Lane Switch Podcast

I sat down and spoke with Victoria Duffy, a former Special Education and Business Education teacher for over 5-years before leaving the classroom.

Victoria highlights her unique journey as she was not only holding a part-time job in hospitality while teaching, but also went back to school in the evenings. Her dedication and perseverance is a lesson to all of us that teachers have so much more skills outside of the classroom.

As a former Lane Switch client, Victoria shares her story of why she took the leap of faith into a new career and the success she has been having in her new role.

She is now a Unit Secretary for Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health.

I sat down and spoke with Kate Breitenfeld, who was a 4th-generation educator for over 5-years before deciding to leave the classroom.

Kate talks about her journey in the classroom and some of the tough decisions that lead her leaving teaching.

She still is having impact on students outside her high school teaching role as a Student Life Coordinator at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte.

I sat down with Zena Bazzy, who has over 6-years of Recruitment and Talent Acquisition experience for various industries.

She shares her insights on what a successful resume should look like, ways to build out your LinkedIn profile, and various other insightful tips to help candidates stand out in the job market!

I sat down and spoke with Brandan Saa, a former Construction Sales Rep turned Account Executive for Gridiron IT, an IT staffing firm for government contracts.

In this NEW special episode, Brandan offers his insights into the job market trends, what hiring companies are looking for in candidates, and ways to stand out in a saturated market.

He explains some common challenges he faced when entering a new industry and ways to help grow into your role.

I sat down and spoke with Denise Tsamouris, who was a former 5th and 6th grade teacher in Texas.

She highlights the need for teacher's putting themselves and their mental well-being first when it comes to your career and work.

Denise used her transferrable skills in leading, teaching, and collaborating to find herself in a new role as a Software Trainer and Project Manager for Knack Training.

She helps teach companies and individuals how to use Microsoft Office products. Message her for any questions regarding Outlook and more!

I sat down and spoke with Jennifer Murley who highlights her experience as an educator of over 5-years across two districts before exiting the classroom.

She discusses how COVID, a new school district, and the way public education was trending were major factors in deciding the leave the classroom.

Jennifer talks about the difficulties and struggles of the job market she faced and the importance of making connections while being consistent in how you apply.

She now has moved into an Account Manager role with a company she had been familiar with inside the classroom, Savvas Learning Company.

I sat down and spoke with Dr. Ruth Roylance who highlights her experience as both an in-person educator and remote educator during her 17-years of teaching.

She discusses a tragic event with her family and being in the NICU for 130 days, played a large role into why she needed to step away from the classroom.

Dr. Roylance's experience within Personal Finance and Insurance carved her path forward to find roles and opportunities that aligned with what was best for her and how to help others.

She now provides FREE consultations to teachers who struggle with personal finances and insurance decisions.

FREE Resources and Information is provided below:

teachers.help or mindfulselfishteacher.com

Mindful Selfish Teacher Description:

A FREE community for educators focused on well-being and financial literacy along with a course, live events and coaching. Our mission is to help teachers understand that putting their own well-being first is not selfish, but rather one of the best things they can do as they are better able to care for others and live their lives with intent.

Our passion is to help teachers teach because they WANT to, not because they have to. We also have many options to help including transitioning to a career in a different field or starting a business.

In this new special episode, I sat down and spoke with Jake Renzo who is a Managing Director of an IT Staffing Firm, INSPYR Solutions.

He highlights his experience working with candidates and shares various tips/tricks you can do as a teacher to make yourself more marketable. He has first-hand experience as his wife was a former educator, and he discusses some of the stress he saw that teaching had on his family.

This insightful episode not only provides important ways to stand out as a candidate in interviews, but Jake also hired me years ago and discusses why teachers add so much value in the job market.

I sat down and spoke with Dakota Richardson-Lau who was a former High School Social Studies & Coach for over 5-years before leaving the classroom.

She shares a personal story of how her getting her car stolen in Baltimore while doing body-building prep helped played a role in why she needed to leave the classroom. Her volunteer work with her sorority, Alpha Phi, during that time led to her to connections outside education.

She highlights the importance of networking and how a volunteer event in Charlotte helped land her new roles as a Technology & Data Specialist for Alpha Phi International.

I sat down and spoke with Annie Copenhaver who was a Middle School Math teacher and former coach for over 9-years before deciding to leave the classroom.

She speaks about the importance of putting yourself and your mental health first in having a meaningful career.

Her transferrable skills has landed her in a new role with a financial services firm as an Administrative Associate at Dimensional Fund Advisors.