Jobs I could do/ average salary for my age

[Whatkatiedid389]

I'm 30 and earn £17k basic earnings and around 1-1.5k with my part-time second job.
I have a languages degree and i'm qualified as a teacher. Haven't yet managed to get a teaching role sadly but I work as support staff.

I can only afford a flat share/bedsit, hardly have any savings, have debt to repay, can barely afford driving lessons.
There's no way I could afford a long-haul holiday or to buy a car etc. Unless I saved for a long time.

I know money is really not everything, and being happy is more important.

I'm not looking for a champagne lifestyle, but majority of my friends etc. Seem to be on or around high 20s-30k per year.

I feel embarrassed that I can't even afford a 1-bed flat and a car at my age.

What sort of graduate jobs do you think i'd be able to do ? I've realised the only way is to get a well-paying job. I have a good education and sell myself too short.

The problem is, I have no experience apart from school-based roles and some waitressing.

Thanks in advance

OP, may be an idea to find a teaching agency and commit to temping with them for a few months. That way you would have actual teaching expereince on your CV and show that you are able to adapt to different roles and have a dynamic teaching style. It is also a great way to hear about new vacanices etc and get a foot in the door. The schools with vacanacies could possible have employed you and like you and so ask you to interview.

Alternatively sign up to do a part time MA with the OU. You c an get funding from student loans. Doesn't have to be related to edcuation ( although that may help) and any other subject on your CV would increase employability.

My feedback has been behaviour management, or just someone with better Spanish, or I didn't even make it to interview round.

Supply is a good idea, just worried about it being unstable as I have no savings to fall back on.

in all honesty I stopped bothering looking for a couple of years because I didn't think I could handle being a teacher, the school already has concerns about my behaviour management.

Ah, OK.

So, you don’t really want to teach after all? No shame in that.

Loads of jobs can utilise MFL but what are your interests and passions? What kind of role would you like - office-based or customer-facing; charity or consumer; etc

Those mates on 30K will be bringing home around 2k a month.
With a 17k job, plus your tutoring your take home is very similar to those friends whose lives you are envying. So Id say something else is happening.

Honestly, it sounds a little to me like a confidence issue, but unfortunately jobs wont land in your lap. You need to put yourself out there, be willing to put the extra hours in and take on scary new challenges, in order to make money. Those girls getting head of department are getting it because they work their absolute butts off. I am a bit of a lazy career person in that I just do my job, I have a toddler and am about to give birth any day now, so I don't focus on my career, but that's why my peers are moving past me and being promoted and I am not. To move on in life job wise I need to take risks and be active in trying to better myself. I think if you want to be more successful or make more money you need to put serious effort into your cv, take on the scary new roles, and look to better yourself through critique from others. It's not easy.

Sorry - do you make £17,000 per annum PLUS £1,500 per annum = £18,500 per year

Or £17,000 per annum PLUS £1,500 per month = £34,000

I bring in 1200 and then 100 a month from tutoring (only have 2 students, currently trying to get more but it's hard)

I would kill for 2k a month, even 1600/1700 a month.

I'm really uncertain about teaching, I just think I'd find it too difficult, even though I passed my PGCE, but maybe I just need to try.

Social work? You could do Frontline or Step Up or similar as a grad so would earn as you train. Have you looked at civil service roles?

I work in MH and we use a lot of interpreters, is that something you can do?

18.5k per year. Yeah, I do need to put the hours in, I work 40 atm which I know is probably a lot less than many do.

There are plenty of charities in education where you would probably be a suitable candidate. Try looking on charityjob.org

You can’t be a teacher if you’re uncertain about teaching.

I agree with the previous poster about supply teaching and there’s plenty of work around at the moment . My school has recruited several teachers this way . It works both ways - you get to know the school & your potential colleagues & they get to know you , on a daily basis, rather than in the false situation of an interview.
Good luck!

Most jobs that pay better require enthusiasm and motivation. People who earn more tend to promote what the can do, not what they can't.

