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Original poster

What type of job could my DH do?

61 replies

adviceseeker22 · 30/05/2023 10:15

My DH is hoping to switch jobs because his current one is quite inflexible. A neighbour has offered to take him as a subcontractor, but he wouldn't get any guaranteed hours. What options would he have to top up his income when needed? Apart from being a general handyman there's not much more he could do self employed.

OP posts:
Dodo2023 · 30/05/2023 10:24

Driving Instructor.

ANewAdventure · 30/05/2023 10:25

Is he actually good at handyman stuff? The people round me who offer handyman services (putting up pictures, curtains, TV brackets, re-siliconing baths, painting fences, etc) are booked up for months in advance.

Original poster
adviceseeker22 · 30/05/2023 10:28

He's actually quite good, and he likes working with his hands. He doesn't have much of s drive to be self employed though. Although maybe if it's just a top up he'll be better at it.

OP posts:
Coronationstation · 30/05/2023 10:28

what skills / qualifications does he have?

Coronationstation · 30/05/2023 10:30

I'd consider what he needs out of this. You mention his current job is quite inflexible but other than being self employed, most jobs are quite inflexible if you mean in terms of working hours.

shiningstar2 · 30/05/2023 10:33

Dog walkers make a decent living here. You obviously have to like dogs, have insurance and it's also best to have boundaries regarding what you can and cannot do. For example you may choose to take out no more than three dogs. You can choose not to take certain breeds. Be clear about what you do or don't do. If you are taking three dogs you may choose to only allow one off lead at a time. You can charge more for individual walks. So many people live their rog but find they can't walk them every day.

shiningstar2 · 30/05/2023 10:34

Love their dog 😁🦮

Original poster
adviceseeker22 · 30/05/2023 10:34

He's good at valeting/cleaning but has no formal qualifications. They're very inflexible with sick pay and annual leave. He has to take two weeks in December and any sick leave has to be used as annual leave, and once that runs out, he has to pay it back by working weekends (or very long days). There no option for unpaid leave

OP posts:
PlatBilledDuckypuss · 30/05/2023 10:36

Dodo2023 · 30/05/2023 10:24

Driving Instructor.

It takes a heck of a time to qualify as a DI. You can't just walk into it.

Coronationstation · 30/05/2023 10:40

what about an apprenticeship for a trade?
check your local water company too, they often have site operative type roles which might suit.

Edmontine · 30/05/2023 10:41

Has he considered trying to get qualifications in something? I know there can be all sorts of barriers to accessing education, but without luck and drive it’s hard to progress with none at all, so he’ll continually find he has no control over his working life.

Being taken on as an ad hoc subcontractor isn’t ideal.

Is he good at anything beyond valeting? What might he like to do if given the opportunity. Is he closer to the beginning or the end of his working life?

PinkFootstool · 30/05/2023 10:44

What does he do now?

I'm not sure his employer can require him to use AL if he's ill: https://www.acas.org.uk/checking-sick-pay

He's also legally entitled to unpaid time off for emergencies if it's one of his dependent's ie you, kids etc. https://www.acas.org.uk/time-off-for-dependants

Sick pay entitlement: Checking sick pay - Acas

The right to sick pay and how much an employer must pay an employee when they're off sick.

https://www.acas.org.uk/checking-sick-pay

Original poster
adviceseeker22 · 30/05/2023 10:48

Yes, I've always thought it's dodgy the way they do it. He still has 20 years to retire, but doesn't want to learn anything new necessarily. He think his ship has sailed so to speak.

He's a valeter/finisher. Before that he's only worked in retail (and he hates it).

OP posts:
Dodo2023 · 30/05/2023 11:01

PlatBilledDuckypuss · 30/05/2023 10:36

It takes a heck of a time to qualify as a DI. You can't just walk into it.

Show quote history

I know but it’s a good self employed option.

GoodChat · 30/05/2023 11:06

He could become a self-employed valeter/detailer. The good ones round here get a ridiculous amount of custom.

It depends on your current financial situation, though.

Maybe he could start doing it on weekends and build up a client base.

GoodChat · 30/05/2023 11:06

@Dodo2023 being a driving instructor is only a good self employed option for the flexibility - in every other sense it's an absolute money pit

PinkFootstool · 30/05/2023 11:07

So he's only in his 40s or 50s and he's given up?

Sounds like SE is a terrible idea if he's unmotivated.

Have a look at warehouse work - usually OK pay, plenty of hours, hopefully a better employer.

Also look at local industrial estates - plenty of physical and manual jobs amongst companies like fruit and veg wholesale, metal fabrication, painting, hardware sales etc - there will be variation between highly skilled technical work and entry level or unskilled work.

Edmontine · 30/05/2023 11:33

He still has 20 years to retire, but doesn't want to learn anything new necessarily. He think his ship has sailed so to speak.

It hasn’t. He could spend a year or eighteen months studying / training / apprenticing for a career - and then have maybe twenty years of a much better working life.

MN has a Mature Study and Retraining board - essentially intended for women returners or those who missed the boat for study or training first time around. But lots of threads - on first steps into Access Courses, for instance - are equally relevant for husbands and partners. Perhaps you might browse through them together and see if anything sparks his interest. Being proactive in middle age can make a huge difference to one’s future.

Mature students: Distance learning, retraining and mentorship | Mumsnet | Mumsnet

Welcome to Mumsnet’s mature student forum. Discuss everything from starting adult courses to retraining and distance learning or even seek out a personal mentor.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mature_students

Original poster
adviceseeker22 · 30/05/2023 12:04

He's mid forties, and yes he's sort of given up. Not entirely, but there are only a few things he'd enjoy doing. He doesn't like working in an office nor in retail, and has to be something that is transferable when we move to be closer to his DM. The neighbour's idea is in a way to get him a client base.

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 30/05/2023 12:05

Can he do the same job, but one for a better employer that doesn't break employment law?

Alternatively, can he learn to drive machines on construction sites? You can sometimes do a course for free, he should ask at the Job Centre if it still exists. Even if he has to pay, the course is only a few days. DP did this. It took a little while to get established, but once he'd had a few jobs, he could pick and choose.

Work is mostly through agencies but there's plenty of them around and the pay is reasonably good - £30-40k pa or possibly more if he gets a long contract on a good site.

Coronationstation · 30/05/2023 12:18

They're crying out for bus drivers around here, all training provided so long as you have a driving license.

TollgateDebs · 30/05/2023 12:20

He could be any of these if he is physical fit and can drive - with a basic CSCS card he could work on a construction site as a labourer / hard-landscaping / banksperson activity or even the heavy cleans on new build sites. Then there's roles at local authorities / housing associations for Caretakers / General Trades / Groundpeople / Labouring as perm, full-time employees. He could be a Refuse / Recycling Operative, Security Guard or Local Revenue Operative (Parking), Warehousing and Logistics, Driver ....

hevs03 · 30/05/2023 12:21

I'm in the same sort of situation with my DH who is self-employed, works on building sites and it is shite, he is often not working and he is now looking for alternative work but a bit like your DH, he has no belief in himself. He is applying for driving jobs, delivery jobs like supermarket deliveries no luck so far but he keeps trying. Has your husband thought of that if he has a driving licence or what about a gas meter fitter, this is something my cousin does and she was given all the training. Then there is Virgin or Sky installers, type of job where you are not stuck constantly in an office and again I believe training is given.
Good luck

Ginmonkeyagain · 30/05/2023 12:46

If he is practically minded and doesn't mind working ouyside I second looking at energy, water and broadband companies. They always need technicians and installers and will provide training.

How about doing grocery picking a supermarkets? A friend's husband found office work hard and diffcult to fit around his real love (writing). He now works for Sainsbury's doing picking for online grocery orders over night. He finds it satisfying work and it gives him time to write.

mamabear715 · 30/05/2023 12:49

EVERYONE wants a handyman!
I have an awesome one & all my neighbours are after him. :-)