Share your marketing knowledge through adjunct teaching
Some people believe that education is a ”recession-proof” industry. While this may be difficult to prove, one might argue that as long as our species continues to repopulate and age, education will continue to be essential for the survival of future generations.
My years higher education marketing have taught me a valuable lesson in economics – when the going gets tough, the tough keep learning. Studies show that more people pursue continuing education during a recession, whether through a half-day seminar, a certification, or a degree. Education is an investment in the individual that provides a great return – even if only a few years down the road when the market shifts.
Bringing the real-world to the classroom
This influx of would-be students has generated a need for qualified adjunct instructors able to bring industry insight into the classroom.
This is especially pertinent to the marketing arena, where advances in technology and shifts toward user-centric messaging leave traditional marketing theory out in the rain. Consumers no longer want to be “sold” – they want to build a relationship with a company and fall in love with a brand. Even the most brilliant marketing minds like Kotler and Keller struggle to keep their gold-standard textbook fresh on these trends.
As a marketer with relevant experience in the field, you can bridge the gap between theory and marketing practice by offering your services as an adjunct instructor. Institutions like community and technical colleges and traditional and non-traditional colleges and universities look to adjuncts to supplement their daytime jobs by teaching classes in the daytime, evenings, or even online.
What credentials do you need to teach?
Typically, the more letters you have by your name, the more teaching options you’ll have in the Education arena. As a general rule, you need one degree level higher than the one you plan to teach. Associate’s-degree-level courses require an instructor with a bachelor’s degree, bachelor’s-level courses require a master’s, master’s courses require a doctorate, and so on. This can vary depending on accreditation of the institution and overall student demand.
Do it for the love of the game
If you’re looking for work or interested in supplementing your income, adjunct teaching may be a good fit for you. But keep in mind – adjunct work requires more than a love of money. There are typically no benefits, no contracts, and no security in adjunct gigs.
And depending on where you teach, the pay typically doesn’t even come close to your full-time colleagues on a per-class basis. Oh, and these colleagues may or may not appreciate your presence as an adjunct if it cost one of their full-time colleagues a contracted position.
These concessions being made, if you have a gift you would like to share and want to test the waters of teaching, adjunct work on your resume shows versatility, flexibility, and a commitment to the future of your profession.
That’s why I do it. And honestly, I can’t say I mind the extra couple hundred bucks a month.
