September is the busiest month for people wanting a career change – let us give some advice on how to make the transition
Teaching is the most popular profession for people to swap in to
YOU had a super summer and now it’s back to the grindstone. No wonder hundreds of thousands switch jobs and careers in September.
Along with the New Year, this month is the busiest time in the employment market.
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Experts believe the holiday season gives people time to evaluate their lives and decide if they want to shake things up.
Just 51 per cent of UK workers feel settled in their roles, a study by job search website Monster reveals.
Twenty-three per cent will search for a new job this month — ten per cent higher than any other country in Europe — and more than half of them will switch careers.
So what is the best way to make a change? And how can you ensure it will be a success?
Natasha Stanley is a jobs expert from careershifters.org, which helps Brits move to more fulfilling work.
She says: “Maybe you feel stuck in a career that isn’t right for you. You want to wake up excited in the morning and be proud of what you do.
“Making a shift feels risky. We’re not going to pretend it’s easy but with the right support and guidance, it can be done.”
Here are Natasha’s top tips:
- Look at what you want, not what you think you can get. Consider what you are naturally drawn to, both in and out of work. Spot themes. They could be as broad as “being creative” or “being active”. These can all be good starting points from which to explore different jobs or careers.
- Don’t go it alone. A major change can be scary. Enlist the help of friends and family and approach people in fields you are interested in. Start hanging out with people who know more than you about your chosen industry — they will lead you to more ideas and connections. Find others making a career shift and avoid naysayers.
- When you find an area of interest, run small experiments without leaving your current job to test if it could work for you. And reduce the risk involved in making the shift by considering which skills you can transfer.
- Do not apply for jobs in a new field straight away. Your CV will not make it far against others with experience in the field. Instead, seek out people so you can present yourself in a way you cannot on paper. An estimated 75 per cent of jobs are never advertised.
- Start your search now. People almost always misjudge how long a task will take, so just do it. The e-mail you send will most definitely get more results than the one languishing in your drafts folder.
Map yourself out a new career
TEACHING is one of the most popular careers to switch to, and there is a spike this month with the new school year.
There is still a shortage in physics, maths and chemistry, despite 45,000 new teachers training each year.
You can train as a teacher by taking a postgraduate course or on an undergraduate degree, with many courses offering Department for Education bursaries of up to £30,000.
School Standards minister Nick Gibb said: “A love of their subject and the chance to make a difference to children’s lives is what drives most people into teaching.
“Teaching is a vocation and we have 455,000 dedicated teachers today – the highest number in our history.
“To continue to attract the brightest and the best into teaching we introduced generous tax-free bursaries, particularly for subjects such as maths, science and languages.”
Nina Ridge swapped a high-profile job as a BBC TV weather presenter to become a maths teacher at the Weald of Kent Grammar school in Tonbridge, Kent.
Nina, 42, who lives in Tunbridge Wells, said: “The only thing I wish I’d done differently is changed jobs sooner. I’m so happy to be teaching and I love leaving work each day feeling I’ve made a difference.
“Rather than feeling stressed and tired as I did in my previous job, now I feel rewarded. I’m also working part-time so I can fit work better around my family.”
Find out more at .
Tips from the top
WANT to get expert advice direct from some of the UK’s top jobs gurus?
Publisher Penguin Living is holding its Careers 360 “immersion day” on September 11, where you can speak with a host of authors, recruiters and other experts.
They include headhunter Tim Vincent, above, who wrote Nail That Interview, and chef Simon Boyle, author of How To Get A Job And Keep It.
The event takes place at Conway Hall in London’s Red Lion Square and runs from 10am to 3.30pm.
Tickets cost £15 per session or £40 for the whole day.
See for more information.
Balance beaming
SEARCHING for a better work-life balance is one of the top reasons staff swap jobs.
So if you are planning to move to a more understanding firm, try one of the businesses just named the UK’s best in the annual Glassdoor Awards.
The overall winner was recruiter Goodman Masson, along with IT giant Cisco Systems, HomeServe UK, Lola Staffing and Screwfix.
Also scoring highly were American Express, Unilever, John Lewis, Waitrose and engineering firm Atkins.
Glassdoor spokesman Diarmuid Russell said: “Maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be tough in today’s environment, with ever-increasing demands on our time.
“However, as millions of UK employees head back to work after enjoying the August Bank Holiday, our report shows there are companies that offer a good balance between home and work.
“What is encouraging for job-seekers is that there are representatives here from many industries, including recruitment, tech, finance, manufacturing and retail.”
The only way is start-up
HAVE you spent the summer dreaming about becoming your own boss and running your own business?
Small business expert Carl Reader, author of The Startup Coach, shares his tips to help you decide if you should.
- You need strength of character to handle the highs and lows, work 18-hour days and not have the certainty of a pay packet at the end of the week.
- Make sure family and dependents are willing to help you through the tough times.
- Ensure you have some security and will not face financial disaster if the business fails to take off.
- Your firm will need to be unique in some way – either in how it does things internally or the external benefits the customer receives.
- Ensure you have a strong vision of what you are trying to achieve and how you are going to get there.
Grads' mission to Mars
IF you have ever dreamed of working in a chocolate factory, now is your chance. Mars UK is hiring 15 graduates for its prestigious grad scheme, alongside 25 others for roles in other Mars businesses.
There are two or three-year placements within seven schemes including Research & Development, Engineering, Finance and Management.
Andrew Sharp, future talent manager at Mars UK, said: “We support all of our graduates in their early career development, giving them the opportunity to maximise their potential.
“Working for Mars today we have several senior leaders who joined through one of our graduate schemes.”
Head to and apply before the end of November.
Deliver good service
IF your current job isn’t delivering what you need, consider a job with Deliveroo.
The restaurant delivery firm needs 200 new riders a week as it expands into 60 towns and cities across the UK.
As well as keeping healthy by cycling up to 74 miles a week, you can fit it around commitments such as study.
Deliveroo MD Dan Warne said: “The team is looking for people with passion, drive and great customer service, who seek flexible working hours.”
Becky Hartshorn, 22, above, is studying medicine at Manchester University while working part-time as a Deliveroo rider.
She said: “Being a Deliveroo rider has its financial advantages but also a fitness aspect, which I love.”
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