Breaking Free: Escaping the Education Cell and Navigating a New Career Journey

I am Ready for a Career Change, but Where Do I Start?

When I made my decision and began my journey to leave education, I called a former principal of mine, who had left public education a few years earlier, and asked her how she did it. At that point, getting out of public education and starting a new career seemed IMPOSSIBLE. I felt like I was handed a prison sentence until it was time to retire.

She shared some valuable advice with me and graciously answered my questions, but what stuck out the most was how she described the job search: “It’s like being 25 again.” I realize now that I did not fully understand what she meant until I began my own job search. It really is like being 25 again because the future is so uncertain. Every time I opened my email inbox, there was the potential for rejection or success

Rejection is Part of the Career Journey, So Learn to Accept It.

Of course, most of the time I found a rejection of some sort. Many of them were very kind and began something like this:

“While your background is impressive, we have decided to move on with other candidates who more closely match the skills we are looking for.”

Surprisingly, I received replies to most of the applications I submitted, whether they were rejections or considerations. I say that I was surprised because, in the world of public education, you can apply for a job and NEVER get a reply from anyone. It’s like you send your application into the ether, and unless it lands on an inhabited star, no one ever sees it.

Lost in Transition: Navigating the Unknown

Another way in which finding a new career is like being 25 again is that there are days when you have no idea where you are going or where the road you chose will take you. I read thousands of job descriptions during my nightly searches on LinkedIn, and this process helped me better understand what kind of job I was looking for. If you are doing the same right now, here are some questions you may want to consider:

• Do I want to work online or in a physical office? Maybe you want a job that allows you the flexibility to do both.
• Do you want to be an instructional designer? For me, this was a tough question. At first, I thought it would be easy to transition into a position like this because I had so much experience. But I discovered a few things: The mid-level to senior positions sometimes require a portfolio, and the market for these positions is extremely competitive. Eventually, decided that I really did not like instructional design enough to do it all day long, but I wouldn’t mind doing it sometimes.
• What soft skills do you possess that will make you marketable to prospective employers? Employers are often looking for someone who has grit more than they are looking for someone who has a perfect profile. They know going into the hiring process that they aren’t going to find the perfect candidate, so they look for people who have some of the skills they are looking for but also possess the passion and perseverance needed to meet goals. If you don’t believe me, watch this short conversation between Simon Sinek and Jackie Reses:

Jackie Reses’ response to Sinek inspires me because it forces me to focus on aligning my values with those of the companies I am researching as possible employers. Remember that when you are researching career opportunities, applying for jobs, and interviewing for positions, you are learning as much about the company as they are about you. Do not leave education in desperation, even though you may feel desperate. Remember that you are looking for an environment that provides you with advantages and opportunities that you can’t find in your current role.

Unveiling Career Paths

Interviewing for a few different positions this past month has helped me crystalize my thoughts about the type of environment in which I want to work:

• Most importantly, I want to work in an environment where my skills and talents are valued. And when I say value, I am not necessarily referring to the monetary kind. I want my employer to recognize my strengths and contributions. Yes, money is part of being valued–we all know that. But none of them became teachers because money was the most important factor. We became teachers because we want to feel as though our contributions matter. We want to feel like we are making a difference.
• I also want to work in a place where I feel safe taking a risk or possibly making a mistake. I am lucky enough to remember a time when taking risks was valued in education for both teachers and students. I think that the changing educational landscape has made those in public education extremely leary about taking risks: 1. There are standardized tests where students need to perform at prescribed levels. 2. Teachers are not treated like professionals. Parents and administrators alike have learned to cater to young adults, which has upset the balance of power in many schools as well as society.
• Finally, I want to exercise my creativity and problem-solving skills. I know that for me to be able to enjoy any task, I must be intellectually stimulated. I am, by nature, a curious person. It drives my approach to most situations: I want to know why.

If you are reading this and wondering where to start, you may be asking yourself how I came to the conclusions I listed above. I suggest you begin your journey on LinkedIn. Search for all the jobs available within 25-50 miles of where you live. Peruse the listings and read the job descriptions. For each one you find that interests you, save it so you can return to it later. After you’ve saved 10-15 jobs, see if you find any common threads. What do all of these positions have in common? Your answer will give you an idea of the type of jobs that align with your career goals.

P.S. Just in case you doubted my seriousness in my last post where I discussed the importance of your resume, I will remind you again that the resume is what gets you the interview. You can’t get a job without your resume getting noticed. Katie Travis is the best, and she will build a resume for you that lands you the interview for your dream job.

