Leaving teaching to work in a shop

[crochetmonkey74]

Anyone done this? I'm very tempted. I have a 20 plus year career behind me, but it's becoming more and more unsustainable. I've been looking at all the staff in waitrose and other christmassy places and feeling a real pang of jealousy for a simpler life. Anyone left teaching and done similar?

I've clarified everything in this post. Wasn't meant to be patronising, also I don't enjoy the holidays any more to the extent where its a deal breaker .
Understand there are still stresses but if you read the full thread you will see the full picture

Friend of my mam's quit teaching after 20 years to go work in a garden centre. She's so happy and absolutely loves her job, and is always popping over with free plants for me. She's a different person from the very unhappy woman I knew a few years ago when she was reaching the point of burnout with teaching. Her light has come back.

Could you do tutoring instead? Online, from home?

I have worked in a large supermarket and also in schools, although not as a teacher. In the supermarket I struggle with the monotony of the work, it's just so repetitive and I don't use my mind enough. I like dealing with the customers as I have strong people skills but a lot of what I do is just putting stuff out and it's really boring and can be physical. For me, I think I might like a smaller, independent shop better.

You already work in a school so you deal with parents and all the madness that comes with that. I would say working with the general public in a shop is probably the worst thing I can think of. I worked in retail for over 10 years from sales assistant to manager. Mind numbing, rude people, always asking you to work longer, clearing up before/after shift usually unpaid 30 mins either way. Unless you are contracted to specific weekdays you can say goodbye to most of your weekends.

Unless you’re thinking of going p/t they are usually very unaccomodating in terms of sickness and taking time to look after your children if they are off sick. Retail over Christmas is awful, the run up, rude people when everything they should have bought weeks ago is out of stock. People complaining that you close early on Christmas Day, Boxing Day - they can’t really imagine why some poor idiot working in retail would want to spend time with their own family.

Depending on the store you will be on a sales target or KPI for everything you can imagine.

You couldn’t pay me enough to back to retail, I was chronically depressed and big factor was the general public speaking to you like you weren’t educated otherwise why would you work in retail. Teaching is hard yes, I know there is a lot of extra work that goes into everything that you guys do but don’t be wearing rose tinted glasses at someone trimming the Christmas tree at your local White Company. I worked for several decent brands and they all treated their employees like shit.

Retail is horrible.
Go for a factory or distribution centre instead.
More likely to be set hours/shifts and you don't have to deal with the public.

Not sure I’m adding anything new but I very rarely post anything and have to say I am currently a teacher and did work in retail until I was mid thirties.

a) teaching in the last twenty years has changed and is tougher than ever. Unrelenting pressure, far less respect from everyone, it’s mentally and physically hard and the goalposts continually move. Even the holidays aren’t enough to stay now. I’ll stop here as I’ll start ranting!
b) retail has long hours, lower pay and high demands and BUT even in management I didn’t have so much do do before and after work. The targets were tough and the public were challenging

Things are harder in both sectors now BUT I am looking at getting out too.

I am seriously thinking of more manual work like a garden centre or postman! I will struggle financially but …

lots of people in the same boat but I intend to do something about it soon.

try the Facebook page ‘life after teaching …’ I think it’s called ? For ideas and support

😉

I worked in an upmarket shop in a career gap and it was crap. Treated like a teenage whilst being managed by teenagers (well, not quite but nearly).

Teaching may seem rubbish and perhaps you need a change, but shop work isn't great.

Yep! I quit teaching after 10 years, I was deputy head of dept. The safeguarding was insane, I worked 100+ hours a week and finally quit after I was assaulted in the classroom.

I took a job working in a local shop - I sold sports equipment. It was brilliant and I made some great friends. I also volunteered as a NT gardener on my day off.

I had a baby as Covid hit and decided not to return to retail - I was offered the chance to retrain as a gardener. I love my job now, have taken a number of related exams and run my own business.

The the pay is better per hour worked than being a teacher - if you consider those extra hours and I can fit working around my child.

Leaving teaching was absolutely the best thing I ever did. I’ve been away from the classroom for about 7 years now 🥳

I'm a teaching assistant at present and worked in retail many years ago - I absolutely loved it and wish I'd stayed . I miss the camerardarie the most , it was blooming hard work physically, but the days flew.

If you did 10 years in retail before teaching are you (not wishing to be indelicate) close to 55? At 55 you can take your teaching pension with an actuarial reduction. That really frees you up as you only need to top up your income. I did it (35 years of teaching) and do a day or two a week of supply now. That’s equally ‘clock on, clock off’ but uses your skills. It’s a tough job, but doable with experience.

