Teacher Career Change

I get asked how I transitioned from the classroom to tech - and this often comes from people feeling urgent; they need a new role in the next few weeks or before the start of the school year. But I didn't actually transition from the classroom to tech. I transitioned from the classroom ➡️ teacher development at a non-profit ➡️ recruitment at a school system ➡️ contract and consulting work with a variety of small orgs that included schools, HR tech, and ed tech ➡️ recruitment role at a non-profit ➡️ recruitment role in tech. I applied for my first role with a tech company in 2014, got my first interview in 2017, and my first offer in 2021. My advice: manage your expectations. I know that's not the popular advice that you hear, but personally, I believe in operating with a realistic understanding of the landscape you're in. - this is a competitive job market with negative job creation in tech - entry level/earlier career roles have been particularly impacted - layoffs have disproportionately impacted tech which means a lot of competition Instead of trying to land your dream job in a tough job market, consider how your next move can get you one step closer to your goal and you'll likely find success much more quickly. Here's where I would focus: - look at roles in districts, charter networks, and non-profits - your experience as a teacher and in your community will be an asset for these roles, and they'll often overlook other gaps in experience because they value your classroom experience. - within tech, prioritize ed tech, especially products you actually used; you could be well positioned to be a customer success manager for a product you know well as an example. Or look for roles working directly with educators on behalf of companies - for example a school partnerships role. - consider the industries where job creation is happening - manufacturing, construction, healthcare, social assistance; you're probably not going from the classroom to a remote L&D role with a tech company making $150k a year, but you can land an L&D role making $70k a year with a non-profit in your area. - get clear on what you actually want to do; I often hear people say they're "open to anything" but this isn't really going to be compelling to a company who has candidates with skills aligned to the roles they're applying for. Pick a few areas that you have the skills to do, and make a case for why your experience is a match. - highlight the transferrable skills that employers will care most about: Did you lead regular PD for other teachers? Partner with community orgs? Plan big events? These are skills that can map neatly onto roles companies are hiring for. - expand your networks beyond education; a lot of hiring happens through our networks. And even with all of this, it's still gonna be hard. Our systems aren't really set up to enable big career pivots. But if you're strategic and flexible, you can build a path to the job or lifestyle you want.

🔄 Feeling stuck in your career but unsure how to pivot after years in one field? You’re not alone. Many professionals crave a new challenge but don’t know where to start. Here’s how to make a smooth transition: 1️⃣ Identify Transferable Skills Your experience is more valuable than you think. Even if your industry is different, your core skills—problem-solving, leadership, communication, project management—are universal. ✅ Action Step: Make a list of your key skills and match them to roles in your target industry. 💡 Example: If you’ve worked in finance but want to move into tech, your analytical skills and data interpretation experience are still highly relevant. 2️⃣ Reframe Your Experience for Your New Audience Hiring managers in a new industry won’t automatically connect the dots—you have to do it for them. ✅ Action Step: Rewrite your resume, LinkedIn profile, and elevator pitch to highlight how your background applies to the new field. 💡 Tip: Focus on outcomes, impact, and skills rather than job titles. Instead of: ❌ "10 years of experience in pharmaceutical sales." Try: ✅ "Experienced relationship builder skilled in consultative sales and market expansion." 3️⃣ Expand Your Network & Learn From Insiders Changing careers isn’t just about applying online—it’s about getting in front of the right people. ✅ Action Step: Connect with professionals in your target field and request informational interviews. 📩 Example message: "Hi [Name], I’m exploring a career transition into [Industry] and really admire your experience at [Company]. Would you be open to a quick chat about your journey and insights?" 4️⃣ Gain Targeted Experience (Without Starting Over) The biggest fear in career pivots? “Do I have to start from scratch?” The answer: No. ✅ Action Step: Look for ways to gain relevant experience while still in your current role: ✔️ Take on cross-functional projects ✔️ Volunteer for industry-related work ✔️ Freelance or take short-term contracts 💡 Example: If you’re transitioning into marketing, start by managing internal communications or social media for a nonprofit. 5️⃣ Be Ready to Tell Your Career Pivot Story Hiring managers will ask: “Why are you making this change?” You need a clear, compelling answer. ✅ Action Step: Craft a confident pivot story that focuses on why this shift makes sense and how your skills align. 📌 Formula: ➡ Past: What you’ve done so far ➡ Present: Why you’re making this change ➡ Future: How your skills translate & add value 💡 Example: "After years in operations, I realized my passion lies in product management—solving customer pain points and driving innovation. My experience in process optimization and stakeholder management gives me a strong foundation, and I’m excited to bring these skills to a product-focused role." Making a career pivot is challenging—but absolutely possible with the right approach. 💬 Have you ever pivoted careers? What worked best for you? Share your experience below! 👇

