how to write a resume leaving teaching

• • Taught 5 classes of 20 students each
• • Increased student performance by 34%
• • Мaintaining the school website, updating news and essential information
• • Created and graded bi-weekly assignments
• • Participating in the design of teaching materials
• • Holding classes on MS Office and coding basics
• • Created teaching materials for students aged 15-19
• • Developed lessons that helped students understand complex mathematical concepts in an interactive way
• • Adopted a 'blended learning' approach that boosted students' creativity and problem-solving skills
• • Came up with assignments that tested students' abilities
• • Delivered math lessons in English
• • Increased pass rate by 30% on standardized tests
• • Provided moral support to students
• • Held out-of-class groups for students who wanted to improve their math skills
• • Supervised children aged 15-18 and encouraged social interaction

10 Teacher Career Change Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Teacher For Career Change focuses on guiding individuals transitioning into education by providing resources and support. Highlight your relevant experience, educational background, and any certifications that pertain to teaching. Consider adding communication, adaptability, and classroom management to your credentials. Emphasizing your ability to connect with diverse learners and your commitment to fostering a positive learning environment will demonstrate your worth to potential employers.

All resume examples in this guide

Single Column

Resume Guide

Teacher Career Change Resume

Resume Format

Resume Experience

Hard & Soft Skills

Certification & Education

Resume Summary & Objective

Additional Resume Sections

Key Takeaways

Teacher burnout is no joke.

You’ve probably considered changing your career for a while now.

Yet, how do you overcome the stereotypes that go with being “just” a teacher? How do you prove that you can thrive in a different industry?

Continue reading to find out how to:

• Adapt your teacher career change resume for various other roles;
• Use our teacher career change resume example to craft your own;
• Draw inspiration from side projects and hobbies to build your experience section.

Once you figure out the writing process, come back to check out our job-specific guides:

• Career change resume summary
• Career change resume guide
• Transitioning teacher resume

Teacher career change  resume example

• Effectively Showcasing Relevant Skills: By bringing the “Attention to Detail” and “Basic coding” skills to the forefront, the applicant bridges the gap between teaching and QA roles.
• Emphasizing a Drive for Continuous Learning: Including recent role-related training you’ve completed (be it from Udemy or IT Sligo) demonstrates your commitment to transitioning to the QA field.
• Highlighting Quantifiable Achievements in Teaching: The candidate successfully proves they know how to measure the impact of their work. Numbers and data speak louder than any buzzwords.
• Affirm Your Experience with Technology in Education: Having a solid foundational knowledge of coding basics makes the applicant the perfect candidate for a QA Analyst.

How to format a teacher career change  resume

Even if your academic specialization isn’t Literature, you have an appreciation for good organization.

Such as a neat and concise mathematical solution. Or a well-structured code.

Resume writing is no different. You have to make the most of each section by emphasizing your key achievements and skills.

To do that, consider the following writing tips:

• Stick  to the reverse-chronological resume format , it’s a recruiters’ favorite.  Make sure to draw role-relevant experiences from each of your past teaching positions.
• Take advantage of the extra space in your resume header.  Link to other professional profiles you have or a portfolio pertinent to the position. For instance, share your GitHub, if you’re aiming for an IT-related job.
• Build a strong resume objective.  If you have no practical experience in your target industry, appeal to companies by strategically pointing to relevant transferable skills.
• Don’t underestimate the education and talent sections.  While some positions require a specific degree, other jobs, such as a QA Analyst, have a low-entry threshold. Describe any relevant training you’ve undergone.
• Limit your resume to a maximum of 2 pages.  Grab recruiters' attention from the get-go. Regardless of your new career path, hiring managers spend no more than 7 seconds on any given resume.
• Save your information as a PDF document , unless otherwise instructed .  This file type is best at preserving the formatting of your resume. And it’s Applicant Tracking System-friendly (ATS).
• Ensure you use a readable font, such as Lato or Raleway.  But any other serif and sans-serif font works just as well.

Keep in mind these are general formatting recommendations. Always check for any extra requirements present within the business niche and the job ad.

Some industry leaders have additional company-specific rules of their own.

For example, Google recruiters request applicants to bolden the names of tools  and programming languages within the resume .

So, be vigilant.

It’s best to prepare a different resume for each of the roles you’ve targeted.

Is your resume good enough?

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

The top sections on a teacher career change resume:

• Summary:  Showcasing how your accomplishments and transferable skills align with your potential employer’s goals is crucial. It highlights your aspirations for a career change. And the work you’ve put into doing so.
• Skills : Separate yourself from the stereotype of the “all theory, no practice” teacher. As a professional transitioning to another industry, you must emphasize your role-relevant transferable talents.
• Experience:  Demonstrate how your teaching experience can be beneficial in your new career path by mentioning pertinent achievements.
• Education:  List relevant degrees and certifications to prove you’re no stranger to the business niche and you’re aware of current industry trends.
• Training/Courses:  Direct recruiters’ attention to your strive for learning by displaying all the new abilities you acquired in preparation for your career change.

What recruiters want to see on your resume:

• Transferable Skills:  Hiring managers want to know how much of your skill set applies to the new role.
• Adaptability:  Convince recruiters that your transition from the education sector to your industry of choice is going to be smooth.
• Continuous Learning:  Showcase your determination to do well on your new career path by providing evidence of ongoing training.
• Relevant Experience:  Include any pertinent non-teaching side projects, volunteer work, or practical experiences to show the full scope of your abilities.
• Achievement Metrics:  Explain how your teaching work made an impact on your students by quantifying your achievements.

How to write your teacher career change resume experience

As its name suggests, the resume experience section  is where you detail your professional expertise.

It’s tempting not to describe your work history in full if you fear teaching will lower your chances of getting the job.

But you’re robbing yourself of the great opportunity to align your accomplishments and talents with the available position.

That’s why, when building your experience entries, refrain from listing teaching duties and responsibilities.

Instead, shift the focus toward how your career has progressed so far. Share pertinent and measurable achievements that demonstrate the impact of your work.

Describe how your actions have affected your students, their parents, and even other teachers.

But more importantly, relate your work experience to the role you desire.

The best way to do this is to think of professional challenges you’ve overcome and explain how you did it.

For example, imagine you’re a physical education (PE) teacher who’s set their sights on becoming a fitness instructor.

You can emphasize how your combined theoretical knowledge and practical experience have helped you raise the fitness level of your students.

Let’s make it a little more difficult with another example.

You’re still a physical education teacher looking for a career change. But now you’re aiming to become an emergency medical technician (EMT). How do you translate your teaching experience?

Well, in this case, you’ll have to highlight your physical endurance. Couple that with relevant volunteer work and all the essential certificates qualifying you for the role, and you’re good to go!

Having these tips in mind, take a look at the experience entry example below. Do you think Ava managed to make the most out of the section?

• • Experimented with various tools and managed to preserve the class participation rate.
• • Adjusted the use of unfamiliar tools during class.
• • Looked after students with various learning disabilities.

Not really because her entry reads very matter-of-factly.

Yes, it’s a resume, after all.

But even though this is essentially a corporate document, you must appeal to hiring managers to secure an interview.

What Ava failed to do is:

• Detail key information about the institution and its focus
• Mention her academic specialization to let recruiters know her area of expertise
• Add enough context or quantifiable data to make her achievements stand out

Hence, the candidate doesn’t showcase any of the transferable skills she could apply in her new role, such as:

• Adaptability
• Ability to work in various learning environments
• Ability to learn new skills
• Bettering the lives of students
• Having a proactive attitude

Another unfortunate result of the bland experience entry is there’s no hint of what position Ava is aiming for.

Granted, building a targeted resume  will take you more time. But your efforts will pay off once you receive a call-back interview.

To illustrate, let’s assume Ava’s desired role is QA Analyst. Here is how she can translate her teaching experience to fit the position:

• • Experimented with blended and e-learning environments during the pandemic, managing to preserve a 93% class participation rate and increasing performance by 85%.
• • Adjusted the use of unfamiliar tools during class and provided troubleshooting advice to students, which resulted in a better classroom environment and a rise of 30% in lesson comprehension.
• • Increased accessibility to lesson resources for students with various learning disabilities through research and the introduction of 10 new learning tools.

How to quantify the impact on your resume

The example above proves just how much numbers make a difference when describing your work experience .

Employers use the data to gauge your workplace awareness. It separates those who go to work just to collect a salary and employees who seek professional growth.

And when you’re changing your career, recruiters will pry into why you’re leaving teaching.

So, to make your resume relate to other industries, try to reframe your accomplishments in a way that will hint at other abilities you have.

Depending on your new career of choice, some achievements you can add include:

• Student performance improvements: Demonstrate your ability to deliver measurable results.
• Size of classes or programs managed:  Emphasize your ability to handle complex large-scale projects.
• School events participation increases: Detail situations where your skills have helped students engage better with school life.
• The number of educational projects led: Highlight your classroom management skills, leadership talent, and ability to foster teamwork spirit.
• Types of technology tools used, as well as your proficiency level: Indicate you’re tech-savvy and know your way around most project management platforms.
• Number in efficiency improvements (e.g. time saved): Showcase your talent for process optimization and achieving results.
• Amount of extracurricular activities coordinated: Prove you have the organizational and time management skills for your new role.
• The number of public appearances and conferences held: Illustrate your networking and presentation skills.
• Business niche involvement: Share how you stay up-to-date with industry trends close to your academic area of expertise.
• Additional training acquired:  Draw attention to your knack for learning new abilities.

How do I write a teacher career change resume with no experience

We understand the frustration of getting disappointed with your degree halfway through doing it.

Crafting a resume with no work history  means you must rely on additional coaching you’ve undergone and other side projects you’ve done.

So, if you:

• Are certain of what you want to pursue professionally
• Hold an Education degree, but have no practical experience

…start brainstorming!

All you need to do is:

• Familiarize yourself with the business niche you want to work in. Including industry traditions and jargon.
• Review current job ads for various positions within the industry, even if you don’t plan on applying for the roles.
• Take note of what qualities and skills are considered perfect for the job.
• Make a list of experiences you can share, such as temporary work and internships .
• Relate your professional achievements to the requirements listed in the job description.
• Support your application with details about relevant hobbies, side projects, and portfolios you’ve built.

How to list your hard skills and soft skills on your resume

Regardless of your chosen profession, having a balanced mix of hard and soft skills on your resume will always impress recruiters.

Hard skills  display your proficiency in a variety of technical tools and platforms.

For example, most IT-related jobs demand experts who have a deep understanding of coding basics and Object Oriented Programming (OOP).

When listing your technical skills, make sure you follow the exact phrasing used in the job description.

This will ensure your resume is optimized to pass ATS checks.

By contrast, soft skills  demonstrate how:

• How high your Emotional intelligence (EQ) is
• How well you can work with other members of your team
• If you’ll be a good leader and mentor in the long run

You know your professional impact goes beyond the classroom.

Parents rely on you to inform them of their children’s well-being and educational progress. Principals, on the other hand, expect you to build a bridge between students and potential employers.

So, as a teacher looking for a career change, the best way to create a perfectly varied skills resume section  is to:

• Jot down your top professional talents and transferable abilities.
• Divide them into hard and soft skills.
• Check which of the two groups has fewer entries.
• Don’t worry if you can’t boast as many tech skills as the job ad demands.
• Review the tables below for ideas on what other talents you can add to your skills section.
• Describe your abilities by sharing how each of your talents helped you overcome a professional challenge. Make sure to provide enough context!
• Remember to relate your achievements and skills to the available position.

Best hard skills for your teacher career change resume

• Project Management
• Data Analysis
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Public Speaking
• Conflict Resolution
• Budget Management
• Time Management
• Organizational Skills
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Social Media Management
• Event Planning
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software
• Basic Coding (e.g., Python, HTML)
• Learning Management Systems (LMS)
• Educational Technology Tools
• Research and Reporting
• Team Leadership
• Curriculum Development
• E-Learning Platforms
• Bilingual Communication Skills

Best soft skills for your teacher career change resume

• Effective Communication
• Active Listening
• Problem-Solving
• Cultural Sensitivity
• Motivational Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Emotional Intelligence
• Continuous Learning
• Student Advocacy

How to list your certifications and education on your resume

Another conundrum you may have come across while building your resume is how to tackle the education section .

As a teacher, you understand the significance of having the right academic background. Especially for roles in the medical, financial, or legal industry.

Yet, you also know that some roles have a low entry threshold. For instance, Digital Marketing Specialist, QA Analyst, or Event Planner.

This is why a bit of research in advance can help you with sifting through which degrees and certificates to add . And which ones to leave out of your resume.

