Dear Career Advisor:

I am a trained teacher of English Language and Literatures in English but I no longer want to continue teaching. My desire to change is not because of the students, as I love them dearly and rejoice in their successes. I also get on very well with their parents. It is just that I don’t feel that as an individual I am growing professionally and capitalising on my potential. I don’t want to become a school administrator.

What would you suggest I do? I fear that future employers might consider me a quitter. What else could I do?

Yours truly,

Ingrid Mc

Dear Ingrid:

You will not be alone in this transition as many otherwise successful people began their professional journey in teaching. The issue of multiple career changes is common among a wide range of professions, moreso now than ever. Being engaged in a job you love does not mean you have to do that job for the rest of your life because as people grow and develop their interests can change. Therefore, making a career change, whether from teaching or any other field, does not make you a failure. Be prepared, however, to state your reason(s) for desiring the career change in positive terms.

There are many rewarding careers that will allow you to work directly with children or with people in general. One option is to become an entrepreneur providing direct teaching or educational support services. If you should embark on this path using technology as your delivery platform, the possibilities for growth will be endless. There are many parents who desire to have their children home-schooled but who are not able to adequately cater to the wide-ranging needs of this option. There is also a niche market for children with special needs, as well as for after-school support and care services.

Outside of education and teaching, there are several possibilities that you could explore. You will first need to do a self-assessment to identify your transferrable skills. As a teacher your training would have allowed you to develop strengths such as:

• Communication (speaking, writing, listening)

• Creativity (designing, decorating, spatial layout and utilisation)

• Analysis (data gathering, survey development, research, and data analysis)

• People skills (interpersonal, motivational, persuasion); and

• Technical skills (computer skills, etc.)

These and other skills are very applicable and needed in a number of professions and industries. Your next task, then, will be to explore areas for which these skills would be valued and in which you might have interest or perceive that you would enjoy doing with a level of satisfaction. Among the possible options are:

• Sales, and customer support services

• Media and Communication (journalism, public relations, marketing, news and feature writing, etc.)

• Administration and management

• The legal field (judicial support services, and legal assistance)

• Author, editor, or publisher

The possibilities are endless. Think about the kind of growth you are seeking – your dreams, your aspirations, the void you seek to have filled. Think about what it is you wish to accomplish and identify routes to getting there. Follow your heart and live your dream.

Sincerely,

Career Advisor

Carolyn Marie Smith is associate vice-president of student services at Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville, Manchester. Submit your questions to her at careeradvisor@ncu.edu.jm