Teachers In Transition – Episode 221: Putting our broken pieces back together, and Interview Questions part 5

In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa Jackson discusses the often overwhelming feelings teachers experience, especially during tough times of the year. Vanessa reflects on the importance of recognizing these feelings as signals for change and personal growth, using the metaphor of crustaceans shedding their shells and the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which highlights imperfections as a source of strength.

The episode also features a practical life hack involving ice cubes to help with everyday challenges like wrinkled clothes and carpet dents.

Finally, Vanessa continues the interview questions series, covering essential topics such as how to present your resume, identify your unique value, discuss weaknesses constructively, navigate workplace conflicts, and embrace mistakes as valuable learning opportunities. Tune in for insights that can empower you to embrace your career transition journey!  And this week we have a bonus segment on the importance deconstructing some limiting beliefs. 

Come and join us on our Facebook Discussion Page! Join the discussion and toss in your two cents! And Follow our Teachers in Transition official page on Facebook for regular doses of inspiration, to keep up on the latest info, and to be the first to know what’s coming up!

Check out Jacob_Knowles as he takes the barnacles off a large lobster and educates us on how the barnacles are bad for it.  

Learn about the philosophy behind Kintsugi and how it applies to our lives. 

And remember to send your comments, stories, and random thoughts to me at TeachersinTransitionCoaching@gmail.com!  I look forward to reading them.  Would you like to hear a specific topic on the pod?  Send those questions to me and I’ll answer them. Feel free to connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn!

The transcript of this podcast can be found on the podcast’s homepage at Buzzsprout. 

Or – just follow our Teachers in Transition official page on Facebook to keep up on the latest info and to be the first to know what’s coming up!

And remember to send your comments, stories, and random thoughts to me at TeachersinTransitionCoaching@gmail.com!  I look forward to reading them.  Would you like to hear a specific topic on the pod?  Send those questions to me and I’ll answer them. Feel free to connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn!

Transcript

Are you a teacher who is feeling stressed out and overwhelmed? do you worry that you're feeling symptoms of burnout - or are you sure you've already gotten there? Have you started to dream of doing something different or a new job or perhaps pursuing an entirely different career - but you don't know what else you're qualified to do? You don't know how to start a job search and you just feel stuck. if that sounds like you, I promise you are not alone. my name is Vanessa Jackson; and I am a career transition and job search coach and I specialize in helping burnt out teachers just like you deal with the overwhelmingly stressful nature of your day-to-day job and to consider what other careers might be out there waiting for you. You might ask yourself, What tools do I need to find a new career?  Are my skills valuable outside the classroom?  How and where do I even get started?  These are all questions you deserve answers to, and I can help you find them.  I’m Vanessa Jackson. Come and join me for Teachers in Transition.  

***Hi!  And Welcome back to another episode of Teachers in Transition. I am your host, Vanessa Jackson - a compassionate Career transition and job search coach who specializes in working with burnt out teachers who are stressed and overwhelmed.. Today on the podcast we are going to talk a little about that broken feeling that teachers so often have in the course of the year, a quick little hack about ice cubes to save you time and effort, and we’ll wrap up with part 5 in our series of interview questions.  

Today we start by talking about that broken feeling.  That feeling on those awful days when you just wonder why you got up in the morning and how you are going to be able to get up the next morning because you lay there and can’t sleep. 
 
 Here’s a quote:

"When life breaks you, it is because you are ready to be put back together differently. Every piece of you that feels shattered is a piece that will find a new place, a new purpose, a new meaning. Trust that the cracks are where the light gets in, and sometimes in our brokenness, we find our greatest wholeness. We find the courage to rebuild, to reimagine, to redefine what it means to be strong. You are not broken. You are breaking through."

That quote is by an unknown author, but what a powerful thing to consider. When we reach our most frustrating, overwhelming points—when we sit at the end of the day wondering how we’re possibly going to make it to the next—those are the moments that might be telling us something. Like when you pull up to school and it’s hard to get out of the car, or when you cry in your car at the end of the day – maybe even feeling too sad to cry. That overwhelming feeling of exhaustion, or numbness. These moments of brokenness are clues that maybe you’re meant for something else, that perhaps you’re ready to be put back together in a new way.

We can do different things. We can rebuild ourselves differently. But first, we have to take a close look at those cracks. What are they trying to show us?

Here’s another analogy: crustaceans. When a crustacean grows, it  has to shed its outer exoskeleton. It literally has to break free from what’s on the outside, it’s old self if you will, in order to keep growing. I learned this from this fun, heartwarming TikTok creator who fishes for lobsters. They have to let the females go (the eggers).  In fact, I’ve learned more than I ever thought I wanted to know about lobsters by watching this man’s content (I’ll have a link to him in the show notes) But sometimes, barnacles attach themselves to the shell. If those barnacles build up on their joints or there are too many barnacles all over the shell, then, it restricts their movement. They have to move around to shed the old shell. If they can’t move, they can’t shed that old shell—and they die.
 
