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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To change career from teaching to a 9-5 type job?

146 replies

careerchangerranger · 05/09/2020 13:30

Just as the title says really.
I'm not happy in teaching anymore and I have succeeded in getting a non teaching job that pays well. It hasn't started yet as I have to work in my notice. However, I am starting to have niggles and want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.
Obviously childcare needs will be all year round now. I plan on using a mix of holiday clubs and my holiday days (and dh's) to cover that. What else could potentially be different or would need time to plan ahead for or think of?
TIA.

OP posts:
Original poster
careerchangerranger · 05/09/2020 15:34

@user12642379742146

Yes we can "buy" an additional hours and we can work up additional hours to take off too. I know several people who work there who have informed of the flexi time workings and I can usually adjust it by a half an hour daily. Or come in early one day a week and leave a by 3 on the Friday as such. I'm happy with that as I have the daily childcare needs covered.

I won't be expected to work weekends in my new role. Holidays don't carry over as far as I know.
I do need to use a few holidays for Christmas however, I am aware of that.

OP posts:
Original poster
careerchangerranger · 05/09/2020 15:41

@RaraRachael the work I'm doing is related to my initial degree so I was lucky that I didn't need to do any extra courses. I will train mainly on the job.

OP posts:
Cruachan31 · 05/09/2020 15:44

I went from Public Sector to the Private Sector, working PT 4 days a week (Monday to Thursday), with Friday off. However, I also had to cover when colleague who worked Monday to Friday took time off. It was a nightmare! Colleague took so many Friday’s off that I had to cover (think 5 Fridays in School Summer break)! When I complained, I was told that it was in my contract to cover for AL or sickness! I also wasn’t allowed to request Fridays off as I wasn’t contracted to work them? Actually meant that if I took 4 days off to go on holiday, I could be expected to work the Friday. I left and went back into Public Sector! Far better working conditions.

crimsonlake · 05/09/2020 15:48

I left teaching and changed career when I was hurtling towards 6o years old.
I had not taught full time for many years, but was a supply teacher and work had dwindled right down over time.
I became an activity coordinator in dementia services. My background was as an art teacher, so quite creative and I had volunteered in a hospice for a few years which certainly helped with getting interviews.
I have been there 18 months and I do not think I will ever stop missing teacher holidays.
I work 28 hrs over 4 days, I could spread them out over 5, but then that would mean shorter days where I get less done and more of an expense in petrol.
There is a lot of ppa as such so essentially it is not a 9 -4 job though it should be in theory. I think my predecessor did a lot of unpaid overtime, which was not a good thing as it makes it appear that more can be done in this job during the hours I work. I go through phases of sticking rigidly to working my hours and not doing any at home on principle for the next person who might have my role, to giving in and getting it done.
To be honest I have done a couple of jobs outside of teaching and wherever you go there are difficult bosses / awkward collegues etc. At least in teaching you can close your classrroom door and get away from them.

lazylinguist · 05/09/2020 15:50

I can't think of anything you've missed, OP. I'd like to do this too, but I'm nearly 50 and have no obvious jobs I could go into. I'm an MFL teacher, but speaking other languages is pretty much an add-on skill unless you're going into translation (for which I'd need extra training/qualifications).

zingally · 05/09/2020 15:54

I left a permanent primary teaching job August '18, and started doing supply and private tutoring. I absolutely love it. Best decision I ever made.
Aside from the whole Covid thing, my mental health is consistently the best it's been in 15 years. I don't regret it for an instant.

Countmeout · 05/09/2020 15:56

I went the other way , I had a few office jobs before having children, none enabling me to earn anything like I did when I became a teacher at 35. Teaching I had a lot of luck and moved up the ranks fairly swiftly. I would never have gone back to admin work. It was soulless. Sometimes the grass seems greener on the other side of anything.

