A portfolio career after teaching can be an exciting and fulfilling endeavour. 

What Is A Portfolio Career?

“The fact of having several part-time jobs at once, rather than one full-time job: A portfolio career is suitable for people who want to have variety in their work life.  

“The fact of having a series of jobs, each for a short time, rather than one job for a long time: In order to pursue a portfolio career, you must be willing to risk personal change.” Cambridge Dictionary

What Are The Typical Roles For Teachers Portfolio Career?

Tutoring – You are an education specialist so tutoring is a very natural fit for teachers, various types of tutoring include: homeschooling, school intervention and private tutoring. Some international tutoring can be done within UK school hours because of time differences but tutoring in the UK  might need to be carried out after school or at the weekends. Group tutoring is a way to maximise your money within the timeframes you have available. 

Content Creation & Copywriting – this can include researching, writing and/or editing content including educational material (e-Learning) for exam boards or EdTech organisations. This can include graphic design for infographics, teachers are very accomplished at being concise and creating media that grabs attention, just think about your display boards and fundraisers from school!

Examiner – working for the exam board to mark papers and/or coursework you could also invigilate the exams. It is worth checking with the exam board you wish to work for what their criteria are (if you are still teaching you might need to check with your Head Teacher before applying as some subjects will require time away during school hours).

Consultancy & Coaching – You can use your skills and experience within education to set up your own coaching or consultancy, or you can join an existing business as an employee or freelancer, especially if you bring a different outlook or set of skills to the existing organisation.

Virtual Assistant – Organisational skills and time management are second nature to teachers, you can create a profile as a virtual assistant using key achievements from your teaching career. Network with local small businesses that might need some ad hoc or freelance work undertaking. If you are serious about this career path, do look at our Getting Started As A VA Course.

It is worth remembering that some of these roles are very dependent on the time of the year, so forward planning is crucial to maximise your income. You of course don’t need to do roles ‘typical’ of teachers, you can take on any work you personally find interesting and enjoyable.

If you are a teacher considering a portfolio career here are 10 tips to think about: 

1. Identify Your Strengths & Passions

You are going to enjoy your portfolio career much more if you stay true to yourself. Reflect on your skills, interests, and passions outside of teaching, can these be monetised? If yes how? This could include writing, public speaking, graphic design, coding, coaching or any other skill you possess or want to develop.  Many teachers are using their creativity to develop a niche business, we have seen everything from teachers making their own gin to scented candles at craft fairs. Do consider the initial investment associated with a product-based solution compared to the capital start-up costs of service-based businesses. For more details, Forbes has a good blog: As A Potential Entrepreneur, Should You Start A Product-Based Or A Service-Based Business? Here Are Pros And Cons Of Each

2. Diversify Your Income Streams

A portfolio career typically involves multiple income streams. Explore opportunities such as freelance work, consulting, online teaching, tutoring, creating digital products, or starting a small business related to your interests. You might want to start with one main income stream and then add others throughout the year. You can work out your hourly rate with this free calculator, you do not want to be undercharging or undervaluing yourself.

3. Update Your Skills

Depending on your chosen paths, you may need to update or acquire new skills. Take courses, attend workshops, or pursue certifications to enhance your marketability in your chosen fields. The Open University has a wide variety of free courses or you can pick something off the internet for a small fee, please don’t feel that you have to go to university to get this qualification as sometimes a short course off the internet can give you the skills you need and save you time and money.

You can read about Jess’s journey from Primary Teaching to Software Engineer, she undertook a course from Code First Girls.

4. Networking Is Key

Networking is having small conversations with people you know and people you don’t. Utilise your existing network and actively seek out new connections in your areas of interest. Attend industry events, join professional associations, and engage with communities online to expand your network and discover new opportunities. 

Get in touch with your local Growth Hub for details of events that might interest you. Also, think about your intended client, where are they likely to be? If you want to set up as a tutor then think about where the parents are likely to be, you will probably need a business page on Facebook and it would be advisable to start engaging in some of the local Facebook groups. If you want to freelance as a proofreader, then going to local networking events will be the way forward.

Nearly every group activity is a chance to network, this doesn’t mean annoying people and continuously pushing your services but talking to people after a club, collecting your child from a sporting event, or even birthday parties are an opportunity for you to build a relationship and share your new career with others, they might know someone who requires your services.

5. Build An Online Presence

People have to know where to contact you and how to quickly share your details. Therefore, create a professional online presence through platforms like LinkedIn, personal websites, or social media channels relevant to your desired industries. Think carefully about your branding to match your client’s expectations, showcase your skills, experiences, and projects to attract potential clients or employers. You might not need a website, a business account on LinkedIn or Facebook might suffice and will save you money.

6. Start Small & Scale Up

As teachers, we always have supply teaching in our back pocket, so you can start small. You can teach part-time whilst you grow your business carefully. Begin by taking on smaller projects or clients to gain experience and build your reputation. As you become more established, you can gradually increase your rates and take on larger projects. Some small business owners do start with free trials to encourage new business but think very carefully if this is the right move for you and your business.

7. Stay Organised & Manage Your Time Wisely 

With multiple income streams, it’s essential to stay organised and manage your time effectively. Use tools such as calendars, project management apps, or productivity techniques like time blocking to prioritise tasks and meet deadlines. 

Allan Chester from UK Postbox has written this useful blog: What’s the best software for small businesses? You will be used to using software management systems from school, you also don’t need to pay for expensive ones, especially at the start, look for free trials and weigh up if a product or service saves you enough time to warrant paying for it.

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8. Embrace Flexibility & Adaptability

A portfolio career offers flexibility, but it also requires adaptability. Be open to trying new things, adjusting your approach based on feedback, and pivoting if necessary to capitalise on emerging opportunities. There are many small business groups on Facebook that you can join for free, use the search engine within the group to find topics you might need help or advice with, or just post in the group and someone helpful will advise.

9. Seek Feedback & Continuous Improvement

Ask for feedback from clients, colleagues, and mentors to continually improve your skills and services. It’s worth keeping a spreadsheet of testimonials with who said what and when, include their job title to as a Managing Director of a successful small business will be very impressive for future clients to read.

Embrace a growth mindset and be willing to learn from both successes and setbacks along the way. If something within your business isn’t working, don’t be afraid to pivot, a great pivot from business history is Odeo, never heard of it? It was a podcasting platform but when Apple launched iTunes podcasting,it made Odeo irrelevant, the founders pivoted and decided to create something called Twitter instead, now known as X.

10. Maintain Work-Life Balance

The main reason to switch from teaching to a portfolio career is to have more control over your work/life balance. If you find yourself working longer hours for less money, you really need to question whether leaving teaching was the right choice for you at this time. Balancing multiple roles and responsibilities can be challenging. Set boundaries between work and personal life, prioritise self-care, and allocate time for relaxation, hobbies, and spending time with loved ones.

Read how Beverly Clarke balances her Portfolio Career, former teacher and now Educational Consultant, author and Tech100 award winner, Beverly hasn’t stopped there and she is on the brink of launching a new charity!

If you are worried that a self-employed life might be lonely, remember that you can always choose to work in a co-working space, cafe or library a couple of days a week. You can join a sporting group or club or volunteer. This is also a very good way to increase your professional network!

By following these tips and staying committed to your goals, you can successfully transition from teaching to a fulfilling portfolio career tailored to your interests and aspirations.