Time to get out… Part two: Alternative careers

To reiterate what I was saying in part one, teaching is wonderful job and I can’t imagine ever wanting to do something else. As I noted, teaching can be a rewarding and invigorating career, but it can also be arduous, daunting and strenuous. Today’s part two is once again dedicated to all those of you who are thinking of moving on to something else.

What shape are you in?

Teaching isn’t the only thing you can do, no matter how long you’ve been doing it. Nevertheless, after teaching for a few years, you can start to feel institutionalized. In such cases, it’s a good idea to take time to assess what skills you possess. Furthermore, start thinking about how you can apply those skills in other professions.

What skills do you have?

Even though you’ve spent a lot of time in the classroom, you’ve also been developing many other skills, even if you didn’t know it. Off the top of my head, I’m sure you are more than likely to have picked up some aptitude in the following areas:

• Flexibility – how many times have you had adapt according to a quickly changing situation?
• Independence and self-motivation – Hey, you upped and moved to a foreign country, not many people could do that.
• The ability to relate well with others – You’ve been in a position of some power, with many looking to you for the way forward. You have a skill that many fail to develop.
• The ability to plan – You have consistently had to plan, carry out your plan and work effectively within a team. Again, this is a skill that many fail to develop.
• Practical IT skills – You pretty good at churning out those worksheets and recording grades on excel.
• Communication skills – The old CV gem; you now know how to use English better than most native speakers and are able to communicate effectively within small and large groups.
• Market knowledge – Who has as much knowledge of the local market as you? You could be the only one who can speak that foreign language.

All of these are key skills in all manner of jobs; good communicators are always in demand. You could even consider using these skills to set up in business for yourself. Here are a few things that you could move into that would utilize your wide range of abilities:

• Teacher training
• Consultancy
• Resources and materials production
• Publishing
• Counseling
• Exam invigilation

All of these are well within your capabilities, as well as leaving the door open for a return to teaching, should you ever wish to come back after a career break.

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