TBH the worst teacher that i have come across fall in to the camp of not really knowing what to do after school, so staying in school.

So if you want meaningful and helpful advice, please tell us what your strengths, passions, abilities are!

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but there is no magic wand. To get on requires effort, energy and willingness to put yourself out there with verve and vigour!

A friend has sold up & moved to a European country in the last couple of months
Is teaching English on line
Has also taught dance classes in the past as a second job, so I expect that this may reoccur
They can speak a couple of languages fluently

I'm very quiet and introverted. I really don't fancy an office job that expects me to be very sociable and outgoing (not saying they all do).
I'm good at writing, at typing, good at Maths, helping people, sporty, good at art.
I've thought of support work but again it pays a similar amount.

You really need to decide whether you seriously do want to pursue a teaching role pretty quickly as your qualification and the last time you taught in a classroom is receding into the distance. At interview, there will be others with more recent experience to offer and probably better evidence that they want to teach. I would say it was very unusual for an MFL teacher who wanted a job not to have got one in four years, especially when they are not restricted geographically.
There is no time limit on when you can start your NQT year BUT you can only do supply of less than a term for five years after qualification so this is the last year for you to dip in, see if it is for you, and get some recent experience for your applications.
But you really don't sound convinced- or come across here convincingly- as a teachet so maybe time for a serious rethink.
I recommended your old uni careers centre earlier to discuss options. Or could you invest some money in a session with a career coach? You can carry on as you are but you are not content with that so you need to take a grip and make some decisions to give you a sense of purpose for your 30s.

University admin?

Nannying?
With a teaching degree and experience it should not be too hard to find a nanny job. You can sign up with agencies or join loca facebook l nanny groups or mum groups and put an advert up. Just make sure you have a contract and everything is done legally.
I work as a nanny in London, have a degree, and I earn 30k working 42 hours/week.

You just sound so negative. So you know what I’d give you have the qualifications you have?
You also don’t sound like you even want to teach.
I’d look into admin or support work or out more effort into interview techniques and behaviour understanding if that’s where they’re saying you’re going wrong. Good luck.

Im also introverted and wouldn like the idea of working in a team. So nannying works well for me.
It is great you are good at arts. You would need to be caring, reliable and failrly self motivated to be a nanny. Being a good cook also helps.
If you like the idea of working with children but more on a one on one setting then nannying would suit you.

Would you be happier in an FE setting, if behaviour management is a challenge? People behave better if they’ve chosen to be there, as do more mature students.

Teaching isn’t my field but I do know there are roles available as education officers in museums, galleries and heritage attractions, and probably in places like wildlife and natural environment organisations. Would anything like this appeal? These roles will be better paid than you are now by a significant margin, though you’d never be massively rich.

@Whatkatiedid389

I'm very quiet and introverted. I really don't fancy an office job that expects me to be very sociable and outgoing (not saying they all do). I'm good at writing, at typing, good at Maths, helping people, sporty, good at art. I've thought of support work but again it pays a similar amount.

I’m confused as to why you became a teacher if you thought it would be too much for you? Also in reference to above - you say you might not like a sociable office job, have you had one like this? In my experience, you kind of get to set your own boundaries.

A lot of my friends went into high paying graduate programmes - they were exceptionally tough to get on to, and because the cohorts are similar in age, they often had to be quite social really. You mention trying to get on to one of these - if you are having trouble in teaching, this might not be for you.

I used to do transcription for extra money - that might suit you if you are good at typing?

These are all great ideas, thanks. I think supply is a good idea to see if I do want to go into a teaching role or not. Pay seems to be about £100 per day which is really good.

Isn't there a lack of teachers? Apparently some say teachers are leaving in huge numbers - or is that not language teachers. I appreciate some subjects - Maths are harder to fill.
You are qualified to teach. Have you looked at teaching jobs in different areas - is that a possible?

Alternatively, brush up your CV, application letter and interview technique. Ask for feedback when you are unsuccessful for teaching jobs and work on suggestions?