From the Classroom to the "Real World": Immediately Applicable Skills for Educators

Educators: We have the skills to repurpose our career if we are ready to do so.

Though we have many skills immediately applicable to a new direction, the top three that come to mind first are that we have powerful leadership competency skills (aka "soft skills," but I strongly dislike that term), we have the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, each on tight deadlines, and we absolutely have the ability to both give and accept constructive feedback. Click below to read how we have these skills, putting us in a space to compete alongside our colleagues in different fields. 

We have powerful leadership competency skills.

Think about it: in a class of say 30 students, we have all different types of levels, personalities, temperaments - 30 different types of human to love, instruct, lead, keep safe, and build together as a cohesive community of learners to support one another throughout the course. We also have coworkers with whom we communicate and collaborate, and we have the vocally ever-growing populations of families of our students. We also have administration at all levels - sometimes helpful, sometimes not - whose feedback we use in day-to-day interactions.  

So what does this look like in corporate speak? Here's what to include in that cover letter:

• We are strong collaborators;

• We are presenters and faciliators, both to students and to adults if we are in teacher leadership;

• We have experience in aligning what we do to the needs and wants of mulitple stakeholders;

• We are highly adaptable; and

• We know how to manage change. 

Take a second and think how each of those plays to your best self in your classroom. I guarantee you can apply most if not all of them to what we do every day. 

We manage multiple projects at a time, all with tight deadlines.

Let's talk about the first minute of class every day. (Spoken by a career educator, both teacher and administrator with pre-K - 12 experience. I am going back to the classroom days for this one.)

Happening all at the same time are the following:

• Did I say hi to everyone at the door? If not, got to get them now.

• What is she doing at the trash can? Is she sick? Bleeding? 

• "GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE! I AM GLAD YOU ARE HERE!"

• Why are those kids at the window?

• Is my door locked and shut?

• "Is anyone from your family [group of desks] out today? Are they in the building and late or just not here?

• Remember to put in your attendance.

• You have to get started or they'll get too squirrely.

• "OK GUYS. WE ARE DOING SOME SPICY STUFF TODAY! NO, I AM NOT FEEDING YOU. IT'S FUN, OK? YES. WE ARE WRITING. YES. WE ARE WORKING."

• Knock knock "Sorry I am late I was in the bathroom and there were 1,000 girls in there."

• Oh, children. You all will be a handful today. 

• Phone rings

That's the first mintue or so. Multiply that by 90 and then by 3, and there's your day. The 4th 90-minute span is spent planning, copying, putting things on the LMS, recording videos, grading 90 of the essays you all did yesterday, oh did you have time to use the restroom? Probably not. Eat? Nah, that will just make you have to go to the restroom. You check your email and see you haven't put in your attendance all day, so you do your best to remember who was here and do your best. 

So, what does this look like in corporate speak? Here's what to include in that cover letter:

• We make decisions quickly and accurately; 

• We possess exceptional time management and prioritization skills; 

• We communciate clearly, efficiently, and effectively;

• We are prepared for a crisis of any sort at any moment;

• We are experienced, skilled time managers;

• We are, above all, gifted problem-solvers in a constantly changing environment with multiple variables at play at any given time.

Need a short sentence? I pasted all of that into AI software, and here's what it spit out: 

"In a fast-paced environment, I manage multiple priorities, adapt quickly to changing needs, and ensure clear, engaging communication. I proactively assess risks, lead with enthusiasm, and balance short-term deliverables with strategic planning—all while keeping stakeholders engaged and aligned." 

It's clear how this plays into your classroom life. Use these skills to build up your resume and cover letter, and make sure to stress them in interviews for positions when you change career directions. 

We need expectations on both giving and receiving constructive feedback.

One of the most useful - and most misused - aspects of education overall is the concept of feedback. Grades. Notes on papers. Evaluations. Test scores. All of it is feedback, and how we provide that for students (and teachers if we are administrators or do peer walkthroughs) can build or destroy culture of our classrooms and buildings. 

So, as a teacher, how can we turn what we know about giving and receiving high-quality, actionable feedback into a way to make us more attractive to those who may hire us? 

Assessing student work: What does this look like in corporate speak? Here's what to include in that cover letter:

• We know how to take guidelines, job descriptions, standards appropriate to the task, and expectations and examine them closely, assessing each task based on each indicator separately and accurately;

• We know how to take the aforementioned assessment and provide timely, actionable, manageable feedback to the person, clearly aligning feedback to the expectations or guidelines assigned to the task; 

• We know how to provide ongoing support tailored to each individual to ensure progress toward meeting goals; and

• We know when to reach out for support in helping a person reach their goals when we have exhausted all of our resources. 

Receiving feedback on our teaching: What does this look like In corporate speak? Here's what to include In that cover letter:

• We familiarize ourselves with the standards, guidelines, expectations, and processes asked of us in detail before we begin a project;

• We are aware of research that supports our processes because having an academic connection has been instilled in us; 

• We are adept at having conversations regarding our performance, and we can discuss specific indicators and evidence for meeting (or not meeting) each individual element; 

• We accept regular feedback on our performance, often seeking out both colleagues and external resources for support in constant aspiration of learning and growth. 

See? You've got the feedback piece down after you have been in education for a couple of years. 

In closing

My son, who is 6, has made himself an "office" in the room where my home office is set up. He has pens, books, and a small legal pad, just like any proper business person would have. He made me the paper to the right. He knows I have embarked on a new journey that right now seems a bit ambiguous, so educators, if you are afraid of uncertainty, I understand.

However, as my son promises in his note, our futrure [sic] is bright. 

Your future is bright just as mine is. 

Believe in yourself as much as my child and I do.