I walked away from a safe teaching job, without a guaranteed income because I knew something bigger was calling. A lot of educators have asked how I actually made the jump, so I thought I’d share some thoughts here: 1. Don't quit your role: Growing With Gratitude was a passion project for 2 years while working full-time (2014 and 2015). 2. No days off mentality: Consistent action overtime will get you to where you want to be. It won't be smooth and you will zig zag, but only taking action will get you there. And I mean literally no days off. Even if it's only 15 minutes, daily momentum is the key when starting out (and when established). 3. Find what works: I found a great routine that worked. I'd sit in a cafe on Jetty Rd, Glenelg before school nearly everyday for 2 years and put in an hour - 90 min. I'd do an hour - 90 min in the evening, and on weekends 3 - 4 hours. It's amazing what you can achieve with consistent action overtime. But, find out what works best for you and stick with it. 4. Be patient: We live in a world where we want things instantly. Going from teaching to running your own 'thing' takes time. Set a timeframe, i.e. 24 months, no days off mentality, consistent action and you'll be amazed with what you can achieve. 5. Start out by saying YES: Say YES to every opportunity that comes up. You just don’t know where it can lead. 6. Take Ownership: Don't rely on anyone else. Take responsibility for what you do. Yes, you will come across others who you can rely on, but if you go in with the 'don't rely on anyone' mentality you won't feel let down and when you find others who you can rely on, it's a bonus. 7. Ask: Don't be afraid to ask for help. Connect with people who have done what you want to do. You'll be surprised how many people are willing to help. The worst that can happen it’s a no. When you get a YES, it could lead to something big. 8. Partnerships: Aim to create partnerships with organisations and individuals who care as much as you. It’s amazing what you can achieve when working together. 9. When do you stop your full-time job to go all in? Personally, I took 10-weeks long service at half pay for 6 months and was granted a year's leave. At the end of 2015 I resigned and was entirely on my own. In 2016 I did the odd teaching day and a couple short term contracts. The answer is really what you're comfortable with, but you can be confident there will always be temporary teaching work. There’s a lot more to the journey than these nine tips, but they’re the ones that helped me get off the ground. If you want me to share the next stage, I’m happy to keep the conversation going and always happy to catch up for a coffee or jump on a call. #teaching #passionprojects #educators

Advice for #transitioningteachers heading into 2025: Some of these are hard pills to swallow, but stick with me–– 💡 "EdTech" is not a role. It's a whole field/industry that encompasses a host of actual roles. Do some research, pick a lane, and network within that lane. 💡 Study the upskilling required to transition into the type of role you're focusing on; you may have a wealth of general skills and experience, but Instructional Design, L&D, and curriculum roles require specific experience and knowledge that classroom instruction alone may not provide. More importantly, you also need to learn to discuss your experience in ways that will translate to people in these fields. I speak from experience when I say that folks who have never taught don't usually understand how that experience will translate into these positions. 💡 Chances are good that you haven't actually designed curriculum; you've delivered curriculum (or lessons/materials), but most K-12 teachers haven't actually designed curriculum at any sort of scale. Research how to discuss your actual experience honestly but persuasively. 💡 Much of the work you've done outside of the classroom is what's going to land you your next role. I taught for 15 years, but most teachers have similar classroom experiences. What landed me my current ID role was more than a decade of working directly with SMEs on assignment and course design, designing and delivering hundreds of workshops to audiences beyond students, and designing and delivering training and professional development for my staff of 50+ tutors; those skills and experiences differentiated me from hundreds of teachers whose work happened almost exclusively in the classroom. 💡 Networking entails a whole lot more than building a follower count on LinkedIn. Just because you're connected with someone doesn't mean they're going to have a meeting with you or offer you a referral; no one owes you anything. Conversely, there are plenty of incredibly helpful folks on this platform who create insightful, educational content for job seekers. 💡 Don't get sucked into the echo chamber of transitioning teachers. You know the phrase, "Dress for the job you want and not the job you have"? The same applies to networking when you're on the job market. If you want to be, say, an Instructional Designer, you should be concentrating your time on this platform learning from experienced Instructional Designers. While I have immense love for transitioning educators, they can also be a pretty insufferable bunch sometimes. I've been in too many online groups of transitioning teachers that quickly devolve into grousing, blaming, and generally cringe-y whining. Stay as far away from that nonsense as possible.

𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝟭: 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 One of the biggest misconceptions teachers have when considering a career transition is this: “I don’t have experience outside of education.” I used to think the same thing. When I left the classroom, I assumed I would have to completely reinvent myself to qualify for roles in higher education, instructional design, LMS administration, or educational technology. What I eventually realized was this: I didn’t need new skills. I needed a new perspective on the skills I already had. Here are just a few examples: 📊 Teachers analyze data every day. Employers call it data analysis. 📋 Teachers manage multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously. Employers call it project management. 💻 Teachers learn and implement new technology constantly. Employers call it technology integration and change management. 🎤 Teachers train, coach, and support learners. Employers call it facilitation and professional development. 🤝 Teachers communicate with students, parents, administrators, and colleagues daily. Employers call it stakeholder management. The challenge isn’t that teachers lack transferable skills. The challenge is that we’ve spent years describing our work using educational language instead of professional language that hiring managers recognize. When I transitioned from high school science teaching into higher education and educational technology, this shift in thinking changed everything. Before you start searching for jobs, make a list of everything you do during a typical week. Then ask yourself: “What would another industry call this skill?” You may be surprised by the answer. Here are some additional resources that I personally found helpful: https://lnkd.in/eF3NXiPJ https://lnkd.in/e8vwxkbd 💬 If you’re an educator considering a transition, what skill do you think you’ve developed the most in the classroom? #BeyondTheClassroom #TeachersTransitioning #CareerChange #InstructionalDesign #HigherEducation #EdTech

I get a lot of messages from teachers who want to transition out of the classroom. I spent most of my career in education before moving into the nonprofit sector, so I get it. The biggest thing I'd say is that you already have more transferable skills than you think. The hard part is translating them. A few examples: 🔹 "Managed a classroom of 30 students" → You managed competing priorities, adapted in real time, and held people accountable while also supporting them. 🔹"Communicated with parents" → You delivered difficult feedback, navigated tough conversations, and built relationships with stakeholders. 🔹"Collaborated with grade-level team" → You worked cross-functionally to align on goals and execution. Most hiring managers outside of education may not know what your teaching experience means unless you spell it out for them. Don't assume they'll figure it out. A few other things that help: Use numbers where you can. How many students? How many families? How many people are on your team? What results did you see? And lead with the skills, not the context — "Built relationships with 120+ families" lands differently than "Sent home weekly newsletters." And be ready to answer why you're leaving. Not by focusing on what you're leaving — but by being clear about what you're looking for next and why this role makes sense for you. Good luck to all the #TransitioningTeachers out there!

Teachers transitioning out of the classroom: Stop underselling yourself. One of the biggest mistakes I see educators make is listing their skills using education terminology that recruiters outside of education don't recognize. You don't need to change your experience. You need to change the language. Use this list to update your LinkedIn profile, resume, and skills section: • Classroom Management → Team Leadership • Lesson Planning → Project Planning • Parent Communication → Client Relationship Management • Student Engagement → Customer Engagement • Progress Monitoring → KPI Tracking • Data-Driven Instruction → Data Analysis • Curriculum Development → Program Development • Professional Development → Training & Enablement • Behavior Management → Conflict Resolution • IEP Meetings → Cross-Functional Collaboration • Student Assessments → Performance Evaluation • Report Cards → Stakeholder Reporting • Classroom Systems → Operations Management • State Testing → Compliance Management • Intervention Planning → Strategic Problem Solving • Student Goal Setting → Success Planning • Technology Integration → Change Management • Classroom Budgeting → Resource Management • Managing Students & Families → Account Management • Crisis Response → Crisis Management • Mentoring Students → Coaching & Development • Family Outreach → Client Retention • Teaching New Concepts → Onboarding & Training • Leading School Initiatives → Program Management • Tracking Student Growth → Analytics & Reporting The skills you've built are valuable. The challenge is that recruiters searching LinkedIn aren't typing "guided reading," "classroom management," or "differentiated instruction" into the search bar. They're searching for project management, customer success, stakeholder engagement, training, operations, leadership, and change management. You already have many of those skills. Make sure your profile reflects them. What's one teacher skill you'd add to this list? 👇 #TeacherTransition #TransferableSkills #CareerChange #Hiring #Leadership #CareerGrowth #EducatorSkills #BeyondTheClassroom #RemoteWork #JobSearch #TeacherLife #WomenInBusiness #LinkedInTips