If you’re a tenured professional, do add your Bachelor's and/or Master’s degree:

• Include the name of your degree and your alma mater
• List the date you graduated
• Cite the names of relevant associations or clubs you’ve been involved with
• Detail role-related side projects or internships you’ve done

But if you’re a recent graduate, you can also mention:

• Your GPA, if it’s above 3.25
• Pertinent majors and minors
• A few of your significant accomplishments, such as an award, a recognition, or a presentation

Have a look at how Ava tailored her education section to fit the role of a QA Analyst:

• • Developed and completed a project for the audit and security strengthening of the university's library network. The project was primarily focused on securing students' files and private information.
• • Minored in Applied Science, Math and Computer Science.

Although her focus is on Early Childhood Education, Ava emphasizes the relevant parts of her training.

If you’re yet to complete your degree, you can disclose your high school diploma. But do so only if you don’t have enough certifications to fill the education section.

Best certifications for your teacher career change resume

• ISTQB Certified Tester  | International Software Testing Qualifications Board
• Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE)  | American Society for Quality
• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)  | Scrum Alliance
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals  | Microsoft
• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner  | Amazon Web Services
• Project Management Professional (PMP)  | Project Management Institute
• Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT)  | National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians

How to write your teacher career change resume summary or objective

One of the few spaces on your resume where you can express yourself in a more freeform manner is the personal statement .

This is a short paragraph of no more than 5-6 sentences, where you provide a brief description of your:

• Key career achievements
• Technical and social strengths
• Relevant certificates and professional connections

But before you start writing, you need to know which type of personal statement is best for your case.

If you’ve been teaching for some time now and you have plenty of work experience, craft a resume summary .

Its purpose is to grab recruiters’ attention by creating a highlight reel of your top achievements. Despite your Education background.

As long as you emphasize the relevant parts of your experience. Just like Ava did with her education section.

In contrast, if your work history isn’t that long, build an appealing resume objective . It’s similar to the summary, but the focus lies on how your transferable skills can benefit your future employer.

Check out the following resume objective:

The applicant is hoping to secure a position with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Given that the person is currently a teacher and has experience working with children, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Yet, the candidate’s reliance on listing a ton of resume buzzwords  is a sure way for hiring managers to lose interest.

Adding more:

• Pertinent career success stories
• Information about professional connections
• Details about what motivates the applicant

…is what this objective needs.

Here is the difference a few edits can make:

In our second example, the candidate is a math teacher aiming to transition to the IT sector.

Since the individual is a more experienced teacher, the resume summary is bound to be full of achievements, right?

Take a look:

Again, there are too many self-descriptive adjectives and resume buzzwords.

And while some of the cited skills are what hiring managers are looking for, they are not tied to any specific measurable accomplishments.

Also, the applicant has failed to relate how either the languages or the degree minor is relevant to the available position.

This resume summary doesn’t bode well for the candidate. So, let’s make a few edits to make it even more impressive:

Now the applicant is bound to get noticed for all the right reasons!

Additional sections for a teacher career change resume

There are countless other opportunities to impress recruiters.

You can always add an extra segment on your resume to showcase other aspects of your life. Ones you may not necessarily have had the chance to exhibit while at work.

Some of these include, but are not limited to:

• Side gigs and personal projects, related to your desired industry
• Portfolios, scrapbooks, testimonial pages, or anything that displays your work. As well as customer feedback (if applicable).
• Awards, recognitions, prizes, and competition rankings  (if applicable)
• Human and/or programming languages
• White papers, presentations, research materials, resources , etc.
• Knowledge of professional tools, platforms, and project management styles

What you list on your career change resume will depend on:

• What else do you have to offer, but haven’t mentioned yet
• What other talents from your skill set do you want to flaunt and are in demand for the job

How to put side projects section on a resume

Projects are all-encompassing and can take many forms. That’s why, even if you’ve worked on something very small and personal if it’s relevant - add it!

• State the name of your project.
• Describe its purpose and why it’s important.
• Share the results of your project and if there were any developments following its completion.
• Elaborate on specific skills you’ve acquired throughout the process.
• Remember to quantify your achievements.

The side project section doesn’t have to look fancy to make you stand out. Have a look at the example below for reference:

• • The project was implemented as part of the auditing processes at 13+ other educational institutions as a way to protect students from personal information leakages.

Key takeaways

In short, writing a teacher career change resume isn’t difficult. But it requires some soul-searching. Just keep in mind to:

• Brainstorm possible career paths you want to pursue before you begin building your resume.
• Select the reverse-chronological resume format to showcase your current professional development.
• Don’t forget to link to industry-related business profiles and portfolios in your resume header.
• Opt for a resume objective if you’re a fresh graduate or don’t have much work experience in the education sector.
• Concentrate on tailoring your resume to your desired role by including job ad keywords.
• Use data and numbers to quantify your achievements wherever possible.  
• Emphasize the variety of transferable abilities in your skill set. Don’t forget to balance out your social talents with a few tech skills.

Looking to build your own Teacher For Career Change resume?

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How to Craft an Effective Resume for a Teacher Career Change

Crafting an impressive teacher resume when changing careers so that you can land the job you really want.

A teacher resume for a career change will require emphasis on transferable skills. To write an effective resume for a teacher career change, begin with a summary that outlines your skills and areas of expertise. You can also mention your career objective in relation to the company’s goals and how you can uniquely contribute. In the work experience section, list previous roles, but only describe relevant achievements and tasks. In the education section, add formal qualifications. Lastly, include relevant skills in the skills section—if necessary, categorize them.

A teacher resume for a career change doubles down on transferable skills, not specific teaching subjects (unless relevant to the job description). 

Instead of focusing on lesson plans, highlight any technical and leadership skills that would be valuable in the new role you’re targeting. This could range from classroom management as project leadership to curriculum development as training expertise and student engagement as communication skills.  

As for technical skills, you can mention your proficiency in software tools and data analysis. These skills showcase your ability to lead and communicate, as well as organize information and use technology effectively. All of which are highly sought after qualities in many different fields.

The path you chose in the early years of your career doesn’t have to stick! You could lose interest in your current role or find something more fulfilling along the way.  

If you’re feeling discontented in your teaching career, you don’t have to keep pushing through. There are several career paths you can choose from by leveraging the transferable skills you’ve developed in your career so far. 

Today, we’ll guide you on crafting an impressive teacher resume when changing careers so that you can land the job you really want.

What Are Some Jobs For Former Teachers to Make a Career Change Into?

Here are some common teacher career changes that you could make:

• EdTech professional
• Instructional design
• Writer, author, or editor
• Corporate trainer

These are some new career paths available to former teachers based on desirable skills requirements. We’ll dive into a bit more detail below.

EdTech Professional

Turning to EdTech is the easiest career transition one could think of, as it allows you to continue impacting education but on a larger scale! Start from an entry-level role and fill the skill gaps by developing other relevant skills such as coding, design, product management, and data analysis. Course designing and content creation are some EdTech domains you could easily tap into as a former teacher.

5 key skills requirements:

• Strong communication 
• Problem-solving
• Web development 
• Knowledge of programming languages
• Data Analytics

See this example job listing for a Learning Experience Designer at Columbus State University. It’s a perfect opportunity for experienced university teachers with a passion for course creation.

Instructional Design

Instructional design is a division of EdTech that mainly focuses on creating effective learning experiences, including courses, manuals, learning simulations, and more. Your lesson planning and curriculum development skills will come in handy for this role. 

• Understanding of learning models
• Project management 
• Presentation technology knowledge
• Visual design and storyboarding
• Assessment development

See this example job listing for an Instructional Designer to direct adult learning in a workplace. If you’re looking to work in a corporate setting and have deep knowledge about workplace practices, this role could be perfect for you!

The love for reading and learning is second nature to most teachers, which is why a career as a librarian is a good next step for former teachers. They are skilled in creating and delivering course curriculums, which translates well to a librarian’s responsibility of curating collections and resources to meet the needs of diverse readers. 

• Organizational skills
• Community engagement
• Basic computer literacy
• Research skills
• Customer service

This example job listing for a Reference Librarian is ideal for someone who is great at research and has a knack for handling software related to library database management.

Writer/Author/Editor 

One of the most important skills a teacher possesses is the ability to articulate their thoughts and words effectively. If you’re great at this, you might want to consider writing or editing as your next career. You could try magazines, newspapers, websites, books, and any other publishing mediums that pay to write.

Additionally, you can tap into copywriting or advertising if consumer psychology and marketing excite you.

• Excellent writing ability
• Critical thinking
• Storytelling

See this example job listing for a copywriter, which is perfect for someone who excels at storytelling and editorial writing.

Assessing and evaluating a person’s skills are a daily part of teaching, and you can translate these skills into recruiting candidates for a company. All you need is an eye for good talent, and you’re gold.

• Interpersonal skills
• Negotiation skills
• Sales and persuasion

This example job listing is for Recruiters in the financial services space, perfect for former teachers with a commerce background.  

Corporate Trainer

How about teaching, but in a different setting and to a different audience? Offering training in a corporate environment allows you to experience a whole new world and expand your horizons. This role also allows for flexibility to set your own schedule—something that is a welcome reprieve from the rigid schedule of most educators.

• Presentation skills
• Technical literacy
• Analytical skills
• Cultural sensitivity

This example job listing for a Corporate Trainer is ideal for you if you love helping individuals perform better in their roles.

Teacher Career Change Resume Example

Your resume plays a critical role when switching from teaching to a more corporate role—it’s all about how you present your experiences and skills in a manner to make them attractive to any potential employer.  

Here’s one resume example that has the potential to get attention:

Why does this resume work?

• Using numbers and percentages to talk about results and transformations. This shows that the candidate is data-driven (which is perfect in the corporate realm) and the ability to drive results and productivity with their work. 
• Employers love resume keywords such as “goal-setting,” “planning,” “strategy,” and “feedback.” These show the applicant knows the industry skills required and helps form a positive first impression.
• The work history tells how the applicant has been more than just a teacher and has been involved in the development of their previous institution . This involves other relevant responsibilities such as leading a team of instructors, building partnerships with local schools, collaborating with faculties, designing training programs, and more.

How to Write a Resume When Transitioning from Teaching

Write a teacher resume for career change by highlighting transferable skills in the following sections: 

• Summary section. Mention your strengths and outline an objective that’s relevant to the job description and company’s goals. 
• Work experience section. Describe achievements and responsibilities using concrete action verbs. Specify the results using numbers. However, only prioritize details that are related to the job requirements. 
• Certifications section. List any relevant qualifications that prove your depth of knowledge in the field you’re applying for.
• Projects section. Showcase your success on a project you worked on that’s relevant to the job requirements. Anything where you have relevant experience can help you improve your chances of getting noticed. 
• Education section. Include formal academic achievements. 
• Skills section. List core competencies that are required and desirable for your target job position. When listing lots of different types of skills, categorize them for easier readability. 

Below, we’ll also go through a few tips when writing teacher resumes for a career change. 

1. Make the Most of Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are the experiences and qualities you develop in your teaching career that can also be applied to your new career. 

These skills not only include your hard skills (i.e., your expertise) but also include all soft skills (problem-solving, analytical skills, team-leading abilities, etc) you pick up along the journey. 

How to identify your transferable skills:

• Reflect on your teaching journey and note all your achievements, milestones, and the skills you demonstrated in those times.
• Review job descriptions of the roles you’re interested in and translate your skills per the specific job requirements. 
• Network with people from the industry you wish to join outside of teaching to learn about the potential roles you can apply to with your skills. 
• Consider all the training and courses you’ve done in your teaching career and use them to create a portfolio. You can create a mock project to showcase your skills in a real-world scenario. 

Suggested reading: Resume templates for various industries

2. Customize Your Resume for a New Field

One resume will not fit every job role. You must adapt the jargon, formats, and language specific to each field. Align your experiences and achievements with the requirements of your new field.

Here’s an example:

“Prepared and curated lesson plans for students.”

This line from a teacher’s resume becomes….

“Oversaw curriculum development to maximize learning for students while collaborating with team members and leadership.”

The updated version shows you’re a team player who likes taking end-to-end initiatives. 

3. Address Career Change Concerns

Transitioning from a teacher to a corporate role may raise objections and concerns from employers. 

Some of these concerns could be:

• Lack of experience in a corporate setting
• Being overqualified for entry-level roles
• Your ability to transfer and translate skills

You can address these concerns using the following strategies:

• Share instances from your teaching journey where you applied your transferable skills. For example,  instances where you led a team and contributed to the development of your past organization. Or where you navigated a change that increased students’ performance by a significant percentage. 
• Talk about the technical tools you’ve used in your past role and how they’ve helped you in the job.
• Prepare a solid answer to the question, “Why should we hire you.” Use your skills like adaptability, team player, problem-solving, critical thinking, etc, to lead the argument.
• Mention any courses, certifications, workshops, or additional education you have pursued or are pursuing to enhance your skills for the corporate role.

