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At a bit of a crossroads - would love some advice on what to do next!

6 replies

FestiveFrederica · 29/12/2023 11:21

I work as non-teaching staff in a school and wondering what to do next. I get quite a good salary considering it is term time only. I am higher band admin staff. But the job is hugely stressful. I'm considering my options:

  1. reduce hours - I think this would be possible. My work is mainly done in the morning. I hate staying for lunch as it isn't a nice environment to eat in and my afternoons aren't too bad as my work is mainly something which needs to be done first thing in the morning

  2. stay

  3. change roles within the school - there is a job being advertised which I did before in another school. I enjoyed it, but think I lacked confidence in that role. I think I'd be better at it now. This would involve a demotion and pay cut, but it would be manageable though not desirable. Also, it would involve more work with students which i do enjoy. However behaviour in my school is not the best (slight understatement) and I would need to deal with more of it than I already do.

  4. my old job in a previous school is also being advertised! I could message my old manager and ask if they'd take me back. This is the option I'm most drawn to, but it would also involve a pay cut, but I could also walk to work and I prefer the school in general.

  5. find something else completely! I am planning to do this anyway once dcs begin secondary school, so wonder if I should just go for something which involves the skills I have built up in my current role, but in the private sector.

My work is not unbearable fwiw, so I can absolutely bide my time and really focus on applying for the right jobs only and would also be able to do some online training in my free time to help boost my chances. I have never had a specific career in mind since finishing uni and really just want something to pay the bills!

OP posts:
FestiveFrederica · 29/12/2023 13:07

Cheekily bumping

OP posts:
FestiveFrederica · 29/12/2023 16:14

One last bump for more poll results 🤞

OP posts:
compactopera · 29/12/2023 16:59

Since you say you can stick it out and bide your time, I voted for option 5. Why take a pay cut now if it's manageable to hold fire until you're ready to jump to something better?

cansu · 29/12/2023 17:01

Do you need the pay? If you do then it would be madness to take a pay cut unless you are v unhappy or the other job is significantly better.

cansu · 29/12/2023 17:03

Sounds like you dislike this school. Going back to the old job is fine but there must have been a reason you left??

FestiveFrederica · 29/12/2023 18:39

All good points^^! I left the old school to try working with younger children, but that really wasn't for me. I'm firmly a secondary school person. By the time I'd worked that out, my job had been refilled, but now it's being advertised again

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