I am seeing lots of disappointed teachers returning to the classroom this fall, first I’m sorry for what you are returning to and I’m sorry we couldn’t do better. Secondly, don’t give up. I know it sounds cheesy, but there really is a science to this career change and it takes A LOT of work. I know you are staring at me, with the “I HAVE DONE THE WORK” and you probably did….this market is crazy. But let me give you a couple of suggestions based on my own observations (absolutely biases and based on my own lens.)
Your LinkedIn Profile could be a problem.
I often come across teachers who are posting about the difficulty in finding work, and then when I look at their profile – they have “Educator” or “Teacher” as a title, their LinkedIn page is bare and/or very educator heavy. Check out this post about the LinkedIn title formula. As much as it HURTS it’s time to change from who you are to what you WANT to be. Even in the EdTech field, companies are corporate…while we have proven ourselves in the educational world, we haven’t done the same for corporate. Yes, I know ALL the reasons why you would be a great fit BUT we have an uphill battle sadly, so put on your boots and let’s climb.
Start changing your language, student to learner, etc. Simple changes to your vocabulary will be essential not only in speaking with people within the field, your LinkedIn page, your resume but also in interviews. Read Tim Slade’s book, it leads you through the WHOLE process of building eLearning. You WILL use this in your everyday job, I promise. And if you have the money, join his academy – he even has Articulate courses with it.
Brand Yourself & Your Portfolio?
SO MANY times I check out educator’s portfolios and they have no domain. I know this seems simple but this honestly is a telling sign, one of the biggest things moving into corporate was the fear that I was a teacher and didn’t REALLY want to make the move (or I wouldn’t stay.) You have to build a brand that distinguishes you from teaching, this includes a professional portfolio. Many academies build their portfolios differently but I do believe that having a fleshed-out, professional WordPress website that I built (with the help of some tools…) got me a job. I also believe my ID-focused blog has brought a lot of positive attention – which has helped with my job search.
The final iteration of my website has no educational pieces, and I removed A LOT of fluff. I also didn’t apply until I had two really fleshed-out eLearning pieces on my portfolio. These pieces had a quick intro video showing some of the animations, a write-up on them, and screenshots. I got help and feedback from several communities as well as Tim Slade and Tyler Banh. I asked everyone I could to take a look, I absorbed their feedback and made changes. The response I got BEFORE and AFTER this was testament. Building my portfolio showed my diversity, I can do screencasts, edit a lengthy video, create eLearning, build a website, and everything is branded, and as Tyler Banh likes to say “consistent.”
Track Your Applications
I hear a lot about “I have APPLIED TO SO MANY” but not really a definitive number, this LinkedIn post was telling, she applied to 188 positions! But as many people say, it only takes ONE yes. After I found this post I started my own spreadsheet and kept track of my applications. While I felt I had applied to so many, it wasn’t REALLY that much. And to put it into perspective many people (besides cybersecurity analysts and programmers) are applying for HUNDREDS of positions.
Be Realistic
I see a lot of teachers attempting to apply for big positions right away, Senior positions or positions at Wayfair, Amazon, etc. Start small. I looked at “uncool” industries like cybersecurity or cloud service providers (these two industries will only grow.) Credit Unions seem to be partial to teachers, I think it’s both the philosophy AND that we can pass background checks like nobody’s business. EdTech positions are getting applications in the HUNDREDS – think about your background, where you want to go, and apply strategically. Remote positions without a previous ID position under your belt or a REALLY solid brand/portfolio will be difficult. Look local, that’s how I got in…I live in a rural area and with my educational background, I was ahead of the hiring pool. From what I have heard in the industry, you should start with a local position, then move to remote, and then you’re golden. And don’t be afraid of contract work…if it’s a W2 position (1099 is a hot mess tax situation.) Some have benefits or even 401ks and it can often get your foot in the door at some legendary companies (Apple, Google, etc.)
Change Your Resume…Again…
Please, meet with someone from teachlearndev.org, its free and they will walk you through adapting your resume from teacher language to corporate language. I have changed my resume several times and after meeting with Tyler I finally feel my resume is where it should be. The ATS checker is real, sadly no one reads resumes…a computer does. And if that machine doesn’t ding green, you aren’t going to have a human look at it. If you are getting constant denials or just plain ghosted….I would bet it was that.
Be Careful who you Trust
I really wish I didn’t have to type this one out. There are a lot of helpful people on the internet (I guess myself included) however some may not have the experience or background you think. If someone who has NEVER worked a corporate job is telling you what you need to do to build your portfolio…I would analyze that. If someone has been out of the market for several years and is calling teachers entitled, I would analyze that. Also, Academies are not a cure-all, they will NOT get you a job in ID (they may help depending on the author though). And salaries are all over the place, no academy can guarantee any salary. Please investigate the resources that Cara North has posted before you put your money down.
Also, not every company is legit. Vet their website, do they have a lock displayed in the address bar (this indicates that it’s secure), is the website fleshed out? Can you search them on Glassdoor, LinkedIn, or Indeed? Do your research and follow your gut, lots of people out here trying to steal everybody’s SSN.
Network
I cannot talk about this enough, it’s very foreign for teachers to do this…we often go to the district website to apply and BOOM we have an interview. As a Special Education teacher, I got every position I ever applied for…so it was HARD when I started to get 100’s of rejections (and believe me I wavered a lot about this transition.) But the biggest thing was following companies I wanted to work for, following the companies that are in the same industry as what I wanted to work in, and then interacting with posts by the company or that the company liked. At first, I built a strong connection with teachers who had or were transitioning but then I started to branch out to other seasoned Instructional Designers, and you know what? They taught me some amazing ID concepts – but I also brought my own STRONG educational background – especially inaccessibility. I love nerding out on learning and other IDs do too! So don’t be afraid to make those connections and you will find that many like job postings or post jobs…BOOM instant-in!
