Switching Careers

[Anonymous]

How hard is it to break into the private sector from education?

I have a degree in Finance. I am done with teaching, but I have been out of the industry for 16 years. I can't afford to leave teaching and make an entry level salary.

Not sure what I am still qualified to do in the private sector, but I am wondering if anyone knows of someone who has been successful at going from teaching to the private sector.

[Anonymous]

I was in marketing for three years then taught English for six years. Three years ago we moved to DC and I couldn't find a teaching job. Now I do communications work for a management consulting firm.

I made the switch using my connections and it helped that I had 1) some previous corporate experience related to communications, and 2) a senior employee at the company advocating for me. Even so I had to take a fairly junior title and a pay cut. I was very quickly promoted once I proved I could handle the responsibilities.

I did encounter some anti-teacher sentiment as I made the switch - basically my six years were discounted as being not relevant to the corporate world. You have to think carefully about how you package your skills and how they relate to the job you want. Think about how you analyzed and managed student data to make decisions, if you had any leadership positions - did you manage a budget as a dept chair? Did you organize professional development for your peers? Try not to focus your resume too much on classroom skills (though I bet your public speaking skills are outstanding) or curriculum development, unless you think you want to go into facilitation or adult learning.

Good luck! It's not easy but it can be done.

[Anonymous]

Are you happy you made the switch, PP? I love teaching, but I am getting real tired of the BS.

[Anonymous]

I don't know that I'm happy, but I'm not miserable. Honestly, had we stayed in NY I never would've left - I loved teaching and never wanted to do anything else. That said, I left in 2010 and also worked for a very progressive district. I understand from my former colleagues that the BS has increased exponentially over the last few years.

I don't love my current job and would prefer to do something education-related, but don't think I'll ever go back to the classroom - pay is too low here and I was used to a lot of autonomy, which doesn't seem to exist in teaching these days.

Also, I have more control of my schedule now (work from home sometimes, take PTO when I want instead of at the mercy of school vacation schedule). And I can use the bathroom whenever I want instead of trying to squeeze it in between classes!

I have a friend who was thinking along the same lines as you. She took a one year sabbatical from teaching to pursue other opportunities. She didn't find anything permanent and mostly did temp work. At the end of the year she returned to her teaching position, refreshed and happier to be there. Would something like that be an option for you? Or a summer internship somewhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know that I'm happy, but I'm not miserable. Honestly, had we stayed in NY I never would've left - I loved teaching and never wanted to do anything else. That said, I left in 2010 and also worked for a very progressive district. I understand from my former colleagues that the BS has increased exponentially over the last few years.

I don't love my current job and would prefer to do something education-related, but don't think I'll ever go back to the classroom - pay is too low here and I was used to a lot of autonomy, which doesn't seem to exist in teaching these days.

Also, I have more control of my schedule now (work from home sometimes, take PTO when I want instead of at the mercy of school vacation schedule). And I can use the bathroom whenever I want instead of trying to squeeze it in between classes!

I have a friend who was thinking along the same lines as you. She took a one year sabbatical from teaching to pursue other opportunities. She didn't find anything permanent and mostly did temp work. At the end of the year she returned to her teaching position, refreshed and happier to be there. Would something like that be an option for you? Or a summer internship somewhere?

I was thinking of taking one year off. I like that the county gives us that option. I think it would be good to "explore" and see what else is out there. We just dont' have the monetary means for me to not have a steady paycheck coming in, but it is an idea.

Thanks and good luck to you!