How Higher Ed Pros Can Find Greener Grass

Hopefully you've read my words before: "the grass is greener on the other side, multiple shades greener in fact." Possibly you've been considering trying out this green grass for a very long time, maybe it's a newer pandemic-borne idea, and/or maybe you're already actively pursuing this green grass. By now, you've come to terms with how dry, brown, and unhealthy your grass is. Your grass has put you somewhere on this spectrum of considering leaving, wanting to leave, and activating the search. The goal of this article is to help you find the end of the spectrum: gone from higher education.

Since I left my brown grass three years ago and moved to the most luscious lawn possible, I have been contacted by hundreds of higher ed employees who are at various points in the leaving spectrum. Most of them don't know about each other, and they probably have no idea how many of them there actually are. I'm talking about newer professionals, seasoned professionals, and people I would consider lifers. There have been people in student affairs, academic advising, faculty, athletics, and even vice presidents. Here's the point: it's widespread - you are not alone!

Since you're reading this article, my guess is you are also somewhere in this leaving spectrum. If you're serious about getting to the "gone" stage and finding greener grass, let's get you moving right away. If you're not quite there yet, read on to learn what's in store for you once you're ready.

Get to the Greener Grass: One Step at a Time

1. Embrace the Mindset.

Your mindset will be your most important tool as you activate your job search. You've likely searched for a new job before, but now you're searching for a whole new career in a whole new industry. For most people, this is going to be a long, challenging, and humbling process (but I promise you- it's worth it). Keeping it real with you- I was casually looking for a role outside of higher education for about 1.5 years, and I submitted around 30 applications in that time.

My best advice is to treat the job search like an additional job. You will need to find the time and energy to focus on the job search. This might mean you cut back on projects that keep you working at night or on the weekends. This might mean you ask your partner to pick up the housework to free up more time. This might mean some hobbies fall by the wayside for a while. Just like how you have sacrificed parts of your life for your job, consider what needs to be sacrificed for your job search (it's a long-term investment/sacrifice).

Another winning strategy for your job search is to leverage a growth mindset. It's inevitable- you will be rejected from roles, you will feel dejected, and you will be confused. Use each application and interview as part of the learning process to get better. All these steps matter in building you up the for the eventual role.

2. Get Inspired.

I am often asked if higher ed pros have the chops to make it outside of higher ed. My answer is always a resounding YES!!! Here's the way I see it- reflect on all the skills and experiences you have accumulated throughout your career because of all the hats you have worn over the years. Well, at least in the corporate world, there's a different person for each of those hats. You have learned to wear all the hats- you have more skills and more experiences to talk about and to leverage than most people in the world. Higher ed employees have learned to make lemonade out of berries time and time again, pulling off miracles every semester. Believe in yourself and remember all you have already pulled off! Here's an article I wrote in 2019 that expands on these skills and experiences.

There are so many people who have successfully reached greener pastures, and whom you can seek inspiration from. Here's a list of some of them whom I have been in touch with over the years- check out their LinkedIn profiles, read about their work, and know you can jump to greener grass too.

Serena Cline, Sumun L. Pendakur, Ed.D., Bie Aweh, Donald Coleman, Jr., Miguel Alvarez, Travarus Fauntleroy, Scott Flanary, Brandon Martin, Maisha Beasley, Ed.D., Peter Hansen, Ed.D., Amanda Carlton, Tiffany Midori Perales, and Nate Alcorn.

"Expatriates of Student Affairs" Facebook group with more than 17K members!

Tom Studdert, Ed.D. and Dr. Jaimie Hoffman have started their own podcast called Pivoting Out of Edu. The episodes feature people from all across education who have successfully transitioned out. Listen to any of the episodes for immediate inspiration.

3. Resume Efforts on Your Resume.

Your resume/CV is probably 4-14 pages long, contains every single thing you have ever done in your career- your internships, your committee work, publications, your millions of degrees, etc. Even a three-page resume outside of higher education is considered information overload. When you put too much on a paper, it's too difficult for anyone else to digest what you have done and can do.

