To take a massive pay cut

[CaptainChannel]

I am a very unhappy teacher earning just shy of 37k. The job is making me ill and unhappy and I plan to leave at Xmas.
I would like to change careers completely but to do so involves a large paycut. I have applied for and been invited for an interview in my industry of interest, but the role is advertised at 23k. It's a job I'd love to do but the salary isn't great and obviously by leaving teaching I give up the school holidays with my DC.
DH is tentatively supportive as he knows how miserable I am as a teacher, but obviously 23k is a low starting salary for a graduate in her mid 30s. If I was to be offered the job

Pros are almost no commute, my 2 Dc will not have to attend breakfast club anymore, it's well away from teaching but still linked to education, hopefully I wouldn't cry on the way to and from work every day.
Cons are obviously the lower salary, loss of holidays, loss of teacher pension.

I could attempt to negotiate the salary up a bit but it's not something I've done before!

So do I stick with teaching as it's relatively well paid and just suck up my feelings on it, or take the financial hit and follow what I want to do. As a family we can afford it although it would dent our disposable income.

@HotChoc10

You should absolutely give it a go. FYI if you're looking for another option, lots of universities are now looking for educational technologists/instructional designers post-Covid - designing, but not teaching, online courses. In my university there are a few ex teachers doing this and we're all still fully remote. Salaries around the 30-35k mark.

Thank you that sounds interesting. Which university is that if you don't mind me asking? Just in case it's near me!

@lannistunut

When I'm not sure I think what I would want my child to do in the same situation and try to show the same care towards myself.

I would never want my child to stay in a job that made them stressed or unhappy.

This is great advice.

Yes, go. But don’t undersell yourself. I’ve recently left the NHS and found a job paying the same as I was on in a private company - look in cities: salaries are higher but most jobs are now WFH.

Take a month or two off - spend that time applying for jobs at 40k or so. Don’t lose confidence. Get a mentor. The extra salary will make up for the time off!

Basically think like a man: you deserve good money! You are experienced and will be an asset to another company. You’ve got lots of experience. Jump.

Should you leave teaching if your heart is no longer in it? Yes! It’s an incredibly challenging career and there are so many other options out there.

Should you take this particular, much lower paying job? Perhaps not. Your skills could help you get into any number of more lucrative fields. If you are certain this is your best path to happiness, then take it, but don’t just take the easy job. Look at all your options. Also don’t underestimate the cost of quality holiday child care. It’s not so hard to find someplace to send your kids, but the places they tend to beg to attend year after year often don’t come cheap.

I did. Same job, same wage. Same drop. Never been happier. I have more flexibility in my new role and holiday clubs etc aren't as bad as I thought they'd be cost wise. The savings from wrap around care that we don't use now more than cover holiday clubs too

I moved schools and dropped my TLR slight pay cut still under teachers P and C and miles less stress. Could that be an option?

I left teaching a few years ago. Took a massive pay cut was totally worth it. I'm now teaching again but in another country. Different ball game altogether here

I wouldn't do anything at the moment.

I think maybe you need to get signed off for a bit. Then when you are feeling better and less stressed you can think things through better.

I think moving jobs sounds a good idea, but I think you're hugely underselling your transferable skills. I know of a school leaver who's gone onto a base salary of £22k in recruitment (not suggesting recruitment should be your next jump, but an example of someone with no experience and no degree).

I really think you need to scale up what you're actually losing financially, and pitch yourself at a similar level.. The pension alone is hugely unlikely to be matched in the private sector. Losing £14k gross, plus holidays, plus pension...it adds up to a lot. This is not just a £14k pay cut. This doesn't mean you should stay in a job making you ill, but don't assume you can't get anything else at a commensurate salary.

Do it. My DH currently earns £85k but hates it. He's starting a new job/career in the new year with a starting salary of £35k but it's something he's dabbled in before and really enjoyed so figured it's worth a go! We spent a lot of time discussing it and what it would mean financially long term but ultimately think it's worth the risk.

