Part 2
Leaving Teaching – Where Do I Start?
It’s one thing to make a decision, it’s another to act.
Firstly, know your motivation to change. The ‘why’ of your decision-making, will help to determine your time frame when leaving teaching. A semblance of a plan can give an added level of security, however loose or unspecific. A notice period kindly offers a number of options:
- You might choose to dive straight into job hunting to reduce the chance of unemployment at the end of your notice period. This option will provide short-term security and reassurance. This could be risky in the long term if you make a hasty decision without really knowing what you are looking for.
- Alternatively, school may remain your sole priority until your departure date. At this point, you can begin to research your new pathway with a mind that is free of school. It will be very tempting to have greater freedom to explore the possibilities but will depend largely on whether you are seeking immediate stability.
I chose none of the above! As a creature of habit, and of the classroom for my entire working life, I was keen to make an informed decision and not rush into anything when leaving teaching. I wasn’t prepared to risk a long period of unemployment while I searched. So, with little business acumen, a lack of commercial knowledge and even less confidence, my research started tentatively.
Career Coach In Your Corner
The importance of curiosity.
I awakened my very old LinkedIn profile and found Kirti Patel, an amazing professional career-change coach. Kirti helped me to combine my values and transferable skills into a new route and re-write my CV with more of a commercial appeal. Next, a friend pointed me to ‘Did Teach’. Their blogs and testimonials were an invaluable, constant source of advice and inspiration. The job adverts and company listings gave me a valuable base for job searching. In a domino effect, once I began to find roles and organisations that appealed to my values, I could analyse the job descriptions to evaluate my suitability. Where gaps appeared, I then looked for online courses and opportunities to broaden my CV.
Research And Network
In essence, I dug into research. I made a conscious effort to network and allowed my curiosity to take over! By aligning my values, transferrable skills and passion for education, I inadvertently developed an idea of the role I was looking for. Confidence was once my barrier. I now firmly believed that an exciting path lie ahead. I kept my mind open to opportunities and remained visible to employers.
Be Prepared For The Emotional Journey
Despite my ambition, I was unprepared for what followed. Primarily, I was surprised to find a job that reignited my passion and that I was so desperately enthusiastic to apply for, so early into my search. I was even more surprised that my application was successful. As a result, I hadn’t primed myself for the emotions that followed. I was excited to be following a new dream. Nervous about a change in direction. But ultimately, sad to be leaving incredible colleagues and students.
For anyone considering a change in direction, it is important to be curious, and open-minded. Bravely put yourself out there, but be prepared for the emotional journey you may find yourself on.
Career Coaches are incredibly valuable, you are their client so they have your best interests at heart. Like Laura found Kirti Patel, it is important to find a Career Coach that understands you.
We work alongside 18-07 Career Change Specialists offering Career Transition Workshops and Master CV mentoring 18-07 also offer their own services. Do get in touch if you feel a Career Coach would be useful in your journey.