I have worked in shops. I have been a teacher. Retail is definitely a simpler (if not always easier) job. However, there are loads of things you will miss - not least the pupils! There are tons of places that employ education officers (museums, art galleries, science centres, outdoor facilities, theatre companies, opera companies, ballet companies, etc etc) and who would love to have an ex-teacher on board. Don't dismiss supply work out of hand - you can pick and choose your job (I loved it). There is also private tutoring, and college work if you want to stay in education. However, if it's a fresh start you want, stop thinking about it and just do it. Nothing to stop you returning to teaching if you change your mind later on.

If you’re serious about leaving teaching, think carefully about the reality of only having 4 or 5 weeks off a year, instead of 13. Think also about the reality, if you’re working in a large supermarket or similar, of working in a 24/7/364 business. You will probably have to work crazy hours in December, including Boxing Day & over New Year.

Think also about the reality of dealing with Jane & Joe Public all day every day in an environment in which you have zero authority, status, autonomy, power or sanctions. At best, people will look down on you, patronise you & assume you are an idiot. If you’re working in Waitrose in Nicetown-on-the wolds every day, that may not be too bad. If you’re working the late shift in an inner city Tesco Express where you have to wear a body cam to deter scumbags, drunks & junkies from assaulting you, it might be fairly unpleasant.

Think also about the managers you will be reporting to. Many retail managers are not highly educated professionals & don’t give a toss about politeness or niceties. They will shout at you, swear at you and publicly belittle you. And if you don’t like it they will tell you to fuck off.

I understand OP. I worked in restaurants for years when younger and that feeling of going home knowing tomorrow is a brand new day definitely is great even if the actual work was backbreaking (and enjoyable).

I love retail for dealing with people but it’s back breaking, longer hours and I’ve worked the last three Christmas eves until half six

Ps I only got three bank holidays off in two years

I have done this and, actually I don't find it patronising! It is simpler. I love coming home and not having to rush my kids to bed so I can start planning, marking and prepping resources until midnight. I love not having to negotiate the staff-room politics and the petty management styles of each new leader. I love that I don't have to reinvent the wheel with each new government telling me I've been doing it all wrong for the last 25 years.

Intellectual stimulation you will not get at the same level, don't get me wrong, and a lot of staff will be bemused if you try and discuss politics or Dostoevsky. Though at the same time, there are lots of uni students and older people who have also made the choice to take a step down from more challenging professions.

It's unrelentlessly physical, on your feet all day work - but so's teaching! Hours can be much more flexible. Getting time off in actual school holidays though - that's a bit of a challenge. But if you don't have young children not so much of an issue and outweighed by the advantage of being able to go away at cheaper term-times!
Also food discount and overtime when/if you want it as other perks.

A dream job! 🪴

Well certainly hasn't been my experience of managers,in my store they are mostly lovely and very professional, despite not being highly educated..
And you don't have to work Boxing day or New Years Day.

My aim is to get a job that I can walk away from at the end of my shift, and not worry.

Have you worked in schools ?😂Honestly I have never experienced the level of abuse in retail that I got from some parents. Physical attacks from children. Headteachers suspecting you of assault because a parent made an accusation based on what their precious little terror said!
The only thing I miss is the children, so many of them are actually delightful.
But for me it's worth the pay cut. And helping customers can be very rewarding.

Just be careful what sort of role you go for in retail - supermarket roles can be physically demanding and there's no such thing as sitting on a checkout these days. Self service only needs manning by a handful of staff, checkouts are minimal and opened when needed. Most staff are needed for replenishment which is non-stop and hard on the joints especially the knees and shoulders, and especially if you're not getting any younger. Teaching is a hard on the brain and emotionally tiring but you'll not need a knee replacement from it.

Agree with pp that you're much less likely to get abuse from customers than at school - I worked in retail for 5 yrs and hardly any issue from customers. Assault/abuse in certain schools is commonplace.

I know someone who left teaching and became a hospital receptionist, she's very happy with her decision

Taught for many years in fairly senior roles. Schools changed so much and the job is now often really really tough. I took early retirement and work part time in a supermarket. Hard work (physically) and a few nobheads but in general the public are lovely.
I don’t give work a second thought once I leave until I turn up for the next shift.
Pay is the real issue as even full time hours won’t pay the same as a full time teaching job.