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Below you will find stories, messages, and advice from our Teacher Career Coach Course graduates who have successfully transitioned out of the classroom and into a new career. Although some members of our community prefer to remain anonymous, rest assured, these are all real people who are sharing their stories to help inspire you.
We love to celebrate all of your accomplishments, big and small, and receive messages daily from teachers who are taking steps to improve their lives – whether that’s transferring to a new school district, getting their first interview, or landing a great new job. The messages on this page are just a sample of the thousands we’ve received over the years.
I hope these stories help to uplift and empower you. Every one of these former teachers has been where you are. Leaving a career is never easy and leaving teaching comes with additional challenges and roadblocks. But it is possible.
It only takes one yes.
“I left teaching because I felt unhappy for the past couple of years. I had been around district to district and I still dreaded going to work. I love my coworkers and admin was great, but I still couldn’t shake my depression.
I accepted an offer for a remote instructional designer position in a risk management company.
My advice is to dig deep into what you want as your career. I thought teaching was going to be it, but it wasn’t. I’m glad I’m able to forge my own path outside of the classroom.”
Pricilla, Instructional Designer
Teacher Career Course Graduate
“I left teaching for a mountain of reasons: exhaustion of every variety, one-sided respect, low compensation, horrific work life harmony, and a growing feeling of dread!
Now I’m an enablement consultant for a software company. It’s a 50% increase in salary and a 1000% increase in quality of life.
My biggest takeaway from this entire process was to stop doubting my abilities. I silenced my self-saboteur and walked into interviews like a boss. I credit a lot of that newly found self confidence to The Teacher Career Coach Course. Don’t forget what a multifaceted, confident, capable human being you are!”
Meredith, Enablement Consultant
Teacher Career Course Graduate
“I have been a teacher for the past 31 years. The last half of my career I got my Master’s degree in School Library Media and am currently a librarian.
I now am working part time as a Client Care Coordinator at a local real estate office. I will transition to full time and retire at the end of this school year, or before if all goes well.
Be brave and go for it if you aren’t happy in your current position. I learned to tailor my resume for each position I applied for so as to showcase my skills in the best way possible.
My new boss stressed to me how much my teaching skills would carry over into my new position and that made me feel much more confident.”
Paula, Client Care Coordinator
video messages from our course graduates!
With the demands on teachers continuing to increase, Kelli felt her (already waning) work/life balance becoming near non-existent. Day in and day out she felt stressed by her never-ending to-do list and completely drained at the end of each work day.
Stress and exhaustion bled into her personal life, and Kelli began to dread working all together. Teaching took every ounce of energy from her, both physically and mentally. She knew it wasn’t sustainable, but wasn’t sure what to do next.
After tuning into The Teacher Career Coach Podcast, Kelli knew there were other opportunities out there but had no idea how a 5th grade teacher could get noticed in the corporate world. She decided to take a big step and enrolled in The Teacher Career Coach Course.
The materials and lessons inside the course walked her through translating her skills and experience. And while she didn’t feel totally confident putting her resume out there initially, the course and community offered the guidance she needed during the application process. While no one likes to hear “no,” being part of the TCC community helped her realize that it’s a normal part of the application process and offered the support she needed to continue to apply for jobs instead of waving the white flag.
Her perseverance paid off. Kelli now puts her expertise in education to use in a new way – as a Curriculum Correlations Specialist.
Kelli’s knowledge of state standards and classroom experience has come in handy, as she works to ensure alignment between standards and curriculum. Among many other perks, Kelli says she now enjoys the healthy work/life balance she desperately wanted. And while she worried she’d never find a job as meaningful as teaching, she now knows that you can find pride in what you do outside of the classroom, too. And that you don’t have to work yourself to the bone to earn it, either.
“I decided to leave teaching when I realized that I didn’t have to be giving back to the students and families that I served by being their teacher.
One of the silver linings of quarantine is that I finally was able to stop moving on auto-pilot and it was the first time in 10+ years that the only needs I had to address were my own.
Finding space to create true work-life balance I realized rejuvenated and motivated me in ways that I never even imagined.
I signed up for the TCC in the Spring of 2020 and started making steps to build my network and confidence because I knew that I would not be resigning my contract at the end of the next school year.
My biggest piece of advice is to be your own biggest fan. It can be really hard to be rejected and it’s easy to not feel good enough. You are worthy to live the life you dream of. Knowing that and believing that for myself made the rejection easier and really helped me to not get discouraged and stay persistent.
Delysia, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Teacher Career Course Graduate
“I left teaching because after 9 years, I was starting to feel burnt out, and that was affecting both myself and my students negatively.
I no longer felt excited about coming to work and doing what I once loved. There was also a need for a higher salary and a work-life balance. I am a corporate trainer for a mortgage company.
