Portfolio Career v Mosaic Career – Part Two

For teachers considering leaving the profession and/or at least stepping out of the classroom, a portfolio or mosaic career is certainly a strong option. But what are they and how do they differ? And how do you know which option is right for you? In this two-part blog, I share my understanding of the two paths and point out the potential benefits and drawbacks of both.

Part 2: What is a Mosaic Career?

A mosaic career combines multiple roles or projects that align under a central theme or purpose, creating a cohesive professional identity. Unlike a portfolio career, which emphasises income diversity and flexibility, a mosaic career is about interconnectedness between roles.

Each role and piece of work contributes to a unified goal which come from a sense of purpose (which may, or may not, be similar to the reason why you originally became a teacher) and your personal mission. Your purpose might be improving education, advocating for social justice, or making a difference for a particular student-demographic. So, for example, a former teacher might simultaneously work as an education consultant, public speaker, and curriculum designer, all focusing on enhancing learning experiences.

Benefits of a Mosaic Career

  1. Purpose-Driven Work: Teachers often seek meaningful ways to make an impact after leaving the classroom. Aligning effort, passion and values creates a deep sense of purpose and has the potential to increase personal fulfilment.
  2. Cohesion Across Roles: One word specifically comes to mind here: synergy! The various elements in a mosaic career work together to create a cohesive professional identity. For instance, a person might combine roles in education advocacy, community organising, and consulting on curriculum development, all reinforcing their passion for educational reform. Each role builds upon the others, creating a professional identity that feels integrated and fulfilling.
  3. Enhanced Expertise: With roles reinforcing one another, teachers can develop deep knowledge and skills in a specific area, such as educational technology or policy reform. The interconnected nature of a mosaic career means that experiences in one role can directly inform and strengthen work in another role.
  4. Broader Impact: By connecting diverse but related roles, former teachers can create meaningful contributions across different platforms, such as training, advocacy, or programme development.

Potential Drawbacks of a Mosaic Career

  1. Demand for Clear Vision: A successful mosaic career requires a clear purpose and the ability to align roles strategically, which may feel overwhelming for those still exploring their post-teaching path.
  2. Complex Coordination: Balancing interconnected roles requires strong organisational skills and the capacity to manage overlapping responsibilities (teachers usually thrive here because it’s what we’ve had to learn to do!)
  3. Dependency on Synergy: Disruption in one role can affect the overall cohesion of a mosaic career, potentially destabilising the broader professional structure. But remember, you have inbuilt resilience (the ability for personal growth in the face of challenge).
  4. Intense Commitment: Building a meaningful mosaic career takes time, focus, and dedication (as a teacher, you’ve got experience with this!) to a specific mission, which may not appeal to those who prefer flexibility or variety.

To create a mosaic career, teachers should identify a central passion or mission, then look for roles that align with it. Although the examples given above seem education-related your mosaic career can be in any field (for example, love of animals, health & fitness, financial management…) Start with transferable skills, explore opportunities like consulting or advocacy, and ensure each role complements the others. Networking, professional development, and strategic planning are key to building a cohesive, purposeful mosaic career.

One of the standout benefits of a mosaic career is the opportunity to develop deep, specialised expertise within a chosen field or mission. Unlike a portfolio career, where roles might span unrelated industries or skills, a mosaic career focuses on interconnected roles that complement and enhance each other. This alignment allows professionals to build a robust and cohesive skill set over time.

This two-part blog has aimed to define and explore the options of portfolio and mosaic careers. Either option has infinite potential and could be the answer to the ‘What’s Next?’ question.

See alsoPart 1: What is a Portfolio Career? Available on the main blog page.

Photo by RhondaK Native Florida Folk Artist on Unsplash

Leave a Reply