I taught for 4 years (2 years K/1, 2 years 4th grade) in public school, and questioned whether I wanted to come back every year. Teaching was taking a toll on my physical and mental health. You know it all. My husband encouraged me that it was okay to let it go and the second he said that relief washed over me. I applied to two jobs and got the second one I applied to. I am taking a decent pay cut but I can already tell you that it is so worth it. The way I would wake up every morning of teaching, worried I would see an email from a parent or an email about how all the paraprofessionals were out, was killing me. Now, I wake up calm and ready for another day.

Anyways, I applied to be a Career Services Advisor at a small local college near me in March. I worked for hours every night on tailoring my resume for the job, writing the application questions, writing a cover letter... I was so elated when I got to interview. They had me review and edit a resume as well as create a presentation about a career readiness topic (resume writing, interview prep, career exploration, etc.) beforehand and then present the items during the interview.

I am so excited for when students come back this fall. So thankful I get to work with students in some capacity still - just not teaching. :)

I want to encourage you all because as teachers it's so easy to get dismissed by others but we have SOO many transferrable skills - we've analyzed data, we've resolved conflicts (after conflicts, after conflicts..), we've managed people, we've worked on year-long projects. And thank you for sharing your stories and letting me lurk the last 4 years. It meant a lot to not feel alone.

Hi, I’m a teacher that lives in Ontario, Canada. I have been applying to various places for entry level office work and I haven’t gotten anything… Yes I have changed the lingo on my resume and everything but no luck.. am I really stuck in the field of education ? I want to work at a nice place where I can move up over time… I don’t have the mindset nor the funds to go back to school either.. I don’t know what to do here. Please help me my friends!! :(

I was offered a job but the idea of taking it feels insurmountable. I know if I want to get out of teaching I need to take the leap, but it feels so scary. What if I hate the new job? The job is a Business Development Manager for a staffing agency. The company seems good and has positive qualities (all insurance, good staff that I met, 401k, uncapped commission) but sometimes I feel like you never know about a position until you try it. What if I hate it the same? What if then I want to get back into teaching and no where will take me??? I just feel so confused. Maybe I just have rose colored glasses about teaching because it’s summer 😭help me!!!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HnoTc98LEKDLbqhTC_Z_drp9sgM_n8oeDJjq3hnqNPk/edit?usp=drivesdk

Hello everyone, I have decided to leave teaching after teaching high school chemistry for 6 years. At both schools I was at, I had issues with colleagues and admin. I want to state that I know some of those issues inexperienced were due to choices I made. Yet, a lot of what I experienced I feel like was completely uncalled for. I have included the notes I took at both schools for what I was dealing with. I would love thoughts from people who are outside of my immediate orbit. I was at the first school from 2020-2024, and the second school from 2024-2026. The first link is from 1st school and the 2nd link is from my 2nd school. Thanks for your time.

For the past two years, I’ve been a quiet lurker on the sub. I transitioned out of teaching at the end of May. I now work in project management at a construction company and my mental health has significantly improved. I am now making 105k per year as opposed to the 55k I was making teaching. I woke up everyday dreading going into the classroom and dealing with the kids, parents, admin, etc. I have a balance in my life now that I didn’t think was possible. I say all this to let you know; you can make the transition too. Keep working at it, network yourself, and keep pushing!

Hello all.

I am currently looking for full time teaching jobs in Texas as a first year teacher, and am having no luck in my local district. I subbed there this past school year thinking it would get me an in, but no luck so far. I've had a few interviews and I just crack under the pressure even though I try so hard to prepare. I wanted to transition into a different career field, but a year and a half later I haven't been able to find a job outside of subbing.

I don't know what to do. I always called teaching my Plan Z, and now that isn't even working out! Apparently the teacher shortage I was told of in college isn't happening anymore, at least around me. I cannot drive far to neighboring districts, and wouldn't want to. I just want a stable full time job with potential for growth!

I told myself if I have to sub for another year, I might as well try to get another degree/cert of some sort, but I don't even know what would be worth my time at this point.