 Powerful metaphor there, right? Movement is life.  Moving your body is good for you physically, moving away from toxic situations is good for you mentally and emotionally.  If you feel trapped and unable to move, it is just a matter of time before you feel broken and dead on the inside.

So, what are the barnacles in your life? What’s restricting your movement? These can be very real issues, like concerns about healthcare, salary, or hanging in there for a pension. But is it really worth it in the long run? In some cases, it is – at least temporarily. But in many cases, it’s not. 

This reminds me of the Japanese art of Kintsugi. In Kintsugi, when something breaks, it’s not put back together in a way that hides the cracks. Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by using urushi lacquer dusted or mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum to fill in the areas of breakage. Instead, those cracks are highlighted with gold (or silver or platinum), making the piece even more beautiful than before. The breaks aren’t seen as flaws—they become a part of the piece’s history and strength.
 
I am linking to a video in the show notes that talks about the art and practice of Kintsugi and how it applies to our lives. 

Because it does apply to us! We break, and then we have to sit with the pieces and think about what life looks like once we put ourselves back together.  And once we have put the pieces together, to own our scars – physical and emotional – because they can also give strength to others.  When you put yourself back together, you are more beautiful and stronger because of what you’ve been through. The cracks, the breaks—they don't make you less. They make you more.  

Hack: Ice cubes:
 
Today’s hack is about ice cubes.  It seems random but it’s not.  
 
 You get up and you realize that what you, your spouse, or your child wants (or needs) to wear is very wrinkled and you REALLY don’t want to iron – you don’t have the time anyway! Throw it in the dryer along with an ice cube or two and let it go while you do the rest of your morning routines.  
 
 Ice cubes are also a great hack if you have those little furniture dents in carpet if you are moving out of an apartment or just want to move furniture around and not have the little dents all over the carpet.  Put an ice cube on it and walk away.  The ice cube melts and just that little bit of water and temperature change helps those carpet fibers stand tall again. If the furniture was really heavy or had been there a long time, you might have to treat the area more than once, but let it completely dry between ice cubes because it’s better that way.  I’m not really sure how it works or why it works, but it definitely works – I can speak from experience 

And back to part 5 in our mini-series on interview questions! I feel it's important to point out that there's no way to accurately forecast every possible resume question that may come your way. If a job description asks for particular skills, like a programming language, you can rest assured they will ask you about it—especially if your resume doesn't clearly spell out how you would handle that.

Question #1: Walk me through your resume.
This is another one of those tricky questions. I suggest going through your resume prior to the interview and highlighting the aspects that apply most directly to the job. Focus on those items when talking to the hiring manager and talking through the resume.  Keep that copy nearby where you can see it.

Question #2: What can you bring to this position that others cannot?
This is where you insert your unique contribution, your value add, or as we've called it here on the podcast, your "pink socks." This refers to that story I like to repeat about the hiring manager was hiring for a position and went through probably thousands of resumes. It was narrowed down to the top 10 candidates, who, for all practical purposes, were likely similar in terms of ability to do the job. Any one of them could have done the job and done it very, very well. However, when asked “why that one?” She replied that it was because that candidate stood out in her memory the most. Your unique value is what will make you stand out.  

Question #3: What do you consider to be your weaknesses?
It used to be common wisdom to spin your weakness into a strength, like saying, "I am sometimes so detail-oriented that I work too much" or "I'm such a perfectionist that I get all the details right no matter how long it takes." However, that is no longer considered the smart way to approach this question. Nowadays, it’s better to discuss an area that has been a weakness for you and how you’ve addressed making it stronger and how you have learned from that. For example, I felt that my skills in Excel were lacking, so I took some courses on how to improve and have practiced since then to enhance those skills.  I am now the official spreadsheet creator for all my family and friends.

Question #4: Tell me about a challenge or conflict you faced at work and how you dealt with it.
This question tests your conflict management skills and how you deal with challenges when they arise. It helps the interviewer get a sense of your personality. They might also ask, "What is a time you disagreed with a decision made at work?" Again, they want to know how you handle authority and situations you may not always agree with.

Given my personality and personal values, I might say, "Well, as long as it is not illegal, I'm happy to do things the way my boss prefers. I will, of course, be looking for additional efficiencies in any process because I'm always looking for the best way to get something done. If that is useful to the team, then I hope we could consider it, but I am flexible, and it doesn’t have to be my way."

Question #5: Tell me about a time that you failed or made a mistake.
Again, they are checking for honesty and integrity while looking at how you process failure. How do you handle making a mistake? In my opinion, failure is the greatest learning tool, as long as we are willing to take the lesson.  And really the best way to handle any mistake is to take responsibility. Own it, apologize, and then ask to be able to fix it.  Mistakes happen – are you the sort of person that always has to blame someone else?  Or can you own your mistakes? 