4. Showcase Accomplishments and Impact

Numbers speak louder than words, and quantifying your achievements emphasizes their impact. For starters, it shows the employer you really care about achieving results rather than just getting the work done. Secondly, it makes you look more credible and encourages the employer to trust you.

Here’s how to write a resume that highlights quantitative achievements:

• Avoid vague statements and be highly specific—always specify who you helped, how you helped, and the results you produced. 
• Highlight metrics relevant to the job you’re applying for, not just your old job.
• It doesn’t always have to be a percentage—you can include the number of people impacted or a range of data in case you don’t have the precise figures. 

Here are two examples of showcasing impact: 

• Led and managed a student mentorship program for senior students and helped 15+ students achieve scholarships to attend prestigious universities in Germany in 2022.
• Aligned with key stakeholders to manage additional events in the organization to drive student engagement and learning. Raised $20,000 from trustees for this cause. 

5. Include Professional Development and Upskilling

It’s good practice to focus on training and upskilling when transitioning to a different career. It helps you close the skill gaps between your old and new role and make you more qualified for corporate. 

Here are some places you can search for courses and certifications:

• Udemy: You get a huge library of courses for every field imaginable, at affordable prices.
• LinkedIn Learning: This comes with your LinkedIn premium subscription. Showcase the course certification as you finish; it’ll act as a huge employer magnet on your profile!
• Look for courses and certifications available in your local area. 

Don’t forget to highlight ongoing learning and upskilling on the resume. It shows the recruiter how invested you are in adapting to a new career path and the effort you put into making it happen.

Here’s an example of how to highlight it on your resume:

Currently pursuing a certification course, “Email Marketing Fundamentals”, on Udemy after finishing “Digital Marketing 101”, and “Basics of Branding” successfully. 

Let’s recap on how to write a teacher resume for a career change: 

• Provide an overview of your professional background and strengths. Include an objective statement that clarifies how you intend to uniquely contribute to the company you’re applying for.
• Use action verbs when writing bullet points to describe previous roles. Prioritize relevant achievements and responsibilities. Use numbers to emphasize your impact. 
• Consider including an additional section, such as certifications and projects. These should be relevant to the job responsibilities and help position you as a strong match for the position. 
• Tailor your skills section by including core competencies that show you’re capable of carrying out the main job duties. If necessary, categorize the skills listed. 

Transitioning from teaching into a new role can be a smooth ride if you know where to look and how to apply and position yourself. Your resume is your entry ticket into another role—make sure you create an excellent first impression!

Tailor your resume for the field you’re applying to and show off your transferable skills. Remain calm during the job hunting process and continue upskilling for new roles to complement your existing skills and experience.  

And if you want to fast-track the resume writing process and increase your chances of landing your dream job, consider giving the Rezi resume builder a try!

How do I write a resume for a career change from teaching?

Identify your transferable skills that fit the requirements for the role you’re applying to and follow these resume tips .

What do you put on a resume when leaving teaching?

Mention all your relevant experiences from your teaching background in your resume and tailor these experiences to the new role. 

How do I switch to a career in teaching?

Get clarity about who you want to teach and what should be your subject, and apply for all the necessary certifications to complete the process. 

Kels Styles

Kels is a career writer and editor with a background in entertainment, advertising, and startups. Kels aims to provide, reinforce, and organize authentic, digestible content that helps you take the next step in your career. 

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How to Craft Your Teacher Career Change Resume + Ace Your Interview

Once you’ve decided that you want to leave the classroom, the next big question on your mind is, “What career am I going to pursue?”  Well, there are two different ways you can go…the employee route or the entrepreneur route.

The entrepreneur route means that you go into business for yourself. Maybe you start a website , a boutique , a virtual assistant business , an online tutoring business, a photography business , or a TpT shop . The career is irrelevant; the important thing to note is that as an entrepreneur, you are going into business for yourself.

The employee route means that you choose to work for another individual or company. Again, we are less concerned with who hires you and more interested in how to get you hired for the job of your dreams.

So in today’s episode, we are going to focus on the employee route and how writing a teacher career change resume will help you land some of the best jobs for teachers outside of education. The cool part about what I’m sharing is that these tips will help you in getting hired for ANY position.

But we are going to spend the majority of our time unpacking some of the specifics you might not have considered when you began thinking about landing the best jobs for teachers outside of the classroom .

So let’s discuss the 15 things you need to do to design a winning teacher career change resume and land your dream job outside of teaching.

Creating Your Teacher Career Change Resume

1| write specifically.

Everyone has a resume, but there is a lot of difference between a “leaving teaching resume that includes all of your teaching experience and literally nothing else” and a well-planned, well-executed specific resume.

Think about it like this. There are dollar store pens and then there are flair pens…I rest my case.

The whole point of writing a resume is to give the applicant board as much relevant information as possible in as little space as possible.

So you want your transition out of teaching resume to be unique and a nice reflection of you while still being completely tailored to the position for which you are applying.

Your resume shouldn’t be generic. I know this may feel frustrating when you’re applying for a lot of positions at once, but I promise it will pay off in the long run. You definitely want your resume to reflect specifics of the field and position into which you want to move.

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2| Research transferable skills

Be sure to listen to Episode #5 where we discuss the top transferable skills that teachers possess that makes you a prime candidate for any job you want. Think about what types of transferable skills you have that apply to the particular field you are interested in.

The most important part about this is remembering that each field of study and each niche has its own language. So you want to take time to figure out which of the skills are your strengths and then translate those into the niche-specific buzzwords that particular community uses.

Then add those words onto your teacher career change resume so the application board knows you have the skills they are seeking.

3| Use niche-specific language

I mentioned this in tip 2, but you want to make sure that you speak the language of the people in your potential career. Most professions have a “lingo” and you want to be sure that you know the lingo of your chosen field of interest.

Think about teaching. We use words and acronyms like social-emotional learning (SEL), individualized education plan (IEP), and curriculum-based assessment (CBA).

If you stopped people on the street and asked them what these acronyms meant, most probably wouldn’t have any idea what you were talking about. However, if you are a new teacher wanting to get hired, these acronyms are important for you to know.

This same rule applies for other fields. If you want to break into a community or niche outside of the world of education, you need to learn the lingo. The best way to do this is by using Google and type in common acronyms for (fill in the blank of the field).

Once you understand the common acronyms for that field, you will want to compare these to your transferable teacher skills and see which ones are similar. Then research the buzzwords in the niche of the job you hope to pursue to find even more gold to add to your teacher career change resume.

4| Be prepared

You would think this would be supremely obvious, but according to my husband, who does interviews regularly for his job, the number of individuals who come to interviews completely unprepared is staggering.

So after researching the lingo (including buzzwords & acronyms) of your potential profession, make sure you research the specific position you hope to get as well as the company you want to join.

Make certain that your career goals align with the motto and beliefs of this particular company . You don’t want to go through the trouble of interviewing, getting offered the position, and working for one day only to realize you don’t agree with the company’s position on an important issue.

Once you determine you are a good fit for the company, take some time to look online for interview questions related to your chosen field and formulate answers as a way to prepare for the questions you might be asked in an interview.

This will instill confidence in you and help you get into the mindset of someone who already has the position…before you ever walk through the door of the interview.

5| Reach out to someone at the company

If you want to be prepared for a potential interview, then you need to know about the company and also the workers there.

You can call the company and ask to speak with someone in the department to which you are applying or ask to speak with the supervisor about the position.

Be respectful of this individual’s time and ask if he/she has 5 minutes to answer a couple of quick questions about the position. If the person is busy, let him/her call you at a more convenient time because the last thing you want to do is be a nuisance.

Ask a few preselected questions that will help you understand more about the work environment, the position itself, and the supervisor. Remember, to write these ahead of time so you don’t waste time trying to think of them on the spot.

The point of this exercise is to get a little extra insight and to get your name in front of the individual early.

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Nailing Your Teacher Career Change Interview

6| know what you’re interviewing for.

This may seem ridiculous, but there are so many people who just saunter into interviews with no idea what they’re even interviewing for. My husband sees this all the time.

He is always astounded by how many individuals step into an interview completely clueless about the position. Ultimately, the interviewee is simply wasting everyone’s time.

This is a very frustrating situation…especially when an interview panel has a full day of interviews. Make sure you’ve spent time studying the position and dissecting the job requirements and duties so that you can answer the questions in an interview well.

Think about the specific skills you bring to the table that will allow you to be an asset to the company and how those skills set you up as the perfect candidate for the position.

7| Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses

In every interview, there is always the obligatory “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” question. While it may be phrased in a number of different ways, this is the moment for you to shine.

You want to spend time talking about what you have to offer the company that makes you the obvious choice of candidate. Then you want to be honest about your weaknesses in a way that does not make you look like a liability. Let me give you some examples.

Instead of saying this…

• I’m a terrible speller.
• I hate people.
• I’m OCD about organization.

Say this…

• I appreciate spell check as spelling isn’t my strong suit.
• I work best independently as I tend to be introverted by nature.
• I thrive in a tidy workspace . I’m not a fan of disorganization.

The point here is for you to admit your weaknesses, but in a way that doesn’t take you out of the running for this particular position.

8| Don’t assume anything

You cannot assume the interview panel knows anything you don’t say or that you haven’t told them during the meeting. You may have written something in your application or even in your resume, but you still need to mention it during the interview as needed. 

This is especially important if you happen to know someone on the interview board or you have worked at this particular company before. They are only able to write down things you say during the meeting and if you don’t say it, it might get overlooked elsewhere.

Also remember to avoid the word etcetera.

This is something people say when they’ve been asked a question that they aren’t fully prepared to answer. They will say “etcetera” to fill in the space of those things they can’t think of during the interview.

But remember, the interviewers don’t know what etcetera covers unless you clarify it. So just leave it out of the conversation completely.

9| Answer ALL of the questions

Another issue that my husband sees frequently in interviews is candidates not answering all of the questions. For example, the interviewer might ask you something like this…“Name some skills that you feel would be important to have to do this job effectively. Then tell us your strongest skill.”

Potential candidates answer with their strongest skill while completely ignoring the first part of the question. This isn’t an encouraging start for interviewers because they want an employee that actually listens.

So listen carefully to the questions asked and answer ALL of them as succinctly (and thoroughly) as possible.

Now what I just said might seem a bit like an oxymoron. How are you supposed to answer a question succinctly and thoroughly? Think of it like this…

You want to include as much information as needed to answer the question(s) completely without talking in circles and repeating yourself 53 times. You want to prove that you have a thoughtful answer while also being respectful of the interviewers’ time. 

10| Dress Appropriately

It doesn’t matter if you are applying for a non-profit, a grocery store, or a Fortune 500 company, you want to dress appropriately. Think about the old adage…Dress for the job you want, not for the job you have!!

Even if the place you’re interviewing at has “Casual Fridays” and you happen to be getting an interview on one of these days, you are not yet an employee and those rules don’t apply to you. So think about how a professional would dress and dress accordingly.

Men should wear a suit and tie or at the bare minimum a polo shirt and nice slacks. If you come in with wrinkled khakis and a shirt 2 sizes too small, you are not going to make a good impression.

Women should wear a nice pair of slacks or skirt with a MODEST dressy top or dress if you feel more comfortable. Leggings (unless under a dress), low cut or revealing tops, and bra straps make a terrible first impression.

Remember, you will be the face of this particular company to the world and they don’t want sloppily-dressed individuals representing their brand. And even the best teacher career change resume will not cover up the negative impression a poorly dressed applicant gives during the interview.

11| Don’t fidget

When we get nervous, we do annoying things without even realizing it. We tend to tap our pencils, shift in our seats, click our pens, or clear our throats because we literally don’t know what to do with ourselves. 

But this is super-distracting to the interviewers. That’s why practicing with someone prior to your actual interview can be really helpful.

You can simulate the interview environment (including paper, pen, or pencil on the table) to see if you have any fidget or annoying habit that will cause the interviewers to be distracted. After the simulation, the person can give you feedback on things you are doing well and things you need to work on before completing your interview.

12| Show interest

It is sad to even have to mention this, but another thing my husband has mentioned that amazes him is how little people seem to care about the job for which they are interviewing. There have been times he wanted to ask the interviewee if they actually even wanted the job.

To avoid this, be forthcoming with all of the information you have to share and don’t make the interview panel prod you for answers. This doesn’t make a good impression and since the goal is to land this job, you want to show interest.

