5 Key Takeaways
- After being laid off three times in two years, Sarah Henschel left her 12-year tech sales career for teaching.
- She chose education for its stability, job security, pensions, and health benefits, despite an initial pay cut.
- Sarah is pursuing a master’s in education and values the long-term financial growth and purpose teaching offers.
- Her prior experience in tutoring and teaching influenced her decision to switch careers.
- She believes teaching is a meaningful, future-proof profession that aligns with her personal and family goals.
Why I Left My High-Paying Tech Job for a More Stable, Meaningful Career
After spending over a decade in the fast-paced world of tech sales, Sarah Henschel from New York decided she’d had enough. In just two years, she was laid off three times. Each time, she dusted herself off and found another job, but the constant uncertainty started to wear her down. “The last layoff was the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Sarah shared.
At 35, Sarah made a bold move: she left her $110,000-a-year tech job to become a teacher. For many, this might sound like a step backward, especially since teaching usually pays less at the start. But for Sarah, it was about finding stability and purpose.
Sarah’s journey into teaching wasn’t completely out of the blue. She had always enjoyed working with kids, having tutored SAT students in New York and even taught English in Spain after college. “I enjoyed tech, but I didn’t wake up excited to do it every day,” she admitted. Teaching, on the other hand, felt meaningful and offered her a chance to make a real difference.
One of the biggest reasons for her career switch was job security. Unlike tech, where layoffs are common and the future can feel shaky, teaching is a profession that will always be needed. Plus, New York’s public school system offers solid benefits: pensions, annual pay raises, and free health insurance. These perks are especially important to Sarah as she thinks about starting a family and planning for retirement.
Of course, switching careers meant taking a pay cut—at least for now. But Sarah isn’t worried. In New York, experienced teachers can earn up to $140,000 by the time they retire, with steady increases along the way. “I know I’ll make less money for a while, but in 10 years, I’ll be making the same, if not more,” she explained.
Sarah is currently studying for a master’s degree in education, a one-year program that will let her start teaching next fall. While she’ll miss some aspects of her old tech life, like the excitement of startups and certain perks, she’s looking forward to a career that offers both security and a sense of purpose.
After years of uncertainty, Sarah is finally choosing a path that feels right for her—one where she can build a future, help others, and have peace of mind.
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