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If you earn over £60k, what do you do?

101 replies

eunia · 11/05/2025 11:29

I’m a midwife and truly fed up. It’s my passion, but too much stress for nowhere near enough pay.

I would like to significantly increase my earning potential. I wouldn’t mind retraining, or doing something somewhat related.

It needs to be something I can do part time (e.g. 4 days a week or similar) as I’m a single parent.

I wouldn’t even mind being self employed.

Please help!

OP posts:
Boreded · 11/05/2025 20:19

eunia · 11/05/2025 12:02

That’s why I said earning potential.

I am not expecting to just earn that amount immediately.

I am 25 so have a lot of work left to do in my lifetime.

Banks, they have jobs doing a bit of everything. But it will depend on where you live on whether there is much opportunity.

I get just a smidge less than 60k but I won’t get much higher (certainly not past 75) because there just aren’t opportunities to progress in the area I live, but I balance that in my head with the knowledge that I live in a very inexpensive part of the country so with a household income of a little over 100k we can still spend 20k a year on holidays without being stretched too thin.

look for a job in a company that has plenty of offices within a short drive or train journey. Or one office, but other companies doing the same work who have offices nearby.

Away2000 · 11/05/2025 20:23

Have you looked at child safeguarding lead jobs or ICB jobs. They seem to be mostly band 7/8/9 jobs so the pay is decent and it’s mostly 9-5 and flexible. I know a lot of nurses that work in private/agency roles and they make good money.

REDB99 · 11/05/2025 20:24

85K in the civil service but it has taken me 24 years to get here (I’m 45). 24 year career primarily in education which meant starting as an NQT on 16K (it’s obviously a lot more now). Various career moves including moving to London at one point to get experience. People who progress tend to be willing to move both physically I.e to a new location or they make tactical sideways moves in industry to broaden experience. I’m currently being ‘persuaded’ to take on a 92K a year role but I don’t think it’s worth it due to increased workload.
I can honestly say that I’m not ‘happier’ earning more money. I do feel more secure but I’m exhausted and think my next career move will be a step down. If you want flexibility you need to earn it. I’ll do very little on Thursday and Friday this week but I’ll be working 12 hour days mon - wed and travelling away from home. Yes, I’ve got flexibility but only because I’ve put years of work into securing my current position but I’m also accountable for a lot.

sweetssunshine · 11/05/2025 20:24

Fairly senior manager in social care/social work. Wouldn’t recommend it. Too much stress, too much hassle - love certain aspects of my role but managing people and trying to make improvements to services is difficult. So many barriers.

Every day I face crisis after crisis. I’ve only been in my current role for 12 months and I sometimes regret applying for it. I am capable but don’t know if the salary is worth the pressure I am under.

JustMyView13 · 11/05/2025 20:24

@eunia You want to train as an accountant and get a role in corporate. Ideally with a sponsorship package. Once qualified, change jobs every 3 or so years, unless you’re getting promotions, and you’ll have earnings potential above £65k in 10yrs time.

Scottishgirl85 · 11/05/2025 20:29

I earn just under £100k for 4 days work. Pharmaceutical regulatory affairs. It's quite easy to work your way up. I've been in the job for 13 years but with 3 years off for x3 maternity years. So really only 10 years to get from £33k starting to what would be £125k if I worked full time. I'm just under the level where the stress would start to ramp up, so plan to stay where I am.

zenai · 11/05/2025 20:36

Would you consider a post in health care in the Middle East for a few years? Many have relocation packages and school places for kids, plus (if it doesn't make you cringe....) ex-pat communities for mixing and socialising. No tax and you could save a chunk up for you and your child. Just a thought.

eunia · 11/05/2025 20:49

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Truly fed up as a midwife.

There’s never enough staff, it’s unsafe. Sometimes solely responsible for 14 mums and 14 babies on a night shift, several of whom are unwell and need extra care.

Having to deliver a dead baby and then my boss handing me another case straight after, no debrief or break.

Getting frequent UTI’s because there’s no time to go to the toilet.

Racist colleagues (I’m mixed race).

Thats not even the half of it. So yes, I am fed up.

OP posts:
eunia · 11/05/2025 20:51

Crikeyalmighty · 11/05/2025 20:04

You are being totally unrealistic at 25 - why not work your way up - get much more experience and look at lecturing

I’m have said exactly that up thread. Completely expecting to work my way up.

OP posts:
Butchyrestingface · 11/05/2025 20:56

It's a bit disheartening to hear of a 25 year old, who at most could have been working full-time in the profession for 4-5 years, ready to jack it all in already.

A quick Google indicates the starting salary for a midwife is between £31,892 to £39,735 pa with the potential to go up to £50,000. Is that correct?

If so, where do you live (roughly)?

eunia · 11/05/2025 20:59

Butchyrestingface · 11/05/2025 20:56

It's a bit disheartening to hear of a 25 year old, who at most could have been working full-time in the profession for 4-5 years, ready to jack it all in already.