I've thought about:

1. Radiology tech

2. Vet Assistant

3. A 2nd Bachelor's (online, no Universities near me)

4. Master's Degree (online)

5. Paralegal

6. Insurance? But I have no idea where to start.

7. IT (again have no idea where to start)

Does anyone have any advice? I feel so hopeless and I just want to start my career. Ultimately I'm not even worried about pursuing my passions anymore, I just want to work in an office.

I feel embarrassed. I was so certain I’d be out. Even on my last day when I was asked by others if I was coming back, I said “ehh maybe? Maybe not?”

And here I am… one week till we go back for PD and I regret showing any ounce of negative emotion about this job.

These people don’t pay my bills… but how can I just get into a groove/ certain headspace this year where I don’t spiral?

After reading so many of your heartfelt posts on here, I feel enormous empathy for all of you, along with great love & admiration.
My question, what finally led (final straw, I'd say) to your decision to leave teaching?
For me, it was the endless student testing that infiltrated education.
I was having a great time after 19+ yrs. at my HS. I taught Senior English, Yearbook, & Journalism. I loved the kids, the atmosphere, the activities, and my colleagues. I didn't have the typical Admin issues, and I never really minded the take-home work (it was Senior English, after all. Tons of essays & papers. It was all good.)
BUT--when all that stupid testing got a foothold (we had PARCC), everything changed. Endless days for prep & testing, results that got factored into YOUR evaluations, and most of all, the joy that got sucked out of the kids--that's what did it for me. I left, and never looked back. I miss it, but the system changed so much past what it had been when I was first attracted to the field.
What about you?

🚨Content Warning: Mental Health, SI🚨

After 15 years of teaching, nine of which were at my current/last site, I resigned at the end of the school year. If I hadn't, I would have ended up in the hospital again. My district admin became so micro-manage-y to the point I could have worked till midnight 3 days a week and still not gotten everything done.

As it was, I landed in inpatient psych for a week because it felt easier to drive off a bridge than to go into my classroom. When I got out, the first thing my boss said was that I needed to catch up on grading (she knew what was going on).

I faced discrimination for my autism diagnosis mid-year. They refused to work with me and even said things like, "This job is like brain surgery. We can't just give you a 30 minute break because you're feeling overwhelmed." I never asked for that. I asked for extra plan time, notes on meetings, and a tiered priority list. I wasn't allowed to wear my noise-cancelling headphones, even in the hallway between classes, because the students weren't allowed to.

The students were out of control, which in years past wasn't as much of a problem as we teachers had a lot of leeway on handling it. This year we had to log every single phone call, which wouldn't be a problem if we were allowed to leave voicemails, but no. Things had to be voice to voice or face to face. Kids took full advantage. One student threatened to kill me. He was back in my room three days later, and I was told that he's come a long way from last year.

I resigned because it was traumatizing. I had/have a part-time job working with horses. I've been there 3 years. My boss said I could go full time, but now he's filled that position, and I'm feeling stuck & discombobulated.

The idea of even interviewing in person is overwhelming and sends me into a panic spiral. I've tried to find online work, but so far no one has contacted me back.

I'm terrified that I won't find anything at all, and I'm terrified of having to go back out into the world. I'm in therapy, but I'm so disabled by the last two years that I cannot fathom the idea of being around groups of people for hours every day. When people suggest it, I shut down, as in my brain cannot deal with it or process it.

I've never been this person before! I've been working since I was 14, and I just want to work a non-phone job online or go chill with horses for 10 hours a day. Out-in-public jobs feel so far out of the realm of what I can handle. But now I feel forced to, and it's scaring me to death.

I guess I need suggestions for online work or something. My partner is being supportive, but we're gonna run out of money soon. I just feel hopeless. Has anyone here been in this position before?

TL; DR -- Quit my job due to trauma, had a plan, plan fell through, terrified of being forced to go back out to people-land, need help/support/ideas.

This is my 6th year of teaching middle school. I’ve never really aspired to teach and only started doing so as it paid better than my previous job and came with benefits and weekends off. I didn’t know just how much it would burn me out and make my anxiety and depression worse. Since starting I’ve gained 70 pounds and have had my meds upped twice. I signed a contract for this year but I don’t see myself in the classroom any longer. As of now I’m living and working in a small town with few opportunities and abysmal pay.

