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In 2022, I turned 30, quit my eight-year teaching career, and got a job at Costco.
When I tell people this, they often respond with: “But is Costco your dream job?” or, “Do you think it’s a valid career?” To me, it implied that they thought my decision was a downgrade. And for a long time, I might have agreed. My identity and values were completely tied to being an educator.
But I no longer find my fulfillment or sense of worth in work alone.
My priority is to have a clear divide between my personal and professional lives. I want to spend time with my husband and our two kids, and pursue the things that are truly important to me.
This fall, I couldn’t be more excited to celebrate my first anniversary working at Costco — and I’ve never been happier.
A lot of teachers joke that they’re going to quit and work at Costco. I actually did it.
For eight years, I taught middle and high school history and language arts at public and private schools. In 2022, during my final school year, my salary was $47,000.
I worked 60 hours a week and put in tons of unpaid overtime. Between administrative pressures, testing requirements, and the endurance required to teach during the height of the pandemic, I was exhausted. I felt like I lacked purpose.
So I started looking for alternative paths that would give me some breathing room.
A Day in the Life Working at Costco
At first, I just wanted a “good enough for now” job. I got offers from Costco and Amazon in the same week, but Costco seemed like it would be a better fit and offer more opportunities down the line.
Plus, I liked shopping there and I knew employees were treated well.
In September 2022, I started full-time on the memberships team at a new warehouse in Athens, Georgia. I had two 15-minute breaks and 30 minutes for lunch. Otherwise, I was on my feet all day.
At first, I made $18.50 an hour — a little less than what I earned as a teacher. I put in 40-hour workweeks, five days a week, and got a $1-per-hour raise when I hit 1,000 hours.
A few months in, I got laryngitis. I couldn’t help members at the cash register with no voice, so I requested to temporarily fill in at the bakery.
I loved it. Whether it was baking a cake for a 90th birthday or for someone who just completed their Ph.D., making a tangible contribution to someone’s special day gave me a renewed sense of purpose.
Building my career at Costco
When the marketing training team came to our location, seeing them work showed me that I could still be an educator — just in a different context. So when a position opened up in Issaquah, Washington, I immediately applied.
Now I’m a content developer and marketing trainer for the corporate office. I create internal materials to educate employees about policies and customer service procedures. I travel to different warehouses and train new team members.
I’m earning what a teacher with 15 years of experience made at my last school district — and 50% more than what I made when I quit.
The No. 1 reason why I’m happier now
My work is no longer my identity. I put energy into my job when I’m there, and I leave work at the office. When I come home, I’m present and able to spend time with my family doing what I love, like being outdoors.
I’ve never felt more fulfilled.
There are a lot of caregiving professions — teachers, social workers, emergency responders, home health aides — that aren’t highly paid, but are viewed as higher callings.
Having a lot of passion but not enough institutional support is a recipe for burnout. My best advice is to set boundaries and have a clear understanding of your responsibilities.
When I am asked to work on a project, I make sure I understand the stakes and the timeline required to complete it. I’m not afraid to ask for more resources if I need them.
We’re taught from a young to think about dream jobs in terms of: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Now, I spend more energy thinking about: “Who do you want to be?”