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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Which job would you go for?

31 replies

MustardAndKetchup · 05/03/2022 17:20

I’ve been a teacher for 7 years and am currently working in an independent school. I like my job more than I used to, but I’ve had this inkling for a while that teaching really isn’t for me. I’m exhausted all the time during term time, and feel like every day is survival. I also already feel jaded by the cycle of the academic year, the pointless staff meetings, the sense that everyone just sits around reinventing the wheel constantly…etc. In terms of salary, I have some management responsibilities, and am on 52k.

I applied for and have been offered a job with a charity, two year fixed term, for 45k. It’s basically my dream job, and what I’ve always imagined myself doing.

Concerns: pay drop. Is it silly to switch to a job where there is a pay cut and no obvious scope for pay progression, unlike in teaching?

Fixed term nature - is it a bad idea to move from a permanent contract to something that’s only guaranteed for two years?

Would you stay in the teaching job, with the security but sense that it’s not really ‘you’, or take the pay cut and short term contract and go for the charity job?

I’d really appreciate any wisdom from people who career changed to the third sector. I’m 31 so I feel like, if I’m thinking of settling down in a few years, maybe I’ll appreciate the security of teaching? Or should I go for this whilst I have no dependents and think about coming back to teaching later? (Probably not on the same salary though)

Teaching or charity job - WWYD?

OP posts:
OwlinaTree · 05/03/2022 17:24

Depends how soon you are thinking of settling down and starting a family etc. It's not amazing mat pay but it's pretty good, and it's a good job to do with children due to the holidays.

However, if your heart isn't really in teaching you might be better investing time into finding a new career before you are having to focus on family life etc. It's not really fair on the kids you teach either.

Hard choice OP, good luck.

MischievousBiscuits · 05/03/2022 17:26

It's a hard one.
Firstly, if you were to take the new job is the reduced salary likely to cause a big difference to your current quality of life? I'd start by going through your bills and commitments and deciding if its feasible.
What is the job? Is it definitely your dream and not something you're looking at through rose tinted glasses? Could it be not what you're expecting and leave you feeling the same way, or do you know it will be different? I think it's a situation to let your heart have a say but make sure your head is happy with the decision.

confusedlots · 05/03/2022 17:26

You're young and if you think teaching isn't for you I'd get out now. You have time to get experience and progress in the future in a new sector. Life's too short to be in a job you don't like, and I would say the complete change will benefit your mental health, and that in itself is worth the pay drop.

I took a pay cut of about 10k when I had to find a new job after being made redundant. It wasn't as bad as I expected and the change of role gave me a lot of new found motivation, and I've since worked my way back up closer to my previous salary.

Firefliess · 05/03/2022 17:33

I moved into the third sector on a similar kind of salary drop. The new job is less stressful and less pressured than the old one, but I do feel a bit that I've stalled my career and can't see me staying too much longer. I think the level of challenge probably matters as much as the salary. I find myself in meetings with people who're much more senior to me, but I don't think are particularly good, which makes me feel a bit like I've messed up my career choices.

Lookingforatimeslip · 05/03/2022 17:34

I’d personally take the charity job. You can always go back to teaching if the job ends and you’ve nothing to progress to. Will the pay job mean you can’t pay the bills? Whilst you’ve got no dependents, I’d try something new.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 05/03/2022 17:36

You’re only 31. If you not happy in your profession now, you’ll be really miserable for 30 years. I think you’ll regret giving up the opportunity for your dream job. £45k is not a bad salary!

At 34 (no dc) I moved jobs - not quite profession but a very different role within the industry. It was a £5k paycut. I’ve never missed that money, and have learnt to cut my cloth accordingly. 17 years and 2 children la later I’m still there. Not the same actual job, but a more senior role within the same dept of the same organisation.

Do it while you are young, have no regrets.

needingpeace · 05/03/2022 17:36

Give it a go I reckon.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 05/03/2022 17:39

Posted too soon. 2 years fixed term is plenty of time to gain experience and opportunity (and funding ?). Abd if the charity job comes to and end- supply teaching?

Original poster
MustardAndKetchup · 05/03/2022 17:58

Thank you everyone. These thoughts are all really helpful. I think I would just about be able to cover bills, but not with a huge amount of wriggle room. And yes @IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads (love your username!) I always forget about supply teaching! Thank you for the reminder.

