Life After Teaching

Ideas, Advice, & Inspiration for Teachers Leaving the Classroom

Making the Transition

Making the transition out of the classroom can be tough... but so rewarding! Here's a collection of great tips for making the transition a little easier right off the bat.

Why Most Hiring Managers Can’t Just “Take A Chance On You”

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Why Most Hiring Managers Can’t Just “Take A Chance On You”

Are you considering a career change? I feel for you!

It can be tough to realize that the role or field you’ve dedicated years of your life to isn’t working out. So tough that you start wondering how you’ll ever make a change and maybe even develop the discouraging sense that you can’t make the change yourself — that if you’re going to have any chance at all, it’s up to someone else to give you a lucky break.

If you find yourself feeling insecure about your prospects for a new job and starting to think you need a hiring manager or recruiter to “take a chance on you,” it’s time to check your attitude. Wanting a lucky break might seem like an innocent enough idea, but in reality, it does a great disservice to you, your prospective employer and your job hunt. Here’s why:

Where Does This Idea Come From?

The origin of this idea could be that grandparent’s story we’ve all heard about showing up in the office and being so persistent that, despite a lack of work experience and a naive approach to business, they got the job. Another source might be the despair that comes with a career change — we doubt ourselves, our decisions and our ability to do something new, so we put the pressure on someone else to make it happen.

Why Is This Idea Unhealthy?

First, this attitude dismisses all of your skills and qualifications and removes your power from the situation. Instead of being a smart, talented candidate, you’re acting as if you’re unqualified, desperate and in need of a favor. Not only is that a damaging way to think about your own career, but — outside of a lot of pressure from mutual connections — no hiring manager in their right mind would consider you a front-runner for the job.

Second, and most important to your case, this attitude kicks off a professional relationship by expecting someone else to put their necks on the line for you. It sets up hiring managers as cruel gatekeepers to your dreams who just need to have mercy on you; and if they don’t, it’s not your fault — they’re just mean.

In reality, hiring managers are honest people trying to do their jobs. When they read your resume, they’re thinking, “Does it make sense for me to hire this person for this job?” and “Am I reasonably certain they can perform this job with the regular amount of training?” If the answer isn’t an obvious yes, they could get in trouble for hiring you, and it could have serious consequences for them!

Wherever we get the idea that “we just need someone to give us a chance,” it’s important to understand that job-hunting has changed over the past 10 years. It’s no longer difficult for employers to find candidates with bachelor’s degrees and industry intern experience, so they rarely need to resort to hiring an unknown entity or sit poring over a resume trying to figure out how your skills can work for them.

What Should You Think About Instead?

Remove the idea of getting a lucky break or a once-in-a-lifetime chance from your mind. Turn your attention towards things that you actually have control over: a compelling cover letter that explains the passion and careful thought behind your career change and a well-written resume highlighting the transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job you want. Make it your goal to show hiring managers and recruiters that they aren’t taking a chance on you; they’re making a hiring decision that will bring new insights, skills and talents to the role they’re looking to fill.

When you find yourself standing at the beginning of a career change journey, it’s natural to feel intimidated. But keep in mind that you’re not alone. While this might be your first career change, others have gone before you and made the leap with great success and still more have made significant pivots in their career that add up to big changes, too. Surround yourself with a support network, tap into the resources here on Glassdoor, and take a chance on yourself!

This article first appeared on the Glassdoor blog.

Lisa’s Real Story: I Left Teaching to Stay Home & Freelance & I Use My Experience Every Day

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I Left Teaching to Stay Home & Freelance & I Use My Experience Every Day

Please welcome this real story from Lisa Tanner, a freelance virtual assistant who taught for six years with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and reading with a minor in special education and is still amazed at how much her degree has helped her in her freelancing venture. Ayesha writes about the slow realization that teaching wasn’t right for her… and the surprising career she loves now!

1. Please describe your teaching experience and educational background. (What degree or certificate did you earn, what level and subject did you teach, how was your overall teaching experience?)

I earned my bachelor’s degree in elementary education and reading, with a minor in special education. I had endorsements in Reading (K-12) and Elementary (K-8). My very first teaching position was in a high-school self-contained classroom. I learned a lot there about meeting individual needs, providing differentiation, and the importance of believing students could learn.

After we moved, I taught in a year in an elementary resource room while I earned my Master’s Degree in Elementary Reading and Literacy. At the end of the school year, there was a RIF and I was let go. I accepted a position as a teacher at our local Parent Partnership Program, and taught there for four years prior to leaving teaching.

2. When did you realize teaching was no longer right for you? Was there a specific moment or did it dawn on you slowly?

The realization came slowly. I was teaching at the Parent Partnership Program, and generally enjoyed my job. Except every year the legislation changed the policies and we would have to adhere to a completely new set of rules. That meant we had to retrain all the parents every year, and no one ever really knew what to expect. Things they could do last year were no longer allowed. It was frustrating for everyone, and hard to plan for.

My husband and I talked about me coming home and homeschooling, but the time never seemed right. Then, the door opened up for me to come home in 2012, and we took it!

3. What position do you have now? (If you’d rather not list specifics, just describe a generic title and role you hold and we’ll leave out the personal details).

I’m first and foremost a homeschooling mom to our seven children (including one with a severe disability). I am a part-time freelance writer and virtual assistant, and in addition, I am currently creating reading courses for homeschoolers.

4. Why do you think you got this job? (Your network, your resume, etc)

When I began freelancing, I was amazed at how many opportunities opened up because of my advanced degree, and my educational background. My resume got me many gigs, and now I’m slowly building a network.

5. What do you miss about teaching?

I miss my students, and working with the parents who cared. In the Parent Partnership Program, there were many of those!

6. What do you NOT miss about teaching?

The politics. This was especially bad in the alternative education arena.

7. What surprises you most about life after teaching? (That is, does work outside the classroom meet the expectations you had for it after teaching, or did some of it surprise you?)

I’m surprised at how often my degree has been useful. In fact, I’m planning on taking courses to keep my certificate current even though I don’t plan on ever returning to the classroom. I never imagined the doors that piece of paper could open.

8. What advice would you give to a teacher who is afraid to leave the familiarity of the classroom for another job?

Just do something small. Take one tiny step in the direction you want to pursue.Redo your resume. Network. Spend the summers diving into new opportunities. If you never take a step forward, you’ll be teaching forever. You can do it!

9. Do you think teachers are more talented than they think? Why?

Definitely! Teachers are a talented group; you have to be to succeed in the classroom! They keep their kids from overthrowing them in classroom mutiny–that’s amazing leadership and motivational speaking.

They’re creative, quick-thinkers, and know how to think outside of the box. They have the perfect skill set to succeed in numerous opportunities outside of the classroom.

However, most see themselves as just teachers, limiting their potential to the classroom. They need to believe in themselves, and look at their experiences and education in a new light.

Think freelancing might be the ticket for a second career, or simply to cover the gap and let you stay home? Don’t miss Sarah’s Freelance Writing Site or Gina Horkey’s 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success training program!

Job Interview Dos and Don’ts for Modern Job-Hoppers

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Job Interview Dos and Don’ts for Modern Job-Hoppers

Think you’re crazy for thinking about leaving the field of teaching? You’re not!

Millennials are more likely to change jobs than any generation before. In fact, 91 percent of workers born between 1991 and 1997 plan to stay in a job for less than three years, and the average 24-year-old today has already held 6.4 jobs.

There are many valid reasons to change jobs: a chance to learn a new skill, a sudden opening at the company of your dreams or even just a change of location. But with changing jobs every three years comes pressure to explain your background during job interviews. Unfortunately there are plenty of opportunities to make a mistake.

Here’s a look at seven important Dos and Don’ts for positioning yourself for a career change without jeopardizing your future.

Catch the full post on Simply Hired here.

Reader Questions: Do I Need An Advanced Degree to Leave the Classroom?

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Life After Teaching - Do I Need An Advanced Degree to Leave the Classroom?

Welcome to another edition of “Reader Questions”! Here’s a questions from Terry that he left on the 50+ Jobs for Former Teachers link roundup. Do you have a question? Leave a comment on this post or contact me!

Hi Sarah,

I’ve been following your blog now for a few months and I have a question regarding the skill set needed for say an Instructional Designer position. I have been watching LinkedIn, Glassdoor and Indeed job sites for job openings and many of those jobs under IDS say things like Captivate, Wimba, iSpring, LAMS among a host of other Learning Management Systems are necessary to perform designated job duties. How does one become proficient in these software systems that are prohibitively expensive?

Having conducted a few informational interviews with trainers and designers, they all say get the ATD (formerly ASTD) certification (also very expensive). Does one really have to spend money on either training or certification to become a skilled Instructional Designer? I spent a bit on my Masters and don’t want to set myself back any further. As a long-time EFL teacher ready to bring the family back home, any advice on building a portfolio or updating the résumé would be helpful as well.

