Career Change

What Are the MOST Suitable (Alternative) Jobs for Ex Teachers?

Just because you want to get out of teaching doesn’t mean you don’t still have the drive to help people. There are many reasons teachers can be desperate to leave teaching. Whatever that reason is, many alternatives might leave you feeling more satisfied with your work every day.

Companies that hire ex-teachers know they’re getting quality employees who are good at working with people. Ex-teachers also tend to follow instructions well and can quickly take up leadership positions. There are many ways to teach others and be in a learning environment without having to stand in front of a classroom.

Unfortunately, many of these good, high-paying jobs go unnoticed because former teachers don’t think about them. If you have a teaching degree, it’s easy to think you’re stuck in that job forever. But, it’s never too late to change careers when you’re over 30.

What’s the good news? If you do want to change careers, you can find a suitable job that works with your degree. Your degree and the skills you have thanks to years of teaching make you an excellent candidate for jobs you may have never thought of before.

What Are the Best Jobs for Former Teachers?

Thousands of teachers leave the profession each year, often seeking a better work-life balance. It doesn’t matter what your reason is. But, just because you’re done with teaching doesn’t mean your talents have to go to waste.

This guide will cover the best jobs for former teachers. Whether you’re looking for jobs after teaching primary school or high school, there are new career paths available to you. As a teacher, you learned specific skills over the years. Many companies look for those skills when hiring new people.

There are jobs for ex-primary school teachers even in similar industries that put you in an entirely new setting. Or, if you’re desperate to leave teaching, many companies hire ex-teachers because of their specific skills. If teaching isn’t for you anymore, but you’re not sure what to do with your skill set and degree, keep reading for the jobs that might be a perfect fit!

  1. School Administrator

If you don’t want to teach anymore, but you’re still passionate about the education system, consider a job as an administrator. Many school principals started out as teachers. If you make this career switch, you’ll go from managing a single classroom to managing an entire school.

Administrators are responsible for overseeing every aspect of the school. This includes students and faculty. They make sure the school is operating smoothly on a daily basis and living up to district standards. It’s also the job of an administrator to help support and counsel students, teachers and staff members as needed.

companies that hire ex teachers

Being a school administrator usually comes with a pay raise, but it also may take more education. Typically, a master’s degree is required in school administration or education. But, you can take courses in person or online during your years of teaching to work up to your administrative position.

On average, a school principal makes about $92,500 each year. This varies depending on the size of the school and location. But, it’s a great way to remain in education and be around kids, without having to teach on a daily basis.

  1. Guidance Counselor

Another way to stay in the education system is to become a guidance counselor. Most teachers get into education in the first place because they have a passion for kids and their young minds. Guidance counselors take this one step further.

If you don’t want to teach but still want to help students, getting one-on-one time with them as a guidance counselor is one of the best ways to do so. Guidance counselors help students work through everything from social choice to academic ones. They can help students with any struggles they might be going through. This includes personal struggles or decisions about furthering education.

It usually takes a master’s degree to become a guidance counselor. But, most ex-teachers find the years of extra education worth it to see students grow and thrive under their watch.

Depending on the location, guidance counselors for a primary school or secondary school can make anywhere from $50,000-$90,000 or more each year. It can be a difficult job when your students are struggling. But, if you can help to steer them down the right path, this is one of the most rewarding education jobs available.

  1. Private Tutor

Chances are, you probably still have a passion for education even if you want to leave teaching. You can continue that drive to help students outside the classroom by being a private tutor. Private tutors typically work for themselves on a ‘freelance’ basis. But, some services and organizations hire tutors to work with students after school, on weekends, etc.

As a tutor, you won’t be instructing an entire classroom. Instead, you’ll be working one-on-one with a student. Usually, tutoring sessions revolve around a specific subject. But, some students need help in a variety of different subjects. A tutor is meant to guide each student and help them through the hurdles they might be facing when it comes to learning something in particular.

You might think there wouldn’t be much money in this profession, but that’s not true. As long as you can market yourself well, you shouldn’t have a hard time finding work. The need for private tutors is growing. This is because more parents are choosing to homeschool their children. Many parents are also busy, working more extended hours. So, they hire private tutors to help their kids after school with their homework since they aren’t able to.

Being a tutor allows for a lot of flexibility. You can essentially create your hours and work as often or as little as you’d like. You can earn more money by taking on more students, or meeting with individual students several times a week. On average, a private tutor makes nearly $36,000 each year.

  1. Writer

If you want to get out of the education field altogether, you might consider becoming a writer. Many teachers have excellent writing skills. You might find you’re exceptionally talented in this field if you taught something like English or Literature.

The need for writers is always there. You don’t need to become a published author or work for the entertainment industry to find success in this field. Many businesses and entrepreneurs are always looking for qualified writers for different projects.

Depending on your skill level, you could find work writing any of the following:

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  • Web content
  • Blogs
  • Grant applications
  • Technical documents

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With your teaching experience, you may even be able to write educational or textbook content. Textbook publishers hire writers all the time for new and updated materials. If you have a lot of knowledge on a specific subject, it could be an excellent opportunity to put it to good use. You can use your skills to be both educational and creative at the same time.

How much you make as a writer depends on what you write, who you work for, and how often you’re able to find work. On average, a technical writer makes around $70,000 a year.

Are you desperate to leave teaching?