Now is the time to say good-bye to this resume. Use your Marie Kondo tactics to appropriately honor your prized document and then move on from it forever.

Quick tips on creating a new resume:

• Actually create a new resume. Start from scratch. I recommend purchasing a resume template on etsy.com so you can see how far resume formats have come in the past few years, and so the new template will force you to think of your experience differently than how you typically do.
• Re-think everything you put into your new resume, and undo the higher ed jargon. Consider your audience and tailor your new resume to their language.
• Your resume should be no more than two pages (one is often preferred, but I would be a liar if I said I had a one-page resume). Going from several pages to one or two pages for your new resume is incredibly humbling. It feels like you are removing or ignoring critical pieces of your work, your experiences, and your life. But the goal is to help the recruiter and hiring manager focus on what is most important- so they can see exactly what is most relevant to the job they are filling. Put yourself in their shoes- what skills, experiences, and key words would they be looking for, and insert those accordingly. Once you are offered an interview, you can always talk about the other experiences that didn't make the cut.
• View your resume as a work in progress. Remember when I wrote you need to approach this job search like it's your second job? Here's what separates you from the pack- with every job you apply to, you should make slight adjustments to your resume so it accommodates what they are looking for. Maybe there are key skills you can switch in and out based on the role? Maybe there are different parts of your experience you need to highlight to demonstrate how perfect you are for this new role? Take your new standard resume, and make some customizations for each role you apply to.
• Lastly, hire a resume coach, writer, or editor if you want to save some time or are not getting any bites. Tom Studdert, Ed.D. and Dr. Jaimie Hoffman from Pivoting Out of Edu have resume review services, and you can find other resume coaches on LinkedIn.

4. Amp Up your LinkedIn Profile

Now that you have an incredible shorter resume, put some energy into your LinkedIn profile. You should view your LinkedIn profile as complementary to your resume, but not as the same thing. There is so much more you can do on LinkedIn than on your new resume. You can add links to your projects, websites, and videos to make your work stand out so much more. Consider writing your job description more as a story demonstrating your mission and impact as opposed to quick bullet points on a resume.

Similar to your resume, undo the higher ed lingo. Pay particular attention to your headline and description as those are the first parts of your profile the recruiter and hiring managers will look at. Since you're trying to leave higher education, don't lead with this type of language. Instead of calling yourself a higher ed leader, call yourself a leader. Instead of call yourself a student advocate, call yourself an advocate. Remove your official title from your headline since it won't make sense to someone outside of higher ed.

Adjust your profile settings to show recruiters you are open to being contacted about roles (don't worry - only recruiters can see when you have activated this). You can select job titles and locations to help recruiters find you.

Also, get active on LinkedIn. This is not a platform primarily used in the higher ed world, but it's the go-to place for the rest of the world. The more active you are on LinkedIn (posting, commenting, having an all star profile), the more visible you will become in searches.

Check out the Rock Your LinkedIn Profile course on LinkedIn Learning for more tips to maximize your profile and leverage the platform to your benefit.

5. Research, Research, Research

You don't know what you don't know. And right now, you know higher education. So you need to make a conscious effort to get to know the world outside of higher education. You have your master's thesis, possibly a doctoral dissertation, you conduct assessment after every program- it's obvious you know how to conduct research and collect data within the confines of higher ed. Take your research skills outside of the ivory tower and point them to off campus. Learn about the rest of the professional world. I know this seems obvious, but I was blown away the first time I entered a corporate building when I was in my thirties. I'm three years in and still learning about this new world. Learn abut different industries, companies, organizations, and job functions to help you narrow down your search.