🍎 Former Educator Honesty—Instructional Design Isn’t for Every #TransitioningTeacher 🍎 I know it’s often talked about as the next step for teachers leaving the classroom… But here’s the truth: instructional design isn’t for everyone. And that’s 🆗. Instructional design is incredible work. I love it because it’s creative, strategic, and often highly technical. But it’s also… 💻 solitary—much of your day is spent behind a computer, not with learners or SMEs. 📈 corporate—the goals are about ROI, compliance, and performance, not growth or potential; the need is immediate, not down the line. ⚙️ technical—you’ll spend hours in tools like Storyline, Rise, Camtasia, or LMS platforms troubleshooting things that used to just “work” in your classroom. (I can find myself looking for that extra space or missing } in code for the LMS to make the course work correctly...even though it did in the test environment without any problem and the SCORM downloaded perfectly.) Some teachers thrive on that mix of creativity and systems thinking. Others find it isolating, rigid, or too far removed from what they loved about teaching. And that’s completely normal and perfectly 🆗. If you love collaboration, fast-paced environments, and live interaction, you might be happier in corporate training, L&D facilitation, or project management. Perhaps content development, curriculum writing, or communications might be a better fit for you if you enjoy writing, research, or telling stories. 🗃️ The goal isn’t to leave the classroom and fit into a new box. It’s to find work that fits and fulfills YOU. Your training is strong, and your next move should match your skills and energy, not just trends. Many teachers I know have left the classroom only to return because their next step didn't suit their skills and interests. Don't just jump into something because you know others who have done it, and you think it is best for you. 💬 If you’ve left the classroom, what surprised you most about the work you chose next?

Everyone researches job reqs when planning a pivot. Almost nobody does this instead. If you're trying to pivot, the worst part isn't updating your resume. It's sitting there thinking, "Where do I even begin?" I've seen this happen a lot with senior professionals who want to move into a different lane. - They're capable. - They've built rock-solid careers. - But a pivot still feels like starting from scratch. Here's the LinkedIn search almost nobody runs. Let's say you're a teacher who wants to become a project manager. Your brain immediately goes to certifications, courses, and if you're "qualified." And suddenly it feels overwhelming. There's a simpler way. Find others who've already made that move. 1. Go to your LinkedIn homepage. 2. Type "Teacher" into the search bar. 3. Then click on "People." 4. Then hit "All filters." 5. Add "Project Manager" to keywords. Now you're seeing people who used to be teachers and are now project managers instead of guessing or building some imaginary bridge in your head. You're looking at proof. That makes it real. Let's go one step further now. Open a few profiles and look at their timelines. - What role did they take first? - Did they move straight into PM? - Was there a stepping stone midway? - What are they using in their headlines? - What did they emphasize from teaching? You'll start to see patterns. And once you see patterns, your pivot stops feeling like a leap into the dark. Now, at some point, you're going to think, "Okay… but how do I actually reach out?" Keep the message short. Tell them you found their profile while researching the pivot. Ask one question about how they did it. I dropped a template in the comments. You're not trying to impress them, you're just a person noticing someone a few steps ahead on a path you're considering. Sometimes that's enough to start a real conversation.

Time for me to rant: Whenever teachers talk about transitioning out of the classroom, the conversation almost immediately starts at Ed tech as if the only options available are working for a curriculum company or an LMS platform. Don’t get me wrong, those roles exist and they can be great. But the idea that ed tech is the main path for transitioning teachers is a little misleading and honestly a little annoying in my opinion. Teachers bring an incredibly transferable skillset. We design learning experiences, analyze whether people actually understood something, adjust instruction in real time, present complex information in ways that make sense, and build relationships with very different audiences. Those skills show up in a lot of places. Organizations everywhere need people who can multitask and pivot instantly, develop onboarding systems, plan events, facilitate workshops, and translate complex information into something people can actually apply in their jobs. Sound familiar? And even beyond that, many teachers move into roles in training, implementation, healthcare education, corporate learning, consulting, project management, office administration, and more. The job titles may change, but the core skillset is the same: helping people learn, understand, and perform better. So if you’re a teacher thinking about transitioning, here’s your reminder: Ed tech is one path, but it’s far from the only one. Your skills are bigger than a single industry.