@backoffice

Yes, go. But don’t undersell yourself. I’ve recently left the NHS and found a job paying the same as I was on in a private company - look in cities: salaries are higher but most jobs are now WFH.

Take a month or two off - spend that time applying for jobs at 40k or so. Don’t lose confidence. Get a mentor. The extra salary will make up for the time off!

Basically think like a man: you deserve good money! You are experienced and will be an asset to another company. You’ve got lots of experience. Jump.

I need this mindset!

@DriftingBlue

Should you leave teaching if your heart is no longer in it? Yes! It’s an incredibly challenging career and there are so many other options out there.

Should you take this particular, much lower paying job? Perhaps not. Your skills could help you get into any number of more lucrative fields. If you are certain this is your best path to happiness, then take it, but don’t just take the easy job. Look at all your options. Also don’t underestimate the cost of quality holiday child care. It’s not so hard to find someplace to send your kids, but the places they tend to beg to attend year after year often don’t come cheap.

Thank you. I just don't think I'm that skilled. I teach a niche creative subject, I've been a HoD and am organised and can meet deadlines. I am a good presenter/speaker/performer. I used to be good at commanding a room full of kids but I don't seem to even be much good at that anymore! I lBut I never seem to meet the 'essential' criteria that jobs at my salary level ask for. Just the woolly stuff like communication, organisation but that doesn't make me stand out. I just can't figure out who would employ an ex music teacher for any decent salary. I don't even have a masters or anything like that. I just feel like my applications will be laughed at and thrown swiftly on the no pile

I left a job in law for a lower paying job in university administration. Similar difference in salaries to yours. 4 years later and I can say it was absolutely worth it. My current job gets stressful too but never to the same extent.

Well I have just done similar actually. Similar salary to yours and a bigger cut.

I CANNOT describe how chilled out I now feel !

I figure I can get back to my old job/salary so am going to see how it goes for a year and if I need to up the wage again I can do so.

If you can afford to then definitely give it a try.

1. Try part time
2. Try supply teaching
3. Try a different school
4. Consider admin or a different role in a school? You get the holidays, but the pay is rubbish.

In your shoes I would go part time. Then you still get the holidays with your kids. Maybe more of a work/life balance will help you like it again?

Being a mother isn’t important?

Before you jump ship to the low-paying job, do some research on burn-out. It sounds like you are looking for someplace to hide out while you recover from the trauma of your current job. (Or maybe I'm projecting...)

Anyway if it IS burn-out then your job at 23k won't satisfy you, and you will regret it, I suspect.

Could you drop to 2 days a week in your current job, and use the other three days to be looking for another job? Maybe you could also pick up some temporary work teaching music theory or as an accompanist, it's good money and rewarding and the kids actually want to be there (usually) although I appreciate the hours might not fit with family life well.

@Talktalkchat

Being a mother isn’t important?

@Talktalkchat where did I say that?

I'm mid thirties post grad and on 26.

I once took a big salary cut to go to my dream job from a job I hated. I couldn’t afford it really either but told myself I would do it whilst I applied for other better paid jobs. The new lower paid job was for a company that would look good on my CV. It did pay off for me. Within 6 months I did find a similar great role on more money and my career went onwards and upwards from there. If you will be able to manage financially I would take it and really try to progress from there

Can you move to a private school? My cousin taught in an inner city sink school and was, as she said, managing behaviour, not teaching. She moved to a private school and said it was like a completely different job. Small classes, no behaviour problems, motivated kids, pleasant parents. Or move to an international school. The DDs’ American international school was stuffed with Brits fleeing the national Curriculum.

I would try part time first. Then another school. I'd be a bit wary of the Independents, to be honest. As a music teacher the co-curricular expectations could be huge. I teach in an indie and will need to go part time soon, to prevent burnout. Yes, behaviour is easier, but they will want their pound of flesh.

I did something very similar about 15 yrs ago. I left a job paying £65k to a job paying £37K. I didn't look back..... apart from now as I consider the change in pension as I'm getting older (I also subsequently took a number of years out to to have kids).
I would say as you're mid 30's go for it - but just plan for the future and ask for pay rises!