A quick Google indicates the starting salary for a midwife is between £31,892 to £39,735 pa with the potential to go up to £50,000. Is that correct?

If so, where do you live (roughly)?

Please read my above response.

OP posts:
eunia · 11/05/2025 20:59

Thank you all for some really insightful responses!

OP posts:
Butchyrestingface · 11/05/2025 21:00

eunia · 11/05/2025 20:59

Please read my above response.

I did. But we cross-posted - I responded to your initial post, which made your motivations sound a bit money-orientated. If you'd put your update in the OP, I'd have responded differently.

PedigreeSort · 11/05/2025 21:01

Sales. I did my time front line/call centre type roles. Side stepped to complaints and learned alot about the industry and regulations etc, did a few industry specific qualifications.
Became a business development manager for the company I had worked for for 10 years by then. Bonuses took me to above 60, almost 70k. After 18months of doing that became sales manager then left and went elsewhere for head of sales. Earn way over 70k
Dh is also in sales but the actual doing and not management, earns the same as I do.

Maybe look at roles in health insurance/private medicine. I met a woman who was head or business development for a large group of private hospitals once...

wingingit1987 · 11/05/2025 21:03

I don’t but my husband does. He is a nurse (nhs) but works in management within unscheduled care. I work in the same place but part time (3 days a week) and only do unsociable hours. I earned about £40,000 last year but did do the odd excess shift when we were saving to go on holiday.

wingingit1987 · 11/05/2025 21:05

Just saw you are 25. Husband and I both qualified at 21 and are 37 now. So it did take a while to reach where we are now- but there is definitely scope
within the nhs for you to earn more over time.

Crikeyalmighty · 11/05/2025 21:09

@eunia - thing is at the highest bands of midwifery or lecturing- it would be around this - is this about more than the money ? because if it’s about shifts, hard work ( and it is) and you realise it’s just ‘not for you’ - then that’s fair enough but if it’s about being able to earn that money in a far quicker time frame I think you may be a bit disappointed- some one mentioned tech - my son works in tech ( not software) in London - loves his job and his company but is 2 years older than you , has 9 years experience and on £38.5k and has quite a lot of responsibility at that too . it is not all£70k a year within 5 years jobs etc as many think - my friend as a HR manager in her 40s with 25 years experience is on £48k - mumsnet may give a false idea of all these£60k plus jobs out there - most with them have been in their profession years and years or are very high up or have their own business or have an incredibly sought after skill or are great sales people - I worked in HR and recruitment for a lot of years, prior to that in head office banking but we have had our business 20 plus years now - I was also a nurse in my 20s , so do get that it’s tough . - I actually liked the 6 weeks on midwifery most of all but am aware it’s demanding and stressful .

notnorman · 11/05/2025 21:11

NotMyUsualName23 · 11/05/2025 18:47

I'm a foster carer.
I do get paid a lot but I am completely invested in supporting and improving the lives of the children I look after.

£60k?

Boreded · 11/05/2025 21:11

eunia · 11/05/2025 20:49

Truly fed up as a midwife.

There’s never enough staff, it’s unsafe. Sometimes solely responsible for 14 mums and 14 babies on a night shift, several of whom are unwell and need extra care.

Having to deliver a dead baby and then my boss handing me another case straight after, no debrief or break.

Getting frequent UTI’s because there’s no time to go to the toilet.

Racist colleagues (I’m mixed race).

Thats not even the half of it. So yes, I am fed up.

This sounds awful 😞

I couldn’t do it

countingthedays945 · 11/05/2025 21:18

I work with a number of midwifery lecturing staff. Just to say that although we may earn about £65 k as senior lecturers we are expected to have a pHd. I had similar experiences as you whilst nursing but just moved jobs rather than threw my career away. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater 😉!

OttersAreMySpiritAnimal · 11/05/2025 21:22

JustMyView13 · 11/05/2025 20:24

@eunia You want to train as an accountant and get a role in corporate. Ideally with a sponsorship package. Once qualified, change jobs every 3 or so years, unless you’re getting promotions, and you’ll have earnings potential above £65k in 10yrs time.

Yes, accounting or tax. So many different and interesting areas to work in. Very hard work and long hours initially but the earning potential is great. Plus annual bonuses can be up to a third of your annual salary once you are qualified. This is what DH did when he was working (too ill to work now).
I'm in procurement and feel pretty well paid for a 9-5:30 job. I'm just over 60k.

AndImBrit · 11/05/2025 21:24

Big4 Accountancy. Took 8 years from graduation to earn that salary in the North.

Finteq · 11/05/2025 21:31

Would changing hospitals.or countries be an option?

I really think you've already got great qualifications and have a better chance of increasing your income in your current field then starting afresh.

seaelephant · 11/05/2025 21:34

Software design and I earn 70k including my bonus. Graduated 4 years ago and only been in the field for 2 years. But I think the bubble has now burst with changing trends and the rise of AI, even in the short time since I started, and it's become harder to break into

CatsAreCool222 · 11/05/2025 21:34

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