How the fuck do I get a job?

[CaptainCarrotsBigSword]

Just had another rejection, after a second interview that went really well. Crying now so please be a bit gentle (am not on AIBU for that reason). Also this might be long, sorry.

I am trying to get back into full time work. I used to be a teacher, got up to head of department but lost the love for it / got fed up with all the shit behaviour and long hours, so didn't go back after my second mat leave.

Had a couple of years off completely then started working for a further ed company; job title was quality manager but essentially I was there to try to get them through Ofsted. I understood that I was meant to be helping them to improve their practice so they would be compliant, came to realise they wanted me to find ways to trick them through Ofsted without really changing anything. Despite being on nearly double what I'd earned as a teacher, I wasn't happy with the level of dishonesty & deceit I was being asked to take part in and I decided to leave after 18months ish.

Was without work for around 8 months and then managed to get a very part time job (under 8hrs a week) with a branch of the local council.

I desperately need to get back to full time work. NOT TEACHING. We are on debt and struggling and it's not fair on my DH to have to shoulder all financial responsibility. But I have been applying and interviewing for months and I'm getting nowhere.

Essentially it's breaking down in one of three ways:

1. Applying for jobs at the top end of the salary/ responsibility / seniority that I've held in the past = not getting them as not enough experience. Fair enough tbh.

1. Applying for midling level jobs in terms of salary and responsibilities. Getting though to final stage interviews, but losing out to someone with more direct experience or just not scoring quite as highly as another candidate.

1. Applying for jobs at the bottom end of salary and responsibilities. £25k jobs. Not getting because they think I will get bored or want more money or want to move on too quickly. This was the case for the one I got rejected for today, even though I'd said very clearly in the interview that I was happy with the offered salary as I was moving into a sector I haven't worked in before and I was really enthusiastic about the role and the company (genuinely so).

What the hell do I do? It feels like a can't get a job no matter what I do. I have too much experience or not enough. I don't have enough qualifications or I have too many. I'm forty years old and I'm shitting myself that I am never going to be able to get another career. I can't go back to teaching, it fucked my mental health and left me suicidal, I'm still on and off antidepressants now, years later.

I just don't know what to do from here.

Less than minimum wage job? and below the £25 k the op quotes as a lower job

Less than minimum wage? What?!! It's a school they're hardly going to break the law it's not some dodgy takeaway!

It is a minimum wage job over 44 weeks a year in which you are expected to give/do more that your hours

So yes- less than a 52 week minimum age job and in reality less than a 44 week minimum wage job.

You are paid for 44 weeks - 39 term time plus holiday pay.

I think there's a massive difference to a band 8a job though and basically anything band 6 and below. I have seen people go in from outside healthcare at that senior level like you but not at the lower levels. As PP said it is crazy as you can learn how to use a medical record or appointments system in a couple of days but they always backfill from the lower band roles than recruit externally. I agree with PP that it also doesn't mean we always hire the best people for the roles and we miss out on so many people with transferrable skills who would be an asset to the NHS.

Anyway will stop the derail!

Good luck OP, I do think a lot of job hunting is just a numbers gain tbh. You just have to keep at it and something will work out eventually.

Wow. I’m sorry that happened OP.

I worked for the civil service years ago at officer level (MAFF, now DEFRA, I believe). I had no experience bar typing (yes, I’m that old) and the only question I was asked was ‘when can you start?’.

Things have changed a lot. Its so, so hard now, they all just seem to want ‘five years in exactly this role’ as experience and no flexibility on that.

Try Brook Street agency. They have civil service jobs on there (no where near as hard to get into as the civil service interviews) and I know that after a certain time working as an agency worker the civil service offer a more permanent contract dependant on your performance. Here is a link:
http://www.brookstreet.co.uk/jobs

This website has vacancies specifically suited to former teachers.

https://jobsafterteaching.newzenler.com/theboard

I got a non clinical band 6 role in the NHS. NHS England currently going through a long drawn out restructure so if looking for a job in the NHS it would be best to look for one in a trust for the time being.

Do you still work for the local council? If so look on the internal jobs register. All the local councils I have dealings with are desperately short of staff (especially for those customer facing roles at approx £25K or PA type roles).

It is unlikely that you will be able to get a more senior job right now as they tend to like you to have experience of that role or very clear transferable skills from your work experience. But once you are working there, you should easily be able to find better roles and with your experience of working there you would be a strong candidate.

Most councils do not want CVs and covering letters, they want applications with a paragraph for each 'who is the person' point that explains clearly how you meet it, with examples. It takes much longer to do, but you have a much better chance of getting through with this approach.

Good luck

Go back to applying for Civil Service. This time generate examples for each of the behaviours and strengths they’re assessing using GenAI. Now you’ll be on a level playing field with people who know how civil service interviews are assessed.

