Frequently Asked Questions

Over the last three years, I have answered over 17,000 messages from 9,000+ people.

As much as I love meeting brilliant new people, the sheer volume of messages has made it impossible to provide 1:1 feedback or advice to every message.

So, in an effort to help without the wait, I've put together my answers to the most common questions I receive.

Is it okay to leave?

Yes. It’s okay to leave. Changing jobs is not a failure. Most people think leaving means they “gave up” or didn’t try hard enough.

That's dumb. Careers are not lifetime contracts. They are decisions you revisit as the market, your skills, and your goals change. Staying in a role that no longer fits costs you time and income.

Your next step: Read the articles I've written on Leaving Teaching, On Purpose

I have no idea what else I can do or where to begin. Can you help me figure out my options?

Absolutely. I love this question. Check out everything I've written about What Jobs You Can Do Instead.

You can also take my Career Quiz as a jumping off point.

I'm doing work but I don't know if I'm focusing on the right part at the right time. What should I be working on right now?

Don't ignore this feeling.

You’re probably out of order.

There’s a sequence to this. If you try to skip steps or do everything at once, you stall out.

Here’s the actual flow:

Get clear on the role you want (yes, this is possible without networking first)
Update your resume to match that role
Update your LinkedIn to match that same story
Start upskilling + networking
Then apply
Then interview

Most people jump straight to applying. Or they tweak their resume without knowing what role it’s for. That’s where things fall apart.

You can’t skip the line. If you do, you’re just making it harder on yourself.

Your next step:
Go back to the step you skipped and fix that first.

(Free) I've written extensively on each step here, all free:
https://www.elevated.careers/articles

(Paid) If you want to cut to the chase and get this laid out step-by-step in order, it’s all broken down here:
Career Change Accelerator

Do you offer resume writing or review services? I am struggling to translate my teaching experience into corporate language that gets past ATS/AI screeners.

No. I don’t write resumes for people.

That’s not because resumes don’t matter. They do. It’s because handing your story to someone else doesn’t fix the real problem.

You still won’t know how to explain your experience when it comes up again in interviews, networking, or promotion conversations.

What does work is learning how to translate your experience yourself. This is my specialty.

Once you know the pattern, you can use it anywhere.

Read more on How Hiring Actually Works Now and How Employers Evaluate You .

Feel free to use my favorite free tools, too: Corporate Resume Template and Skills Translator.

Where can I find open roles?

These are a few of my favorite job boards:

Skip

edtech.com

edtechjobs.io

Idealist.org

LinkedIn Jobs

My personal favorite: Google
Use this Boolean Search Guide I wrote.

Then, check out the rest of my writing on Job Market Trends & Who's Hiring Now

I have applied to hundreds of jobs and rewritten my resume, but I am not getting any interviews. What am I doing wrong?

It’s usually one of these things:

You’re applying to roles you don’t actually fit on paper
Your resume still says education, not business
You’re trying to be “open to anything” instead of clear
Your skills section is a mess

Any one of these is enough to stall you out.

The good news is that these are usually an easy fix.

Read through those fixes here:

How Hiring Actually Works Now

How Employers Evaluate You

What I’ve Learned From Doing This at Scale

What specific services do you offer (1:1 coaching, courses), how much do they cost, and which one is right for me?

I keep this simple.

Free tools

Self-serve. No pressure.
Good if you’re early and need direction.
→ $0

Course

Self-paced. Structured. Built to replace trial and error.
Best if you need someone to just "tell you what to do, right now." It's simple. Watch a short video, take action. Watch a short video, take action.
Includes all the copy/paste templates, downloadable files, and ultra- engineered GPT prompts (I refined specifically for educators) you need to do the darn thing.
Walks you through your entire career change. How to pick your next career, where to find open roles that fit, write your resume/Linkedin Profile, prep for interviews, get hired, then get promoted after your first year.
→ $199

1:1, 60-minute Session

High-impact, limited availability.
For people who need direct strategy and faster decisions on a specific roadblock.
→ $229

Which one is right for you?