  1. Marketing Specialist

Most teachers have two significant advantages to their personalities and experiences. First, they are usually creative people. Making lesson plans and finding ways to engage kids in learning asks for a lot of creativity on a daily basis. Teachers also tend to be good at reading people. This usually comes with experience. Most teachers have more knowledge about human behavior than others because they see it in front of them on a daily basis.

Those skills are perfect for a marketing specialist.

A marketing specialist helps businesses and agencies develop campaigns. These campaigns are based on their understanding of people and their behaviors. If you work for a particular company, for example, it would be your job to figure out how to draw more people toward what that business is offering. Your knowledge of how people behave and your understanding of what they might be interested in can be helpful.

It does take some extra training/schooling to work in the marketing field. If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, you should only have to take a few more courses to get your feet wet in marketing.

Internet marketing is a trendy route nowadays. You can use your creativity and how well you work with people to market with social media and other digital platforms. Some marketing agencies or businesses may even allow you to work from home online.

A little bit of extra schooling can be well worth it to become a marketing specialist. On average, they make about $63,000 a year. But, you can make well over $100,000 depending on your location and how much work you’re able to get.

  1. Executive Assistant

Teachers need excellent organizational skills. They also need to be able to plan things ahead of time and keep a precise schedule. Those qualities are also crucial for an executive assistant. This might seem like somewhat of a leap from teaching, but many of the same skills and talents are needed.

As an executive assistant, you’ll work directly with someone in a corporate position. You may need to take a few extra classes in things like administrative assisting. But, some employers may hire you based on your experience and skills alone.

Working with someone as their assistant can be a fast-paced, high-energy job. But, if you love staying on top of schedules and organizing things to make life easier, it could be the perfect career change for you. It’s also a position that usually pays quite well since most people who hire assistants tend to be wealthy or work for large corporations. The median salary for an executive assistant is over $55,000 per year.

  1. Event Planner

Organizational skills come in handy again if you want to be an event planner. Teachers have to coordinate lessons and trips, as well as projects. They give jobs to certain students to do certain things, and they make sure things are done on time. Event planners do the same thing. Plus, you’ll get to use the creative skills you have to have as a teacher to plan the perfect parties and events.

If the day-to-day routine of teaching wasn’t your style, but you loved the creative aspect of it, event planning could be a great option. You’ll have the freedom to work whenever you’d like as long as you make deadlines. It’s a job that’s flexible, and it’s different all the time!

Event planners also work with a variety of different people. Having a background in teaching can make this easier because you’re used to communicating, listening, and getting everyone on the same page with an idea.

One of the best things about becoming an event planner is that you don’t necessarily have to go to school to do so. You may start out working for an event planning company, or underneath someone who has been doing it for quite some time. But, once you build up a name for yourself, this is a job you can do on your own successfully. Eventually, you might even be able to start your own event-planning business with other employees!

How much an event planner earns depends on how much work you can find each year. The type of clientele you choose to work with also is a factor. On average, an event planner makes around $48,000 a year.

  1. Personal Trainer

Most ex-teachers are still passionate about teaching and directing in some capacity. For many people who’ve been teachers, it’s an instinct and skill. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have other passions. If you’ve always been interested in nutrition and fitness, you could be a perfect personal trainer.

As a personal trainer, you’ll use a lot of your teaching skills, just in a different way. It takes someone who knows how to plan and stay organized to be a good trainer. Clients need things like personalized workouts and nutrition plans to stay on track. Former teachers are also some of the best motivators. They know how to inspire people and see the best qualities in people. That’s an incredible trait to have as a personal trainer.

This is a profession that is always in high demand. People will always want to get in shape, and many people seek out help to do it. You can either work for a gym and gain clients that way or be your own boss. It doesn’t take long to become a certified trainer. If you like to plan and still want to teach and motivate others to do their best, this is a great option.

How much a personal trainer makes depends on how many clients they have. On average, you can expect to make around $40,000 each year.

best jobs for teachers who don't want to teach

  1. Nanny

It’s rare that a teacher leaves their job because they don’t like children. If you still want to have a significant impact on the lives of children, you might consider becoming a nanny. Keep in mind that being a nanny can be entirely different from teaching in many ways. But, you’re still helping to guide and shape the lives of a child or children on a daily basis.

Nannies can carry different responsibilities. Some work ‘normal’ hours during the day. Others may be asked to live with a family 24/7. They can do everything from taking kids to and from school to help with homework. They can also help with the children at home, making meals, entertaining and playing with them, etc.

If one of your joys in teaching was seeing young people grow, you might love being a nanny. You get to look at those things on a more intimate basis, up close over time.

The pay scale for a professional private nanny varies. On average, you’ll make about $25,000 each year. But, if you live with a family, you should consider that many of your expenses, like room and board, would be paid for.

Is it Easy for Teachers to Change Careers?

If you want to get out of teaching, you don’t have to worry that you’ll be stuck in the same industry forever. There are many reasons teachers want to leave. Whether it’s a financial problem, an administrative issue, or something else, you shouldn’t have to second-guess yourself. Other suitable jobs can use your skills and expertise.

Most of the jobs on this list need little to no extra training/schooling. If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, it won’t take you long to take the necessary steps toward a brand new job.

We hope this guide has been helpful if you’re interested in leaving teaching. If you’re a former teacher who wants a suitable, high-paying alternative career, look no further. The jobs on this list are designed to use your talents and passions. They also pay well and could be just what you’re looking for if you’re ready to make a career change.