Can't get an interview

[Unemployedexteacher]

As per username, I am an ex-teacher. I quit teaching due to a huge number of issues and want to stay out of the education sector. I taught secondary English (literature and language) right up to A Level. I am hoping to move into copywriting/content design/other writing roles.

I have applied to about 80 jobs this year. I have adjusted my cv as per all advice and highlighted what is relevant (I worked in the non-profit sector before teaching). I have sent covering letters which detail how I meet the requirements, and included a skills matrix that lists each requirement and where my experience matches or where I have a transferable skill.

I have gone through LinkedIn, Indeed, Total jobs etc. I tried a couple of recruiters but they just kept putting me forward for teaching roles.

I have had nothing. Nada. Not even an interview. I haven't put my DOB on cv but going from education dates it's obvious I'm mid 40s. Is it my age? I know it is illegal to discriminate but how would anyone know, as its easy to just state I don't have the relevant experience.

And if it's not my age, where do I go from here? I've followed all of the advice and still haven't got anywhere. I am so despondent and down-hearted.

A friend of mine quit full time teaching a few months ago and she has now found a job in marketing. She is in her 40s. It wasn't easy but she go there in the end.

She did some supply teaching through agencies while she was looking for a permanent job and also some tutoring. She did have a background in marketings and comms before she became a teacher but it was a few years ago.

One word of warning though I recently moved into a marketing and coms role after a few years doing project management role for charities and I must say I hate it so I am job hunting again. One factor is that people working in social media, website and marketing can be really young and I feel out of place as someone in her 50s so I want to move back into management.

Also agree @Redqueenheart - I'm mid 30s and often get told I'm quite an older applicant for marketing roles.

Absolutely gutted tbh

@hoppingreen of course not, but I don't want to spend hours applying for nothing.

Perhaps I just don't want it enough.

Fair enough. I appreciate it’s hard when you put in effort for nothing
If you really wanted it you would try though

Sorry OP, but the brutal truth is you may be setting your standards unrealistically with the jobs you are applying for.

I would expect copywriting and content design recruiters to hire candidates that have experience in the industry. Ie a portfolio of work they have completed, vs just transferable skills from a different industry. Although you are educated and probably a good fit for the role, you’re too much of a wild card to them without industry experience and with a recent career gap.

I would recommend:

1. applying for other work too, entry level roles can help you get a foot in and close the career gap
2. build a portfolio of work relevant to the industry you want to enter, as you’ll improve your chances of getting an interview by showing them what you’re capable of vs telling them. It’s a visual field
3. looking at self employment or freelance roles. maybe take on some small unpaid projects for your portfolio which can help you secure the salaried role

I would also recommend working in civil service. Loads of ex teachers join and your skillset would be valued. There’s probably jobs in copywriting etc but loads of other roles you might enjoy - check the website. For example there’s well paid PAs to senior civil servants who proof read their work and send communications on their behalf to senior staff. There’s also digital departments for content design. Policy and strategy could also be a good fit for someone who enjoys writing.

No, don't be sorry. You've vocalised what has been floating around my brain. I think I was overly optimistic about my chances when I was looking to leave teaching - because I needed to just get out. Now I need to have a real re-think about my approach. Thank you.

Was this aimed at me? I said that I actively didn’t want to work for Ofsted. I’m also an HE lecturer and did either FE or both at various points throughout my teaching career, so get off with your hierarchical bullshit. Not really useful for you to comment when you have no idea of anyone’s background or expertise, but I can see it gives you a little dopamine hit. Your attitude sticks of people I met who worked for Ofsted who tended to treat teaching staff as if they were students in Year 9.

Talk about your achievements in your career, and your transferrable skills - update this according to the job specs and explain why you are the best candidate for this job, then list the places you worked for, your title and that's it, don't list the tasks you did on a daily basis

That'd because very often they pay shit money and expect the world. They attract youngsters with all their 'team building', 'client entertainment' and 'work nights out'.

It's a toxic industry. Im incredibly grateful to have escaped it.

If you want work/life balance, marketing isn't it.

Honestly copywriting and marketing is such a saturated market at the moment that without quite a bit of relevant experience you probably won't land a role.

@girlmom21 too true. I'm in Cornwall. It's a national min wage job here. Job ads always state experience needed.

In the next few months, I'll be looking at retraining from marketing into something else to get out of it all.

The question is where can my marketing experience take me? Especially in a county with so few opportunities...

One for another thread in the future.

I know someone who went from teaching to police headquarters, not sure what department though.

Yes this is a brilliant idea! Yesterday I saw the police were recruiting all sorts of back office roles that looked REALLY interesting!

It was an advert on LinkedIn!

@IIlostmysocks are you savy with a computer? I know a couple of people that went from marketing into website design

@missbipolar I am actually, I love coding! My knowledge is a little rusty but if I start doing refresher courses now I'll be tip top by the time I want to change careers. Thank you!

@Unemployedexteacher pp are correct in saying nobody will hire a copywriter without previous experience, sorry (DH is a writer and several of his work friends do copy-writing for big companies but they all have years of experience). In your shoes, he would recommend you build into your new career using your old one as leverage, ie look for writing work within the education field where you have that expertise to start to build up a portfolio of work.

I have seen people with your skills transfer into
Internal Comms

Policy drafting - HR, civil service
IT sales - take a technical concept and turn it into plain English.;
Instruction manuals.
Tutoring - overseas students for entry interviews, prep for transferring to schools here. Handy as time differences can sometimes work in your favour.
Standard exam tutoring but that's often outside school hours

Agree with others who say you can’t just walk into a copywriting job. Content design is even more specialist and you might even want to think about doing a course or qualification in it. I used to be a journalist and even I didn’t get any interviews for copywriting roles when I was looking to leave. I have now got a non-journalistic writing job but that’s because they specifically wanted to hire ex journalists. Building up a portfolio is essential if you want to get into that kind of career but you will probably have to start at the bottom.

Try the civil service. Currently 900 entry level jobs Advertised (EO), plenty of opportunity for promotion. When we have been recruiting I saw a lot of teachers, put all the ones through I saw for interview as they had good examples.