Generation Z educators will likely work 16-17 jobs over 5-7 years. Their career paths no longer follow straight lines – they zigzag and twist like squiggly lines. This pattern has become standard in education, replacing the traditional climb up the career ladder.

Recent studies paint an interesting picture: 61% of workers want to switch careers, and more than half of UK employees have already made one major career change. Success looks different now—more like a tangled plate of spaghetti than a simple step-by-step climb. Teachers are finding new ways to mix their skills across different roles and specialties in the education world.

This piece shows educators how to direct their evolving careers. They’ll learn the advantages of flexible career moves and spot chances to grow professionally in today’s educational world.

Understanding the Squiggly Career Concept

The old idea of a predictable career path no longer works in today’s professional world. People now follow what we call a ‘squiggly career’ – a path that takes unexpected turns and leads to diverse experiences.

Traditional vs. squiggly career paths

A conventional career ladder shows a straight-line progression within one field or company. This old model expects professionals to climb up step by step and learn skills for their current role before moving to the next level. Success means moving up, and progress equals promotion.

A squiggly career looks more like a network than a ladder. People switch roles, industries, and job functions often. Unlike the old model that only moves up with fixed steps, squiggly careers let you explore new paths that might not connect to your past work. You can move sideways, diagonally, or even down sometimes, which creates value through different experiences.

The origin of ‘the squiggly career’ term

Non-linear careers aren’t new (Dominic Cadbury said, “There is no such thing as a career path. It’s crazy paving, and you have to lay it yourself”). Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis coined the term ‘squiggly career’ ten years ago. The idea took off after their 2022 bestseller, “The Squiggly Career”.

Tupper and Ellis saw this as a modern answer to today’s workplace changes. They believe that “Success isn’t one size fits all – our squiggles are as individual as we are”. Now, the term represents modern career growth that welcomes change and new possibilities.

Why linear teaching careers are becoming less common

Linear careers are rare now for several reasons. Companies don’t last as long as they used to—dropping from 67 years in the 1920s to just 15 years by 2013. People live longer, too. The World Health Organisation expects the number of people aged 60 or over to double by 2050. Teachers might work for 60 years instead of 40, which makes staying in one role unlikely.

The education sector is changing faster now. New technology has changed how we work and learn, creating jobs that didn’t exist before. Teachers can now work beyond classrooms in areas like educational technology, leadership, and related fields.

People think differently about work-life balance now. A Gartner survey shows that 65% of people changed their views about life outside work during the pandemic. Teachers now look for roles that match their values rather than following set promotion paths.

Teachers can grow in many ways—through subject leadership, pastoral care, mentoring, or administration. These options let them advance at their own speed and shape their careers around what interests them most.

Benefits of Embracing a Squiggly Career Path in Teaching

Teachers can greatly benefit from a non-linear career path in today’s education world. Research suggests that lighter workloads help teachers feel better. They become less workaholic, more optimistic, and more enthusiastic. This makes the advantages of a squiggly career path clear.

Developing diverse skill sets

Teachers who guide themselves through different roles build a wider range of skills to work better. Studies show that seeing different viewpoints improves thinking abilities, especially in critical thinking and problem-solving. This variety of experiences helps educators direct their way through an increasingly connected educational world.

Teachers moving between different educational settings learn valuable lessons that improve their teaching:

• Working with diverse student populations builds multicultural skills
• Different educational approaches spark creativity and breakthroughs
• Various teaching environments help develop flexible teaching methods

Reducing burnout and increasing job satisfaction

Teacher burnout affects motivation, job satisfaction, and longevity in the profession. NFER research shows that teachers who leave the profession care more about job satisfaction and well-being than higher salaries. A squiggly career path lets teachers handle workload challenges that lead to burnout.

Research shows that targeting teacher-specific stress works better to reduce burnout symptoms. A squiggly career naturally brings different challenges and duties. It gives teachers breaks from specific stressors that might wear them down. Studies show that reducing teacher workloads either had no effect on student achievement or actually helped students perform better.

Creating unique value through varied experiences

Teams with social diversity create more breakthroughs than similar ones. Teachers who bring multiple viewpoints from different educational settings add unique value to students and colleagues. This matches findings that diversity in education attracts more talent, which leads to better academic progress.

Teachers who have worked in various educational roles understand how different parts of the system work together. They can connect previously separate areas of education and create new ways to teach and learn. Research shows this mixing of ideas creates better educational experiences and higher achievement levels.