I plan to quit teaching at the end of this year’s contract as I am moving to a bigger city with more job opportunities next May. I’m saving up and preparing as best as I can. I’m also planning to get my Masters in counseling.

I’m excited but at the same time terrified of the unknown. Despite not enjoying being in the classroom, I’m afraid of change. My anxiety keeps telling me I won’t make it outside of teaching but i know it’s just negative thoughts.

TLDR: Taught for 6 years and ready to leave but I’m also afraid.

Former teachers who had anxiety about leaving; how did you cope and push through?

Hi all!
I graduated from college about a year ago and realized during my full year of student teaching - wow I do not want my lifetime to look like this. I have the talent for it but not the passion. I got my degree but haven’t taken any of my certification tests. I taught english in Italy for a couple months after graduation but still knew I don’t want to do it long term.

I’m feeling stuck now. Recently turned 23 and feeling the pressure of opening a Roth IRA and worrying about insurance and etc (adult stuff) but I just don’t want to go back to the classroom. I had a super rough student teaching experience and I’m trying to pivot careers but have been applying to jobs since September and haven’t heard anything.

I’m thinking of going back to school to be an ultrasound tech. (But can’t yet because I still have to pay off a lot of loans from previous school). I love working with people and have always had a passion for women’s health and healthcare in general.

I guess I’m feeling nervous and unsure of the future and am wondering if any other teacher has felt stuck trying to figure out a new career and what to do in this job market

Hey everyone! I’m considering transitioning out of teaching into another career in the UAE and would love to hear from people who have actually done it.

• What role or industry did you move into?
• Was it difficult to get hired without direct experience?
• And how is the pay? Is it enough to live comfortably, including paying rent, since housing most likely isn’t included?

I know a lot of people talk about transitioning from teaching into EdTech in other countries, but is that actually a realistic option in the UAE?

What other fields would you recommend looking into?

I'm on my third year trying to get a social studies position. I taught Spanish for a year then subbed the others. I got rejected from the place I building sub in because they are too comfortable with me as a sub and don't want to move me. I refuse to continue subbing.

I've studied five languages, was a Ph.D. student in history (I would go back but $$). I have my master's in history and an advanced cert in social studies education.

This field is destroying my mental health. My mom was a teacher and quit too. I just want a 9-5 job. That's it. I can be a secretary, customer service, etc. I know I'm limited in skill set. I've been applying to state jobs and county jobs too.

Anyone have any advice? I'm currently trying to recover from a panic attack and I can't keep having them because of this stupid profession.

Edit: I also have a film minor have been a YouTuber since I was 12. I also have a lot of prior experience in animal care and dog grooming.

I have an interview this Thursday for a Training, Development, and Safety position with my county government, and I’m feeling a mix of excitement and nerves.

I’ve been teaching middle school for 7 years, so this would be a pretty significant career change, but one that I’m genuinely excited about. The interview includes a 15 minute presentation, so I’ve been spending a lot of time preparing and hoping it pays off.

One thing adding to my anxiety is the timing. Teacher pre-planning starts in about two weeks, and if I’m fortunate enough to receive an offer, I’m really hoping the hiring process moves quickly.

For those of you who’ve successfully transitioned out of teaching, do you have any last-minute interview advice or words of encouragement? I’d love to hear about your experiences, especially if you moved into training or local government.

I’ve been out of the field for about 8 years now. I had worked as a nanny, and then in ECE for 4 years at a large corporate owned daycare.

I’m studying medical billing right now, but I originally studied ECE and I’m teacher qualified.

There’s a preschool opening near me and I’m thinking about applying, but I’m wondering how much the field has changed within the past 10ish years.

If you had left the field, would you go back to ECE? Would you pursue a bachelors and maybe go into higher education instead? I’m torn on going back because I loved the kids and teaching, but we all know the job has a lot of stress.

I’ve been trying to transition out of teaching into a remote, part-time role based in the U.S. because I only need part-time work right now. I’m married and currently balancing personal responsibilities, so a flexible schedule is important to me.

I’ve applied to countless jobs through company websites and job boards, tailoring my résumé and cover letter almost every time. My background includes 13+ years in education as a teacher, curriculum designer and developer, editor, and writer. I also have both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree, yet I keep receiving rejection emails or no response at all.

