This has become especially critical in recent years, as secondary schools and colleges have been asked to take over roles which were formerly filled by families. Educators are counselors. They are often expected to provide the psychological and emotional support that many of their students require. They also counsel parents, as well as each other. Again, the qualities of a good listener, a person who gets behind the symptoms to the causes, and the supportive person who is not afraid to express their feelings openly are all qualities that counselors share.
Some educators are small business managers.
Many educators have started and run small businesses during the summer. It makes little difference whether it is a retail concession stand at the shore, a landscaping and house painting company, part ownership in a local restaurant, operation of a summer camp or a basketball clinic, running tours for students or building home additions. In any of these businesses, they learn what it means to meet a payroll, and what receivables and payables are all about. They also understand the pressures involved in making a profit, the need for systems to control operations and quality, the importance of selling, the need to make adjustments when things aren't going as planned, and all of the other aspects of running a business. For all of the educators who have run a business, there are thousands of logical potential employers.