To be trying to find a job I love

[edinburghoreo]

I am in 25 and decided to resign from my job as a teacher because I was miserable. I am aware while typing this may sound 'snowflake-y'.

My degree is in education. I went straight into teaching from university and immediately realised it wasn't what I imagined it would be. I tried a couple of different schools and different year groups and despite excellent feedback / appraisals it was the external pressures (more and more unrealistic expectations beyond job role, lack of funding impacting support for children etc) that just made me feel depressed. Earlier this year, a child in my class died and I think this was the final straw in what I felt able to handle. I lost about a stone in weight over this academic year due to stress and felt I was losing myself to the job - despite being being told I was performing as an outstanding teacher.

I -naively- resigned before getting another job (living at home), with my last wage coming next week as it is the end of the 6 week holidays and my contract.

I feel completely burned out. I thought this was the career I wanted and genuinely can't think of anything else I would 'love' to do. I just want something that is less emotionally taxing but I wish I could think of another career path that excites me.

I have spent the summer applying for admin type jobs that I'm not particularly passionate about but would just be grateful for a job at this point. Getting rejected for minimum wage jobs that I have the transferable skills to do has been humbling since I was paid very well for my age as a teacher at 35k. I thought I would be able to find something but have since realised it was stupid to leave my job without an idea of another career / path.

I just feel depressed really and wanted a reality check - am I being unreasonable to try and hold out for a job I want or do the majority of people work at jobs they don't like? At this point I'm thinking - if I'm going to be unhappy in my job regardless maybe I should go back to hating it on 35k rather than trying, and failing, to get minimum wage jobs that I don't particularly want.

Sorry to be depressing x

What about teaching abroad ?
What about teaching in a private school ?

Have you looked at NHS or Civil Service jobs

35k was a good wage !

Always easier to get a new job while you are still employed
You have lots of transferable skills

Why was there no support at your previous school or pastoral care for yourself ?
Do you need some counselling ?
Some employers offer free counselling support

35k is not a good wage! It’s attitudes like that that keep wages low in the UK.

That aside, OP have you looked into going into sales at all?

What do you want to do ?

I disagree
35k is a good wage for a 25 year old
There is time to progress to a better wage

It sounds as though you've had a tough time this year in particular.
Teaching is a tough gig, even when you love it. If it isn't everything you dreamed of, it's a real shame especially after you've spent so long at university etc.
Having a break is probably what's needed. Get some counselling, if you are still in a teaching union they and/or your employer will have access to an employee support line.
Teaching abroad may be something to think about, when you've had a break and got your energy back. Or working in a different school, although you've already tried that.

Bless you, sorry for the loss of one of your pupils, that must have been awful.
Can you do some private tutoring while searching for something more permanent?

Thank you - I will look into the Civil Service. I was reading that they assess people for jobs based on competencies (rather than their previous experience as such) so that may help me to transition across. I could also probably do with some counselling now that I've thought about it.

The other thing to do is to see if the university you did your degree at still has their careers service open to you. They could give you advice on what to do with your degree instead of teaching, especially graduate schemes.

I know there are much higher, just going off of my friends of similar ages etc but you're right about UK wages being low in comparison to other countries.

I feel so lost because people keep saying 'what do you love?' and I thought it was teaching. Other than that I love animals but don't think I could retrain as a vet with a teaching degree. I haven't looked into sales but have looked at recruitment. It seems high stress but also high reward with commission etc. Do you think I have transferable skills for sales?

What about a teaching recruitment agency? Partly ed, partly sales.

As well as Civil Service, look at your local council. Things like Family Time Conference worker or Virtual School Worker for kids not attending or for children in care. It’s not all just social work in Children’s Services (you may know that but it’s a common misconception)

I was Secondary Science for 16 years. Got out the same reason as you in 2013. Should have done it earlier and I still pine the career I really wanted but I couldn’t do it.

