How to explain career change in interview

[LanaL]

MN are going to be fed up of all my posts about this civil service job I have applied for so I do apologise!

Im a teacher and I hate it. I only qualified 18 months ago . I did 7 months in a permanent role and it almost led me to a breakdown . I’ve since done a year on supply. I can’t financially stay on supply long term and I can’t bear the thought of going back into a classroom as a permanent teacher . I had some regrets whilst training but saw it through and deeply regret it . I’m getting closer to 40 and I just want a job I’m happy in and I’m not work shy - I need to work full time too . I also want time with my children and the job I’ve applied for seems ideal - flexi time , an element of working from home , annual leave . With supply I’m working term time then have to work in the holidays too at another job . I’m applying for a customer service role and actually worked in customer service for 17 years on and off before teaching . I’ve submitted the application and hoping I get an interview .

My worry is how to explain my desire to change . How to convince them I know I want this job . If I was an employer I would question how reliable I am if I gave up on teaching so soon.

Realistically, it’s because I’ve researched and heard so many ex teachers say it’s so much better and a better work life balance . It’s not much difference in pay , I feel like I’ll have more quality time with my children and it’s a job that may not be as challenging and , in some ways exciting I guess, as other jobs could be but I feel like I’ve worked in a similar area and the idea of a desk job that I can switch off from once I finish and not take home with me , as well as the flexibility and chance of progression - just seems perfect .

But how do I word this ?

In that circumstance, I'd be truthful but in a way that I would imagine was easier to understand.

e.g. I really wanted to be a teacher because of the difference I thought I could make to students lives and future potential. In reality, I found elements of the role detracted frrom that, such as the stress of dealing with really poor student behaviour and the increasingly restrictive curriculum. I know customer service gives me a similar opportunity to help people that I was hoping for from teaching and so I want to get back to that.

I have done quite a lot of recruitment and would say that I’ve never been overly interested in why someone want to leave their present job. It’s much more interesting to me to know what they can bring and why they want the new job. I would put emphasis on the positives of why you want to come back to customer service, and work in why you are particularly skilled and suited to it. It’s fine, I think, to say you’re looking for a better work/life balance too.

Civil servant here. They’re not going to ask you why you want to change career from teaching. In interviews we have to ask everyone the same questions so it’s fair. (I think it’s different for senior civil service which is deputy director and above, but that doesn’t sound like what you’re going for.)

You might get asked a warm-up question (which won’t be scored) and that might be why the job appealed to you, but they won’t be looking for a justification of you leaving teaching. And in the main part of the interview you might get follow-up questions asking for more detail about the examples you’ve given, but they’re not going to randomly question bits of your CV.

If you look at the job advert, there should be a list of what’s going to be assessed in the interview. For example it might say behaviours and strengths. They’ll have the same questions for everyone. You really don’t need to worry about this. We get lots of career changers! Best of luck to you.

Thank you that’s really helpful ! I sent the application in yesterday and today I had an email to say I have a pre recorded interview !