Post by RoxMonster on Jan 23, 2021 18:26:45 GMT -5
I am a teacher desperately trying to get out of teaching. I have a Master's degree in English/Writing in addition to many years of teaching experience.
My passion is really the outdoors - specifically national parks - but really any kind of nature, park, etc. I think my "dream job" would be one I saw on the NPS job list last year - researching for and writing the park brochures and exhibit signs for a national park. Unfortunately, the issue is I live nowhere near an NPS site, park, monument, or anything. Right now, we are not in the stage of life where we are ready to move. H just finally got a job in his field a year ago, our dog is getting older and we don't want to uproot her, etc.
What are some other jobs that might combine the ability to teach/educate, writing and/or editing and nature? We do have some state parks around here, but many are under-funded and I Have never seen job openings for things like this. I plan to check into my local park district.
Additionally, if the nature element is too difficult, what are some job titles you think would be good to search for that might utilize my other skills in a non-educational setting?
I job search every spring and never wind up finding anything, and I'm wondering if I am just not searching using the right job titles/search words/job skills, what have you.
Post by shopgirl07 on Jan 23, 2021 18:37:13 GMT -5
What about grant writing? You could probably work from home so the job could be anywhere. I’m sure there are lots of opportunities in various non profits.
Post by RoxMonster on Jan 23, 2021 18:56:06 GMT -5
We have a small state park near us, but it is extremely under-funded and wouldn't have a position like this. We do have a wildlife park that I could look into.
I am open to writing for textbooks. I'm assuming just go directly to their websites to apply?
Some of that might fall under more "marketing" type lingo, like content writing or way-finding. Our parks department hired someone to re-do signage on trails and it was more like a communications job.
I would Google for media and publishing companies who have nature-themed publications, to see if they have job openings for what you want. A good keyword to search might be business-to-business (B2B) publications.
I’ve worked and interviewed with a few media companies whose brands focus on life sciences, medicine, research, pharmaceuticals, laboratories, etc. A friend of mine writes for a publication that *only* covers poultry. My current job was 100% remote even before COVID since they’re not based in the US, and I have friends who telecommute for US companies too, so you may not have to even consider moving.
Be open to more than just writing, too (if you want). I started my career as a reporter and I’ve moved into copy editing, basic HTML and web editing, webinar coordination and hosting, newsletters, virtual and in-person conferences, etc.
Also, look into big local universities with extensive research departments in the fields that you’re attracted to. They need people to write their press releases and such.
You could also look into big architecture, construction, and design firms who specialize in planning and building zoos, aquariums, arboretums, etc. (you may have better luck looking for Life Sciences). Or go straight to those facilities themselves to see if they are looking for a PR/marketing person.
For textbooks, look for the publishing company. If you’re in the NYC area try Oxford Press, or Wiley.
Perhaps look for a position in marketing for a local library or parks and recreation department? My friend is a “Content Strategist” for our local library system.
Are you near any state offices? A job like that would likely be in a central/regional office for your state wildlife/environmental/Parks agencies. Science commication is a bigger deal these days in a lot of places.
Also check nature centers, local/state/national Audubon chapters, the nature conservancy etc
Post by penguingrrl on Jan 23, 2021 19:41:41 GMT -5
I would look and see what the state you live in looks for. There might be a position that encompasses all your state parks, or all within a certain region as opposed to just the single underfunded one.
You also might find that there are private organizations within the state parks. I work for an historic site that’s privately operated even though it’s on state grounds. I do the history version of the job you’re looking for . We all wear many hats, so that’s one aspect of my job (my degree is in history). You may be surprised to learn about public private partnerships, such as the one I work for, that allows you to do what you want operating within a state park even though you aren’t actually an employee of the state.
What about a PR or content marketing job for a nature society/association? Many associations are dropping their leases to save money now that they know staff can work from home. AssociationForum.org is one place to search for association jobs, but going direct to their web sites or LinkedIn if you have some in mind is probably most effective.
You could also try to freelance write for orgs in the space you love (maybe volunteer to do 2-3 pieces to get samples/a portfolio), and then build a FT business around that once you have enough clients.
We also have a person on staff in charge of employee learning, and she develops lunch and learns, book clubs, workshops, trainings, etc., and is in charge of our LinkedIn Learning account and making sure we are all aware of/engaged with it. A teacher would probably be fantastic in that type of position.
