Anonymous writes: I am an elementary teacher. I’ve been teaching for 16 years mostly at the same campus and district. I am feeling very burned out with the profession.
I was wondering how marketable I am in the rest of the world. I have had computer training in many different programs, as well as managing a classroom. What kind of jobs should I be hunting for that are out of the teaching field?
The Career Doctor responds: I get a lot of email from teachers who are burned out with teaching. Teaching is certainly a very noble and rewarding profession, but also a profession that has seen deterioration of respect from just about all stakeholder groups — and that’s unfortunate because we need good teachers.
There is no easy answer to your question, because in a sense, there are unlimited avenues for you to follow. First, have you thought of simply changing the scenery by transferring to a different school or different school district? Second, if you do want to leave teaching, some obvious career paths include corporate trainer, researcher/fact checker, sales representative, or human resources manager. But, adding your computer skills to the mix opens the door to many other kinds of jobs, such as help desk technician. Even beyond these ideas, there are many other possibilities based on your personality and interests.
The solution for you is to sit down and plan your future. A great article to help you on your way is The 10-Step Plan to Career Change.
And once you have a few career choices in mind, you might consider conducting informational interviews with people in those careers. Informational interviews are a great way to gain a better understanding of an occupation or industry — and to build a network of contacts in that field. Read more in Quintessential Careers: Informational Interviewing Tutorial.
