I left my teaching job... Should I and how to go back? (applying, degree)

[tttcomrader]

Hi, all! I am a young professional with a dilemma at work and hopefully I can get some insight here.

I was in the military service and finished my Master's degree in math in 2010, upon which I became a math instructor in a fairly huge community college in a Southern Coastal city. The pay was about mid-40k, not a whole lot but enough for me to live on. I stayed at that job for about five years and a half.

I met my wife at school (she is also a instructor) and we have a one year old kid. I started looking for a new job due to the lack of pay raises and promotion opportunities (which is common in both state service and teaching, but we don't even get step increases), a few months ago I landed a job as a statistician in another state agency. This job came with a 10k pay raise and much more opportunities down the road for promotion and can allow me to move into private sectors for even more pay. The office is not a bad place to work in, my coworkers and my direct supervisor get along with me just fine. Things should been great, right?

But here is the problem, I have been depressed and lonely even since the 3rd week here. I feel I am out of my element; I love teaching, the independent that comes with it, and also the fact that I know everything there is about teaching and the content that I teach. In my current job, I am constantly working under somebody, and while my direct supervisor is a great boss, her supervisor, our overall boss, is not so great. He has a temper and do not really understand our work. So I am having a hard time adjusting to my new environment - longer work hours, having to deal with traffic (my new job is further away), learning new materials...

I am no longer confident in myself for work, and sad to say, I simply don't enjoy my current work whereas I used to want to go teach because I enjoy it so much.

I understand change is always hard, changing job is hard, and changing into a totally different profession is even harder. But it has been a few months already and I really don't feel it. I am considering applying back to my old job, there were two others who left with me at around the same period, then there was a hiring freeze, so there are still three vacancies left in my old department, which will be announced once the hiring freeze is lifted (probably early next year).

So my questions are:

1. Am I not giving my new job enough time and enough of a shot?

2. If I decide to go back, should I contact my former supervisors? I left on a good term and I even told them that I would like to apply back to teaching at some point (they probably didn't think it was going to be 6 months later...). Should I email them and explain why I am coming back?

Thank you and I thank you all for your comments!

[Aspe4]

It seems like you're in a decent position. You're already employed, though you do not enjoy the work as much as teaching. I say stay at the new job until the community college job reopens (unfreezes). It's a fair compromise that gives you more time to get the feel of your new job while knowing there's a chance to move back to the old one.

I see no problem maintaining a dialogue with the former supervisors. I would let them know you're considering coming back, they'll probably be really happy to have you.

[tttcomrader]

Should I contact my former supervisors now? Or wait until the actual position reopens?

Thank you!

[Nell Plotts]

I would build your network now. My concern is that instructors, be they Math or Accounting, are not paid well anywhere and they rarely have 'regular' status - you will receive little/nothing in the way of fringe benefits. If you want to build a career in higher education you will need a PhD eventually. Are you willing to do that?

Have you considered teaching a class at your local community college in the evening or weekends? If you did that my concern would be time not spent with your child.

Your frustration with management could happen in any environment. Don't jump ship until your liferaft has been fully vetted and your wife is on-board.

[tttcomrader]

Thank you, Nell. Yes, teaching doesn't pay well... Had it been 5 years ago, I would have stay as statistician, learn, and move up the rank.

After I have a child though, I see things differently... As long as I can pay my bills, my family can afford things that we need. My wife teaches and make about 50k, so as long as I can make somewhere in the high 40ks we should be good. Spend more time with my family and my child.

Now, with traffic and longer work hours, I spend 3 hours at home before I have to go to bed; my child spend about 12 hours a day in daycare center.

And also, it is enjoyment of the job. I enjoy teaching and I love see my students succeed; plus as a community college instructor, I rarely have to work under someone, I saw my supervisor like 2 or 3 times a year. In my current job, I work constantly under them, my immediate supervisor know her stuff, so I'm good; but our overall boss just kept pouring in more work for us and provide conflicting direction because he really doesn't know what we are doing.

So umm... I should email my former supervisors soon you think?

Should I email both the Dean and the Department Chair? Or it sufficient just to email my former immediate supervisor?

Any suggestions on what I should mention in the email?