Teaching can be extremely rewarding, but it’s fair to note that it’s also a difficult job that can be emotionally draining and overwhelming. While some find themselves thriving in the teaching environment, others realise sooner or later that it’s not actually for them. If you feel that you’re ready for a change of pace, then read Randstad’s useful guide on the best alternative jobs for teachers, including overviews of:
- Private Tutor Jobs
- Social care
- Corporate Learning Jobs
- Human Resources Jobs
- Content Writing Jobs
Career change for teachers.
Changing careers can be perceived as a daunting task, but teaching prepares candidates for a range of different roles since the job comes with so many transferable skills that employers look for.
Private tutor.
Sometimes it’s the school environment and not teaching itself that presents a problem. If you realise that teaching is still something you’re passionate about then doing this in the private tutoring sector could be a perfect compromise. You’ll still be able to teach but on your own terms. Private tutoring also allows you to develop a closer relationship with your students and teach outside the strict confines of the curriculum. Additionally, private tutoring can often be better paid than regular teaching, especially if you find a few regular clients or even tutor all the children for one or two families.
Social worker.
Teachers are typically the kind of people that like to continuously learn new things (and sharing it with others) and would want to carry an element of that wherever they go. Pursing a career as a social worker involves working with families and institutions to advance social impacts. As a social worker, you promote social change, development and empower communities, which possessing many of the transferable skills that come with teaching can easily be applied. School social workers work with parents and teachers to deal with bullying, aggressive behaviour and frequent absences from school. In this particular role you would also develop strategies for improving social development and academic performance in schools.
Corporate learning.
Teaching equips you with many transferable skills that would be perfect for a corporate learning environment. You already have great interpersonal and communication skills while knowing how to impart new ideas to people – swapping a classroom for a boardroom would be just enough of a change! Roles like corporate learning and development usually involve coming up with new learning strategies, mentoring, and designing development courses. There’s also a high likelihood of getting a better salary, which can be a bonus.
Human resources.
HR and teaching have a lot of overlapping similarities. HR, just like teaching, is all about making people aware of their strengths and helping them develop to achieve their goals. Other responsibilities are likely to include matching the right candidates with the most suitable role and facilitating personal and professional development in the workplace. This is a great role for anyone looking to join a career with plenty of possibilities for growth and a healthy salary range.
Content writing.
If you already love writing and find it an enjoyable part of your teaching career then consider swapping the classroom for a quieter desk where you can write all day. Content writing is a great option for anyone who knows their way around a quirky phrase and correct punctuation. Many industries require content writers, and there’s a lot to choose from: technical writing, lifestyle, tech, creative. You can also go into academic text publishing, helping to create the kinds of textbooks you maybe felt were missing all along.
Changing careers from teaching to another industry, whilst daunting, is definitely not impossible. Working as a teacher, even for a short amount of time, develops a range of skills that are both unique and transferable. When attending interviews make sure to highlight all of those, showing prospective employers how teaching has prepared you to deal with a range of situations successfully. If you feel like now is the time to make a career change then explore the career hub to learn more about the roles available and how best to approach finding your dream job.
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