As an example, I once gave my company’s client figures on an estimate based on an incorrect calculation. Truth be told, I didn’t understand how to make the correct calculation. But I didn’t know that I didn’t know. My manager was able to get things back on track, and scheduled a meeting with me. I was convinced that I was getting fired.  Being from the world of education, I knew that this would just be horribly unpleasant.  
 
 I could not have been more wrong. 

My manager took the time to ask how I arrived at what I did, took the time to teach me the correct way to do it.  When she followed with the “if this continues to happen…”  my mind automatically filled in we’ll have to let you go, but what she finished with was “we’ll have to send you through more training.”

That was the day that she fully earned my trust.  She already had my respect and I liked her a great deal.  And guess what?  I never made that mistake again.

One of the things I used to tell my students when they were afraid to make mistakes was “make the mistake and learn from it.  No one is going to die here, we aren’t packing parachutes!”  and this can be a handy thing to remember assuming that you are in fact, not packing parachutes (or some other job with the lives of others in your hands).   And let’s face it – if you have one of those careers, you will receive a LOT of training and support before they turn you loose on the world. 

We are going to have a bonus segment today in terms of building our confidence and being prepared to own our skills in an interview or when building a resume. In order to successfully transition from teaching to a new career, you’re going to have to exhibit a confidence that you might not be used to. That’s okay; that’s part of what we do. We deconstruct some of your old patterns and talk about what we need to change into new ones.

It’s no secret that if you are a woman, you’ve probably been told that you talk too much. You may have been labeled as difficult. There’s a whole host of messages designed to make us take up less space—whether that’s physical space, societal expectations of our bodies, or mental and emotional space. They don’t want us in the room; they didn’t want us to have that voice.

If you were brought up in a culture that prizes being very demure, very cutesy, very mindful, or one that teaches you to be indirect, that can work against you. You’re going to have to find those moments to stop yourself and figure out a way to move forward.

These limiting behaviors become very real obstacles for us. We become hesitant to apply for jobs we are very well qualified for simply because we don’t feel it in our soul. It’s important to own all the valuable skills you possess. Think back to the pandemic when everyone realized they didn’t want to be around their kids and that they didn’t have the skills to manage their own children for an extended period of time. You have amazing skills in that area because you can do it.

And honestly, to be fair, I’ve never negotiated with a terrorist, but deep down, I can’t believe it’s that different from negotiating with a small child. You have the ability to see both the big picture and the small details because you need to put the pieces together to understand the bigger context. Not everyone has that skill or gift—own it.

Ask your friends how they see you. Invite them to describe you and be prepared for things that might not be positive. Give them the freedom to express that too. My friends might describe me in words that might not be immediately positive. Things like stubborn or assertive. Some of the responses I have gotten back were eye-opening. You never know what you’re going to get, but often, you don’t realize just how amazing and special you are until you hear it from others.

How many of us were brought up in homes where we were told not to brag about what we’ve accomplished? As a result, our wonderful achievements remain hidden. It’s okay to be proud of what you’ve done. The alternative is people who only post the good things on Facebook, and you start to wonder if they’re real after a while. But I’m not really talking about that.

I’m talking about acknowledging that you accomplished something hard, and you did a good job. It’s okay to step back and say, “I did that,” and be proud of what you achieved.

What I do in my capacity as a career transition coach is I give you the training you need to be competitive in a job search. I also help you find your inner confidence.  It is so much more than just a resume. I will teach you and give you the training you need to know how to successfully conduct a job search whether that is looking for a new teaching job in a different area or helping you shift to a new career altogether. You don’t have to do it alone.  
 
 It takes time to properly do that, so it’s a great idea to start several months before you plan to actually make the jump out of the classroom.  It’s like the Chinese proverb about the tree – the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, so the next best time is today. The best time to start your career transition or job search was a few months ago – the next best time is now!

 I also want to encourage you to join our Facebook group – Teachers in Transition Podcast Club to talk with other teachers looking to leave teaching  - share tips, get ideas, and find support. Talk with teachers who have left teaching. Just search for Teachers in Transition Podcast Club and answer the quick questions that ensure you aren’t a bot.   You can follow our Teachers in Transition Facebook page – I have that linked in the show notes. 

 If you are stuck in your job search, or are having trouble getting started, please feel free to reach out to me to schedule a complimentary discovery session to see how I can help you pivot careers and find the job of your dreams. 

That’s the podcast for today! If you liked this podcast, tell a friend, and don’t forget to rate and review wherever you listen to your podcasts. Tune in weekly to Teachers in Transition where we discuss Job Search strategies as well as stress management techniques.  And I want to hear from you!  Please reach out and leave me a message at Teacher in transition coaching at gmail dot com.  You can also leave a voicemail or text at 512-640-9099. 

I’ll see you here again next week and remember – YOU are amazing!