Ask the Expert: Am I a Poor Cultural Fit for Academia?

HigherEdJobs Podcast

Have you struggled to fit in when you landed a job on a college campus? In this Ask the Expert episode, Matt Trainum, vice president with the Council of Independent Colleges, responds to a listener who left the busy corporate world due to burnout and made a move into higher education.

This person is having a difficult time adjusting to the "laissez-faire" attitudes of some department colleagues at a time when there are many external environmental challenges and opportunities.

"Am I a bad cultural fit for my institution, department, or academia?" they asked. "After several years, I’m still previewing everything I’m about to say to avoid sounding like the 'private sector guy.' Will this self-censorship ever go away? Would I be a better fit in a business school?"

Trainum said first, he appreciates when people state their truth, even during challenging times. He suggested that our listener "find his crowd." Others on campus likely feel the same way and are having similar conversations. Trainum also said the listener should pick their battles. It's easy to critique the environment you're in when you're not happy or feel like you're not in sync with others on your team. Figure out how to address the issues you want with your "crowd" and focus on what really matters to you.
Trainum is the vice president for networks and strategic partnerships with the Council of Independent Colleges.

Have a question you want to hear answered on Ask the Expert? Send us your question and we may discuss it on a future episode.