If you don’t feel like you’ve had the opportunity to truly express why you want the job, at the end say something like…

• “I want this position because…”
• “I would like the opportunity to work here because…”

Then mention anything you gleaned during your conversation with the supervisor in your pre-interview phone conversation. This may be exactly what they’ve been waiting for someone to say!

13| Don’t be afraid to ask questions at the end

In many interviews, you will be given the opportunity to ask questions of the panel. Be sure to take advantage of the time and ask any clarifying questions.

You want to make sure you’ve already determined the types of questions you want to ask BEFORE you step into the interview though so you don’t forget them when you get nervous. You might even want to write them down and pull out your note at the end.

This will allow you to show the panel how serious you are about the position and also give you the opportunity to ask any questions that you would like answered related to work environment, their favorite things about working for the company, and how long they have been with the company.

Staying Front of Mind

14| send a thank you.

This is such an important part of the interview process. You want to thank the supervisor for the opportunity to interview for the position. This can be done “old school” style by sending a physical thank you note or card or it can be sent via email.

Make sure you are specific so that it doesn’t appear to simply be a canned response that you send to everyone. This is also one more way for your name to stay in front of the supervisor’s mind.

15| Ask for feedback

After you have sent your thank you email, you will find out whether or not you were chosen as the candidate for hire. If you did NOT get hired, don’t be afraid to reach out to the supervisor and see if he/she could give you a little insight into why you didn’t get the position.

This isn’t a power move; it’s simply a way for you to determine what you could have done better. But if you are going to go to the trouble of asking what you could have done better, be sure to listen carefully to feedback given to you.

Then take the time to turn that feedback into  better interviewing skills. And who knows? You may be able to use this insight to secure a different position with the company in the future.

These 15 tips are designed to help you create an amazing teacher career change resume and deliver an awe-inspiring interview that leaves the company begging for you to work for them.

You are an extremely enticing candidate, but it is your job to show these companies just how badly they need you on their team.

So take time to create a standout resume designed for the position to which you are applying, prepare for the interview, arrive at the interview dressed professionally and confident that you are the best candidate.

You can do this!

If you know you need some help designing a teacher career change resume and strategic interview coaching, I can help! As a coach, I love helping clients leave the classroom ready to begin their new career with confidence. Click the button below for your free 30 minute Zoom call.

Jennifer is a former elementary school teacher (M. Ed.) turned literacy interventionist, blogger, podcaster, TpT author, and homeschooling mom. When she's not with her husband & boys, she's sharing her love for Jesus, designing websites, helping other teachers pursue online businesses, organizing ALL THE THINGS, or watching New Girl. Read More >>

• Teacher Career Change Resume Example

Resume Examples

• Common Tasks & Responsibilities
• Top Hard & Soft Skills
• Action Verbs & Keywords
• Resume FAQs
• Similar Resumes

Common Responsibilities Listed on Teacher Career Change Resumes:

• Develop and implement career change strategies
• Research and analyze career options
• Identify and assess skills and qualifications
• Develop and maintain relationships with employers and recruiters
• Develop and maintain a professional network
• Create and update resumes and cover letters
• Prepare for job interviews
• Provide career counseling and guidance
• Develop and implement job search strategies
• Provide career transition support
• Conduct research on job markets and industries

Speed up your writing process with the AI-Powered Resume Builder . Generate tailored achievements in seconds for every role you apply to. Try it for free.

Teacher Career Change Resume Example:

• Developed and implemented career change strategies that resulted in a 30% increase in successful job placements for clients.
• Conducted extensive research and analysis of career options, providing personalized recommendations that led to a 25% increase in client satisfaction.
• Established and maintained relationships with employers and recruiters, resulting in a 20% increase in job opportunities for clients.
• Provided career counseling and guidance to individuals, resulting in a 40% increase in career clarity and direction for clients.
• Developed and implemented job search strategies that led to a 35% increase in client interviews and a 25% increase in job offers.
• Conducted research on job markets and industries, providing valuable insights and recommendations that led to a 30% increase in client success in targeted industries.
• Prepared and updated resumes and cover letters for clients, resulting in a 50% increase in interview callbacks and a 20% increase in job offers.
• Provided career transition support to individuals, assisting them in successfully navigating career changes and achieving their desired outcomes.
• Identified and assessed skills and qualifications of clients, resulting in a 40% increase in client confidence and marketability in their new career paths.
• Career counseling and guidance
• Development and implementation of career change strategies
• Research and analysis of career options
• Relationship building with employers and recruiters
• Job search strategy development
• Knowledge of job markets and industries
• Resume and cover letter preparation
• Career transition support
• Skills and qualifications assessment
• Client satisfaction and success tracking
• Personalized career recommendations
• Understanding of job placement strategies
• Ability to increase client confidence and marketability
• Knowledge of targeted industries
• Ability to increase interview callbacks and job offers
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong problem-solving abilities
• Ability to work with diverse client populations
• Proficiency in career-related software and online platforms
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

Top Skills & Keywords for Teacher Career Change Resumes:

Hard skills.

• Curriculum Development
• Classroom Management
• Lesson Planning
• Differentiated Instruction
• Assessment and Evaluation
• Technology Integration
• Special Education
• Classroom Technology
• Behavior Management
• Parent Communication
• Data Analysis and Interpretation
• Professional Development

Soft Skills

• Communication and Presentation Skills
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
• Time Management and Organization
• Empathy and Compassion
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Patience and Understanding
• Creativity and Innovation
• Leadership and Mentorship
• Active Listening and Feedback Incorporation
• Emotional Intelligence and Relationship Building
• Cultural Sensitivity and Inclusion

Resume Action Verbs for Teacher Career Changes:

• Facilitated
• Collaborated
• Implemented
• Demonstrated

Build a Teacher Career Change Resume with AI

Resume FAQs for Teacher Career Changes:

How long should i make my teacher career change resume, what is the best way to format a teacher career change resume, which keywords are important to highlight in a teacher career change resume, how should i write my resume if i have no experience as a teacher career change, compare your teacher career change resume to a job description:.

• Identify opportunities to further tailor your resume to the Teacher Career Change job
• Improve your keyword usage to align your experience and skills with the position
• Uncover and address potential gaps in your resume that may be important to the hiring manager

Complete the steps below to generate your free resume analysis.

Related Resumes for Teacher Career Changes:

Career coach, elementary school teacher, high school teacher, special education teacher, teacher aide, teacher assistant, transitioning teacher.

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Resume Tips for Teachers Leaving Education

How to write a resume is the number one question I get from teachers wanting to leave. We’re used to writing resumes for teaching and believe we need to learn how to write resumes for the corporate world. Is it a little different? Yes, but it’s manageable.

I also found that the EdTech space welcomes transitioning teachers and is okay seeing our teacher resumes. They are very forgiving, but you still should curate your resume in a way that attracts recruiters. So if you’re nervous about revising your resume, start with jobs in EdTech first.

Use these resume tips below to help you find a job outside the classroom.

Narrow Your Job Search

In my blog post, Jobs for Teachers Leaving Education, I mention some jobs that would be great for K-12 educators. Of course, you can’t apply for every job you see, you can, but unless you want to revise your resume to match all of those positions, I suggest focusing on jobs that fit your skill set.

Focus on one or two jobs you know you’d qualify for based on your experience; that way, you can have a resume or two perfect for that job.

Only Include Relevant Information

Let’s get right into it. If the job description doesn’t mention working with children, leave that experience off your resume. If you’re applying for Professional Learning Facilitator roles, you’ll only want to include the experience of you training adults. Let’s say you want to mention that you analyze data; say that. You don’t need to have that you analyzed student data.

If the job wants you to have experience as an educator, but working with kids is outside the actual role, make a list of your classroom experience, minus descriptions, on a second page.

Keep It Simple

I mentioned in the previous section that your resume might have a second page, but I’d keep it to one page. This is because you can successfully communicate your experience and qualifications on one page. And it is better for teachers attempting to leave the classroom, so you don’t have pages full of irrelevant experiences.

Search for Examples

Once you figure out what jobs you’re looking for, Google it! If you can find resumes on the internet that match the job you’re searching for, see how you can use them to write your own.

Honestly, it’s pretty easy to change your resume to fit the corporate world. Especially if you’re applying to roles within EdTech, I promise you can do it!

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Free printable to elevate your AI game 🤖

Free Teacher Resume Template and Tips, Plus 21 Teacher Resume Examples

Make a great first impression!

Whether you’re searching for your first teaching job or you’re ready for a change, you’ll need a solid resume. There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there on how to write a resume that will land you an interview, so it’s worth taking some time to review teacher resume examples first. We’ve rounded up examples for pretty much any kind of educator and assembled tips for how to write a strong modern teacher resume.

Best of all, we’ve got a free, fully customizable teacher resume template to get you started quickly and easily. Fill out the form on this page to grab your template, then use our tips to start building your resume today.

Teacher Resume Tips

Teacher resume examples.

Resumes have changed a lot in recent years, so do your research to find out what the latest trends are. For instance, while an “objectives” section used to be a resume standard, people often drop this section today in favor of more space to highlight their accomplishments. Start with these general resume tips, then get more advice for completing our free teacher resume template, section by section.

General Tips

• Keep it to one or two pages. Hiring managers don’t have time to read overly long resumes. Put the most important information up front, and remove anything that doesn’t truly strengthen your application.
• Be honest. While you want to highlight your strengths and achievements, don’t go overboard. If you exaggerate your experience but are unable to perform certain tasks, you may put your future job at risk before you even get started.
• Skip the gimmicks. Some people will tell you the way to make your resume stand out is to use fun fonts or a “creative” design. The fact is, people who are hiring want an easy-to-read, clear presentation that highlights your achievements and credentials. That’s what will land you an interview.
• Tailor your resume. Keep a standard resume document that you can customize for the specific job you’re applying for. That might mean moving sections around, highlighting specific skills or experiences, or deciding which parts of your career deserve to be placed up front. Take a close look at the job description, and tailor your resume accordingly.
• Don’t try to circumvent the system. Years ago, people would tell you to ignore requests to send your resume and instead show up in person. Our advice: Don’t do it! Application systems are nearly all online these days, and for good reason. This helps hiring committees by organizing information efficiently and ensuring they meet all anti-discrimination laws. So just send your resume and application using the method requested.
• Don’t forget a cover letter. A great cover letter really can help your resume stand out. Learn how to make your teacher cover letter special here.

Contact Information

On today’s resumes, your mailing address is optional. In fact, if you’re looking for a job outside of your current geographical area, it can sometimes be helpful to leave it off. This way, employers won’t worry about whether you’re willing to relocate for the job.

Email addresses are not optional. This is the way most schools will contact you today, so be sure to provide yours. You might want to take a look at your address to make sure it sounds relatively professional too. Ideally, it simply contains a version of your name (e.g., “[email protected]”); don’t forget you can grab a free email address from sites like Gmail if you need to. But other addresses are fine too, as long as there’s nothing questionable. “[email protected]” is fine. “[email protected]” is not.

Professional Objective/Summary

As mentioned earlier, resume objectives are used less and less today. Recent college grads or those transitioning to teaching careers might still decide to include a professional objective statement. Those with more experience have replaced objectives with a summary statement that provides an overview of their career. It’s also OK to delete this section altogether if you’d like more space in the Relevant Work Experience section.

Education and Certifications

Include your undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as any certifications or licensures you hold. Note: It’s up to you whether you include your graduation date. Some people worry it can open them up to age discrimination. You’ll likely be asked for this information if you continue in the hiring process, so they can verify your degrees.

Related Experience

This is the real meat of your teacher resume. You can list jobs chronologically starting with the most recent, or choose to place your most relevant experience first. Either way, include your employer’s name, dates of employment, and the position/s you held. Then, highlight your experience and achievements. Strive to make your statements measurable and quantifiable rather than just a listing of your job duties.

Weak statements: ADVERTISEMENT

• Taught fifth grade science and math
• Prepared students for standardized math tests
• Oversaw annual school science fair

Strong statements:

• Instructed 100+ students each year in fifth grade science fundamentals, including human anatomy, electricity and magnetism, and earth and space science
• Improved standardized testing math scores by an average of 8% over a period of five years
• Organized seven annual school science fairs by coordinating 200+ participants, finding qualified judges, and arranging for prizes donated by the community

New college grad? You should definitely include your student teaching or internship experience in this section!

Additional Experience

You can use this section to include jobs you’ve held that aren’t quite as relevant to the one you’re applying for. If you’re new to the working world, it’s OK to include non-teaching jobs here. For those with longer careers, it’s probably not necessary to list every job you’ve ever had. Just highlight any experience that helps support your application or fills any employment gaps.

