Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Professors at CSU Long Beach
For undergraduates, tutoring positions at community colleges or CSUs can be a starting point, while those with a master's can teach at four-year institutions or participate in community college internship programs that serve as a "trial run" for potential faculty positions. Regardless of degree level, Herman emphasizes developing both "hard skills" like Excel and coding languages and crucial "soft skills" such as teamwork and the ability to take feedback, advising students to leverage available campus resources to enhance competitiveness.
Teaching, Higher Education, Career Preparation, Skill Development, Teamwork
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Herman Singh
Professor
CSU Long Beach
CSU Long Beach
Economics
Education, Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Education
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Master's degree can qualify you to teach at a four-year institution (CSU level) or community college level.
2. Undergraduate students can gain experience by tutoring at a community college or CSU, then progressing to a TA position, and potentially teaching.
3. Developing hard skills like Excel and coding languages, as well as soft skills like teamwork and the ability to take feedback, are crucial for job preparation and are highly valued by employers.
Transcript
What entry-level positions are there in this field that an undergraduate or graduate student might consider?
The nice thing about teaching is that with a master's degree, you can teach at a four-year institution, like at the CSU level, or even at the community college level. For undergraduate students, it's a little tough. You could work in tutoring at a community college or a CSU and then work your way up.
I was a tutor, then a TA, and then was able to teach. For master's students, many community college programs allow you to become an intern for a professor. Some districts offer this, and if they do, you essentially become a part-time faculty member. You help the professor with their daily tasks and get to see what teaching is like. The goal is for them to hire you after you graduate with your master's. It's like a trial run.
Being a TA in grad school is also a great way to understand if you like teaching. Sometimes you just don't know if you're not in it. These are some things you can prepare for if you want to go into teaching from the consulting side.
To prepare, learn software used in industry. I tell my upper-division students they need to know Excel and other coding languages, especially if they want to use economics or get a high-paying job. These are hard skills that are essential.
I always try to direct students to different coding language bootcamps or free resources where they can learn on their own or over the summer. This adds to their resume and makes them more competitive. Being able to work in teams is also important.
Some of the work I do now involves collaborating with different committees and employers. We ask them what they're looking for in a student and why they would hire one of our students. One of the biggest things they mention every time is soft skills.
This includes being able to take feedback, which surprisingly many people can't do. You're never going to be working alone unless it's your own company. You'll be working with people, reporting to them, and collaborating with other departments. You have to be able to communicate, take feedback, and work towards a common goal.
These are things we see often, and we try to implement them into the classroom. When you do group work, it's essentially mimicking a real-life job. We try to mirror what you would be doing in the workplace because it's good practice and allows you to develop skills.
Gaining soft skills and hard skills while in undergrad or your master's program is extremely important. Take advantage of different programs on campus. We have many valuable resources that students aren't aware of or don't utilize. I understand everyone has obligations, but you need to make sacrifices for yourself to further your goals.