Rediscovering Passion

The Promise

I made a promise to myself almost exactly 30 years ago: If the job ever became a drag, if I ever stopped feeling connected, I would get out. It’s been difficult to admit the reality, but I’m keeping my promise. If I can’t keep a promise to myself above all others, what does that say about my integrity?

Isn’t a New Year’s Resolution a Cliché? What about an Existential Crisis?

The end of the calendar year is always a little weird because I feel reflective, maybe even a little mournful about the passing year, but I also feel hopeful too, that this coming year will be better than the last, or even the best yet.

I haven’t written a blog post in a long time because I’ve been in a bit of a rut since 2020. I know many people have made this proclamation, but I’ve always been a late bloomer, so I feel like others came to the realization a bit quicker than I did.

If you asked me a few months ago about how teaching was going, I would not have been able to answer you directly. I may have half-heartedly mumbled, “There isn’t enough time to get it all done,” or “I don’t have the energy to get it all done.” But the truth–and for me, this is a hard truth to put into writing for others to read–the truth is that I no longer feel passionate about teaching.

30 Years Seems Like a Lifetime

As of this coming calendar year, I have dedicated 30 years of my career to honing my craft.

• 30 years of investing in young people
• 30 years of unpaid overtime
• 30 years of developing new curricula that are rarely implemented for more than three years
• 30 years of purpose
• 30 years of an identity

I can do what many teachers do: Stick it out, mark time for two years, and win the golden egg.

But I can’t do that.

Once I admitted how I really felt, I knew I needed to make a change.

Because I made a promise to myself in 1994. I saw the older teachers, some of whom were bitter, most of them were tired, and some of them had stopped learning and growing because there didn’t seem to be any point. They seemed stunted and burned and blamed the system for it.

So here I am–post-existential crisis—looking for the next thing.

The Beginning of the Transition

The transition has been hard for many reasons, but here are several:

• Leaving teaching feels like a death because I am moving from a career and a lifestyle that has shaped my entire adulthood.
• Admitting I was miserable was hard because I didn’t feel as though I had a right to feel that way. After all, I make a decent salary with good health benefits and a pension.
• I had to have a difficult conversation with my partner. He is very supportive, but I was worried he would think less of me for wanting to give it all up and start over.
• I felt like I was giving up. I’m not sure where this feeling came from, but it was strong and present.
• Lastly, I hadn’t applied for a job outside of education for over 25 years. Where do I even start??

I’ve been looking for jobs since the Thanksgiving holiday, and I’ve realized a few things. I’m passionate about careers that will allow me to help people and make my community a better place. And those jobs pay A LOT less than what I’m currently making as a public school teacher. So I’ve had to consider how much money matters. For me, money isn’t as important as having a sense of purpose–which is priceless. Ask anyone who is retired. Working people underestimate the importance of purpose and inflate the importance of money.

Preparing to Jump: Some Advice

• Get your résumé revamped by a professional. I used Katie Travis, and I am so pleased with the result. I was reluctant to spend the money at first, but trust me–the résumé needs to be excellent to get the interview. It’s really competitive out there, and many employers are using AI as a screener. You can’t beat the system, but a good résumé writer can.
• Use ChatGPT or another form of AI as an assistant. It can probably craft a résumé, but I don’t recommend that. What I do recommend is using it to create cover letters. Paste the job description in the message bar and ask it to write you a cover letter. Use this as the baseline and tweak it to sound unique.
• Take some time to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. This will prime you for so many things. Seriously–make that list. It will help you discover your new passion, prepare you for interviews, and develop self-awareness.
• LinkedIn is the place to be. Your profile matters. I used Canva to create a professional background

You never know what can come from the act of writing. It’s the surest way to discover new ideas!

Career Options

Here are some career options I’ve explored. Some have been more successful than others.

• Look for jobs in academia, but NOT as a teacher–not an adjunct, not a tutor. Research local community colleges and see what’s available.
• Remember to investigate small local businesses. These places can be hidden gems.
• I am an English teacher, so I’ve been considering positions in local public libraries. I’ll let you know how this pans out because I’m finding that many of these positions require a Master’s degree in Library Science.
• Explore office administrative positions, such as a project coordinator or an executive assistant. Teachers are masters of adaptability and flexibility. You have the skills to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Can an English teacher land an editorial position? I’ve explored some of these options, and the senior-level positions often ask for portfolios of work. I have no such thing at this moment, but I am a beast at writing, editing, and proofreading.

If you stumble across this post, I would love to hear about your journey. I know there are a lot of teachers looking for opportunities right now. If you’ve only started considering a change, I am only one step ahead of you. If you’ve already made the transition, do you have any advice for the rest of us?