Cat’s out of the bag!
I got a new job!
It’s been a long time coming at this point. I am beyond excited about the new role as well as the work life balance I’m beginning to feel.
My new job is in the educational technology world and I’m managing engagement of an incredible content platform for schools. The platform takes authentic, vetted information and turns it into learning materials, ready for the classroom.
In other words, I get to support SO many students in their learning AND help make SO many teachers’ lives easier.
Coming from a teacher position, I have empathy for how hard teachers work to ensure their students are engaged and challenged in their learning.
Now, you may have more questions on why I switched or how I did it…we’re getting there….
I was a special education teacher for the past 5 years in 2nd and 4th grade classrooms. I worked in Title 1 low-income, high needs public schools. I really enjoyed making education accessible to diverse learners. When COVID hit in 2020, my job looked different than it had before. Amidst the intense uncertainty, I remained teaching in person. I got used to adapting to daily changes and the demands of my job increased immensely with less support in place.
The following year had some more support and looked a tad bit more like a typical school year. I gave my students 100% every day, but still had an underlying feeling of burn out. I made a choice to take a big leap into a new lifestyle, one that I felt ready for.
I was ready for work-life balance, flexibility of hours, and a work-from-home model that would allow us to travel. I wanted to choose me. That meant workouts in the morning finally and midday walks if I felt like it. I wanted to be supported and challenged in the workplace as I continued to help make an impact in the education field.
And I felt this switch will set me up for the life I want in my next stages of life.
So, I began the search for a new job opportunity.
At first, I felt pretty overwhelmed about where to begin with a job search. My fiance had surprised me with a how-to-transition-out-of-teaching course which, looking back, really helped me land my new job. For those in a similar boat as me, check out the Teacher Career Coach course (not sponsored, just loved). Daphne Gomez, the founder, walks through the process of how to transition from teacher to another role step by step. The course had modules so I could see my progress along the way. It included how to rewrite a resume for the job you want, not the job you have, how to network, how to interview, and more.
Realistically, the way I got my last jobs was through a blind email of interest which led to an interview and then a teaching position. I had never networked like I did while looking for a new job, outside of teaching.
With all my updated skills, I applied to jobs.
And applied.
And applied.
To be honest, I rarely felt discouraged because I was very aware it could take a long time. Rejections gave me the boost I needed to apply to more jobs and network with more people. The Teacher Career Coach podcast also helped by providing advice from people who have transitioned from the classroom and by covering topics like Teacher Guilt, which took a lot of reframing.
The entire process took me about 5 months. And I knew, if the right opportunity came along, I was going to take it. It happened. I was able to land a job that I am extremely excited about, with a mission I support, and people who have already made me feel so welcomed.
Already, I’m surrounded by people who want to support me and collaborate while working toward a mission of bringing meaningful learning into classrooms.
If you want to learn more or have any questions, feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn - Kara Glass.