When I resigned from teaching, I was a loan originator for six months. I applied for this job when I realized I was not a good fit for a sales position.
Sometimes it’s necessary to bounce around before you find the right fit. Had I not been in the mortgage role first, I would not have been able to be hired for this job.
Gaining experience in other areas can be helpful to ultimately get you to the perfect role for you.”
Brooke, Corporate Trainer
Teacher Career Course Graduate
Shana explains how she used The Teacher Career Coach Course to find her new position as Human Resources Trainer for a state agency after 14 years in the classroom.
As much as she loved her students, when Lulu found herself crying on the way to work, she knew she’d reached a breaking point. And while her administration suggested she take mental health day and practice more self care, that simply wasn’t enough. Tired of feeling under-appreciated and demoralized, she knew it was time to leave teaching.
Lulu had been following TCC on Instagram for years and decided to take the next steps. She enrolled in the course over winter break and immediately felt a wave of relief. The course provided the concrete guidance she needed as she learned about potential careers outside of teaching and figured out which paths would be a good fit for her desires and skill sets.
She decided to dedicate 10 hours a week to her career transition. Having a nagging worry that this would all be a “waste of time,” reading other people’s successes was a much needed reminder that other industries value the experience and skill sets of teachers.
Now Lulu has her own success story to share.
By the time the school year ended, Lulu was ready with a standout resume and online portfolio. After just two weeks of confidently applying to jobs, she was contacted by two different companies and accepted an Instructional Design position.
She is now is able to put her curriculum development and data analysis skills to use in her current role. Moreover, she’s happier and healthier than ever before. In her words, “I feel like a new person.” Lulu shared that she finally has the time and money to do the things she enjoys with the people she loves.
Lulu says that without The Teacher Career Coach Course, she would have likely procrastinated in starting a process that seemed so overwhelming. But the course helped her stay organized and work through each step of the career transition journey with manageable and concrete goals.
“While it was extremely hard to do, I left teaching because of a lack of work/life balance and a toxic work environment. I am currently an Instructional Designer working to create learning solutions within a corporate environment and I could not be more thrilled with my career move!
For anyone who is considering a similar career switch, I would suggest learning how to market yourself and your skills, keeping up to date with best practices in the field, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!
The Teacher Career Coach Course is an invaluable resource to get started, and good luck in your journey!”
Matt, Instructional Designer
Teacher Career Course Graduate
“I have been unhappy for so long and I would’ve never had the courage to step out of my comfort zone if I hadn’t found Daphne’s course. I didn’t think that I was qualified to do anything but teach. The Teacher Career Coach Course changed that for me.
I accepted a job as a project coordinator for an HR firm. I made it through assessments, three interviews and they were really impressed with everything that teachers do on a daily basis.
Our skills are so transferable! I told my principal, my team and I’m announcing it to my students today. I’m getting so much support from them and it feels so good!
Thank you for all you have done for teachers.”
Amy, Project Coordinator
Teacher Career Course Graduate
Former teachers talk about their career transitions & share about their new roles!
Available on your favorite podcast player or tap the button below to read the transcripts.
After being abruptly transferred from her specialty, high school social studies, to third grade special ed, Sam decided it was time for a change. She was hoping a cross-country move and a new school district would help address some of her frustrations, but she couldn’t escape a toxic administration. Tired of the unreasonable demands on teachers, Sam was miserable.
She doubted that yet another school district would offer a better alternative – that’s when she came across the Teacher Career Coach.
Sam was initially skeptical that the course could actually provide the guidance she needed to transition out of the classroom. She was also unsure about committing the time and money. But she knew she needed to do something. So she took a chance.
While leaving teaching can be an isolating experience, as she worked through the course it became clear to Sam that she wasn’t alone. Ultimately, the course gave her the confidence to quit teaching and move back to her hometown where she accepted her current role.
Now, Sam works as the Community Outreach Coordinator at her city’s Economic Community and Development Agency. And she’s not 100% starting from scratch; Teaching prepared Sam with the confidence to navigate challenging conversations and work with a variety of people in her new role. She also leads meetings and gives presentations with gusto thanks to her teaching experience. Sam says she feels more supported and overall much happier in her new role.
“I left teaching because the education system in the US has changed so much. I didn’t become a teacher to teach about tests, but that’s what I was doing. I wasn’t feeling fulfilled and was more frustrated than anything.
I’m now an Account Manager at one of my favorite EdTech companies and loving it.
My advice would be to never stop networking! Connect with individuals on LinkedIn who work in companies you’re interested in, start conversations with them, and be open to learning and taking a leap!”
