Adjunct teaching opportunity - worth it? Forum

[Anonymous User]

I'm a 3L who struck out at OCI last year and am currently muddling through the government hiring process with some opportunities. I was offered a job teaching in my undergraduate major field at a local state college as an adjunct during the spring of 3L year with an eye towards continuing as an adjunct if I stay in the area after graduation. Assuming I would someday like to make a decent federal salary (SES or GS-15) or move into the private sector (not necessarily biglaw, I have a business background, so also consulting or Big 4), how would this teaching experience be viewed? Is it worth the ~3k salary per course or should I just look at contract doc review to supplement my income after graduation and take the spring semester easy?

[Tanicius]

I really don't see this helping you. This is not a good situation if you're aiming for federal or high-paying private work. You said you have government opportunities available. If that's true, take one and run with it, because the other two options here are a pretty surefire way to make sure your career never takes off. Doc review and adjunct teaching don't get you anywhere but more doc review and more adjunct teaching (if you're lucky).

[Anonymous User]

I really don't see this helping you. This is not a good situation if you're aiming for federal or high-paying private work. You said you have government opportunities available. If that's true, take one and run with it, because the other two options here are a pretty surefire way to make sure your career never takes off. Doc review and adjunct teaching don't get you anywhere but more doc review and more adjunct teaching (if you're lucky).

I'm trying to figure out what to do if I get a low-level government job as a way to supplement my income. I won't know exactly which opportunity I'll have for certain for a couple months, but the pay could range from 35-75. If it's at the lower end, I would want something else to supplement it and don't know if the extra effort of adjuncting is worth it compared to mindless doc review.

[Anonymous User]

I think it's worth it, especially if the course you are teaching is relevant to future potential careers (finance, econ, energy policy, whatever. Don't do it if it's something like feminist literature of the 20th century).

Teaching at a reputable university is a good way to explain why you skipped out on EIP, and start building some expertise in a specific area.

A lot of people in private practice / business maintain a relationship with local universities as adjuncts professors or guest lecturers -- It can be very good for your professional legitimacy and give you access to conferences and other prominent people in the community.

I'm assuming here that your adjunct position would be at a research university . . . would probably hesitate if it's a community college.

Note to above poster: OP is being offered a position to teach during 3L. He can still accept a government / private sector opportunity for full-time if they come through . . having this position may even boost his current applications. It really does depend on the nature of the position and the reputation of the university though.

[Anonymous User]

I think it's worth it, especially if the course you are teaching is relevant to future potential careers (finance, econ, energy policy, whatever. Don't do it if it's something like feminist literature of the 20th century).

Teaching at a reputable university is a good way to explain why you skipped out on EIP, and start building some expertise in a specific area.

A lot of people in private practice / business maintain a relationship with local universities as adjuncts professors or guest lecturers -- It can be very good for your professional legitimacy and give you access to conferences and other prominent people in the community.

I'm assuming here that your adjunct position would be at a research university . . . would probably hesitate if it's a community college.

Note to above poster: OP is being offered a position to teach during 3L. He can still accept a government / private sector opportunity for full-time if they come through . . having this position may even boost his current applications. It really does depend on the nature of the position and the reputation of the university though.

It would be in an applied field (think accounting, finance, marketing) and at a non-research state university (think SUNY Empire, UMUC, Thomas Edison, UDC).