Teachers in Transition: Career Change and Real Talk for Burned-Out Teachers
Burned out in the classroom? You’re not alone—and you’re not stuck. Teachers in Transition: Career Change and Real Talk for Burned-Out Teachers is the podcast for educators who’ve given everything to their students—and now need to give something back to themselves. Hosted by Vanessa Jackson, a former teacher who transitioned into the staffing and hiring industry, this show blends honest conversations, practical strategy, and deep emotional support. Vanessa knows exactly how burned-out educators can reposition themselves and stand out to recruiters because she’s been on both sides of the hiring table. Each episode offers real talk and real tools to help you explore what’s next—whether that’s a new job, a new identity, or a new sense of peace. 💼 Career advice for teachers leaving education 💡 Practical job search tips, resume help, and mindset shifts 🧠 Real talk about burnout, grief, and rebuilding You’ve given enough. It’s time to build a life that gives back. 👉 Learn more at https://teachersintransition.com
Episodes
LinkedIn isn't just a job board anymore. In this episode, Vanessa Jackson explains why LinkedIn has become the world's largest professional Rolodex and what teachers need to do differently in 2026 to be found by recruiters and hiring managers.
In the Perspective Pivot, Vanessa answers the question no one was a asking: What does a Sharpie marker have to do with healing, stress, and teacher burnout? More tha...
This week on Teachers in Transition, Vanessa Jackson explores the exhaustion that comes from navigating modern educational systems — from locked doors and “performative safety” to Teacher Incentive Allotment frustrations, burnout, networking, and why so many teachers feel emotionally depleted by May.
What begins as a bizarre experience trying to enter a secured school campus turns into a broader conversation about hy...
What do traffic jams, poker strategy, and applicant tracking systems have in common? More than you’d think.
In this episode, Vanessa unpacks decision-making under uncertainty—why the “fastest” route isn’t always the best one, and how both life and job searches can punish us for not being able to predict the future. We talk GPS stress, Annie Duke’s poker-based decision framework, nervous system regulation (Maslow befo...
This week on Teachers in Transition, Vanessa Jackson explores the warning signs teachers learn to ignore — in our bodies, our stress levels, and our careers.
What started as a routine dental cleaning turned into an unexpected root canal… and a much bigger realization about burnout, chronic stress, and how educators become experts at functioning while damaged. Vanessa shares the surprising moment her Garmin stress wat...
Teacher Appreciation Week is here… but what do teachers actually need?
In this episode of Teachers in Transition, we go beyond pizza parties, jeans passes, and “heroes work here” posters to have a real conversation about appreciation vs. value. If you’ve ever felt seen for a week but stretched thin the rest of the year, this one is for you.
We break down:
- Why “Teachers are heroes” can be both true and problematic
- T...
This week, Vanessa talks about a tax no one warns teachers about: the hidden toll of testing season. If you are extra tired right now, emotionally thin, strangely drained, or wondering why you still feel exhausted after a weekend, this episode is for you.
She also shares a practical Teacher Hack for tired humans and explains why many educators who find this show are already in the Decide stage of career transition lo...
If you’re a teacher thinking about leaving the classroom but feeling stuck because you “don’t know what you would do,” this episode is for you.
In this episode, Vanessa breaks down one of the biggest myths in career transition—that teachers don’t have transferable skills—and explains why the real issue isn’t a lack of skills… it’s a lack of visibility.
You’ll also get a simple, practical way to reconnect ...
Teachers are more valuable than you’ve been told, and if you feel like you’ve lost your sparkle, it might not be you… it might just be the lighting.
This week, Vanessa shares a story about Llanite, one of the rarest rocks on Earth (found only near Llano, Texas), and why it’s the perfect metaphor for teachers whose skills have been overlooked for so long they’ve started to overlook themselves.
You’ll also get a ridicu...
An AI robot named Plato got pitched as the future of classrooms… and Vanessa is not buying it. In this episode, she breaks down why teaching can’t be automated, why things like Plato keep showing up, shares a junk-mail hack that saves your sanity, and walks you through the resume tactic that helps employers understand your better.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode
- Why “AI works when everything goes according to pla...
