How to Choose Your New Career When You Have No Idea What You Want To Do!

How Do I Go About Choosing a Career?

Choosing a career sounds empowering… until you actually try to figure out what you want to do next. The number of posts I've seen across social media which read:

"I want to leave teaching - but I don't know what to do, or what I can do".

Full disclosure: Teachers can do anything!

Not convinced? Read some of success stories below where former teachers have successfully pivoted into a new career:

• From Music Teacher to Music & Events Coordinator

• Primary Teacher to Program Officer/ Instructional Designer

• Primary Teacher to Cyber Analyst

• Teacher to Family Support Worker

Suddenly, you’re staring at job boards, personality tests, and endless advice that all contradicts each other...

If you feel like you “should” know your calling by now but you honestly have no idea what direction to take, that's normal. You've been working in a classroom or education environment and haven't exactly had the time or energy to be looking at anything other than education related things!

Step 1: What Other Jobs Can I Do?

In can be an absolute minefield trying to pick the perfect industry after teaching.

Remember, your new job might not be your forever career.

Most people get stuck because they think they HAVE to choose:

• Their forever career

• A job they’ll immediately love

• Something that uses all their skills

• Something which pays better than their teacher salary

Instead, aim for this:

👉 A job that’s better than your current situation and moves you in the right direction.

Career change is rarely a single leap — it’s a series of small pivots. Your next role doesn’t need to be The One. It just needs to be a better next chapter.

A list of some of the most common industries teachers career pivot into, from A-Z:

• Admin

• Analyst

• Business Development

• Cabin Crew

• Charity Work

• Childminding

• Civil Service (various roles)

• Corporate Trainer

• Communications

• Customer Service/Relations

• Copywriting

• Coding (see courses here)

• Colleges (various roles)

• Cyber Security (various roles. Read more here)

• Data analysis

• Diversity and Inclusion (various roles)

• Dog walking

• Education roles (libraries, charities, programmes, sports, Further Education e.g. colleges, museums etc.)

• Ed-Tech

• Events organiser/coordinator

• Franchise (various)

• Fundraising

• Human Resources (various roles)

• Instructional Design (see more about this role here)

• Learning and Development (various roles, see how to transfer here)

• Medical (various roles, likely to require an extra degree or course)

• Nurse (likely to require extra training)

• Play Therapist

• Procurement

• Programme Officer/Manager (see more about pivoting to this role here)

• Project Management

• Prison services

• Recruitment (various roles- but lots pivoting into education recruitment)

• Social Worker

• Supply Teaching

• Sustainability (various roles in corporate settings)

• Social Media Manager/Coordinator (various roles)

• Sales

• Talent Management (often part of L&D/HR)

• Tutoring (setting up own business or as a side hustle)

• Universities (various roles)

• Veterinary practice roles

• Website designer

• Well-being (various roles)

• Youth outreach

• Zoo Keeper

Step 2: Identify Which Jobs You’re Running FROM (Not Just What You’re Running TO)

If you can’t picture your dream job, start with the opposite:

Write a “No List” or an "Absolutely Not List"

Examples:

• No weekend work

• No shift work

• No salary below "X"

• No sales or targets

• No standing all day

• No on-site work (must work around childcare etc.)

• No emotionally draining interactions

Sometimes, clarity comes from subtraction.

Once you’ve written this list, flip it:

• “No weekend work” → roles with Mon–Fri set hours

• “No on-site work” → hybrid or remote work

• “No unpredictable hours” → administrative, project support, HR, coordination

Your “no list” will narrow the career universe quickly and realistically.

Step 3: Reframe Your Skills to Help You Choose a New Career — Not Your Job Title

Ask yourself:

In my role as a teacher, what do people always come to me for help with?

• Communicating with parents, management or colleagues

• Tech support- how to use the latest education software or platform

• Planning and logistics - i.e. making a schedule, organising events, agendas

• Data- how to input the latest assessments

• Problem-solving

• Relationship building

• Conflict resolution

• Writing

• Training others- leading the whole staff workshop

People get stuck because they think: "I only know how to do this job.”

Instead of “What job can I do?”, ask:

👉 What problems can I solve that companies would pay for?

That question opens doors.

Step 4: Match Your Skills to “Career Families,” Not Individual Jobs

Have a look at a category of jobs that fit your strengths.

Here are the five most common “career families” that career changers thrive in:

1. People & Communication Roles

Best for natural communicators and relationship builders:

• HR

• Recruitment

• Customer success

• Community manager

• Learning & development

• Client support

  
  

2. Organisation & Operations

Perfect for those who love order, structure, and problem-solving:

• Project coordinator

• Operations assistant

• Office manager

• Program officer/manager

• Event coordinator

• Executive assistant

  
  

3. Writing & Content

Ideal if you think clearly and express ideas well:

• Content writer

• Copywriter

• Technical writer

• Communications assistant

• Social media manager

  
  

4. Technology & Systems

For people who enjoy solving puzzles, systems, or using digital tools:

• Data assistant

• UX researcher

• Instructional designer

• Salesforce or CRM admin (entry-level courses exist)

• IT support

• Learning technologies

  
  

5. Creative & Design

If you love visuals, making things, or storytelling:

• Graphic design

• Instructional Designer

• UX/UI

• Social media content creation

• Marketing assistant

Choose the two or three “families” that feel closest to you. You don’t need to commit — you’re just narrowing your exploration zone.

Step 5: Run the “One-Week Career Experiments”

Instead of overthinking, I recommend test driving careers.

Personal account: When I was unsure which career path to take after teaching, I took courses in various industries such as UX Design. I took the UX Design Course, which helped me understand the role more, and to get an idea of whether I could see myself doing this role for the next 2 years.

I also took an Instructional Design Course to help me learn the foundations and theories of instructional design. Unsure which courses to take to help you pivot? Check out my post on the Top 5 courses here.

Choose one possible path and spend 7 days doing micro-experiments, such as:

✨ 20-minute tasks:

• Watch 3 YouTube videos about a day-in-the-life

• Search for 5 job ads and notice patterns

• Read one beginner-friendly guide

• Take a short course via Coursera.

• Start or update your LinkedIn profile. Tips on how to reframe yourself are here

• Research roles via LinkedIn, or find someone who is in that position and write down the responsibilities from their profile.

  
  

✨ One-evening tasks:

• Try a 1-hour beginner course on Coursera/LinkedIn Learning

• Rewrite your Resume for that specific career. Download my free Resume Guide here.

• Attempt a simple project (e.g., for an instructional design role, download the free trial from Articulate 360 and practice using the software, or for a UX Design role. download Figma and try recreating a simple app screen.)

The goal isn’t to become an expert — just to decide:

✔️ Does this feel energising?

❌ Does this drain me?

You’ll learn more in 7 days of small actions than 7 months of overthinking.

Do you have any tips or ideas for teachers looking to leave the profession to get started with your job hunt? Feel free to comment below!

Other posts you'll find useful to help you get started with your job hunt:

• Why I Left Teaching for a New Career (and How You Can Too)

• How Teachers Can Find the Time to Apply for Jobs Outside of Teaching

• How Teachers Can Leave Teaching

• Will I Miss the Holidays If I Leave Teaching?