Professional Honors and Leadership

If you’ve received awards or honors related to teaching, share them here. The same goes for any leadership roles you’ve held in educational professional orgs.

Professional Affiliations

If space allows, you might want to include a short list of respected professional organizations you belong to. You should definitely include them if you play a very active role, have been invited to speak as an education expert at a conference, etc. Otherwise, this section is optional.

Other Teacher Resume Sections

Here are some sections you might consider adding if you have space, and a few to skip altogether.

• Professional skills: Don’t include this section if your skills are simply those expected of any teacher. But if you’ve built up any unusual and relevant teaching skills through experience or professional development, you could include them here. (Fluency in multiple languages, for example.)
• Community involvement or volunteer work: If you’ve been heavily involved in community organizations that work with children or education, consider highlighting those achievements on your resume.
• Publications: Have you published articles in an educational or professional journal, or had your work featured on a trusted, well-known website? Include any relevant articles and links.

Here’s what you don’t need on your resume:

• Hobbies or “unique” unrelated skills (like “juggling” or “Cordon Bleu chef”).
• Any information about religious or political affiliations, or your marital status, gender, race, or age. These could lead to potential bias or discrimination in the hiring process.
• References: Most people leave this section off their resume these days, as job applications or hiring committees will ask you for them separately. Line up your references and gather their contact information, but hang onto them until you’re asked to provide the info. You don’t even need to put “References available upon request,” since hiring managers already assume that.

As you complete your teacher resume template, use these examples for ideas about what to include and how to word it.

1. First-time teacher

This is a great resume for teachers with little to no experience.

2. Another first-time teacher example

Here’s one more example of a great teacher resume for those with limited experience.

3. Experienced elementary teacher

This one allows you to showcase your skills in a compact, visually appealing design.

4. Another experienced elementary teacher

This is one of those teacher resume examples that work best for those with some experience but who are still early in their career. (Note: Click the link above and scroll down to find it.)

5. Summer school teacher

Use this resume to highlight the unique skills of summer school teachers who work with students who are either repeating a course or trying to get ahead for the following school year.

6. Assistant teacher

Applying for an assistant teacher job will be much easier using one of the five fantastic teacher resume examples through this resource.

7. Special education teacher

As a special educator, your responsibilities may change from minute to minute and your skills need to adapt. This template helps you simplify your experience in a one-page resume.

8. School counselor

This resume will help you showcase your excellent mentoring, counseling, and leadership skills.

9. School guidance counselor

As a guidance counselor, your role is to guide students through academic development as well as personal growth. Use this template to show you how to highlight your unique talents.

10. Library media specialist

Showcase your ability to collect and maintain the valuable resources needed to foster a strong learning environment for students.

11. High school English teacher

Use this guide to create a great English teacher resume that will highlight your communication, interpersonal, and planning skills to edge out the competition.

12. Technology teacher

Emphasize your commitment to the ongoing professional development necessary to continue integrating the latest technology into the existing curriculum, and coming up with new lesson plans for today’s classrooms.

13. Music teacher

Share and showcase your love of introducing music to students with this straightforward teacher resume.

14. Drama teacher

This resume example is simple but perfect for drama teachers who want to emphasize their experience as well as their knowledge of acting techniques and production.

15. World language teacher

Establish yourself as the ideal candidate by demonstrating teaching skills, language proficiency, communication, and organizational skills.

16. Sports coach

As a coach, this template will help you demonstrate your ability to manage teams and sports programs as well as encourage academic performance.

17. ESL teacher

This teacher resume example allows you to highlight your classroom management skills, as well as your commitment to empathy, patience, and cultural awareness. (Note: Click the link above and scroll down to find it.)

18. Math teacher

This clean resume template showcases a math teacher’s ability to break down complex math concepts through patient, meaningful engagement with students.

19. Pre-K teacher

It takes a special person to be a great pre-K teacher. Working with young children while creating lesson and activity plans, monitoring progress, and providing quality supervision takes patience and kindness.

20. Business teacher

Put your best foot forward with this business teacher resume that emphasizes teaching methods and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

21. International school teacher

Use this resume to let hiring managers know that you’re not only motivated to help students learn but uniquely qualified. Be sure to highlight any experience living or traveling abroad as well as foreign language skills.

Get Your Free Teacher Resume Template

Just fill out the form on this landing page for instant access to a free Google Doc featuring a fully customizable teacher resume template.

Plus, check out tips for teacher job fairs and the most common teacher interview questions.

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7 Rules for Writing an A+ Teaching Resume (Plus an Example!)

Many of us remember our favorite teacher. Mine was Mrs. Poole, who introduced me to poetry, encouraged me to keep writing short stories, and indulged my fascination with the Gold Rush. She even let me play Oregon Trail at lunchtime. (Yes, I was that kid.)

But students never give much thought to how teachers get a job. In fact, when I was in kindergarten, I thought Ms. Murphy lived in her classroom! Thankfully, I was wrong. Obviously, teachers don’t literally live in their classrooms, but when you’re knee-deep in lesson planning, parent conferences, and test grading, it’s hard to imagine having the time to look for a job, let alone write a competitive, compelling teaching resume that captures the full breadth of your abilities.

“Some teaching job openings will receive hundreds of applications depending on the school district. Your resume must wow the reader within five to eight seconds of them glancing over it,” says Daryn Edelman , a middle school teacher turned Certified Professional Resume Writer. That’s a lot of pressure for a busy teacher. How do you go about writing a resume that’ll capture a superintendent, principal, or HR specialist’s (depending on the district) attention in a matter of seconds? Luckily, it’s not quite as daunting as it sounds. You simply need to follow a few golden rules.

1. Highlight Your Relevant Education and Certifications

It won’t surprise you to hear that your degrees, credentials, and certifications will play an important role in landing your next teaching job. “The first thing I look for when I’m reviewing a teacher’s resume is their education and licensing,” says Dan Swartz, Managing Director of Resolve Talent Consulting , an agency that specializes in talent management for school districts and educational programs. “I’m of course very interested in teaching experience too, but if I can’t tell whether an applicant is properly licensed, determining whether they’re qualified will be a challenge.”

And these licensing requirements will vary from state to state. “A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement in most districts and states for obtaining a teaching license,” Edelman says. “Depending upon the job, you may need to show specific credits in the subject matter you want to teach. Many states require completion of either additional certification credits for special education and/or a master's degree in either teaching or special education.”

So you’ll first want to confirm what the educational requirements for your district, city, and state are—you’ll likely find these listed in the job description, but if not, a quick Google search should do the trick. If you meet the minimum requirements, be sure to include all the relevant details on your resume. “If you’re new to teaching, include your licensing details at the top of your resume,” Swartz recommends. “Otherwise, it can go toward the bottom below your classroom experience.”

2. Write for the Job You Want

While it can be tempting to go into great detail about all of your experience and accomplishments, it’s important to remember that your resume is meant to convey the ways in which you’re qualified for the specific job you’ve applied to. As Edelman puts it, your resume should communicate “why you are the ideal candidate for this job.” That’s why tailoring the content to reflect each job description is so essential.

Hiring managers use your resume to determine whether your experience will be a match for their current needs. “You can generally tell the priorities of a superintendent by the order and emphasis of the posted job requirements,” Edelman says. “Is the first requirement three years teaching at the high school level or a STEM degree from an accredited university? This will be one of the first things they will look for on a resume.” So make sure these important qualifications are on your resume and easy to find.

Teachers are busy, so I know that tailoring your resume for every single job posting might seem overwhelming. But I promise it won’t be as hard as it sounds. The key is to use the job description as your guide.

“If the job requires knowledge of a certain method like ‘Montessori,’ the resume should clearly show experience with this method,” Edelman says. In other words, if a skill, methodology, or job duty is mentioned in the job description, it belongs on your resume (so long as you actually have experience with that particular skill, methodology, or job duty).

Remember that cutting unnecessary skills or experiences can be just as important as including relevant ones. Swartz notes that every principal has their own preferences when it comes to curriculum and teaching styles, so if your resume highlights your extensive experience in Singapore math but the school you’ve applied to uses Eureka math, “you may not look like a very strong match on paper.” Be sure to pay attention to what is and what isn’t listed in the job description as you draft your resume.

3. Remember the Applicant Tracking System

“You should assume your resume will go through an Applicant Tracking System [ATS] where certain keywords are identified,” warns Edelman. ATS programs scan your resume for specific job-related terms, like “lesson planning” or “learner-focused” to determine whether your work history is a match for the job you’ve applied to. If your resume doesn’t include enough relevant keywords, the ATS might automatically reject your application before a human ever sees it—even if you actually have the right experience.

So how do you beat the ATS? Edelman suggests using the job posting to identify the right keywords. Note the requirements and make sure the important words in each one appear on your resume.

Need some commonly used keyword inspiration? Edelman and Swartz shared some examples:

• Academic Goals
• Blended Learning
• Character Education
• Classroom Management
• Child Development
• Collaborative Environments
• Data Analysis
• Data-Driven Instruction
• Instruction
• Extracurricular Direction
• Inclusive Classroom
• Instructional Strategies
• Interactive Classroom
• MAP Testing
• Mystery Math
• Parent/Administrator Collaboration
• Personalized Learning
• Research-Based Practices
• Social-Emotional Learning
• Student-Guided Learning
• Technology Integration
• Whole Child

4. Feature Your Gold Star–Worthy Achievements

In addition to showcasing your relevant responsibilities from past jobs, it’s also important to highlight your accomplishments . This can serve to paint a fuller picture of who you are as an educator while helping recruiters and hiring managers better understand what you’d bring to their classroom. “Your resume should show so much more than how many years you’ve been teaching or which methods you’re familiar with,” Swartz says. “It should also show what you’ve done in your years as an educator, who you are as a teacher, and what you’re capable of.”

Edelman recommends including things like the creation or publication of curricula, innovative use of multimedia in the classroom, a track record of improved standardized state or federal test scores (like the ARMT, STAR, NYSTP, STEP, CAASPP, or WKCE tests), experience with special needs students, or collaboration on the design, monitoring, and fulfillment of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

Another great way to bring your resume to life? Data. “Data is an especially effective and underutilized way to demonstrate your abilities,” says Swartz.” For example, did 75% of your students pass an end-of-grade test? Or did you achieve high growth with 100% of your students?”

Creating a dedicated subsection to feature your accomplishments is a great way to make them easy to spot. Check out the sample resume below to see this in action.

5. Call Out Technical Proficiencies

While relevant technical skills will vary from one school to the next, “generally, teachers should show knowledge and experience in the use of tablets and laptops, G-Suite [Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, and Classroom], education-focused social media platforms, gamification software [3DGameLab, Classcraft, etc.], and programs or hardware for accessibility of students with disabilities,” Edelman says. So don’t forget to detail your tech skills as hiring managers will be scanning your resume to quickly determine whether you have the proficiencies they’re looking for.

“With technology being so prevalent in the classroom, appearing to be out of touch with tech can be a red flag for hiring managers,” Swartz says. “Things like writing your resume on an older word processing system (like Notepad) instead of Word or Pages or neglecting to mention your familiarity with basics like Microsoft Word or Google Drive can make you seem less tech savvy than you actually are.” In other words, don’t neglect this section of your resume.

6 Don’t Shy Away from the Things That Make You Unique

Whether you’re in the midst of career transition, volunteer at an interesting nonprofit organization, or have a less traditional educational background, there’s no need to shy away from shining a spotlight on the things that make you unique. “Say you used to be a chemist and now you want to teach chemistry. That means you have great content knowledge,” says Swartz.

So there’s no need to exclude potentially relevant or interesting past experiences from your resume—even if they aren’t directly related to teaching. The same goes for compelling teaching or licensing experiences, like completing an urban education program or landing a teaching fellowship. “These are fairly selective programs, so most principals will be excited about that type of experience,” Swartz adds.

And while it’s generally not advisable to include religious (or political) affiliations on a resume, there are certain exceptions. For example, “If you are applying for work at a Catholic school, your church membership, volunteer church activities, etc. would actually be important to showcase,” Edelman says.

7. Remember the Basic Rules of Resume Writing

As you’re crafting your resume, you’ll want to keep a few basics in mind.

Stick to a Single Page

Most recruiters prefer one-page resumes as they’re generally easier to scan and include only the most relevant information. Tailoring your resume for each job and limiting the content to include only your most recent work history should help you to keep the length down.

Edelman recommends featuring only your most recent experience and cutting older work history. “A resume should detail your most current 10-15 years. It’s understood that your resume is a brief overview of your current career; it is not a biography.” You don’t need to include a list of references or a line about them being available upon request, either. “We know we can ask for them later,” Swartz says.