Ever been told, “You’re just a teacher”… and felt your stomach drop?
This episode is your reminder that “just a teacher” is not a truth — it’s a label that makes your skills invisible.
In today’s Moviesode, Vanessa uses the 1988 film Working Girl to unpack what happens when someone is wildly capable… but kept out of the room because they don’t have the right title, credentials, or connections.
If you’re a burned-o...
If you’re a burned-out teacher wondering how to leave teaching but you don’t have clarity yet, this episode is your nervous system’s permission slip to slow down and get oriented—before you start “fixing your resume” for a job you don’t even want.
Vanessa connects Brendan Fraser’s comeback story to something teachers know in their bones: you can’t self-care your way out of an unsafe, unsustainable system. Healing sta...
Why do capable teachers often feel anxious about leaving the classroom?
It may have less to do with confidence and more to do with cognitive overload.
In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa explores the connection between confidence, anxiety, and cognitive overload, and why teachers often carry an impossible amount of mental tracking in their daily work.
You’ll also learn a simple weekly framework th...
What do pancakes have to do with changing careers?
More than you might think.
Anyone who has ever made pancakes knows the truth: the first pancake is almost always a mess. The pan isn’t quite hot enough. The batter spreads oddly. You flip it too soon or too late.
And yet… we never panic about the first pancake. We expect it.
So why do we expect perfection when we’re trying something new in our careers?
In this episode of...
In this episode of Teachers in Transition, we’re talking about the fear that shows up when you’re ready to leave teaching—and what to do when you’ve been applying for jobs and hearing nothing back.
You’ll learn how to stop letting fear run the show, how to steady your nervous system enough to make clear decisions, and how to shift your job search strategy so you’re not relying only on cold applications.
In This Episod...
Big Rocks, Small Peeps, and What ATS Systems Really Do to Teacher Resumes
In this episode, Vanessa talks about the physics of “yes” and “no,” how scope creep quietly expands your workload, a Peeps-inspired morale hack, and a deep dive into how Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) actually interpret teacher resumes outside the classroom.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything right but nothing is landing… roll yo...
What if being labeled “difficult” wasn’t a flaw — but a sign that you refused to walk away from your integrity?
In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa continues her anti-shame crusade with a powerful conversation about boundaries, conviction, and why educators who speak up are often misunderstood.
Inspired by Toby Ziegler from The West Wing, this episode explores how integrity can look uncomfortable — and ...
Many teachers don’t leave the classroom and instantly feel better—because your nervous system doesn’t clock out just because you did.
In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa unpacks Complex PTSD (CPTSD) in a practical, non-diagnostic way: how chronic stress, constant vigilance, emotional suppression, boundary erosion, perfectionism, and moral injury can train your body to stay on high alert for years. And ...
Are you a teacher who feels constantly stressed, exhausted, or overwhelmed—but can’t quite explain why it feels so heavy?
In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa Jackson uses a familiar question—“On a scale of 1 to 10, how bad is your pain?”—to explore how teachers slowly normalize burnout, emotional overload, and chronic stress without realizing how much it’s costing them.
Drawing from her own post-surgi...
Boundaries, Burnout, and Why You Shouldn’t Write Scripted Lesson Plans at Home”
Are you a teacher on the edge of burnout, wondering if your skills have value outside the classroom? You're not alone—and this encore episode is for you.
In this encore presentation, Vanessa Jackson dives into lessons we can learn from the late, great Carrie Fisher (yes, General Leia), especially around boundaries, mental health, and ...
Originally aired in May 2024, this encore episode might just be more relevant now in January 2026. If your New Year energy already feels like it’s running on fumes, take this as your permission slip to pause.
Vanessa explores the emotional and physical exhaustion teachers face—and how lack of sleep, overcommitment, and guilt get tangled together. She shares a powerful metaphor about “big rocks” and challenges you to ...
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