“With sorrow—for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent,”
DH works is for NPS, doing something similar to what you’ve described. “Interpretation” is a key word to use in your search. He said to make a list of places that are nearby and may fall under that type of umbrella- state parks, museums, historical societies, nature preserves, etc. Also, right now things are all over the place for NPS. The beginning of the year, especially under a new administration, is not a robust time for hiring. Many interpretive centers are still closed and employees are working remotely. We’ve been very fortunate, however no one knows when this whole pandemic will really start to impact the parks and budgets. Unfortunately, this may not be a very good time to try to make this move. (I realize you say you’re not near a park, though this may apply to entities that are closer to home, too).
As a former classroom teacher myself, I think corporate training may be a far better transition with the plan to hone your skills and see what opportunities present themselves as we come out of the pandemic.
When I get sick of teaching, I'm going to freelance for textbook companies writing text and lessons for dummies. I've done this a few summers and it's pretty fun.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
usajobs.gov - search for park. There are many "park rangers - interpretation" listed, although at first glance it appears you have to be on site. But if you dig, you may find a telework position if you're only writing. (Most of the jobs include giving presentations and leading tours.)
Going in a slightly different direction, check out something like the Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, or YMCA, for camps. This isn't exactly what you're talking about, but they might need someone to develop various camp programs, or do marketing for camp. You could even be a camp director if you were interested in continuing to work with kids.
When I get sick of teaching, I'm going to freelance for textbook companies writing text and lessons for dummies. I've done this a few summers and it's pretty fun.
How would one find a job like this? I think I could enjoy doing this part time while my kids are still young and I’m not in the classroom.
When I get sick of teaching, I'm going to freelance for textbook companies writing text and lessons for dummies. I've done this a few summers and it's pretty fun.
How would one find a job like this? I think I could enjoy doing this part time while my kids are still young and I’m not in the classroom.
textbook companies. I worked freelance for Pearson for a couple of summers doing this.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
You could be a content writer or technical writer. In my field, these people essentially work with subject matter experts and then write documents on a specific topic.
I work in the construction industry and we have technical writers who help draft content around safety, quality, and project specific information for proposals.
If you are not ready to move, but feeling burned out on your job, I think you could pursue a role that would get you more experience for your future dream job, even if it’s not outdoors. Civic amenity related roles, like museums, parks & rec, libraries or organizations that work with those places would be great. If you can’t find a job in that, volunteer for outdoor programs. Marketing and writing experience in any field would be helpful. You may also be able to find an online technical writing or editing position related to nature or environmental issues that would look good on a resume.
Post by rondonalddo on Jan 24, 2021 10:13:00 GMT -5
You might check jobs posted with the American Public Gardens association (APGA, publicgardens.org) and look for jobs that mention education or interpretation. It sounds like you want to be responsible for content rather than editing, but editing jobs may come up there, too, I can't remember. You could also try AAM (American Alliance of Museums) if you want to expand to museums (which sometimes have park and garden spaces) and zoos. Zoos have their own association, too, but I'm less familiar with it.
Post by icedcoffee on Jan 24, 2021 10:31:04 GMT -5
A good friend of mine teaches outdoor education for a fancy private school (Friends high school). Hiking, camping, rock climbing, etc are all things she covers is her classes.
Private schools have budgets for things like this. Another friend of mine does similar things but for a college.
I also left teaching (higher Ed) and became a content writer. There's a lot of freelance opportunities out there for writers but a smaller number of full-time jobs with benefits. It's a good idea to build a portfolio, both for experience and to try on different types of writing (I've done copywriting, editing, technical writing, etc. and the experience helped me narrow in on what I really like to do.)
I would not volunteer to write things. Instead, look for paid writing jobs. I started on Upwork (I have thoughts about that too complex to express here) but there are tons of places to look for paid nature writing or environmental writing jobs. You can also look for blog writing, textbooks, instructional material, etc. Instructional design pays well and I'm sure there's a market for nature/outdoors/environmental stuff.
Post by bluestreet on Jan 24, 2021 11:24:41 GMT -5
I’m so glad you posted this question. All the suggestions already here are what first came to mind: copywriting, technical writing, textbook writing.
My friend works for Apex writing middle school science textbooks and loves it. I helped her edit when I was between jobs, and it was fun. There’s a big focus on online learning books (even pre-pandemic), so you get to flex UX skills—ie, interactions, links, pop-up modals, etc.
If you do go into content strategy/design, there are great salaries. Definitely getting into six figures after 5 years.