Thanks for your time Sarah and I hope that my question helps others looking for similar answers!

– Terry in USA

Hi Terry,

Thanks so much for stopping by with a comment! Like all things career, the answer to your awesome question is complicated and takes a little gambling. Here’s how I see it:

1. Yes, Hiring Managers Like Degrees

An advanced degree will almost always help you get an interview and then possibly get the job. A degree or certification not only indicates knowledge and experience, but it also indicates commitment. That allows hiring managers feel safe knowing you’re a professional. (Keep in mind, though, that an advanced teaching degree such as a Master’s in Arts in Teaching counts as an advanced degree! My husband once got the interview for an ISD job based on his Master’s in Arts in Teaching degree and by doing a few of the things listed below.)

2. But That’s Not All They Like

…However, an advanced degree is not the only way to establish knowledge, experience, and commitment! It’s just the easiest, and that’s why it’s so expensive (It can be done good, fast, or or cheap, but you only get to pick two, right?).

I deeply believe that anyone can put together a self-education path using free and low-cost resources online that will establish them as a professional in a given field. (See also: The Personal MBA at http://personalmba.com/manifesto/).

For the example of ISD, you’re absolutely correct that the technologies are prohibitively expensive. But there are a few workarounds to get *some* experience on your resume: each of the platforms offers a free trial, so you could download one per month over the summer with a book from the library and throw yourself into creating sample lessons and learning experiences (a spec portfolio). For bonus points, you could also time the trial for when you have an interview so that you could custom create a learning experience for the company you interview with.

You could also get in touch with a nearby library or college library and see what technology they offer (for free) on their onsite computers (AKA the local library where I live has a digital media lab with a 3D printer and other crazy things I don’t even know about). So… it’s definitely not easy, but it’s doable if you wanted to hack it.

3. You Can Cherry Pick Your Job Applications

You may not qualify for a job at a company that prefers the creme de la creme experts with advanced degrees, but that’s fine because you don’t need a job there, you just need a job to get your foot in the door.

When you’re taking the self-educated path, I would focus on smaller businesses like start-ups that want the skills but can’t pay big bucks for the education and experience. They’ll be more likely to 1) not care that your degree is in something related but not specific, or 2) that you created your portfolio on spec (they just want to see your work). They’re also less likely to do the impersonal form application, which is a real pain and unlikely to lead to a job (the majority of people still find jobs through good old fashioned personal acquaintances).

4. Everyone Loves a Hard Worker

Self-education and hard work may not be as sexy to some hiring managers as an advanced degree, but it is darn attractive to most realistic ones!

Think about it in terms of what people want to see in a job candidate. A genuine, hard-working person who is committed to ISD and can explain how his teaching career lead him to realize that he was meant to be an ISD (with a great self-made portfolio) would definitely hold sway.

Finally, I have it on good authority from a director of HR friend that a self-educated candidate who put the time into building the portfolio and could demonstrate the necessary skills for a job in his interview/portfolio/sample work would be an attractive candidate for a job.

I hope this helps, Terry! The #1 thing is to be persistent once you know what you want. I know the process is difficult and frustrating, but “the world will get out of the way for a man on a mission!”

Teacher Quits: I’m Tired of Getting the Buck Passed to Me

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Please enjoy this Real Story guest post by Katie, an itinerant teacher serving children with hearing loss. 

Everyone has heard the term “pass the buck”. Everyone has a pretty good idea as to what it means. And forgive me for using a quote from to Wikipedia, but the definition hits home for teachers:

“The act of attributing to another person or group one’s own responsibility. It is often used to refer to a strategy in power politics whereby a state tries to get another state to deter, or possibly fight, an aggressor state while it remains on the sidelines.”

Do you know where it is done a lot? In the schools. Do you know who generally gets the brunt of it? The teachers. Do you know who loses the most? The student. If there isn’t a more clearer example of how “trickle-down economics” doesn’t work, I don’t know where else you can find it.

Where Does the Buck Start?

Educational regulations and rules get decided by the legislature, and it’s up the schools to enforce it. But it’s not that simple. Schools that are ill-equipped to implement the new rules leave the lion’s share of the responsibility of implementing them to the teachers, who are already limited in what they can do. In the end, the students are left scrambling for an education, unsure of what to expect or where to go.

Teacher Quits: Buck Passed to Me

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Sure, the new regulations and standards have a great end goal in mind: maximizing students’ success and eliminating the achievement gap. But the trick is always implementing it, and most of the time, it is just not feasible. There is very little consideration in how each school district has its own unique set of challenges, and there seems to be a dogged determination by the government that one set of standards fits all.