Note that when you’re first starting out, student teaching should be listed as professional experience. But after a few years, you should consider condensing this experience or leaving it off altogether—especially if you’re worried about getting your resume down to a single page.

Consider a Summary

Summaries can be a great way to share additional details about your personality and teaching philosophy, lend context to a career shift (like moving from teaching first grade to high school English) or to tie together seemingly less related experiences (like training employees or writing textbooks) together. Take a look at the sample resume to see this in action!

Craft Compelling Bullet Points

Bullet points are the most effective way to clearly and concisely detail your work experience. But just because they’re brief doesn’t mean they need to be boring! Punch up simple bullet points by including compelling verbs and key details. So something simple like, “wrote lesson plans” becomes “designed comprehensive, student-driven American history lesson plans, spanning the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.”

You can use this simple formula to write your own:

• Compelling Verb + Job Duty + Relevant Detail, Metric, or Outcome

Make Your Resume Easy to Scan With Clear Subject Headings

“The resume must make an impression within seven seconds,” explains Edelman. “Whether the [resume] reader is a superintendent, recruiter, or employer, they will first look at titles and previous employers, then move quickly down to qualifications including degree and licensing.” So you’ll want to make sure that these key pieces of information are easy to spot.

Organizing your resume into categories (e.g. education, work experience, technical skills) and creating easy-to-spot standout section headings will make your resume easy to scan while allowing your most relevant experience to shine.

Choose the Right Layout

Most hiring managers favor traditional chronological resumes for their straightforward layout, easy-to-follow work history (typically displayed in reverse chronological order, starting with your current or most recent job), and clearly defined sections.

If you’re returning to the workforce or making a career change, you might want to consider a combination or functional resume layout. While not as universally favored by hiring managers, these alternative formats give you more flexibility to organize seemingly disparate or choppy work experience into a more cohesive picture.

Not sure which way to go? You’ll find a great guide for choosing the layout that’s right for you here .

Smooth Out a Choppy Work History

“After verifying that a candidate has the required experience and certifications, the superintendent will generally move on to note any red flags such as large gaps in employment or multiple jobs within a short time (job-hopping),” Edelman says. And while you can’t change your career history, you may be able to add context using a summary or a cover letter .

“If you’re bouncing from one job to another, you need to give a reason,” says Swartz. “Getting promoted is a great reason for changing jobs, while taking a leave to care for a new child or a sick family member is a perfectly acceptable reason for having gaps in employment . If you took an extended maternity leave, there’s no need to hide it. Just mention it in your summary.”

Get Out Your Red Pen!

Be sure to proofread every version of your resume before you apply for a new job. Want a little extra credit? Ask a friend or trusted colleague to give your resume a read, too.

8. Learn by Example

Now that you’re well versed in the elements of an exceptional teacher resume, it’s time to look at an example! As you read, remember that your resume will probably look a little different, depending on your areas of expertise, teaching experience, and future goals. But every resume should be easy to scan; include details about relevant education, work history, and technical proficiency; feature compelling bullet points; and paint a clear picture of the candidate’s overall qualifications. Some might also include a brief summary and key achievements subsections (as this example does) while others may not.

Download an example teacher resume.

“Understand that your resume is a marketing document, with you being the product,” says Edelman. “Everything must be true, but strengths should be showcased and any weaknesses or red flags should be minimized. It is not your entire biography, just a bite-size overview of your career.”

If you follow these guidelines, you’ll be well on your way to creating a tailored resume that showcases your greatest qualifications and accomplishments and, in turn, helps you land your next job.

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The Educators Room

Empowering Teachers as the Experts

Revamping Your Resume for a Career Change

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Almost three years ago, I wrote an article entitled, “ Jobs For Teachers Who Leave the Profession ” about the various jobs teachers could do outside of being in the classroom. After being shared over 1,000,000 times, I figured we should do an update about HOW teachers can transition into jobs that seem unattainable for a teacher.

Over the years, we’ve had numerous comments from readers like Mark who said

“I have found that many businesses don’t hire former teachers because they assume teaching is an easy job and that teachers have no “real” transferable skills. It is unfortunate that assumptions are the roadblocks to entering a different field”

Or from Lizette from Facebook who said,

“…I have applied to everything possible in the last 5 years to leave teaching. I have not had one single phone call or interview…”

The job market is extremely fickle, but after three promotions, I’ve discovered that there are ways for teachers to transition into other careers if they don’t approach it like they are getting their first teaching job. What do I mean? Be confident and know that you have the skills needed to be successful- teachers are basically project managers who work in customer service on a daily basis. So what’s next?

The first step of changing a career is to take a good look at a career you would like to transition to- for the purpose of this article, we will use the Corporate Trainer job listed below.

The first step would be to then go through each job description detail and see if you can align it (using the same keywords) to what you already do in your current job. For example, the first job duty is to “ manage the design, delivery and continuous improvement of the New Hire Training programs as well as on-going learning opportunities…”

Does that sound familiar to what you do in your school? If not, think about your work with new teachers and how you come up with programs to help acclimate them to the building.  The next step would be to figure out how to use the same keywords to convey your teaching experience. (Note: For the first job description, the keywords would be manage, delivery, learning opportunities, and organization.) Then brainstorm the times that you’ve trained and worked with new or in-service teachers. Write down everything you did with those teachers to do on the job training, and then put it in terms that will remain truthful to your work, but will also use the same keywords.

Here’s an example. “ Manage the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of the New Teacher program and Liberty Middle School as well as teaching opportunities that support the school organization’s needs…”  You would need to align the job duties of the job you want to the current job you have. This will take time, but when you finish make sure to save the file as CorporateTrainer_Yourname.PDF so that you can use it time and time again.

After you’ve formulated your resume with the correct keywords, it’s critical for you format your resume so that it looks like you are the person for the job. For this step, I scoured the internet for hours and found several templates that worked well for me.

One of the examples that I liked was that it was clear that I was not looking for entry-level work and I had space for me to “brag” on career highlights and to summarize my professional life.

Another way to go is go “trendy” but this should be done with careful consideration to the job you are applying to. It’s tempting to go to a graphic organizer to create one of these resumes, however, use free programs like Canva  to create these resumes for free.

As you start to format your resume for careers outside the classroom, keep in mind these tips and/or hacks:

• Have a designated day and time to search for jobs that you may be interested in applying to.
• You should customize your resume for each job you apply to.
• Save all your resumes as PDFs and keep them in Dropbox or Google Drive so that you can quickly access them.
• Have a cover letter available so that you can quickly change them as you need.
• Use LinkedIn to create a profile so that you can become searchable online for your job skills.
• Utilize your school district’s resources to see if they have any certification classes (i.e. Project Management) you can take for little to no charge.

To sign up for our 4-week course entitled, “ How to Leave Your Job in Education: A Guide for Teachers to Get Out of the Classroom “, click here.  

Related posts:

Franchesca Warren

For fifteen years Franchesca taught English/Language Arts in two urban districts in Atlanta, Georgia,... More by Franchesca Warren

Join the Conversation

Thank you for all of the helpful insight! This is an amazing resource!

Do you have a link for the resume template image?

2nd, I would like a link to the resume template. Revamping my resume is the one thing holding up my transition out of teaching.

Here is the link to the resume example picture shown in the article: https://www.livecareer.com/resume/templates/classic

What’s giving the most trouble is the professional summary. How do I summarize 9 years of teaching for a job out of the field?

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More From Forbes

5 resume tips for teachers moving from the classroom to corporate.

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Teachers in crisis.

If you’re an educator who has been pondering to leave the field in some way, this article can help you learn how to begin to transition. Whether you want to continue to work in education, or if you want to change your career path completely, the tips below can help you get started on a new journey.

According to a Labor Department report  obtained by the Wall Street Journal,  teachers quit the profession in 2018 at the highest rate of any year on record. Roughly one million public education workers walked away from the classroom in 2018, and many career experts claim that number will continue to rise. 

Also, over the past 40 years, most people who became teachers were female. The share of female college students majoring in education has shrunk from 32% to 11%, according to  MarketWatch .

As I've seen throughout my career as a teacher, and a college academic advisor, the number of students choosing to go into teaching has also dropped nationwide. 

In the UK, according to  The Guardian , around one in five teachers (18%) expect to leave the classroom in less than two years. Also, two-fifths of teachers, school leaders, and support staff want to quit in the next five years—blaming out of control workload pressures and excessive accountability.

Reasons teachers typically leave the classroom can include a lack of administration and parental support, budget cuts, concerns about school violence, overwhelming expectations, and even the battle to gain students' attention due to mobile phone distraction.

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Teenagers and their mobile phones can cause great distractions in the classroom when not used ... [+] properly.

And, many educators' salaries are so low that they have to work a second job. 

Also, due to technology, it can be a challenge to separate school and home life, as many educators are dealing with around the clock communication needs, and on-demand time from students and parents.

Many teachers state they are tired of standardized tests that have curbed creativity, the arts, gym, and music.

The expectations have become almost too much to bear.

When Teachers Are Unhappy

One critical concern that always stands out to me regarding teaching: if educators are not happy, our students won't be happy either. The effect of this dramatic loss can not only change a student's love of learning—but can have a dramatic impact on the economy over the years to come.  

What Teachers Can Do

If this sounds like you, and you are not happy in your current role as a classroom educator, it is only fair to both you and your students to consider other career options. 

For this article, I spoke with Lynda Spiegel , who is a specialist in resumes and creating LinkedIn profiles.

Spiegel, once a teacher herself, runs Rising Stars Resumes , where you can find her offerings, a plethora of information, guidance, and sample resumes for almost every industry. 

According to her site, Spiegel has spent the last 14 years as a Global Human Resources executive, and she understands how recruiters and hiring managers view a potential candidate's resume. 

As a recruiter, she has experience posting jobs on LinkedIn, so she knows how to write a LinkedIn profile that will improve the chances of being found by a target employer. 

Teacher Transition Resume Tips

Here are some tips Spiegel shared with me for educators who want to transition from the classroom to corporate. These tips have been edited and condensed for reading purposes.

Understand The Difference Between Academic And Corporate Resumes 

Candidates for jobs in the corporate or non-academic and non-profit organizations need to articulate their value proposition – what, in a nutshell, they can provide in terms of what a company or organization currently needs. 

Leave Out Terms That Don’t Apply For A New Role

When you pivot to a new career, you need to eliminate terminology from your prior role.

Focus On Transferable Skills

First, read the details in each job posting that you're considering applying for with a critical eye. 

You may know that you're perfectly capable of handling the requirements, but if you have no experience with them, you're not likely to be considered. This is the place you need to focus in on for your resume—where you can include things you've done in addition to classroom teaching. 

For example, while all teachers are, in a sense, trainers, companies are mostly interested in peer-to-peer training. If you've done this, that's a plus to highlight. For another example, if you've participated in organizing trips, that may be useful for teachers who want to get into travel or event planning.

Turn Your Specialization Into A Corporate Asset

Every teacher is qualified to get hired as a curriculum consultant or with an edtech businesses—and this is an especially good option for elementary education pedagogues. 

High school teachers can leverage subject matter expertise by looking for work in a related field, and then highlight those projects you’ve developed in your resume. 

Robotics teachers can describe the 3D-printer project they assigned, while literature teachers aspiring to editorial work can reference the school literary magazine they’ve advised.

Don't Forget To List Software Competencies

While most corporate settings don't use edtech software, you should list these skills on your resume, along with every other application in which you're familiar. 

After all, the skill of being conversant in any software is a transferable skill that companies need.

More Information

For more information about transferring into a different profession, or if you want to stay in education while working outside classroom walls, be sure to follow Spiegel's work on LinkedIn , and you can join my teacher support group on Facebook for further support.

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Leaving Teaching? 9 Signs it’s the Right Choice

TeacherCareerCoach

Are you thinking of leaving teaching? Not sure if teaching is still what you should be doing? Here we discuss 9 signs that leaving teaching is the right choice for you.

If you need help leaving the classroom, check out the  Teacher Career Coach Course .  This step-by-step guide has helped thousands with a transition from teaching. Save time and get support with every step of picking a new path, rewriting your resume, and answering tricky interview questions.

It is never easy looking for work or switching careers. The long process of searching job boards, going on interviews and the emotional rollercoaster of rejections and silence can deter anyone from leaving a bad job. But, if you are stuck in a no-win situation and you don’t see any way out, then you need to do what’s right for you and trudge through to find the perfect match. It may be time to look into a career change for teachers. Here are nine warning signs that will let you know that it is time to stop thinking of leaving teaching and actually do something.