I’m open to roles beyond teaching, including instructional design, curriculum development, academic support, editing, proofreading, content writing, technical writing, learning and development, or virtual assistant work. At this point, I’m just trying to understand what actually works.

For those of you who successfully landed a remote job after teaching:

What role did you end up in?
How did you find it?
Is your current role really better than teaching?

I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences. Right now, it feels like I’m sending applications into a black hole, and I’m hoping to learn from people who have already made the transition.
Thanks in advance!

I started working as a teacher at an international school in Coimbatore in late May. Because the high stress is severely impacting my health, I want to resign. However, I am under a one-year contract, currently in a one-year probation period, and the management holds my original certificates. Is it safe and advisable for me to leave this job under these conditions?

Not sure how to word this, but here goes:
I just left a K-12 music teaching job at a Title 1 school in a VERY rural area in the west. The pay was not enough, nor were the benefits. The kids were damn close to feral, as well.
I have moved to a large city on the East Coast, where I have few friends who say they can get me into the city school district. Higher pay, better benefits.
However, I have a master's in educational technology and have done a TON of online teaching, curriculum building, and development. I did this for a few major universities. I also have 2 bachelors and another masters (music history).

I am wondering if I should go for an instructional design job (risky) or go back to teaching (probably just middle school or high school. I will NEVER go back to teaching elementary!) which is a sure thing, but I am a bit gun-shy about it after my last experience.

I know no one can make this decision but me, but what are the chances of getting work in ID, which I am hearing is a saturated field? Should I take the sure thing? I'm also late middle age.

Hi everyone, I’m a 29 year old male from Canada, I have a bachelor’s in political science degree and bachelor’s in education degree. I used to be a substitute elementary school teacher for the last 4 years, until February 2026. I moved to Latin America to coach professional basketball as an assistant coach. The head coach that brought me as his only assistant coach, so it was a lot of work for me, given my past experience coaching university basketball as the 2nd assistant coach on staff. We took the team from 5 wins the year before to the finals for the first time in 18 years, while breaking multiple organizational records.

I recently found out from him that I may not be going with him to another coaching opportunity. Since I’ve been reaching out to NBA/G League teams (I have interviewed with 1 NBA and 1 G League team in the past) and have even given an agent my resume in case something pops up overseas. I’m also contemplating retiring from coaching basketball altogether because of the financial aspect and getting a 9-5 in insurance or at a bank. I really want to build my life and have a sense of stability moving forward. I also don’t want my happiness dictated on job security and I feel behind compared to a lot of people my age. I feel like I have a good shot at getting my foot in the door in the NBA/ G League and I have the skills, I just hope that I am given the chance in this hiring cycle. I really do not want to go back to teaching as it doesn’t pay much and I was miserable doing it. Any guidance or advice would be appreciated.

Hey everyone,

I, 26, left teaching elementary school this year after 4 years. No need to go in to further details, just matter of fact statement that I want to do something new and not sure where to start.

A few years ago, I started experimenting with UI/UX Design principles and software and have been interested in a career with design. I utilized Canva frequently to design multiple things for my students such as games, worksheets, decodables, content slide-decks, etc. I'm really struggling with determining my next path within the age of AI while also being able to have health insurance and a reasonable job.

I would greatly appreciate connecting with anyone who has changed careers (does not have to be UI/UX specific) and/or is in this job market as well. Feel free to PM as I would love to make meaningful next steps. Thank you!

I've been lurking on the sub since April as I realized I needed to get out of teaching. I worked at multiple different schools (rural, charter, and standard larger city public). I only lasted 5 years as I was tired but mainly was over admin not helping me when I truly needed it (behaviors being out of control and I know I am young and needed advice and help!)I was so stressed some chronic health conditions I had in under control came back with a vengeance and I also messed some of my teeth up from all the stress. When I told my principal I would most likely not be coming back - they had my position filed before I even put in my official resignation. I say that to remind people that schools are a business they can care about you but in the end you are replaceable.

I will be doing an office job and am so excited 😂 my husband told me he had never seen me excited to work. I hope those who want to get out can find something because your mental and physical health is so important!!