Modern Teachers: All the Responsibility, None of the Power

I felt the brunt of the responsibility throughout my teaching career. I work as an itinerant teacher in my state. This means that I travel in between school buildings and school districts. I serve a group of students who are in a small minority: children with hearing loss.

My training is specialized and what I do is specialized. I provide individualized instruction that is geared to help my students overcome their gaps in being able to hear and understand our language, and still become successful students. I rarely am able to teach a lesson the same way to two different students because their skill levels, language development, and degree of hearing loss are all different.

If the standards placed upon the school districts are difficult for mainstreamed students to meet, it is crushing for my students to meet. They don’t learn/hear the same way that their peers do, but yet they are expected to perform the same way on standardized tests. Talk about a disadvantage!

Nearly ten years into my otherwise fulfilling career in education, I’m feeling the crunch. I need a new fresh breath of air, something to renew my passion in educating those with hearing loss, educating others about hearing loss, and teaching everyone how they can advocate for themselves in today’s world.

Teacher Quits: Passing the Buck

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I’m ready to accept responsibility in an environment that is conducive to learning. I am ready to stop getting the buck passed to me, and instead stand up and figure out where this buck came from in the first place.

For me, this takes the form of a career as a freelancer, teaching others about advocacy, education and hearing loss. I launched the website It’s Hard to Hear Up Here to cover these topics, as well as the fun and lighthearted moments that are the spice of life.

I learned about the world of freelancing through a friend of mine, Gina of Horkey Handbook. She started freelancing while working full-time, and after watching her experience success in her new endeavor and finding renewed passion in what she wants to do, I felt inspired to do the same.

PSST… Interested in freelancing? Sarah just launched a new eBook called Five Figure Writer, which details how she replaced her full time income working a bit less than full time (real numbers included!). Learn more here.

I am excited to enter this new world of entrepreneurship filled with passionate people like Gina and Sarah (the writer behind Life After Teaching), and I can’t wait to join the ranks of former teachers out there taking control of their own destinies.

If you enjoyed this story, please take a moment to share it with your personal network on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. If you’d like to share your story, message me using the contact form.

50+ Exciting Jobs for Former Teachers (The Ultimate Link Line-Up)

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You worked your butt off to get into the classroom and educate the next generation. So what do you do when it doesn’t work out?

No matter why you decided to leave teaching, don’t let the unknown scare you. There are tons of jobs for former teachers out there. You just need to get creative about how you talk about your experience and get specific about what you want.

50 Jobs for Former Teachers -- The Ultimate Link Line-Up -- Empower your job hunt with in-depth, expert career advice!

Before you read through the list, maybe it will help inspire you to read about other teachers who have made the leap out of the classroom and are loving it!

Ready for the List? Here’s 50+ Jobs for Former Teachers

Here’s my mega list of jobs for former teachers based on your subject level and what you love (or didn’t love!) about teaching.

Please keep in mind that this is not a list of jobs that are totally easy and fast to get.

This is only a list of brainstorming ideas to help you see the possibilities for your skills and your background.

Some of these ideas require new education, which might be the last thing you want to do when you’ve dropped thousands of dollars to get the degree you have now. But other jobs on this list? They just require a passion, creativity, and persistence.

For more information about rewriting your resume to get these jobs and tackling awkward conversations within your interview, download the guide.

Math

Science Teachers

English & Language Arts Teachers

Reading Teachers

World Language Teachers

History and Social Science Teachers

Physical Education Teachers

Family and Consumer Sciences

Other Kinds of Teachers

The best part? This list is NOT comprehensive! There are so many kinds of jobs in the world that — as teachers working in a non-profit industry — we don’t even know exist. Don’t limit yourself to your personal experience. Step outside your comfort zone and consider all the different kinds of careers that exist when you consider all of the skills you have.

New Year, New Habits, New Job!

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NewYear NewHabits NewJob

 

It’s time to celebrate a New Year! Are you in the mood?

If you’re still teaching and you aren’t excited about it, heading into a New Year might seem like a downer. For many teachers, it means heading back to school after two weeks of sleeping in, seeing family, and (finally) reading a good book.

Instead of falling back into your old habit of wishing you weren’t teaching but trudging in every day, I have a challenge for you. Can you start this new year with just one new habit that can help you transition out of teaching? Here are ten ideas to pick from. Just pick one and move towards your goal with baby steps!