Evangelia, Account Manager
Teacher Career Course Graduate
“I had been teaching for 14 years and no longer looked forward to going into work every day. It seemed every day something would happen that stole some happiness, and I needed to leave before it negatively affected how I taught.
I am now an instructional designer in the Enterprise Education group of a hospitality company and I love it!
My biggest piece of advice is to make a plan and “do your homework.” This may mean fully researching and understanding the skills required for a new role, taking courses, updating your resume for the career you want, building a portfolio, and networking. It may be difficult at times, but not impossible, and most definitely worth it!”
Lesley, Instructional Design
Teacher Career Course Graduate
C.C.’s mental and physical health were being chipped away by job-induced stress. Even worse? When she reached out to administration for help, she was met with a lack of support. The final straw was when a child set a small fire in C.C.’s classroom and nothing was done.
She decided to change school districts. Even though the working environment was a big improvement, her passion and enthusiasm for teaching was no longer there. And due to stress-related illnesses, C.C. was continuing to lose sleep and couldn’t bring herself to do the things that brought her joy.
She knew she couldn’t keep working in this capacity.
Nearing her breaking point after years of struggle, C.C. found The Teacher Career Coach Course and the sense of direction she had been looking for. She learned that she didn’t need to go back to school or prepare to take a pay cut.
C.C practiced the effective networking strategies she learned and wrote a killer resume that landed her a job with higher pay, better benefits, and way less stress.
After 8 years of teaching, C.C. is thriving as a Training and Engagement Coordinator. In her new role, she continues to use her knowledge and experience of curriculum design and lesson planning when developing and delivering employee training materials and webinars.
“I decided to leave teaching after having my baby boy during the pandemic last year. I realized that I loved working from home and could not face a multi-hour commute. My anxiety had also gotten really bad during the pandemic.
I now am an education consultant and trainer for an ed tech company, fully remote! I also freelance in design on the side. My advice is to take the plunge and just do the damn thing already. You’ll be surprised how much better you will feel!”
For anyone who is considering a similar career switch, I would suggest learning how to market yourself and your skills, keeping up to date with best practices in the field, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there!
The Teacher Career Coach Course is an invaluable resource to get started, and good luck in your journey!”
Sarah, Education Consultant & Trainer
Teacher Career Course Graduate
“I have always wanted to be a teacher. Then on my first day-I realized I didn’t actually want to- I ended up staying for 6 years. I tried changing grade levels/teams, but I still wasn’t enjoying my job. I was beyond stressed! I was numbing my unhappiness, and I was extremely depressed and anxious.
I am currently a Sales Development Rep (SDR). What I do is reach out to admins to get them to purchase our school access account which allows teachers to get resources without paying themselves!!
It takes time to leave teaching, but if that’s what you wanna do you can do it. Networking is strange, but helpful!!! There are communities of former teachers helping each other find new paths.
Seriously teachers can manage so many things! We can handle the learning curve of a new job! Go get it! Good luck!”
Vanessa, Sales Development Rep
Teacher Career Course Graduate
Check out how Claire landed her new position outside of the classroom with an educational technology company!
Katie was struggling with a toxic school environment to the point where she began to hate going into work each day. She jumped at the chance to change schools when the opportunity arose and accepted a position that seemed like a a much better fit.
However, Katie soon found herself being micromanaged from the district level. The lack of creative control slowly stole Katie’s passion, replacing it with frustration and overwhelm. She knew in her heart that she needed a way out. However, like many teachers, she had no plan B.
When Katie initially came across the Teacher Career Coach Instagram page, she felt a mix of “this is exactly what I’m looking for” and “will this actually work?” But the more she dove into the resources and success stories, the more she knew this course was what she needed.
Katie realized just how adept and capable she was for many positions she was seeing online. Instead of figuring out if it was possible, she was able to shift her focus toward making it happen. That’s when she had her career transition epiphany: she wanted to keep teaching in some capacity, just not in the traditional sense.
With guidance from the course, Katie began putting together a portfolio and looking more specifically at positions such as “technical trainer” and “learning content creator.” With a more narrow focus in mind, she was able to get to work applying for jobs and practicing interview questions with confidence.
Katie accepted a job as Senior Technical Trainer where she loves her responsibilities of creating content, offering technical help, and teaching others. She utilizes many of her teaching skills on a day to day basis in her new role, including time management, public speaking, and planning. She still plans “lessons” and teaches classes, just in a different capacity than before.
In addition to enjoying what she does and feeling less anxious, Katie says she now has more time and energy to put towards the people and things she loves. She tells us that it wasn’t always easy, but it was certainly worth it.
It only takes one yes.
Learn more about the course that helped these teachers and many more. When you sign up, you’ll have access to The Teacher Career Coach Course and a supportive community of over 3,000 educators and former teachers.