I work for my local council now, organising the meetings for children in care, child protection, children with disabilities, etc. I don’t have any contact with young people any more, but I’m not really bothered about that. At least I don’t want to “leave my life” now, either.

All councils have access to the Apprenticeship levy, so as soon as I had done my probation in my current job, I applied for the Business Administration Apprenticeship and I’m about 8 weeks in to a 15 month course, which I am enjoying so far.

What about private tutoring

I’ve had lots of careers. You e plenty if time to become established in another role. You pick up skills and experience from every job and take it with you to your next one. Teaching is not right for you now (you might return in the future, nothing you can’t try again). Try something else. Don’t worry, it’s no longer a job for life scenario out there.

Thank you @youalright @FrodoBiggins I am going to look into tutoring and think it might be good option for this in between period while I'm looking at other career options.

Thank you @Nessiesfoodprovider for the heads up about asking for advice regarding other options with my degree / graduate schemes - I will definitely look into this. I think like you say maybe I will feel differently about exploring opportunities after a break / counselling.

Thank you for your advice - teaching recruitment is a good shout to explore and I'll definitely have a look at my local council, I really hadn't thought about that and the transferable skills for those roles. I'm sorry to hear that you had a similar experience with teaching. It was just unsustainable for me and I think you're amazing for doing it for 16 years, I was absolutely done after 3. I'm so glad you're now happier in your new career. ❤

How about something within education, might need some more education and training, but if you live at home now is the time to consider this, but not teaching. Occupational therapy, or move into politics, or Ofstead?

You don't have to love your job. Loving and hating consume far too much energy. I like my job. I know many people who tolerate their job, and some who actively hate it. Save the love for other things.

Another suggestion

Do a job which pays well, with benefits & pension

Do the things that you love outside work
Eg
Holidays
Hobbies
Time with family & friends

Do you want to teach? What’s your dream job?
you’re so young with so many options open to you though some would require retraining.
residential support worker in children’s home
graduate social work track
speech and language therapy
educational psychology (would involve a conversion masters then a doctorate)
civil service
early help support worker
portage worker
charity work
youth work

It’s good for a 25 year old a few years out of uni in a public sector job.

Supply while you apply for roles? Tutoring? Teaching abroad? General grad schemes - they’ll all open this autumn - most require you to have graduated within the last three years, though if you’re four years out that still might be ok.

Does your uni offer careers advice to its grads? Some do for up to 5 years or more. They may have access to some pscycometric tests etc to help you.
otherwise search career personality tests- lots online are free. Gives you some ideas.
Tutoring/ supporting home learners etc worth a look? Local home ed groups?

God, you poor thing. I’m not surprised you’re burnt out. I went back into teaching last year after a decade out (starting with supply) and I couldn’t get over the huge proportion of ECT’s and those with only a couple of year’s experience there were, compared with experienced teachers. (Plenty of ‘Assistant Heads’ though, whatever the fuck they are.) Direct reversal from when I used to teach.

I honestly think teaching is becoming a ‘burn and churn’ career now, so much pressure, so early on.

Having said that, it is always something you can return to, you are very young. At the moment you are understandably exhausted but if it was always something you really wanted to do it will always be there.

I’m living proof of that, and decades older than you! Good luck with whatever you decide.

Forget a job you love, it's a fools game.

Aim for a job you don't mind and make your non job time the thing you love

Get the non job time nailed and you'll be surprised how much of an ok job you can happily tolerate.

Don't however settle for a job you hate, that's definitely not something you can't sustain

I just wanted to say well done for taking this step. I know how hard it is to walk away from something you are invested in.

I felt like this when I started teaching in my 20s and I really really wish I’d been brave enough to move out of it. However i now have a mortgage and kids and can’t leave. I’m trying but it’s really difficult to find a job at the moment.

What about educational psychologist?

Good luck- you’ve done the right thing

If you did an NVQ or BTEC level 3 in Animal Care and combined with your QTS you could teach animal care in college.