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The Challenge We’re Solving Today
You’ve been in the classroom, juggling lessons, behavior, paperwork, and about 20 other things all at once.
But now that you're applying for jobs outside of teaching, you're supposed to “talk yourself up.”
And you're probably thinking:
“Do I really have to sell myself?”
“Can’t my experience just speak for itself?”
“What if I sound like I’m bragging?”
Totally fair questions.
Why This Matters to You
Corporate hiring managers don’t always know what teachers really do.
Sad but true.
If you just say, “I taught 4th grade,” they might smile and nod but they won’t understand everything you delivered.
If you don’t explain it, they won't see how amazing you'd be in their company.
You: “But I don’t want to come off as pushy.”
Me: “I know. Keep reading...”
Common Solutions and Why They Might Not Work
Here’s what a lot of teachers try and why it doesn’t always work:
-
Saying too little:
“I taught English.”
That’s like saying Lady Gaga just sings. -
Using buzzwords without proof:
“I’m a team player and a fast learner.”
This might have worked 10 years ago but not now. I need to know how these showed up in your work. -
Skipping the results:
“I created lessons for my students.”
Great! But what happened because of those lessons?
A Better Approach for You
You don’t need to brag.
You just need to tell your story more clearly.
Think of it like talking to someone who’s never been in a classroom before.
1. Say What You Did—and What Happened
Instead of: “I taught math to 6th graders.”
Try:
🗣️ “I helped 85% of my students move up a full grade level in math in one year.”
Hiring Manager: “Wow, that’s impressive.”
You: smiling “Thanks. It was all about breaking big topics into easy steps and pacing it out appropriately.”
2. Use Words They Understand
Instead of: “I led my classroom.”
Try:
🗣️ “I managed daily operations for a group of 25, kept schedules on track, and was always in "solving" mode.”
You: “So... that’s kind of like project management, right?”
Me: “Yup.”
3. Share How You Helped Others
🗣️ “I created a new way for teachers to track student progress and 10 other teachers started using it too.”
That shows leadership and impact.
4. Be Impressed By Your Own Role
🗣️ “I led a team that organized a school-wide literacy night for 150+ students and families.”
That’s event planning. AND coordination. AND leadership.
You: “When you put it that way, it actually sounds kind of cool.”
Me: “Because it is cool.”
Summary
-
Talking about your work isn’t bragging. It’s giving people the info they need.
-
Share what you did and what changed because of it.
Your Next Steps
-
Pick one thing you did as a teacher that made a difference.
-
Write it like this: “I did ___, and it helped ___.”
-
Practice saying it out loud just like telling a story to a friend. This is the beginning of your professional "pitch" for your resume, LinkedIn, and interviews.
That's all for this week.
See you next Saturday.
P.S. If you're tired of trying to “translate” your teaching experience into corporate language all on your own, my Career Change Accelerator™ is where things really start to click.
Steph Yesil
Find me on LinkedIn , Get My Career Change Kit , Book a 1:1 Call
