... about working in Higher Education
I recently started a new job (yes somebody finally employed me) as a Content Editor for a company that represents small businesses so now I'm working in B2B communications - that's business to business, for anyone who doesn't understand silly marketing jargon. Thus ending my two-ish years of working for universities (more B2C, if you didn't know).
I have to admit, it's a little different to what I'm used to and as much as I am looking forward to perhaps doing some meaningful, measurable work, I began to realise that for all my moaning about bad organisation, over-management, and never really being able to get anything done... there is a quite a lot I took for granted about working in HE. Such as:
Massive training budgets - Want to go on a £400 one day Flash course? Not a problem. Want to spend two days listening to someone tell you how to write? Not a problem. £900 to send you on a Dreamweaver course when you already know how to use it? Indeed. £150 train ticket to London? Of course! Now I know where my fees went...
Equally big confectionary budgets - In universities every meeting seems to have a biscuit, offices have cake, training courses have numerous tea breaks (what you'd expect for your money!) and complimentary mints. Some meetings I would go to for the biscuit choice alone.
Deadlines that aren't really deadlines - And looking particularly impressive when you get something done, shock horror, before deadline because "don't you know this is a university... we never do things on time".
Meetings about meetings - The main culprit for nothing ever getting done, but a good way to while away a Friday afternoon.
Dress-down every day - I spent two years working in university marketing departments without ever hearing the phrase 'dress code' or the request to stop wearing jeans/take my piercings out/stop dying my hair bright red.
Getting mistaken for a student - Going straight from graduation to a job is an unsettling experience enough, so being mistaken for a student (and benifiting from their numerous discounts) was a nice way of easing myself in to the world of work.
The libraries - Free access to thousands of books... I generally have to pay for them now, or make do with council library offerings.
Full internet access - with Facebook and everything. Not that I'd ever abuse my privileges, of course...
Flexi-time - come in when you want, leave when you want, just make the hours up somewhere in the week and everyone's happy!
