Teachers are missing an important step when they start a career change with the resume
Looking for help with your resume so that you can successfully leave teaching?
I love that you're being proactive and taking action to help yourself move forward with your career change!
However, working on your resume at this stage of your process might not be the right starting point.
Read on...
Why teachers obsess over resume writing in a career change
First of all, there's a whole industry out there dedicated to teacher resume writing and career transition: courses, workshops, and "we write it for you" services. When you search for "teacher resume help" or "teacher career change resume templates," there will be no shortage of results. So it's no wonder you feel like this is where you should begin.
Second, you know that your current "teacher resume" isn’t going to cut it if you’re applying for jobs outside the classroom. You’re concerned about aligning your transferable skills and experiences with the demands of alternative careers.
Third, working on your teacher career change resume feels like a concrete task you can complete, among the otherwise murky, confusing, and daunting process of figuring out what you really want for your career.
This all makes sense to me.
It's TRUE that your teacher career change resume is going to need attention. You can't apply for non-teaching positions with a resume that screams "I'm a teacher!"
However, while there are countless resume examples and templates out there for teachers leaving the classroom, timing is everything.
So if you know what career(s) you want to pursue, onward with your resume! It’s the right time to focus on it.
However, if you’re uncertain about your career direction, your resume is NOT the right starting point.
Teacher resume help: Why you might want to wait
If you feel stuck in education but don’t know what you want for your career, here’s why I encourage you to leave your resume alone for the time being.
(For those of you who have been procrastinating on your resume, this is your free pass to continue to leave it alone. 😉)
1 - You risk investing a lot of time (and maybe even money) into a teacher career change resume that may need to be revised or scrapped altogether as you gain clarity on your direction
Your resume is not just a single generic document that you can use for all jobs. If you’re using the same resume for everything, you’re not going to be competitive.
Your resumeS (yes, plural!) need to be targeted to the specific careers and jobs that you’re applying for.
This means using tailored language that is relevant to the position and organizing and structuring your resumeS (again, plural!) in a way that highlights certain experiences, skills, and knowledge.
The process of tailoring your resumes to each position requires a deep understanding of the career field and position, as well as the expectations of those relevant employers.
Now imagine spending many hours and hundreds of dollars tailoring a resume that may not actually going to serve you once you have a clearer picture of where you want to take your career. That would really jam me up, and I bet you wouldn't like it either!
2 - Applying for jobs is not a time efficient or effective way of exploring your career possibilities
You want to see what jobs are out there, and perhaps you feel compelled to "throw your hat in the ring" for a few even though you're not sure what you want.
But remember, writing a good, tailored resume (and cover letter) takes time...and motivation! It sure is hard to get motivated to invest your precious hours into making a strong resume if you don't know if you really want the job.
If you're not taking the time to write a strong resume, you're essentially just "throwing spaghetti at the wall" to see what happens.
I saw plenty of these slap-dash applications in former jobs where I was part of the hiring process. Sooooo many generic, lackluster, "let's just see if I can get it" resumes and cover letters. I could spot them immediately. And they went right into the NO pile.
There are much more effective ways of exploring what's out there and discovering your path forward.
So before you dive into resume templates and resources for transitioning teachers, let's talk about a few crucial steps that most teachers skip when they start considering or making a career change.
Before the Resume: Your First Step for Career Change
Figuring out what you want to do after leaving the classroom is step no. 1 in your career exploration process.
Get clear about what you want! Do some self-reflection on your skills, strengths, interests, and what you want most for your life.
Then learn more about your career possibilities. Do online research, talk to people who do the work, and get as close as you can to trying out the work for yourself.
After you feel more confident that you're pursuing a career or job that's right for you, then come back around to your resume - you'll be much better equipped to knock out a relevant, powerful resume that will get your interviews.
I'm your go-to guide for figuring out what you want!
I L.O.V.E. helping teachers figure out what they want for the next phase of their career. Check out my online group course, Teachers at a Crossroads: Exploring Career Change.
How does it feel to think about setting it aside to focus on getting clarity about what you want instead?
Share in the comments below or email me at coach@lauralitwiller.com. I love hearing from you!
I'm Laura, a career transformation coach for teachers feeling stuck.
I help you explore career possibilities beyond the classroom so that you can make a confident choice about what's next, based on your strengths, values, and what you want most for your life.
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