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 value 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.
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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…
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