As previously mentioned, this position I transferred has done nothing but drain me. I’m doing my best to meet my students’ needs for the last four weeks of school and the last six weeks of paychecks.

But with my friend’s and spouse’s support, I have given myself permission to explore what it might take to make myself qualified for a job where I can do project work like all the above, but have the security of a predictable income level. This work has job titles like technical writer, copy writer, HR trainer or PR specialist. But to get in the door full-time, it seems I need certification. My 27 year old journalism degree isn’t sufficient, despite the fact that I’ve been making the documents these positions regularly as part of other positions.

I researched and found a Professional Writing graduate certificate at my alma mater that would provide a certificate for the skills for these jobs. So I’m applying to start in fall 2020. I won’t be finished until 2022, but maybe I can get an entry-level position while I’m studying. Also networking with my professors and classmates will help in finding other job leads.

I feel a bit like I have a million oars in the water, but at least at the moment I’m on top of the water not drowning.

I’d love to hear from any people currently doing such work as described above and get guidance on what to focus on to make something like this my new career path. So if you’re such a person and willing to share, please drop me a note.

Thank you for listening,

~ Lara