Teachers in Transition – Episode 243: Stop Chasing Jobs: How to Attract Opportunities and Take Control of Your Career Transition

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In this episode of Teachers in Transition, host Vanessa Jackson shares a humorous and insightful story about navigating mishaps as a musician—specifically, how a well-intentioned plan to play Handel’s Messiah on the organ went hilariously off the rails due to an unexpected tech glitch. With laughter and grace, Vanessa reminds listeners that when things go wrong in public, sometimes the best approach is to step back, admire the "egg you've laid," and move forward.

In the second segment, Vanessa introduces the concept of a Prime Directive for Life—a guiding principle that helps simplify decision-making and bring clarity to priorities. Using a memorable story about teaching her daughter to drive, she explores how having a core rule—like "don’t hit anything"—can make even complex choices easier. She then challenges listeners to develop their own Prime Directive, one that keeps them focused on what truly matters.

Finally, Vanessa dives into the fifth step out of the classroom: Attract. After deciding to leave teaching, clarifying strengths, building job search materials, and refining skills, transitioning teachers may still struggle to land a role. The key? Attracting opportunities by positioning yourself as a subject matter expert. Vanessa outlines practical ways to build visibility and credibility in a new field—writing LinkedIn posts, engaging in industry groups, volunteering, and even creating opportunities through consulting or entrepreneurship. By shifting from job seeker to industry contributor, educators can open new doors and confidently step into their next career.

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Have a Prime Directive to share? Drop Vanessa a message—she’d love to hear it!

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The transcript to this podcast is found on the episode’s homepage at Buzzspout