Finding a job when changing careers is hard enough. How do you make sure you are finding the right job?

I know more than a handful of teachers who left the classroom only to end up hating the jobs that they took in the corporate world. This doesn’t mean that all of them went back to the classroom. Some did. Others spent time learning how to transition – yet again – into a role that would be more suitable for them.  

In desperation, people can often move too quickly – resulting in taking the wrong next step. My goal is to help you avoid this.

Finding the right job by reflecting first

 Last week, we looked at the first consideration you should make when considering a new role. 

So, what else should you consider before you start applying for new roles? Here are a few ideas:

Your interests:

• What is your current niche in education? (Elementary? Higher Ed? STEM?)
• What do you know, love, or have experience with outside of education?
• If you could learn something new, what would it be?

Your personality:

• Do you like competition?
• Would you be motivated more by team success or individual success?
• Are you an extrovert who thrives when you are around others, or an introvert who works best when you have lots of time to work on a project by yourself?
• Do you perform best with well-defined processes, or are you at your best with ambiguity where you can forge your own path?
• Do you prefer learning on your own or having someone personally mentor and guide you?
• Do you easily learn new technologies on your own?

Your Must-Haves:

• A certain salary?
• Benefits?
• Flexible PTO – or summers off, if you have children and want to spend summer with them?
• Fully remote, hybrid (where you occasionally go into an office, but also work from home), or on-site work?

Your Preferred-Nots:

• Is there an aspect of your current job that you want to avoid completely in the future?
• Is there a certain software tool or platform that you don’t like working with?
• Are you open to travel? (A job that lists 20% travel is likely to have you away from home at least one day per week.)
• Do you need a predictable schedule, or are you OK with working some evenings/weekends if needed?

Once you have identified this about yourself, you then need to learn everything you can about the roles you are considering. You might be surprised by what you learn. Not every role will be a good fit for every teacher. The only way to know is to learn everything you can as you begin to consider different positions.

So, start your reflection with what you know: you. Once you have identified these things about yourself – and have written them down (because putting ink on paper really does help with honest reflection) – then you can begin to explore roles that fit your passions.

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Want help with this? Consider my Preparing for Change course. Or join my Facebook group for transitioning teachers. You can also subscribe to my newsletter to learn more about upcoming events.