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

[careerchangerranger]

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.

Congratulations on the new job! I made the same move from teaching to office 13 years ago and never looked back.

No more emotional roller coasters.

Based on my experience when it's busy and stressful in a school environment it can be very intense. In an office I can focus in a quiet space, have a cup of tea, seek out help as and when I need it. You just have so much more control over your day than on teaching. I was sad to leave as it isn't as rewarding but it's the pay off for my sanity.

Good luck!

No, civil service is not just London, but it does depend on where you live as to how many departments are based nearby. If you do a nationwide search on the civil service job site you can see the kind of jobs and locations. Basically the government has good working conditions for their staff, but does not expect the same from private companies as they want them to make as much money as possible so they pay mountains of tax.

Will it be as 9 - 5 as you think? I know teachers think doing unpaid overtime is exclusive to them, but it really isn’t.

There's a lot to be said for being able to go for a wee when you want to go and not when a bell tells you...

@MadameBlobby my hours will be 8-4.30 mon-thurs and 8-3.30 on fri
They are the hours and according to a future colleague it is extremely seldom (like maybe once/twice year you are asked to stay but if you have children to pick up then it's not viable so you are not obliged. Her words were by 4.25 ppl start to finish up and it's a race to the door. 🤣🤣

Will it be as 9 - 5 as you think? I know teachers think doing unpaid overtime is exclusive to them, but it really isn’t.

Plenty of people it's not the norm for though.

Sounds great then, childcare in holidays is fine - well Covid notwithstanding that is. Childminders, holiday clubs etc.

@Floralbean

Will it be as 9 - 5 as you think? I know teachers think doing unpaid overtime is exclusive to them, but it really isn’t.

Plenty of people it's not the norm for though.

In plenty of half decently paying professional jobs it is though.

It’s an earlier start than usual so makes sense earlier finish.

I can’t imagine what sector it is though!

I know teachers think doing unpaid overtime is exclusive to them

No we don't. Believe it or not, teachers generally know people who aren't teachers, so we know that some jobs involve overtime, sometimes paid, sometimes not. For some reason, people often seem to interpret teachers saying what's bad about their job as meaning 'these things don't exist in any other jobs'. But I've never heard a teacher actually suggest that's the case.

Wow, I love how every thread even vaguely related to teaching turns into a teacher bash

Go for it OP. Sounds great!!

I have a lot of respect for teachers and think they do a great job. I couldn’t do it. But the very frequent whinging about how hard done by they are on pretty much every level gets old.

Well it depends on the job really. Mine is technically 9-5. In realty 8am to 9pm is not unusual at least 50% of the time, usually at short notice. Lunch is often taken up by meetings.I need to account for every 6min of my time. There are lots of targets (which usually rely on others). Bullying is common. You need to be very sycophantic to get ahead and leave aside any morals.

Clients kick off at the slightest thing and often seem to think they own your soul. Bosses operate through a climate of fear.

All 4companies I have worked for in this sector over the last 20 years are the same.

Oh and most people I’ve worked with would stab you in the back and burn your dying body at the stake to get ahead.

@Lifeisgenerallyfun I’m guessing you are paid a lot more than a teacher though? In my experience private sector roles on a teacher level salary don’t require significant overtime. I do plenty of unpaid hours (in fact am procrastinating on MN when I should be working now 😄) but I wouldn’t be prepared to put up with that on an average teacher salary. I think it’s pretty outrageous that teachers aren’t paid a lot more given the hours they put in.

Possibly (although probably not that much more) plenty of people in the same companies aren’t and have the same conditions (although potential to earn more in the future)

But I agree teachers should be paid more and appreciated more -I wasn’t teacher bashing -I was private sector bashing

But the very frequent whinging about how hard done by they are on pretty much every level gets old.

Teachers whinge about being hard done by because they are. There aren't enough teachers, because people don't want to go into or stay in the job. I'm so sorry that you find it tedious to hear about the problems in schools and the poor state of the education system, but if people don't want their children frequently taught by supply teachers and non-specialists, they should be supportive of teachers' complaints. Note: this doesn't mean I think other people's jobs don't also involve things worth complaining about.

I need to know what this job is so I can add it to my escape from teaching plan!

Do whatever makes you happy OP. Life is too short to ponder what people on the Internet think. Good luck in your new ventures