After teaching for decades, I made the difficult decision to leave the profession due to external forces that made continuing almost impossible. In my mid-50s, I took a year off to go back to school and earn an MPS degree online in my chosen field.
However, job hunting proved to be challenging due to ageism and the difficulty of being both entry-level and experienced simultaneously. After three months of little headway, I finally landed a job at a nonprofit organization, despite initial reluctance on their part due to my background.
While the low salary was initially a concern, the job’s flexibility and work-life balance made it worthwhile. However, the revelation that a new remote employee was earning 20% more for the same job infuriated me. After expressing my disappointment to my boss, she took action to rectify the situation by rewriting the job description, conducting a market survey, and eventually granting all of us a 20% salary increase along with an 8% merit increase.
This experience has shown me the value of perseverance and research in making a career change. I now make more than I did as a teacher and feel truly valued in a job I love. If you’re considering a career change, don’t let anything stop you. It’s worth it.