You’re stuck or overwhelmed → start with my free tools
You want a clear path you can follow from start to finish → take my course
You need speed and personalized direction on a specific topic → let's schedule a 1:1 session

I am not a classroom teacher (I am a Principal, Higher Ed Professor, Counselor, or Specialist). Do your services and strategies apply to me?

Yes. 10000%.

Education runs on the same core work everywhere. Leading people. Managing programs. Advising adults. Navigating systems. Making decisions that affect others.

If you’ve worked anywhere in the education world, this applies to you.

There are tons of roles out there that you would absolutely thrive in.

Start here:

What Jobs You Can Do Instead &

Job Market Trends & Who's Hiring Now

Do you have connections at specific EdTech companies (like Curriculum Associates, IXL, Pearson) or can you refer me to a hiring manager?

Usually, no. I don’t offer cold referrals. I don’t pass resumes to hiring managers just because someone asks. That’s not how hiring actually works.

The only time I make direct connections is when:

A hiring manager reaches out to me for a specific role
You’re already on my radar as a client and clearly aligned

Otherwise, introductions are not included.

Instead, you need to focus on becoming referable using your own digital footprint.

Start here: How Employers Evaluate You and How to Run a Smart Job Search

Do you help educators who are outside the US or need visa sponsorship find remote work with US companies?

These are two different conversations.

My advice applies anywhere. Positioning, role fit, and how you present your experience is critical regardless of where you live. That’s why people outside the US use my tools and strategies successfully.

Visa sponsorship is separate. That’s a legal and company-specific process. I don’t place people into sponsored roles or negotiate visas.

I do share roles that are open internationally when they exist. They’re just less common, highly competitive, and very specific.

If you have questions about work authorization, visas, or eligibility, your best next step is to speak directly with an immigration attorney or an international recruiter who specializes in this.

Let's get you positioned properly so that when the right opportunity presents itself, you're ready to shine.

Start here: How Employers Evaluate You and How to Run a Smart Job Search

Can I realistically match my current salary given my years of experience?

Sometimes. It depends on how you move.

Some people match or exceed their salary right away. Others take a short step sideways to unlock higher pay later.

What you need is a plan that looks at two things: what the market pays right now and how promotions actually work in those roles.

That way, you know whether to aim for a salary match now or move into a clear pathway to get there.

That’s career planning which is a normal part of the process.

If financial stability is a concern, talk to a financial advisor at a reputable firm. Many offer free consultations. It’s a smart way to understand your runway and protect what you’ve built. Most people discover they have more flexibility than they think.

Meanwhile, here is my current research on top jobs for former educators: What Jobs You Can Do Instead

I’m a former teacher and I’ve already transitioned into corporate. I’m ready for a different role and/or promotion. Do your strategies still apply to me?

Definitely.

The first transition gets you in the door. The next move is about positioning, scope, and timing.

Promotions and pivots come from being clear about the role you’re moving toward and showing you already operate at that level.

I've got the tools you need to make your move.

Start here: Job Market Trends & Who's Hiring Now and How to Get Promoted Once You’re Hired

Is LinkedIn as important as my resume?

YES. YES. YES.

For a lot of people, it’s more important.

Your LinkedIn is not just an online resume. It’s essentially proof of your chops before the interview even happens.

People are going to look you up before they ever speak to you. Recruiters. Hiring managers. Potential referrals. They’re going to do their research on you.

Don’t you want them to find reasons to want to talk to you?

Your LinkedIn should make your thinking, learning, and work visible.

If you want to be an instructional designer, your profile and posts should show instructional design thinking. Same goes for customer success, L&D, operations, implementation, whatever role you want next.

Think of your posts like mini interview answers scattered across the internet.

And please. Don’t let AI do all the thinking for you. Your actual thoughts matter.

You want invitation cards littered across the internet. Start with LinkedIn.

If you don't know where to start with the updating, I've got you. Start with my favorite free guide.

Your next step:

Start here: LinkedIn Optimization Guide

(Free) I've written quite a bit more on this here:
https://www.elevated.careers/articles

(Paid) If you want to cut to the chase and get the entire career change process laid out step-by-step, in order, it’s all broken down here:
Career Change Accelerator