Career Transition for Teachers: How to Move From the Classroom to Boardroom in 2025
Making a career transition for teachers can feel daunting, but it’s a path many educators are choosing as they explore options beyond the classroom. If you’ve been thinking about taking this step, remember that the skills you’ve built as a teacher are exactly what many companies need. Here’s how to make the leap with confidence and find a role that’s the right fit.
Leverage Your Skills: Teachers Bring More to the Table Than You Think
Katy, a former teacher and principal, understands these challenges firsthand. After transitioning into corporate recruiting, she now focuses on helping educators make successful career changes. “The soft skills teachers possess apply to many corporate positions, but unfortunately, sometimes it’s hard to convince hiring managers of this without them having been able to observe this firsthand,” says Katy.
Katy emphasizes the importance of tailoring your approach, suggesting that educators start by networking and researching companies where their skills can make an impact. “Your first job outside of education doesn’t have to be your forever job, but it can help get you the experience you need to open other opportunities in the future,” she adds.
Make Networking Your Secret Weapon
One of the biggest hurdles in transitioning careers is breaking into a new professional network. Lorien, who moved from teaching to a leadership role in a fintech company, credits networking as a critical factor in her success. “I joined professional organizations, went to events, and reached out to people in my field,” she says. “Just by growing my network, I was able to make a connection that helped me land a job at a leading fintech firm.”
According to Lorien, networking is essential to the transition process. “I joined professional organizations, went to events, and reached out to people in my field,” she said. “I was interested in the finance side since that was where my expertise was, and I was lucky to connect with the CEO of the finance company that ultimately hired me. Just by growing my network, I was able to make a connection that helped me land a job at a leading fintech firm that operated in over 20 countries. Eight years in, I’m the country director for the firm.”
Sell Your Soft Skills: The Hidden Assets Companies Want
Amira, a former full-time teacher who transitioned into a corporate legal career, highlights the in-demand skills that teachers bring to the table. “The key to successfully transitioning from a career as a teacher to another field is to always be open-minded, flexible, and willing to learn new things and try new things along the way,” says Amira.
She says teachers possess several in-demand transferable skills that should be attractive to recruiters in the corporate world, including interpersonal, communication, and project management skills.
Samuel, a senior career counselor, said: “As a teacher, you’ll have picked up numerous skills that’ll help you in any corporate role.” The great thing about these skills? They’re transferable.
“Multitasking, leadership, problem-solving, and time management are just a few examples of the transferable skills you’ll have developed in the classroom that are highly sought after by employers in the corporate world,” says Samuel.
Rely on Your Teaching Skills to Adapt
Gates Little, President/CEO, altLINE Sobanco, has worked with many teachers who have successfully transitioned to corporate jobs.
“What struck me was how easily they adapted to a corporate environment,” said Little. “The communication skills and conflict resolution skills that you are taught as an educator are incredibly valuable in a corporate environment and set you up for leadership roles.”
“So, my advice is instead of worrying about how you ‘don’t know about the corporate world,’ apply your communication and conflict resolution skills to your corporate atmosphere. While you may have to adjust the wording (on a resume or application), the concepts remain remarkably similar. It’s just transitioning from one institutional environment to another, so have confidence that you’ll adapt!”
Gain Experience Through Volunteering
Volunteering can be a powerful way to test out new career paths and gain relevant experience.
Example: A Minnesota math teacher joined a local information technology professional meet-up group and volunteered to check people in at a few local events. When doing so, he connected with several local software developers and learned different ways to break into the field.
Through these conversations, this person decided to go to a software development boot camp and, in 18 months, started a new career as a software developer.
When you get involved, you meet people who have experience and connections and develop both professional and personal relationships.
What’s more, companies look at experiences outside the classroom—literally—when reading resumes or interviewing candidates. They want to see what other experiences one has outside of their professional background. Volunteering and being active in organizations have value and good employers realize that.
How a Recruiter Can Help Speed Up Your Search
If you are a teacher going through a career change, consider finding a recruiter or staffing firm that can help introduce you to companies and make the change.
Just keep one thing in mind: recruiters work with employers and are looking to fill the openings at that company—not to specifically help teachers make a career transition.
A recruiter like Katy can then present you as a vetted and qualified candidate to a potential employer.
For example, she was recently hiring for business operations coordinator, marketing specialist, research analyst, and research associate roles in Arlington, VA. If you were a job seeker and had a relationship with her or another recruiter, they could present you as a candidate for these job openings. By building that relationship with a recruiter in advance, you can cut down the time it takes to search for a job.
“A recruiter or recruiting firm can help narrow down potential employers and also connect you with people you may not meet otherwise,” Katy says. “A recruiter can’t work magic, and it’s important to realize you still need to search on your own, but oftentimes a recruiter can give you a boost in your career search and set you apart from other applicants. Make sure you’re working with a recruiter who understands your career goals and desires.”
Embrace Your Confidence: Don’t Undersell What You Bring
One of the biggest mistakes teachers make, Katy says, is selling themselves short.
“Have confidence that the skills you’ve been crafting in your career in education will be valuable,” she says.
“Exude that confidence when you talk to potential employers and in your networking. Companies want to hire people with confidence in their abilities, and teachers and educators have plenty to brag about!”
Career Transition for Teachers: 3 Job Search Tips
Katy offered these additional tips for teachers in career transition:
- Rework your resume: “This doesn’t have to be fancy, but when I began to look for positions outside of education, I realized that much of what was on my resume was very tailored to the education world,” Katy says.
- Make a list of potential companies you may have an interest in working for: Think of all the products and services you use daily and that your district engages with. Then when you see a potential opening, you can be confident in applying since it’s on your shortlist.
- Network: Begin to confide in trusted individuals that you’re looking for other opportunities outside of traditional education. Ask for connections, introductions, and advice. Take it all and formulate the next steps based on what you receive. In my opinion, networking is a critical skill in any profession. Sometimes it’s “who you know” that can provide an opportunity you may not have otherwise received without a connection.
If you’re a teacher ready to take the next step in your career, remember this: You already have a unique skill set that’s in demand across industries. Use your strengths to open new doors. Lean into networking, seek out learning opportunities, and don’t be afraid to start in a role that gets your foot in the door. The transition may be challenging, but the right role is out there waiting for someone with your experience and perspective. Approach your job search with confidence, and embrace the journey as the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
