Dare I go for a lecturer job?

[helloooooo11]

I work in a field of healthcare, and I have been qualified for just under 6 years now. A few years ago, i was invited to present a lecture at a local university and I loved it. The lecturer mentioned that I was very good at it.

Fast forward, and they are recruiting for a lecturer. I have applied on a bit of a whim and I’ve just been offered an interview. I am really unsure:

Pros:

• it is a really good opportunity for me to develop
• im already getting a bit tired of unrewarding clinical work and long waiting lists etc
• it is £9,000 more than what I am earning now - which would be amazing!
• there may be opportunities for flexible working from home options (which I don’t have now)
• you still do the job on the side which will be nice for my clinical development

Cons:

• it is a 40 minute commute (which is the same as what I am doing now)
• I am unsure if I would enjoy the teaching side as it is very new to me and honestly I haven’t really done anything like this before
• my current role can be unrewarding but it’s comfortable and I am good at it
• it is not advertised as a full time role but there is flexibility which I stated in my application.
• i do not know if it is term-time only (which I would not want yet - may be ideal when I have kids)
• I am still young (28) and only 6 years into the job!

I will of course do the interview but I am so unsure what i would even do. Even the interview prep is daunting me (lots of presentations to prep).

Anyone have any experience of lecturing, or any words of wisdom?

I’m a healthcare lecturer and love my job. I moved into higher education about ten years after qualifying. Lecturing jobs are normally 52weeks a year, so not term time only.

get reading up on stuff like the nss results for the course. Think about what the challenges are for healthcare students and how they can be supported.

A university teaching job will not be termtime only - especially in a healthcare field.

Go for it though

Go for it. The worst they can say is no, and you'll be in no different situation than when you started. Plus, the experience of applying/interviewing and meeting people can be really interesting and fun - you already have a job, so you are under no pressure here.
Plus, even if they offer you something you can always decline the job if you aren't sure it's the right fit. Just be careful about doing that if you KNOW it's what you want in the future, you might burn a bridge if you don't handle it correctly.

I concur with others who are reminding you that lecturing isn't just a term time job: you'll generally be expected to work and play an active role in university/department life during the student's holidays too. Plus you will likely have to help with recruitment/interviews etc etc. Supporting students is not a 9-5 job - and grading their papers, helping them with placements, answering their questions about coursework etc takes up a good deal of time, as does developing new courses and doing your own research etc. If you are on the fence about it and about learning how to be a great teacher then don't do it: students deserve lecturers who are passionate about teaching and giving the students a great education.

You need to be really good at time-management and setting appropriate boundaries too. University life is very much a "you get out of it what you put in" and while I loved being a professor at University, it's not for people who aren't really interested in being mentors or playing a role in the life of the University too.

You can test the waters at some universities by getting a job as an "adjunct" - i.e. someone who only teaches one course.

Do it!
Never don't apply for a job!

Check out the hours, flexibility, term-time working etc BEFORE the interview. Don't waste your time or theirs if it isn't going to work for you.