Building resilience and adaptability

A teacher’s resilience depends on the many relationships they build throughout their career. A squiggly career path naturally connects teachers with different professional networks, which builds reliable support systems.

Studies on teacher resilience show that “everyday resilience” means handling unpredictable situations with children, colleagues, senior staff, workload, accountability, and organisational changes. Teachers who change careers build this resilience through real-life experience. Building and keeping this resilience helps teachers maintain their steadfast dedication throughout their careers.

Adaptability grows alongside resilience. It’s the “developable capacity to rebound or bounce back from adversity, conflict, failure or even positive events”. Through different experiences, teachers learn coping strategies like problem-solving, time management, and work-life balance. Research shows these skills are vital to handle challenges and get the best possible outcomes.

Common Types of Career Pivots for Teachers

Teachers now choose different career paths instead of sticking to traditional classroom roles. The education field gives teachers many chances to shift their careers while making use of their teaching skills and knowledge.

Moving between different educational settings

Teachers can start their career changes by switching between different learning environments. Working in various settings—from state schools to independent institutions, alternative provision to international schools—helps educators develop an all-encompassing approach. This change lets them gain fresh views while keeping their core teaching identity.

Teaching internationally is a chance to use teaching skills in new cultural settings. A teacher who made this change said, “Your skills will be welcomed, and there are always jobs for good teachers—although it’s still in teaching, it will most definitely be a change to what you’re used to”.

Specialising in educational technology

Educational technology’s rapid growth creates exciting options for teachers who want to evolve their careers. EdTech roles let educators use their classroom experience and build new technical skills.

Educational technology specialists can choose several paths:

• Becoming instructional designers who create engaging educational materials and courses
• Training as educational technology integration specialists who help schools implement new tools
• Developing expertise in artificial intelligence applications for learning environments

Master of Education in Educational Technology programmes help teachers “critically analyse current technologies to enhance learning in the K-12 classroom”. Programme graduates often “become instrumental leaders for other teachers in promoting the use of technology for learning”.

Transitioning to leadership roles

Leadership becomes a natural next step for experienced teachers who want to expand their influence. This change needs a clear understanding of how teaching differs from leadership positions.

“Although teachers make great leaders, there are definitely some differences between teaching and leadership,” states one educational leadership resource. “A leader has more responsibilities. They need to look at the bigger picture and address that rather than just the needs of the moment”.

Leadership paths usually start with small steps in current roles. Successful educational leaders often begin by leading committees, mentoring new teachers, or managing department initiatives. These experiences help them develop the strategic thinking needed for senior positions.

Exploring education-adjacent fields

Teachers have valuable skills that work well in many related sectors. Career changes let educators use their expertise in new ways while staying connected to educational values.

Related opportunities exist in educational publishing, museum education, corporate training, and educational consulting. Museum education suits teachers well, as they excel at “developing and delivering educational programmes, workshops, and tours for museum visitors”.

Corporate training offers another promising path. Teachers can apply their instructional design and presentation skills to help businesses improve employee performance. Curriculum development also lets educators shape learning experiences broadly without daily classroom duties.

How to Navigate Your Own Teaching Career Change

A career change requires good planning and strategic action, especially in education, where paths can take many different forms. Following some practical steps can make the transition easier for people who want to pursue a squiggly career path.

Identifying your transferable skills

The key to success in a squiggly career starts when we are willing to see the valuable skills we’ve built as educators. Research shows that over 70% of companies now use skills-based hiring rather than focusing solely on years of experience. Teachers have many transferable skills, such as:

• Communication – Knowing how to convey complex ideas clearly
• Leadership – Experience guiding, motivating and inspiring others
• Adaptability – Problem-solving in dynamic environments
• Organisation – Managing multiple tasks simultaneously
• Interpersonal abilities – Building relationships with diverse stakeholders

Your CV should showcase these transferable skills through concrete examples rather than general statements. Rather than saying “strong communication skills,” describe how you “effectively communicated complex ideas to diverse audiences”.

Finding opportunities to pivot within education

Education offers many paths beyond traditional classroom teaching. Roles in curriculum development, educational technology, corporate training, or museum education might interest you. All the same, be strategic about your next move by evaluating how each chance lines up with your strengths and long-term goals.

Building a professional network across sectors

Networks play a vital role during career transitions. Professional associations provide structured chances and access to resources like journals and webinars. Local community events help you connect with educators and stakeholders in your area. These connections help reduce isolation by showing that others face similar challenges.