9 Signs Leaving Teaching is the Right Choice

1. sunday scaries.

When the weekend winds down and those Sunday Night Blues start to creep in and you can’t bear the thought of another week, then you aren’t enjoying your job the way you are supposed to. If there is no more excitement about Monday morning, then your heart is no longer in it.  All jobs will have peaks and valleys, but your work experience should not be constant lows. You have the power to change the trajectory of your journey where every day is a new adventure.

2. Life Out of Balance

A lack of work-life balance that is negatively impacting your family and social life is a big problem can lead to negative consequences. Teacher burnout and work-life balance are the main reasons cited as to why teachers quit. We are social beings and we need a good social network to be happy. When we don’t nurture our relationships, then we become distant and lonely, which is not good for our mental and physical health . Social isolation and loneliness can be as bad for your health as smoking cigarettes. If this is occurring and you are stuck in a work and no play situation, a fresh start will do wonders. Keep your work-life balance in mind for your well-being.

3. Taking Stress Home

Another sign that leaving teaching may be the right choice is if you’re unable to leave emotions and stress of school at school. If you find yourself being short with loved ones as a result, your patience with work may be running thin. This is not a healthy way to live. When we take work stress home, it can negatively affect our sleep, exercise and eating habits. Employees who constantly experience higher levels of stress are 23 percent more likely to find themselves in the emergency room. Yikes!

Related: Stress Management for Teachers: 5 Strategies to Implement TODAY!

4. Low-Self Esteem

Often, people do not move on from a bad situation because they suffer from low self-esteem. And, feel like they don’t have the skills to try something new. When you feel a growing sense of failure, lack of worth, or depreciating self-image due to the negative influences and stress of work, you can easily fall into a trap of hopelessness. You have more skills than you think, you just need to find the right situations. Find out what your character strengths are and lean into those strengths. You may be surprised at how strong you really are.

5. It’s Not Meant to Be

We all want to have meaningful careers, and teaching is a great way to add meaning to your life. But, when you are in a toxic work situation, it forces you to lose passion in a career you love. Suddenly, your job becomes mundane or frustrating when it is supposed to feel fulfilling. It’s hard to find meaning in a career you don’t enjoy. And it’s a fallacy to think you’ll be able to make it work. Don’t find yourself in a place of regret by staying too long. This is a big sign that leaving teaching may be the right choice.

6. Leaving Teachi ng because the Spark is Gone

When you don’t care anymore, it shows. If you find it challenging to feel impactful in your work and don’t enjoy working through the challenges with students to make them better people, then the spark that once motivated you every day has fizzled out. Students deserve an engaged teacher and if your situation is keeping from being the best teacher you can be, it’s time to find something that will bring you joy every day. Your goal every day should be about how you can make yourself and everyone else around better. If you’ve been thinking to yourself, “ I want to quit teaching ,” you may be completely done.

7. Career Quicksand

If you feel stuck, unchallenged, or bored, it’s time to act now before fall into career quicksand. If you feel like you are no longer moving forward in your career and the more you try to make it work, the further down you sink, then it’s time to reach for a lifeline to pull you out. Don’t get in too deep to where you feel like you can’t move. Your career survival depends on it.

8. Leaving Teaching because you’ve become a Negative Nelly

When we have lost our passion for something, we can find ourselves unintentionally spreading negativity to other teachers or students. I have seen it before, and unhappiness spreads like a virus. When we are focusing on negatives, we may speak poorly about our current work environment, fellow faculty members or students. Negativity travels faster than positivity, and we may not realize we are contributing to a toxic culture. Nobody wants to be around a Negative Nelly, so don’t let the job ruin your positive spirit. Or anyone else’s, either.

9. Leaving Teaching because you Want To

Finally, one thing that teachers often struggle with is the idea that teaching is supposed to be their forever career. As we grow, our interests and desires can change. That’s HUMAN NATURE. If you want to explore new career paths, are craving a change in your life, or just feel like doing something new, that’s okay. You don’t have to be the same person you were 5/10/15 years ago. You went into teaching because you have a good heart. You still have a good heart, even if you leave the profession.

You’ll always be a teacher even if it’s not your job title. You’ll always be able to use the skills you’ve mastered. And you’ll always find ways to help in any new position.

Next steps to a new career

One of the biggest mistakes that we see teachers make is that they try to  navigate this process alone . Often, they put off “researching” until the very last minute. Which sets them up for a very stressful application season. I want to help you get some clarity in the options available to you. To know EXACTLY what you need to do (and not do) in order to get your foot in the door. You don’t have to do this on your own. With the help of an HR expert with over 10 years of experience and a team of former teachers, I’ve created a guide to support you in the early stages of your transition out of the classroom.  Tap the button below to learn more .

free quiz: what career outside of the classroom is right for you? →

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Exit Stage Teach

When the Classroom Isn't Your Final Act!

Resumes for teachers wanting a new career.

Career transition can be exciting, yet challenging, for teachers seeking new horizons beyond the classroom. Resumes for teachers are powerful tools and crucial for those wanting to leave teaching for a new career. Resumes for teachers need to showcase skills, experiences, and potential to employers in different fields.

In this blog post, we’ll uncover the secrets of a compelling resume tailored specifically for teachers transitioning careers. So, grab a cup of inspiration, get ready to redefine your path, and let’s dive into the art of resume writing for teachers leaving the classroom.

When you’re already overloaded and possibly burnt out, the thought of having to apply for another job or even create a resume can be over-whelming let alone applying for a job outside of teaching. It doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal and you can create a resume that really highlights the amazing skills that you have. Firstly, you need to think about the accomplishments that you have made as a teacher. Think about the amazing things you can do and don’t forget it’s actually good to brag a bit about how awesome you are.

A Cover Letter is another tool

In addition to your resume, don’t forget you need a cover letter too! This needs to be specific and you need to change it for each job you’re applying for, don’t use a generic letter. You want to show off your expertise but also show that you took the time to actually research the company that you are applying for. Think about how your skills will be useful for the job you’re applying to work for. Just remember you don’t need to write a novel, keep it short and sweet. Introduce yourself, show off your skills, show your enthusiasm for the job and why you think the company needs you! Why wouldn’t they hire you! You are awesome, they just need to see it.

You are more than a ‘teacher’

It’s important that we think of ourselves as more than just a ‘teacher’ when applying for roles outside the classroom. It will also depend on the industry that you want to venture into as to what sort of language you might need to use on your resume. If you are staying within the education field, jargon such as pedagogy and curriculum might be suitable. However, if you’re going for a corporate position and completely out the realm of teaching then you might need to do a bit of research and creatively link your experiences to those more suitable for the position you’re applying for. Remember to look at the advertisement for the job, usually employers embed the keywords they are looking for in their role descriptions. You might have to address selection criteria as well, make sure you read what is asked of you carefully and respond simply. Make sure you really address the question or statement. Think about your skills from teaching and how they are relevant to the selection criteria.

Create an Eye Catching Heading

Capture the attention of employers by creating a captivating heading that highlights your unique journey as an educator. Be honest about your transition from teaching to the corporate world. It’s important that you find an employer who will embrace your expertise and unique qualities. It’s pointless not being upfront about where you’re coming from. Why not use it to your advantage and show off your creativity, it might be just what you need to stand out in the crowd.

For example, consider a heading like “Educator Extraordinaire: New Possibilities Beyond the Classroom” or “Transformative Teacher Turned Innovator: Embracing New Challenges . “

Show your Passion and Adaptability

Infuse your resume with a conversational tone that reflects your enthusiasm and adaptability. Showcasing your ability to connect with students, colleagues and carers can translate into valuable skills for various roles. Demonstrate your flexibility and eagerness to take on new challenges, emphasising your passion for continuous learning.

Align your skills with New Fields

Take the time to research your target industries and job roles. Identify the transferable skills gained from your teaching career that align with the requirements of your desired field. Tailor your resume to demonstrate how your teaching skills can seamlessly transfer to the new role.

Example: “Having researched the marketing and design industry extensively, I recognise that my communication, design and presentation skills acquired as a teacher are highly valued. By connecting with professionals in the field, I have gained insights into the key skills required for success . I am extremely proficient in the Microsoft suite, Adobe, Photoshop and Canva.”

Highlight Transferable Skills

While transitioning out of teaching, emphasise transferable skills that hold value in different contexts. Highlight skills such as communication, leadership, organisation, problem-solving, adaptability, and the ability to work collaboratively. These skills are highly sought after by employers across industries. Skills such as goal setting, planning, stakeholder relationships, data analysis, conflict resolution and customer service are all skills used daily in teaching and very transferrable in the corporate world.

Example: “As an educator, I have honed my communication and leadership skills by effectively collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including students, parents, and colleagues. My ability to adapt to changing circumstances and creatively solve problems makes me a valuable asset in any team setting.”

Leverage your Teaching Achievements

Although your previous roles may seem specific to education, there are undoubtedly achievements that are applicable to your new career path. Emphasise accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to drive results, manage projects, and positively impact individuals or teams. As teachers we use data and numbers all of the time. Analysing and interpreting data is a highly regarded skill in the corporate world and you have a multitude of experience in this area. Ensure that this stands out if the role requires it.

Example, “ Developed and delivered a staff training program in models of leadership, mentoring and team building which increased staff involvement in mentoring and leadership structures from 20% to over 70% in the space of 3 months. It also raised the general view of staff culture from a negative space of 20% to 80%.”

Example: “As a teacher, I successfully implemented innovative teaching strategies that resulted in a 20% increase in student engagement and improved academic performance. My experience in managing and coordinating extracurricular programs showcases my ability to multitask, organise events, and foster positive relationships with stakeholders.”

Professional Development and Training

Include any professional development, certifications, or specialised training you have undertaken to enhance your skills beyond teaching. Highlight courses or programs that are relevant to your target industry or desired role. Demonstrate your commitment to continuous learning and professional growth. If you have been in a leadership or mentoring role this is also a great one to highlight.

Example: “Investing in my professional growth, I completed a digital marketing certification to develop a strong foundation in online marketing strategies, social media management, and data analytics. This training has equipped me with the necessary skills to contribute to marketing teams in a dynamic and evolving landscape.”

Showcase any personal projects, side ventures, or volunteer work that align with your new career direction. Highlight the impact and outcomes of these projects, emphasising the skills and experiences gained from them. This demonstrates your proactive nature, initiative, and passion for making a difference beyond the classroom.

Personal Projects and Community Involvement

Example: “In addition to my teaching role, I initiated a coding club for middle school students, introducing them to basic programming concepts. Through this project, I developed my project management skills, fostered teamwork and problem-solving abilities, and witnessed the transformative impact of technology education on young minds.”

Optimise the Resume Format

Create a visually appealing and well-organised resume that allows employers to quickly grasp your qualifications and experiences. Utilise bullet points, headings, and subheadings to structure information effectively. Incorporate relevant keywords and phrases to enhance visibility and pass through applicant tracking systems. Keep your resume simple, don’t use colour, it needs to look professional. Make sure when you save your file it’s a PDF or Doc not an image.

Perfecting the Final Touch

Before submitting your resume, proofread and edit to ensure its flawless presentation. Eliminate any spelling or grammar errors, and ensure consistency in formatting and style. Consider seeking feedback from trusted friends, colleagues, or professional mentors to gain valuable insights and make necessary improvements.

Key points to remember in Resumes for Teachers…

As you navigate the process of writing your resume, it’s important to keep in mind these key points:

• Tailor your resume to each specific job application: Avoid using a generic resume for all the positions you apply for. Customise your resume for each job, highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the specific role. This shows employers that you’ve put thought and effort into your application.
• Use action verbs and quantify your achievements: When describing your experiences and accomplishments, use strong action verbs to convey a sense of impact and initiative. Additionally, whenever possible, provide quantifiable results to demonstrate the outcomes of your efforts. For example, instead of saying, “Improved student engagement,” you could say, “Increased student engagement by 20% through the implementation of interactive teaching strategies.”
• Emphasise your adaptability and willingness to learn: Employers value candidates who are adaptable and eager to learn new skills. Highlight instances where you’ve successfully adapted to change or taken on new challenges in your teaching career. This showcases your ability to thrive in different environments and indicates your willingness to embrace growth.
• Leverage technology and digital skills: In today’s digital age, proficiency in technology is highly valued across industries. Highlight any experience or skills you have with educational technology, learning management systems, data analysis tools, or any other relevant digital platforms. This demonstrates your ability to navigate technology and adapt to digital workflows.
• Showcase your teamwork and collaboration skills: Collaboration is a key aspect of many professional settings. As a teacher, you’ve likely worked closely with other educators, administrators, parents, and even community members. Highlight your experience in collaborative projects, teamwork, and effective communication to showcase your ability to work well with others and contribute to a positive team dynamic.
• Include relevant certifications and professional affiliations: If you have obtained any certifications or memberships in professional organisations that are relevant to your new career path, be sure to include them. These demonstrate your commitment to ongoing professional development and can boost your credibility in the eyes of potential employers.

