I've had a few hires and friends make the transition for the corporate world to education. Their reasons varied greatly.
I've seen several people make the transition from retail tech (Apple/Microsoft/Best Buy) to education. Most were relatively early tech career, had gotten some experience helping people, wanted to escape retail hours/schedule/having to sell phones. They wanted growth opportunities, a chance to develop their skills, etc.
Others have come from corporate IT. Schools tend to expose tech workers to a wider variety of skills, and are less likely to pigeon hole someone into a narrow role (Exchange Admin, VoIP Engineer, etc.). They were attracted by the chance to broaden their skills. It is also worth mentioning that some people struggle with the transition. They want to demonstrate ROI and have issues navigating the culture of their school. The rely too much on top down fiats, and corporate policies.
For some, working for an institution that is working to improve the future (mission driven) is appealing. They might have opportunity to work with children in various roles (tutoring, camps, etc.) and enjoyed the experience. Some have children, and see it as a way of engaging with their children's lives/schools.
I've also seen schools oversell the work/life balances they offer. A previous school of mine was fond of mentioning "free lunch" to candidates. Many jobs these days offer perks not seen in schools (work from home policies, flexible hours, etc., etc.). And free food/beverages are not uncommon in the other workplaces. I've seen tech folks work crazy hours in schools and others who have much better balance. I don't think positive/negative workplace balance issues are unique to corporate America or schools.
In terms of salary, that too varies. Yes, I've seen people take significant pay cuts to join educational institutions, but I've also seen many people end up getting a raise by switching to educational institutions. That's likely because they were underpaid/valued at their previous job, but it happens. I really appreciate the salary survey, I think data helps tech leaders in schools advocate for themselves and their teams. I think too many of us are undervaluing our worth. When I have friends who apply for senior jobs in schools, I suggest they look at the top salaries of other employees (on their schools public 990 forms) and often they are surprised where their offer ranks compared to others.
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Shandor Simon
Director of Technology
Beaver Country Day School
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Original Message:
Sent: 09-10-2021 09:59 PM
From: Tye Campbell
Subject: Annual Salary Survey and Career Transitions
Hi everyone,
As you may know, it's that time of year when the annual salary survey run by Ed Tech Recruiting will launching soon, so please look out for it, complete it as soon as you can, and share it with others in our community.
With that survey in mind, and with the opportunity that this pandemic has provided, I find myself thinking about those who might currently work in a corporate environment and are looking for a change. Oftentimes, the decision to switch from corporate to the independent school world pits the promise of an improved work/life balance and work toward a positive mission with a reduction in salary (sometimes rather significant). My question is this: what are some ways in which you have helped potential hires in this situation make the decision to join our indy school community? If this was you at some point, what was the deciding factor for you? How significant a role did salary play in the decision?
#General
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Tye Campbell
Director of Strategic Information and Innovation @ Gilman School
ATLIS Board Member
tcampbell@gilman.edu
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