Creating a personal development plan

A personal development plan (PDP) works as your roadmap to professional growth. Start with a full picture of your current skills and knowledge. Then define SMART objectives—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Map out actionable steps including relevant courses, workshops, or mentorship chances.

A squiggly career brings its challenges but gives you more control over your professional experience. You get the chance to create unique value through diverse experiences.

Overcoming Challenges When Pursuing a Non-Linear Path

A squiggly career path offers exciting opportunities but comes with unique challenges that need careful navigation. Teachers who change careers face several hurdles when they switch roles. These challenges stem from how others see them, money concerns, and questions about their professional identity.

Addressing perception issues

Moving from teaching to other fields means dealing with biases against educators. Research indicates that people switching careers must showcase transferable skills that match their target roles. Moving to higher education can make some professionals feel out of place, like “a complete cuckoo in the nest”. This challenge becomes even harder for people from cultural backgrounds unfamiliar with academic settings, which adds more pressure to their professional self-image.

Second-career teachers (SCTs) often find a gap between what they expect and what they actually experience. Support from the professional community plays a vital role in building identity during these changes. Without this recognition, SCTs might find it hard to build credibility in their new environments.

Managing financial considerations during transitions

Money worries rank among the most important concerns for people following non-linear paths. Many who switch careers take temporary pay cuts in their new roles. Here’s what helps with financial preparation:

• Establish an emergency fund before transitioning
• Review and adjust lifestyle expenses during transition periods
• Consider debt consolidation or refinancing to reduce monthly payments
• Research potential grants or financial support for career changers

Research shows that 21% of UK adults wanted to start new careers but thought they were too old to retrain, while 30% lacked confidence to change careers. Good financial preparation can reduce these worries. Many people find that “a temporary decrease in salary is worth it if it allows you to finally do work that you find meaningful”.

Maintaining professional identity through changes

Teachers who change careers often find it hard to transition from experienced professionals to newcomers. This change requires major adjustments to their sense of professional identity. Some SCTs develop their teacher identity within their first year, while others see themselves as “still on the journey.”

Building social and professional connections proves more challenging for professionals coming from other fields. Each person’s identity development follows its own unique path, which helps normalise the experience. Research shows that mapping relevant identity components makes this development more concrete and easier to guide while respecting different career transitions.

Conclusion

Teaching careers have changed significantly. The predictable career ladder has given way to dynamic paths that can take many directions. Today’s educators see career changes as chances to grow rather than disruptions. Their diverse experiences bring unique value to educational settings.

Teachers who take non-linear career paths often become more resilient. They develop broader skills and find deeper satisfaction in their work. These success stories show that professional growth doesn’t need to follow the traditional route. Lateral moves, changes in specialisation, and even temporary steps back can lead to meaningful advancement.

Some challenges exist, especially when you have questions about professional identity and money matters. However, good planning and building strong networks make these transitions easier. Teachers who think about career changes should know their adaptable skills are valuable in sectors of all sizes, both in and outside traditional education.

Career changes aren’t risky detours from the usual path – they naturally extend a teacher’s professional development. Teaching focuses on growth, adaptation, and lifelong learning. These same principles apply perfectly to career development.

FAQs

Q1. What exactly is a squiggly career in teaching? A squiggly career in teaching refers to a non-linear professional path characterised by diverse experiences, unexpected turns, and movement in multiple directions. It involves exploring various roles within education and related fields, allowing teachers to develop a broader range of skills and adapt to changing educational landscapes.

Q2. How does a squiggly career differ from a traditional teaching career? Unlike traditional teaching careers that follow a predictable upward trajectory, squiggly careers offer flexibility to explore alternative paths. They can include sideways moves, specialisations, and even temporary steps backwards, all of which contribute to professional growth and unique value creation through varied experiences.

Q3. What are the benefits of pursuing a squiggly career in education? Embracing a squiggly career path can lead to reduced burnout, increased job satisfaction, and the development of diverse skill sets. It also helps build resilience and adaptability, creates unique value through varied experiences, and allows educators to align their careers with evolving personal values and interests.

Q4. What types of career pivots are common for teachers? Common career pivots for teachers include moving between different educational settings (e.g., state schools to international schools), specialising in educational technology, transitioning to leadership roles, and exploring education-adjacent fields such as educational publishing or corporate training.

Q5. How can teachers navigate their own career change successfully? To navigate a career change successfully, teachers should identify their transferable skills, seek opportunities to pivot within education, build a professional network across sectors, and create a personal development plan. It’s also important to address potential challenges, such as perception issues and financial considerations during transitions.