Resume Ideas

  • Break out your resume and update it using the guidelines in Life After Teaching. Translate your teaching skills for your target job. Research online to find a simple, clean resume format. Create a new resume every three months to keep practicing these skills.
  • Customize your “Key Skills” for each and every job. If the job description wants project management, focus on how teaching gave you project management skills. If it wants technology, focus on the technology you used as a teacher.
  • Send out at least one resume per month. When you first get started, don’t be too picky about the job so long as it’s one you’d be interested in. The more interview experience you get (both in the form of interviews, offers, and rejections) the more you’ll learn.

Networking Ideas

  • Head to Meet Up and find a local group you like. It doesn’t have to be career-related, but it’s fine if it is. Attend one session every three months to get to know the people. Connect with them online to build your social media literacy.
  • Network where HR managers are, not where your peers are. If your goal is a new job, go where someone could hire you. That means seeking out HR managers where they network and where you can make an impression.

Social Media Ideas

  • Create or sign into your LinkedIn account. Upload a professional photo and write up a clear and concise bio. Then spend 20 minutes connecting with people you know because you’re only as valuable as your network. Do this once a month, if not more frequently. (But don’t sent more than 20 invitations at a time or you could be blocked as a spammer.)
  • Sign up for BufferApp and set up a buffer. If you aren’t all that active on social media, sign up for a BufferApp account and buffer some posts. Just once a week is fine to start, but that will get you out there and involved in the social community.

Do these sound like things you can do during a slow snow day? Let me know in the comments!

Updating Social Media For A Job Hunt Without Being Obvious

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Updating Social Media For A Job Hunt Without Being Obvious

Hi, Sarah–

I recently downloaded your e-book. I can’t wait to print it out & dive in! Since you have been down this road before, I have a question for you.

I know that the way to network effectively is through social media. While I do have a LinkedIn account, it’s not 100% forthcoming on my objectives & my posted resume still looks “teachery”. The one I’m sending out in response to ads is geared toward the position. My question is about how a teacher dives in to using social media without colleagues/boss finding out your intentions. Should someone look me up I’ll be found out per se. I guess that’s why I haven’t joined your FB group yet. I am afraid of my teacher friends & colleagues finding out my intentions. It seems like we have to be shrouded in secrecy. How do other teachers do it?

I am looking to transition into HR. I am planning on taking an Intro to HR course through my local university in Feb. It is the first course in a series leading to an HR certificate. I’m bummed that I will most likely have to take a pay cut to transition even though I have two bachelors & one masters degrees. Sigh. However, I’ve gotta get out.

I look forward to your response.

Thanks!
S. in U. S.

Hi S.,

Thank you so much for your email!

Your question is a very realistic one — to network efficiently you have to completely immerse yourself in it… but to completely immerse yourself in it throws a red flag to your peers and boss!

I’m not sure I know what the perfect answer is because I’d hate to recommend you “go for it” and then have consequences at work (my husband still teachers and I understand first hand how word can spread and people can pressure you or question your committment).

I can say that often we think more people are watching than they really are, and that social media privacy control can be very helpful. For example, when you make an update or change to your LinkedIn profile, you can click a button to not have the change announced to your network. That might be a way to add more HR-related things to your profile without drawing attention to them, but you’d want to be careful about it.

It’s always more fun to focus on positive actions though! It seems like a great approach would be to actively network and particupate in HR forums and blogs (the school you’re attending should give you access to at least some) and even in-person HR networking events where no other teachers will be. You can be yourself and show interest in HR in person without any consequences to your digital/teaching life.

Hint for networking: aim for networking events where you’ll meet other HR people, not necessarily generic networking events. That’s going to include “Best Practices” and “Continuing Education” type events where HR people have to go or want to go as a part of their job.

If you plan to write a blog or network in that way, maybe go by an abbreviation of your name and use an avatar as your photo so that you aren’t immediately recognizable. I used this one to make an avatar for a pen name for some of my articles, but you can google around to find a style you like.

From hanging out with a dear friend who is an HR director, I’d also love to offer this other tip: the sooner you can specialize in a certain kind of HR, the better. For someone shopping around to hire an HR person, they don’t want to hear that you have a passion for any and everything because then they’ll focus on your teaching background. Instead, they would want to hear that you were teaching, learned X, and then passionately pursued a very narrow field of HR because you’re dedicated to it (for example, medical practices, startups, finance industry, etc).

Obviously you’d want to wait to specialize until you know for sure that you love a particular industry, but once you do be sure to shout it from the rooftops!