Remember, the goal of your resume is to grab the attention of employers and convince them that you have the skills, experiences, and passion necessary to excel in their organisation. By incorporating these tips and strategies, you can create a compelling resume that effectively communicates your value and increases your chances of landing your desired job.

Do You need extra help with your resume?

If you are finding crafting a resume to suit your chosen field is too difficult we recommend you contact the brilliant Kate Langford.

Kate Langford owns two businesses (Kate Langford Career Consulting and Kate Langford Business Consulting) She is passionate about helping people find their passion and genius zone in both careers and/or starting a business for themselves. She has over 18 years’ experience in leading recruitment businesses, Human Resources, Recruitment and started her own in 2018. She holds a Grad Cert. in Career Development, Diploma of Counselling, Diploma of HR and a Diploma in Management.

Leading a team of 15 and servicing Australia wide and NZ in her businesses, she brings a deep understanding of what it takes to  leave the career as a Teacher behind and find a new role in a different industry!   It can be overwhelming and daunting when you are not sure what transferable skills you have, especially how to create a resume that is NOT based around teaching! If you want help with this transition, want to gain confidence and get the tools to make it happen, get in touch  www.katelangford.com.au/book-appointment

Kate would like to offer our Exit Stage Teach Community 15% off all services using the code: KLCCEXIT at checkout.

This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning, we get a commission if you purchase through some of the links provided, at absolutely no cost to you. We only partner with professional businesses that have a great reputation. We have done extensive research into these businesses and we endeavour to offer you an outstanding range of products and services however, we recommend you do your own due diligence when engaging with any external provider. Not all links are affiliate links as we want to help you as best we can.

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Denise’s Substack

One Year Later, How I Left Teaching

My mental health is great, but i truly miss the work..

In March 2023, I made the decision to leave teaching. My husband and I planned out my exit. I would finish the school year, and in June we would hit the ground running looking at new careers for a 5th grade Science and Social Studies teacher. I would have the entire summer to find work while still getting paid until August, and we had an emergency fund to hold us over for several months afterwards. It was a good plan.

In reality, I just couldn’t wait. After I put in not to renew my contract, I began feverishly working on finding my next job while I finished out the school year. There were so many emotions going through my entire body that I wrote about it (link below).

Losing My Identity as a Teacher

That post has been read over 10,000 times, and on occasion I still see references to it on LinkedIn.

Today, nearly one year later, I have a successful career in software training. I make more money and my 401K is already outpacing my previous Teacher Retirement. My boss is great, and my colleagues are wonderful. My schedule is fantastic, working 100% remote. A few weeks ago, I was present with my kids for Meet the Teacher night, something I had never been able to do before. Being there was bittersweet, as two of our kids are attending the school I left the year prior.

I still have so many emotions about leaving teaching, and I even contemplated going back this school year, even if for a brief moment. For those thinking of leaving themselves, I think it is important to give you some hard truths about exiting the teaching profession.

Let’s start by stepping back, when I decided to leave.

A Caring Voice

Once the decision had been made to leave, I sat down and talked about it with my amazing, extremely caring principal. I only worked at that intermediate school for one school year, after spending 11 years at a different school. She provided a wonderful work environment that I had not had for most of my teaching career. Yet, it was not enough to change my decision to go.

Add on the rest of the crisis in public education - overcrowded classes, lack of resources like no paras to help with special students, salaries not matching inflation, standardized testing, students who do not care about anything because they face little to no consequences, parents who are disconnected or rant to you about indoctrination, and on and on.

But this new principal I had for one school year, she held my hands and talked to me like a human being. She said she understood, and that I would always have a place there if I decided to come back.

After that hard conversation, I spoke with my team members over the next few weeks. All of them supported my decision, and some lamented they wished they could leave too. Sadly, these are some of the best teachers in the district. You would all want them to be your kid’s home room teachers. They are what the corporate world calls ‘high performers’, and they have been leaving teaching in droves over the last decade.

I started to giveaway all I had amassed in over a decade of teaching, all of it to my teaching friends. The thought did cross my mind that if I came back, I would need these things. I instead decided to let most of it go. There was little I could do with 20 clipboards, 30 white boards, 10 copies of the same kid’s books, classroom decor, and endless storage containers of markers, labs, and other fun stuff for the kids.

On the last day of school, I handed in my keys and went home.

Starting from Scratch

No one wants to hire teachers.

This was a hard truth that my husband and I had to overcome after months of job hunting. I just did not have the corporate experience all of these job postings were looking for. Even though we knew I was qualified to do the types of jobs I was applying to (more on that in a moment), having ‘teacher’ on your resume actually works against you.

Working on the 'new me’, we decided to first target a hot area in corporate America: Agile . I won’t go into the details, because it isn’t what I ended up doing, but teachers are built to be Agile Coaches, Scrum Masters, and Project Managers. It was such an eye-opening area, that I truly began to see myself doing this kind of work.

What we did not know was that Agile jobs were becoming less needed. It became hot during the pandemic as companies needed more organized project management for remote workers, and Agile is seen as the method for digital transformation.

We got in too late.

I first got a few Agile certifications: Certified Scrum Master, Certified Scrum Product Owner, and the SAFe 6.0 certification. This was after I attended a few online boot camps, where I met many other teachers doing the same thing with Agile.

We were not the only ones that had this good idea.

We turned our spare room into a second office, and my new day job was hunting for work.

We started talking to recruiters and adapting multiple versions of resumes based on job roles. We contacted staffing companies, and I went through countless interviews, casting a wide net across jobs in Agile, training & development, and even sales ( barf ).

I had to begin a spreadsheet to track which jobs I had applied to so I would know when to follow up, when I was moving along interviews, and when I was rejected .

And let me tell you…the rejection was constant.

I applied to over 600 jobs over the summer, and 99% of them never got past the first interview. I later learned some of my job-hunting teacher friends had double that count, with some still jobless a year after leaving teaching.

It did not matter that I had a Masters in Curriculum Instruction. It did not matter that I had over a decade of work experience.

The corporate world rarely takes chances on teachers, and it still baffles me to this day how Human Resource departments continue to ignore a goldmine of hard working, very adaptable, and incredibly driven people. I even wrote about it:

We had assumed I would find a new job fairly quickly, especially as we had several connections in the oil & gas industry. We were also ready for me to take an entry-level job, making entry-level pay.

Job hunting also introduces you to the worst kind of companies and people. If you ever hear anything from Globe Life , stay FAR, FAR AWAY from them. There are “recruiters” out there that are actually multi-level marketing scams or other pyramid schemes that prey upon teachers. I wasted valuable time and energy on one of these scams, and it made me want to run back to teaching after being taken advantage of, when I was desperate for work.

I stressed about finding a job the whole time, and as summer came and went, and the new school year started without me, the emotions came out daily. Crying was occasional, especially when I was the only one in the house, scrolling LinkedIn job boards wondering what the hell I was doing.

It took me six months to find a job outside of teaching, and I am one of the lucky ones.

My title now is Training & Development Specialist. I work for a small company out of Florida, which trains on Microsoft products, among other things. There is so much to the work I am doing, and through the last year I have grown more than I had thought possible.

I am building content and training classes from a handful of people to hundreds of corporate staff per session. I am presenting at conferences, both online and in person. Every day, the imposter syndrome slowly fades away.

I have learned a lot in the last year, and I can see why my husband told me I would “run circles” around most office workers out there. There is so much opportunity to be found for those who apply themselves and persevere, and teachers are well-built for the corporate world.

For my new boss, he is truly a breath of fresh air. He is patient, open, and always willing to work things out. I am not being micromanaged, and I am expected to take breaks as needed. Many times, I find myself not knowing what to do, as I finish work quickly. One of the greatest struggles has been rewiring my brain to understand that I can prioritize myself .

When I get sick, I let my team know and go back to sleep, rather than having to put in for a sub, prep a 3-page lesson plan, and relying on others to get my class set up. When there are issues to resolve, our entire group gets together to work it out, boss included.

Why am I writing about this? I have had time to reflect on my choice to leave teaching, and I am still happy I chose myself and well-being.

Do I miss teaching? All the time. The emotions frequently come back.

Let’s be real though. Public education is broken, and teachers are bearing the weight of its collapse.

Teachers so rarely get to just ‘teach’ any longer. Most of the time educators are dealing with discipline, interruptions, paperwork, or other things that have nothing to do with teaching. I know if I were to go back today that I would face all the same problems I left behind.

I continue to have educator friends and acquaintances reach out for insight about how they too can leave teaching, which really makes me angry. Not just for myself, but I am saddened by the numerous teachers who are thinking of leaving or feeling ‘stuck’ in public education because they are too far vested to move out. They deserve better.

For our own children, I want them to have amazing teachers and not just robots. They need a quality education. And teachers deserve every resource they need to do that work.

It is not the job of teachers to take on the burden of the public and the failures of our leaders. If you are an educator, you too can leave if you feel that is what you need in your life. Though, I cannot sugarcoat the consequences of that decision.

It is hard to leave teaching.

For me, I discovered there was more to life than being a teacher, even though it was something I planned for since I was a kid.

I found a new career path that is challenging and allows me to use my skills in a different way. I still get to apply my two college degrees in the work I do.

There are some things I still get to enjoy related to teaching. I still buy back-to-school supplies for my three kids, who are my pride and joy. My friends from teaching are still some of the closest people in my life. I visit our schools for events and donate to our kid’s teacher’s whenever we can.

Since I am working 100% from home, my kids still get to enjoy summers at home. Our vacations are different, but work-life balance has been fantastic.

The change out of teaching was not easy. For me, it was hard, scary, and sometimes painful. If you are going to commit to it, then you have to be brave by taking a leap of faith.

Believe in yourself and your potential. You deserve to pursue your dreams, even if they change over time. You are not defined by one role or one profession. You are a multifaceted and capable person, and you can do anything you set your mind to.

For those considering leaving, here is some advice:

Make the decision and stick with the plan. Begin planning within the school year and use the end of the school year as your target to hit the ground running. This only applies to those who wish to stay an entire school year, as if you are like me, and do not want to risk your teaching certification being suspended. I also did not want to abandon my team in the middle of the school year.

Save money.

Start working on the ‘new you’ in the New Year. It is a great time to begin learning new things, networking, building your resume, and starting mock job hunts. You could start applying, but you should be ready to quit teaching and jump to your new role within a few weeks, which again risks your teaching certification and may burn bridges you’ll need to cross back later.

Align your finances and understand that after August your income and benefits will come to a halt. Our bail-out plan was that if I did not find work by Christmas I could go back to teaching in January. We had ample savings to bear the brunt of this, which we had to dip into it for two months to cover our bills.

Get organized. When you begin hunting for work, know that this is your new job. Treat it like a normal 8-5 job as best as possible, spending everyday refining your resume, getting trainings in the area you wish to get into, signing up for whichever free webinar or bootcamps you can (or paid if you can afford it), and cruising the job boards.

Create a space in your house for job hunting. Get a desk, make sure the background looks nice for online interviews. It’s a good idea to buy a quality webcam as well.

Learn how to use LinkedIn and get used to promoting your latest accomplishments, like trainings or certifications. Hunting for jobs on social media will crush your soul but know that it is temporary.

Cry if you need to. Take naps.

Use whatever you can to find work. If you have family or friend connections, use them . Use whatever is in reach to get that first job, and if that first job doesn’t cut it, keep moving forward.

Take time for yourself to heal and lean on those around you for support. Do not attempt to carry the burden alone.

Don’t give up, but make sure you face reality and plan a back-up option, which may be going back into teaching. I would not stress about getting back into the classroom. They’ll take you back, but do understand it may be in a different school or district.

I wish I could offer more advice or solace that leaving teaching is a good decision. It was a great decision for me . I had the support at home, and we had the temporary finances to make it happen. Your situation may not allow for leaving, and that is a reality for many, many teachers.

Will I ever go back to teaching?

Perhaps. You may have noticed I did not talk much about the students in this post. That is because the children I taught is what breaks my heart the most about leaving teaching. It is a part of leaving that I try not to dwell on.

Public education would need to be vastly improved for me to ever think about going back.

In the meantime, I am one year out from leaving teaching, and I am living happily.

My LinkedIn

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