In this first episode of the Messy Middle series, I’m joined by Academy member Scott King—a high school band director who’s taken different approach to his career transition than many of our members.

Instead of rushing to leave the classroom, Scott started planning his next chapter years in advance.

And what makes his story so powerful is how he’s using that time intentionally—building skills, exploring career paths, and even applying concepts like project management and scrum inside his current role.

In this conversation, we talk about:

✨ What it looks like to start your transition early

✨ How Scott is building momentum while still teaching full-time

✨ The power of LinkedIn, networking, and “coffee chats”

✨ How he’s translating his teaching experience into corporate language

✨ And why you don’t have to wait until you’re burnt out to begin

If you’ve ever thought, “I know I want something different… but I don’t have to rush,” this episode will show you what’s possible when you take a strategic, steady approach.

Links from Episode:
» Connect with Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sdking02/

» Join my Free Masterclass: Click here to jumpstart your career transition journey.

» Keep Learning With Me: Discover the Teacher Career Transition Academy
» Join our FB Group: A thriving community of support and resources.
» Download the Career Directory: Discover over 200+ alternative careers.
» “I love Lisa and the Teacher Career Transition Podcast” If this sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people – just like you – find happiness in a new career. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review”.
» Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. I’m adding special surprises to the feed, and if you aren’t following, you have a good chance of missing out! Follow now!

This is the final episode in our One Small Step series for career-transitioning teachers. In this episode of Beyond the Classroom, Lisa Harding tackles one of the hardest parts of a career transition: staying motivated when you’re not seeing obvious results yet.

We’ll talk about why progress is often invisible early on, how teachers mistakenly measure success, and how to recognize real momentum—even when you don’t have interviews or job offers.

If you’ve been wondering, “Am I actually getting anywhere?” this episode will help you see your progress more clearly and keep moving forward with confidence.

Links from Episode:

» Join my Free Masterclass: Click here to jumpstart your career transition journey.
» Keep Learning With Me: Discover the Teacher Career Transition Academy
» Join our FB Group: A thriving community of support and resources.
» Download the Career Directory: Discover over 200+ alternative careers.
» “I love Lisa and the Teacher Career Transition Podcast” If this sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people – just like you – find happiness in a new career. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review”.
» Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. I’m adding special surprises to the feed, and if you aren’t following, you have a good chance of missing out! Follow now!

This is part four of our One Small Step series for career-transitioning teachers.

In this episode of Beyond the Classroom, Lisa Harding explains why so many teachers struggle with their resumes—and why the problem usually isn’t writing ability or experience.

We’ll talk about why updating your resume too early can actually slow your progress, what clarity you need before you start writing, and how to approach your resume as part of a bigger career transition strategy.

If you’ve been staring at a blank document—or endlessly tweaking bullet points—this episode will help you reset and move forward with confidence.

Links from Episode:

» Join my Free Masterclass: Click here to jumpstart your career transition journey.
» Keep Learning With Me: Discover the Teacher Career Transition Academy
» Join our FB Group: A thriving community of support and resources.
» Download the Career Directory: Discover over 200+ alternative careers.
» “I love Lisa and the Teacher Career Transition Podcast” If this sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more people – just like you – find happiness in a new career. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review”.
» Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. I’m adding special surprises to the feed, and if you aren’t following, you have a good chance of missing out! Follow now!