Going Adjunct: Considering Teaching in Tough Times
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True, the money isn't great, but exploring adjunct teaching opportunities at two- and four-year colleges can be a way to build up your resume, do some networking and even enhance your own education for free (or at a very low cost). This suggestion from New York Times reporter Phyllis Korkki could be a smart way to beat the unemployment/recession blues.
The need for part-time professors, known as adjuncts, is high right now. Education is one of the few areas of the economy that has been expanding, partly because so many of the unemployed are returning to school.
You may not want to pursue teaching part time, however, if your motivation is mainly financial. The pay for adjunct professors is usually low, and the work can be challenging. Still, the nonmonetary rewards that come with teaching can be substantial.
Often, people need a minimum of a master’s degree to work as adjunct professors, whether at two- or four-year colleges. But with the equivalent skills and expertise, even someone with only a bachelor’s degree might be hired, said Claire Van Ummersen, vice president for the Center for Effective Leadership at the American Council on Education.