OP posts:
Goatlady5812 · 05/03/2022 18:27

I’ve left a 37k a year term time only job in a school to do something completely unrelated and for about 15k less…… my heart wasn’t in it anymore.. the red tape is horrendous and it’s not actually about the well-being of the kids more the league tables…

7eleven · 05/03/2022 18:47

Take the new job.

Cosmos123 · 05/03/2022 18:56

New job.
Sounds like a fantastic opportunity.
After 2 years experience more doors and opportunities will open up.
Life is too short.

LittleSnakes · 05/03/2022 19:00

What’s the new job? Is it management? What’s the culture of that particular charity like? Is there the possibility of extension if it goes well?

cuno · 05/03/2022 19:02

I'd go for the charity job, it can lead to lots of amazing opportunities (and yes, with better pay as well), but it's not like it'll close the door to going back to teaching either. Teaching isn't going anywhere, but opportunities like this don't come about every day.

Aniita · 05/03/2022 19:05

Is the charity job actually what you want to do day to day? Or is it that the charity is something that you hold dear? That would make a difference to me i think.

(Ie I'd be very tempted if it was the first, no way if it was just the latter.)

TheHoptimist · 05/03/2022 19:07

@Lookingforatimeslip

I’d personally take the charity job. You can always go back to teaching if the job ends and you’ve nothing to progress to. Will the pay job mean you can’t pay the bills? Whilst you’ve got no dependents, I’d try something new.
Cant go back at £52k though That is untypical for 7 years teaching
GreMay1 · 05/03/2022 19:11

I would take the charity job now OP mainly because happiness is essential and 45k is still a good salary. It may lead you onto other things go for it.

Once you have kids it's so difficult to move fields you don't have that tie though.

Elsielouise13 · 05/03/2022 19:18

Consider your pension loss of TPS plus pay isn't portable any more so you may need to return at MPS if you wanted to return.

Also 25 days plus statutory BH isn’t very much when you are living it.

And finally, third sector organisations can really struggle for funding. Leadership can be either focussed on cost or, sometimes just weaker than you’d expect with a focus on reputational risk rather than leading. By that I mean not dealing with organisational issues because of concerns about negative publicity because, ‘we are a charity’.

Also, many teachers leaving STPC find themselves surprised about what the rest of the world expect from employees. It’s just as demanding’on the outside’.

Having said that, I did make that change. Am a senior leader in a third sector organisation and absolutely love it.

If it is your dream job I’d say go for it!

DontLookBackInAnger1 · 05/03/2022 19:21

There's SO much more to life than money. You get one chance at life, don't turn down an opportunity to enjoy it more for the sake of a small pay cut.

Both salaries are excellent. Choose what you WANT to do, not what you feel compelled to do.

Crocmonsieur · 05/03/2022 19:28

Definitely go for it while you still have no dependants. Teaching will always be there to come back to. You only get one life - do what makes you happy!

livinthedream1995 · 05/03/2022 19:29

If you can afford the pay drop, I’d go for the charity job. If it’s looking like there’s not going to be any scope for extension beyond the 2 years, you could always look to go back into teaching again even if it was just a stop gap until something else came up. Life’s too short to be stuck in a job where you’re not feeling it “just in case”, particularly in a profession like teaching which I can imagine is so stressful.

alwaysmovingforwards · 05/03/2022 20:06

Most of us give more hours a week to our work than anything else.
And life’s too short to not find it enjoyable / challenging / engaging.

As they say, find a job you love and you’ll never work another day of your life.

Smurf123 · 05/03/2022 20:49

Where do you teach if 45k is a pay drop! I'm also a teacher and been teaching a similar length of time (a year or 2 more than you) and 45k would be significantly more than my current salary.
In saying that though I love my job and working with the children so I wouldn't change. If you don't like it though there's no point in staying and the children and parents will likely have picked up on it if your hearts not in it.

EmmaStone · 05/03/2022 23:18

As a PP has mentioned, your salary is only one factor in your 'pay'. You should also be considering your time off and pension, these are all part of your package, and mean you'll likely be taking much more than a £7k paycut.

Original poster
MustardAndKetchup · 06/03/2022 08:35

Thank you, everyone. Lots to think about here. And yes, the pension is something to think about in terms of pay.

Also @EmmaStone, yes, the holiday drop would be tricky but I am always ill and exhausted at the beginning of holidays (as in, literally spend the first few days with extreme nausea and only able to sleep) so I wonder if being able to space out holidays more, take more long weekends etc rather than this all or nothing thing with teaching might actually be better.

OP posts: