To consider leaving a job I love.

[caulkheaded]

I can’t work out if I’m feeling a bit lonely or if it’s a legitimate idea

I work in pastoral care in a school. I love it. Pay is horrific but it’s a brilliant team and it fits within my skill set. I have a years rolling contract and next week have to interview again for a job for September. There is little job security year on year and at the most I can earn £3000 more. I’d then be at the top of my pay scale and can’t move up without altering the role.

All my friends and my boyfriend work in non education jobs. This week two are away in India/Russia for work, four (inc boyfriend) are skiing in Canada. Another is in Greece visiting her family.

I’m frustrated with not being able to go away with them because I can’t take term holidays and it’s harder (and more expensive) for them to take A/L in school holidays. I’m also earning upwards of £14,000 which is making me miserable.

So for voting purposes
YABU - Stick in the job I love
YANBU - don’t interview/look for something else for September.

(Just to be clear, I have to interview for my current job. I have to show all my data and talk about what I’ve done, learnt etc and persuade the school governors that they need to keep my post for another year)

Can't you do both? Interview next week for the job so you have some level of security for the future but also start looking elsewhere and move jobs if you get something.

You're not losing anything by looking at different jobs. See what's out there because you might find something else that you love.

How old are you? Do you have children?

On the pay and holiday alone, I’d leave.

Have you thought about what you’d do instead which would be equally enjoyable?

Well it never hurts to look? And even if you do interview now, that doesn't mean that you can't keep looking also?

I could do both. I hadn’t thought of that

Early 30s no kids. I’m training in psychotherapy so in a few years I can work as a therapist. But that’s 3yrs away, and it’s likely I would do private practice PT and another job PT for the variety.

I'd leave for a better paid job or do more training to get a better job. Loving your job doesn't come into it. You need a proper wage and to stretch yourself a bit more.
Its all too easy to coast along in a job because you like it.
I always find if I'm not feeling stressed at work I'm not learning anything.

I think you need to stop looking at this issue in terms of a job. They come and go. You need to think about your long term life goals and career ambitions. I don’t see how you can fulfil these (assuming you want to do what your friends are doing) on £17k per year. You are also limited on having children. It’s a low wage with no security. An entry level job on the way to better things in the same field. Or a step down job for someone with a lot of financial security.

If you make this choice, own it. Please don’t spend the rest of you life complaining about not having enough money.

Just realised I’ve missed out some words - I’m earning £14,000 less than my friends. Sorry

You need to explain what that is. If they earn £28k then you are still on £14k.

It’s a tough one but work life balance is important. You could get a more well paid job and have more disposable income but not enjoy your working life as much. You need to decide if being held back in your personal life is making you unhappy or if you’re happy not to have much spare cash.

Personally happiness to me is having money to have choices and to save for the future, exciting plans etc but it’s different for everyone and also not always possible.

But don’t be afraid to try new things there are lots of higher paid jobs that are still enjoyable

How much do you earn? If you're leaving in a few years anyway what's the harm in staying?

I’m on £26,000 but pro-rata (term time contract) so it’s more like £22,000. They are mostly on £40,000+ but have different skill sets (radio producer, doctor, engineer)

Oh the wage changes everything, 22,000 is fine and you’re training for something else anyway.

40,000 is a high wage and you’re not realistically going to be able to jump for 22,000 to 40,000 anyway are you??

From*

If your ambition is to qualify as a psychotherapist, then this work will stand you in good stead but you should be looking at comparable trainee posts in the NHS which pay more. It depends on your qualifications.

Basically the NHS has more long term funding for this career than a school or local authority. They have the ability to offer rotations and appropriate professional development in your field. This is were you should be looking for career development.

No. But if I was earning £26,000 without a term time contract I could then holiday with them as it would be cheaper. Maybe...!

Not in your role but I work in a school as support staff and I really understand how you feel. TTO sucks. Even if you want to leave early say on a Friday to travel for a wedding or something you can't really. Or like a music festival is a Friday - Monday you can't feasibly go and thats in this country.

Schools don't quite get that life happened out side of weekends and holidays.

I'm also in a similar position as my manager is leaving in the next year or so. But it's only one promotion and won't be one after that. But I can't see myself doing that job till I'm in my 70s so will have to leave and retrain at somepoint. But not sure i have the headspace to do that

Sorry probably haven't really answered the OP and this is a total ramble. But just really wanted to say I really get you and why I guess

Large Gin - it’s hard isn’t it.

I’m in a mental health and well-being role, as well as deputy DSL which I LOVE but any promotion would move me into a behaviour management position which I really don’t want.

I’d agree with the others about doing both. You won’t lose anything by applying for other jobs!

I do understand the dilemma, though. Last year I was working in a specialist area of nursing that I’d initially thought that I’d never leave. I found it so rewarding. I wasn’t particularly interested in promotion but I developed a specialist area of interest. I separated from my ex husband a few years ago and work was a lifesaver for me. I worked part time and it fitted in well with the kids, and I was good at it. As time went on, my kids for a bit older and I realised that even though I loved it that there were opportunities for development in other areas and I started to feel hungry for change. I made a massive career shift last year and it’s been a fantastic decision. At the moment I don’t earn much more but I don't have to work shifts and there is promotion potential which was lacking in my previous role.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Every school is so different when it comes to that sort of role.
At mine HLTAs have taken the role of behaviour management on and the lady in your equivalent role helps out. I'm not sure if that's a permanent thing or until the HLTAs find their feet

The mental health wellbeing person keeps out of it and liaises with those staff but the roles are very separate over all. She's more of a in school counsellor and whilst she deals with safeguarding she's not a lead in it.

I thought you were getting paid £14k!

Tbh, I think that you might be letting a bit of ‘the grass is greener’ get to you.

The interviewing part sucks, yes, but beyond that, you seem to love this job.

And I can’t help but think that if your boyfriend and friends gave that much of a shit about you then they’d twig that you earn significantly less than them and have less flexibility and flex their holiday plans a bit sometimes so you could go tbh.

Biscuit - I probably am! Its my second year in this job, and we used to do holidays in June/July so I'm partly reminiscing about then!

They are really good at accomodating my work timings - if we go away for a weekend they meet me at school and we go from there etc. I think I'm just aware of it now because they're ALL away (although some with work!) and they can ski much more economically this time of the year than Feb half term.