MilkshakeandFries · 05/09/2020 15:57

@RaraRachael have a look at the distance learning sectors of local colleges - the one I work at does a Business Admin Level 2 which you do from home in your own time and is free.

mindutopia · 05/09/2020 16:00

School holidays are no big deal to sort. Mix of holiday club and annual leave, which if shared between two people, I'm assuming you have a partner, is fine. Our holiday club is only open 3 days a week, so we have to cover 2 days every holiday between us and still it's been no issue. Term time only salary tends to be quite reduced, so you should certainly cover the extra childcare with the extra income. When in need, take parental leave. I think you get 8 weeks a year.

Original poster
careerchangerranger · 05/09/2020 16:03

The work I am going to do is not admin work...far from it!

OP posts:
SaltyAndFresh · 05/09/2020 16:09

@Baaaahhhhh

It depends. I actually don't know anyone who has a 9-5 job. You may be lucky, but most people in the private sector work much longer hours than that.
I know very, very many. Snide little dig there.
SaltyAndFresh · 05/09/2020 16:13

I would dearly love to do this. The fuss about returning to offices is making me laugh - I'd jump at the chance to work in an office rather than a school. Do it!

Peaseblossom22 · 05/09/2020 16:15

@careerchangerranger please do not take your contributions ot of the TPS despite what you may have heard the benefits far exceed anything you would ever get in a private pension plus the widows pension and and the pension for your children should anything happen to you. It’s protected and index linked so just leave it there and start a new private pension .

HathorX · 05/09/2020 16:20

The main one is kids getting taken sick at school and having to scramble to leave work, and then being off work when the kids are sick inconveniently. Some bosses and colleagues get fed up of this and it makes life awkward.

I have known people with steady 9 to 5 jobs. Admin should be fine. You may able to stick to rigid hours in the office, then spend time at home on laptops and work emails if you can't get the work done.

Also, boredom and job satisfaction. If you have been teaching, minimum wage administration might get dull quite fast.

Musmerian · 05/09/2020 16:21

It makes me so sad seeing all these posts from burnt out teachers. I’ve been lucky in that my school - although hugely busy and pressured in the sense that it’s very academic and full on - is a very human place to work. I feel valued and love teaching my subject. I think so many schools now have very toxic cultures and terrible management.

tttigress · 05/09/2020 16:23

It's not easy to get a non teaching job that pays similar to teaching (teaching is actually fairly well paid, the think that put most teachers over the edge is pupil behaviour and constant assessment).

I would say go for it, if it doesn't work out it should be fairly easy to get back into, you might even be any to offer more if you returned as you would be more experienced outside the teaching world)

EducatingArti · 05/09/2020 16:23

@HathorX

The main one is kids getting taken sick at school and having to scramble to leave work, and then being off work when the kids are sick inconveniently. Some bosses and colleagues get fed up of this and it makes life awkward.

I have known people with steady 9 to 5 jobs. Admin should be fine. You may able to stick to rigid hours in the office, then spend time at home on laptops and work emails if you can't get the work done.

Also, boredom and job satisfaction. If you have been teaching, minimum wage administration might get dull quite fast.

But this is even harder as a teacher because you can't leave teaching to go and collect your ill child, or stay off work when they are ill so I would expect the op already has this covered!
MarshaBradyo · 05/09/2020 16:27

Not much other than holiday cover and drop off and pick up.

MarshaBradyo · 05/09/2020 16:28

Your job sounds good op but some office jobs are incredibly dull and draining. Grass can look greener in many ways.

Original poster
careerchangerranger · 05/09/2020 16:32

@Countmeout the area that I will be working in has a better wage and waaay better benefits already so it's a win win for me hopefully.

OP posts:
OutOntheTilez · 05/09/2020 16:32

Go for it. A coworker started with my company a few years ago - came over from teaching and is much happier now. I would think that if you're not happy with the 9-5 you could always return to teaching.

Original poster
careerchangerranger · 05/09/2020 16:32

@MarshaBradyo it is not an office job

OP posts:
MarshaBradyo · 05/09/2020 16:33

Op I know, it wasn’t about your job which is why I said yours sounded good. More to the pp talking about admin office jobs.

Original poster
careerchangerranger · 05/09/2020 16:36

@tttigress the pay is actually better 👍

OP posts:
Wakemeupwhenthisisover · 05/09/2020 16:50

Good for you, I’m jealous!

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