How do you think I should change jobs

[BouncyDaisy]

I am interested in changing jobs. What way do you think I should work the change?

Do I hand in my notice first and then look for new work?
Or do I look for a new job, go for interviews, hopefully get something, then hand in a notice that would be acceptable to my current job and not leave the new job hanging for too long?

Does any of that make sense?

Basically a few years ago, a local family came to me and asked me would I be interested in nannying for them. I gladly accepted. I got a contract and a payment. It went well for a number of years and then some issues crept in but I worked through them as positively as possible.

It is time for a change now. I'm not happy anymore in my position. Its nothing more but a piece of hell on earth and that's all it is. I was always very happy to help but this is something else entirely. I'm not going into all of the issues here. The woman that I work for, she changed as a person too. There were times when she had sulky temper tantrums. There's definitely a sense of 'putting on airs' about her. There were times when she made me feel so small.

Or do I go to my doctor and get some time off sick perhaps and make up some sort of excuse to my doctor as a way to get free from my current job in order to look for new work? Actually there is a slight issue creeping in for me. It's a strange one so I won't be making up problems?

Or do I hand in a notice and go on the dole perhaps?

I don't know how to handle a changeover in jobs. I think I will have to give at least a month notice for quiting. Would a new employer wait that long for an employee. I hope to get out from childcare and go down the route of factory work for now.

Yes places often expect that you have to give 1 months notice. Its always better to be paid to look for a job, but health comes first, so if its making you sick then see your Dr.

Most jobs expect a months notice. You can't just "go on the dole" because you are fed up. If you are sick you are sick but lying to the doctor would be a very bad idea.
How do you think you are going to get a reference if you intend to let people down. They do not have to supply one.
Have you ever worked in a factory before ? Despite seeming like good pay, it is usually long hours, crap money and a lot harder work than you would think.

I'm not just fed up. There's real issues in the job about hours, workload and now there's payment issues arising.

There is a health issue creeping in on me. I don't want to go into it here because it's still new and I'm still getting my head around it. My working through it but there is something weird going on in my body.

I won't be letting anyone down if I hand in a notice.

I diwant to go into all of the issues but it really is hell on earth. I always enjoyed helping but I'm working for a couple who don't appreciate me. I can often go in on a Monday morning and there's a big pile of laundry built up over the course of the weekend. I can do loads in the machine every day. I do other chores too. I still get a sulky attitude from the mother where she sighs and complains. I do my best and its still not good enough. It reminds me of a domestic violence or an abuse husband situation where there are traditional roles and he comes home to his wife and complains about what she's doing all day.
It really isn't a good environment to work in any more.

Yes I worked in a factory before. I neex a new position within some sort of a corporate establishment or professional business where I clock in, do my work, get a lunch, get a toilet break, finish my work, clock out and go home.
My current position is what you describe - long hours, crap pay and hard work.

If you can afford to leave now and job hunt without an income coming in, then do that.... but typically people don't leave a job until they have another because they're reliant on their income/you never know how long it'll take to secure new employment.

Unfortunately I'm not in a position to afford to get up and leave. I will need something to keep me ticking over. Unless if I plan now and put some savings together to go in a few months. Maybe I can take out a loan and maybe that will help me for about 6 weeks or so.

A friend of mine asked me last week will I be getting time off this summer as in annual leave? I said that I won't be getting time off. I would like to get a week off but I'm not allowed. I'm working for parents who have their own holidays planned and it's a kid free holiday while they leave their children home with me for 10 nights. There is some cover to releive me of some hours but that's it. So I'm not allowed time off. I was working over Christmas too with obly Christmas day off. The same will probably happen again this year. Its so depressing thinking that I won't get any time off again for a second year running. The last time I got time off was 2019.

I am not getting any younger. I'm getting older but I still consider myself to be reasonably young. I'm approaching 40. While I still have me health and my age on my side, I want to put this type of work energy into a corporate establishment while I will hopefully get paid a better wage and receive better hours and time off. Hopefully I won't have any bosses throwing hissy fits.

BouncyDaisy. Have you been in a domestic violence or an abusive husband relationship ? Don't feel that you have to answer that if you don't want to but if you haven't please don't say that your situation reminds you of it.
I am sorry that you are struggling so much with your job at the moment but you really need to check your contract and see what it says about hours, time off and duties.
It very much sounds as though your employers are taking the mickey and you need everything in writing so that you have evidence if you should need it.

You'll need a reference from your current job, so don't go off sick. Have you got any holiday owed?

Just look for something else, then hand in your notice. If your period will be written in your contract, if it isn't it's only 1 week.

Do what most people do and look for a new job while employed. When you've secured one, hand in your notice. Do not go off sick/sign on as a solution to this if you're not ill/have made yourself unemployed.

Look for other work now. Have you applied to anything?

You won’t have access to benefits if you resign because they’ll consider you’ve made yourself intentionally jobless. I’d start looking for a new job, in the meantime if you need time off to attend to your health, take some time off.

I’d also go back and look at your contract and start setting boundaries - what are your contracted hours and rate of pay, will them going on holiday take you under minimum wage. What was agreed about leave for you - have you had the statutory minimum leave, if not challenge that. What was agreed re housework, do that and leave everything else. The working environment sounds horrible so setting boundaries in line with your contract won’t make things worse but might give you headspace to look for something new.