There are very few generic civil service jobs at the moment

My cousin gave up teaching when her son was born and after moving around a bit now works for a university. It's going into schools etc around the move into uni but a lot less stress and she can do part time.

https://awarding.org.uk/
Probably a few jobs on here you could do, or at least will give you some inspiration.

Look at sales roles with educational publishers and awarding organisations, most are WFH. That is what I moved into after teaching. I've done lots of different roles, but spent my last 10 years in digital product management. I am an individual contributor, no line reports and I earn the same if not more than a lot of primary school headteachers.

Or editorial work for publishing if you have an English degree

Don't use AI to generate answers unless you change it into your own words - it is completely obvious and you end up with candidates writing or saying similar phrases. Tbh I think it will mess up the entire application and interview process.

Do retry civil service. How about a regulation type job, or assurance, given your experience.

Honestly, just lie. Either that you have more or less experience as that seems to be the problem. Men lie like crazy in the hiring process, why can't you.

Go through an agency

Can you work as a personal tutor to posh children of rich parents?

Do personal tutoring for local pupils in a homework club set up in your home?

Child-minding?

Freelance tutor who travels around the local vicinity?

On-line tutoring?

Apply to work for Osted?

Hi @CaptainCarrotsBigSword Don't be disheartened, there are lots of jobs out there. Do look again at Civil Service Jobs, I just had a v quick look and there is an HEO policy apprentice role in Leeds with DfT, starting on 32,603. They are running an information session tomorrow at 12.30, but you have to register to attend.The job ref. Is 343181. We have recruited lots of ex teachers and they have all got promoted really quickly. Good luck.

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread.

https://sra.tal.net/vx/appcentre-SolicitorsRegulationAuthority/candidate/jobboard/vacancy/2/adv/

This is a good flexible organisation to progress in.

Could you manage North Yorkshire to Birmingham once a week? Cheap Travelodge on the outskirts?

More realistically there are admin jobs being offered at York university - pay is decent. I'm sure there is similar at Leeds.

Consider the STAR technique for interviews.

https://uk.indeed.com/hire/c/info/understanding-the-star-interview-format?gadsource=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwh4-wBhB3EiwAeJsppN5nIEu3AvQhzzG-W3jkuhGgHs0HvcaOrsadEXudJxlRRQvQB3V0RoCk3sQAvD_BwE&hl=en&gbraid=0AAAAADfpQqtOXBL7ilS1cEmo36Cgc2Nc5&aceid=&co=GB

I have been a teacher for 17 years, desperately trying to get out (or go international but have committments here in the UK). I work for a supply agency and barely scrape by, as I could not cope being full time anymore.

I was a TA for a while but the travel costs ate into the meagre wage.

I feel for OP so badly, as I am 42 and thinking why did I go into teaching?!!

I apply for loads on Indeed to no avail (admin, retail, hospitality you name it).
I have had dark thoughts as I feel desperately trapped and skint. Teaching is like walking into the trenches, and has caused me to have panic attacks, break downs, health issues over the years.

I also no longer want to be in education but am finding it almost impossible to get out.
I was even considering applying for a Masters in social Work as the NHS give you a bursary to train, but I donlt think mentally I would manage that role either.
I have no solutions but I empathise immensely.

If I had known teaching would take so much from me and leave me in this position I would never ever have gotten into it.

I am sorry and hope you and OP find something better too x

Hi,

Sorry if I've missed this as a suggestion by someone else, but your degree and skills are certainly not useless as you mentioned before....

Have you considered training manager/consultant type roles? I know a number of very large engineering companies who have teams focused on providing training (both internally or to clients) - training in this sense needs a fair few comparable skills to teaching (even if you are supposed to be dealing with adults!) and I've never seen anyone consider an English lit degree as useless when trying to prepare clear and concise training material.

This has the added bonus of not dealing with children so no ridiculous paperwork, marking, parents, ofsted etc. and instead focuses on efficient ways to impart knowledge to people who often actually want to learn it!

anyway thought I'd mention it, and good luck!

Hi, I've not read the whole thread so sorry if other people have already mentioned it. There's this brilliant Facebook group called Life after Teaching: Exit the Classroom and Thrive. Lots of fantastic advice there.

@Freckles81 please consider social work again. You don't have to do children. You could do older adults or mental health. My job is lovely and there's less pressure. Lots of former teachers on my course. Apply to one of the fast track schemes and you'll be qualified in a year.

Thanks for this- I will reconsider. Good to know you enjoy your job and there are lots of ex teachers too! I saw a fast track scheme but it was specifically family and children social work, so will keep looking. Thanks for this- appreciate it!