• Read articles from Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Forbes, Inc., Business Insider, Bloomberg, etc. and not just the Chronicle of Higher Education.
• Pay attention to the stock market
• Learn about cutting-edge non-profit organizations
• Follow business and non-profit leaders on LinkedIn
• Think about the favorite things in your life (products, services, etc.). Learn more about the companies that make them. Follow these companies on LinkedIn and in the news. What are their core values and company culture?
• Consider the future you want to live and work in. Who's building toward that future and how can you join them?
• Learn about entrepreneurs who have started their own companies (ie: coaches, speakers, consultants, etc.)

The more you learn about companies and organizations outside of higher education, the better idea you will have of where to start your job search. You may learn there's a specific industry or cause you are passionate about, or a company you adore, or a person you would work for in any role. Use these signals to strategically focus your job search.

6. Network, Network, Network

The most annoying and most amazing aspect of the job search is the power of networking. People get jobs because of whom they know. It's not fair, but it's reality. This is an introvert's nightmare, and totally intimidating for anyone coming from an outsider environment. All this means networking is that much more important for you! Again- remember the job search is your second job.

Here's how you can lean in and do the hard work of networking:

• Start with baby steps- talk to your family members, college friends, spouses of friends, and anyone you personally know who doesn't work in higher ed. Learn about their job, their organization, their industry. Even if you have no interest in doing what they do, learn about their work so you can expand your understanding beyond college campuses.
• As you start to narrow the organizations, industries, or roles you are interested in, find out if there's anyone you know currently in any of these areas. Ask for a coffee chat (or in my case a hot chocolate chat) and tell them you want to learn more about their job. Take notes, and follow-up after with a thank you note.
• Snowball effect- with each person you talk to, ask if there's anyone else they can introduce you to. As you receive names and introductions, ask for a 30-minute informational interview. In advance of the interview, do your research about the person, the organization, and the role. Come with specific questions you want answered and be sure to find ways to talk about your unique skillset and experiences. I have been on the receiving end of dozens of informational interviews. It's painfully obvious when people are not prepared to speak with me, and on the other hand, it is memorable and impressive when folks show up prepared.
• Consider other creative (and likely more time consuming) ways to network. Volunteering in your community, meeting parents of your kids' friends, serving on a non-profit board, and offering help or training to a local group are all strategies to put yourself out there in the non-higher-ed world and learn about other sectors. I 100% credit my former side gig with the connections I made that eventually led to my job at LinkedIn.
• Lastly, many companies have internal referral programs. I was blissfully unaware of this when I worked in higher ed, so let me break it down for you. When there's an open position, employees can refer candidates to the role, which gives the candidate a slight edge in the screening process. If their candidate is successful in getting the job, the employee may receive a monetary reward for "finding" the candidate (sometimes several thousands of dollars). So when you see your dream role at your dream company, and you've already met with someone at the company, don't feel like it's a burden to ask for a referral to the job. If they feel comfortable vouching for your candidacy, they will be more than happy to submit your name and hope for the prize money.

As I said before, the power of networking isn't fair, but it's the reality. The more people you know in the area you are looking for, the more likely you will be able to attain a job there. However, don't simply aim for quantity of contacts- aim for quality of your connection with them.

Enjoy the Green Grass!

I am hopeful for you that you can make this transition and find a better way of living and thriving. I don't want to minimize or downplay the time, strategy, effort, and luck it will take to make this move from brown grass to green grass. That's why I've written this article. It's a long-term play for a long-term lifestyle and career change.

As with my previous posts, I hope this article will inspire you to focus on your job search. I am eager to hear how this lands with you. Please give each other encouragement and advice in the comments below. You are welcome to reach out to me individually, and I will happily respond. But please beware- I have written this article to alleviate the amount of meetings that are requested of me. I simply do not have the time to meet with everyone who requests it. I have poured all the advice, information, and resources I can come up with into this article.

I'm wishing you all the best as you take on this second job that will hopefully lead to your next actual job. Please remember- I believe in you, your ability to make the jump, and your ability to succeed in the green grass.

I hope to see you over here soon enough. Take care and be well!