career change - hospitality to care

[HIJKLMNOPQ]

Hi everyone,
Ive been in hospitality for the last 20 years. Recently my gran passed from terminal cancer and I helped take my turn of being her carer before she went into the hospice. It obviously wasn’t the nicest thing watching my gran deteriorate however I feel like I have found my passion in care. For every time I made her smile, helping her feel dignified, speaking to her as I would always have rather than the way others changed around her, helping her have some enjoyment in the last stages of her life. Through my job I am a great communicator and feel I could also build good relationships with family members to help them feel secure and supported in their family members care. I have been looking for jobs and was thinking I could write a cover letter detailing why the sudden change in career after 20 years. I was also looking at transferable skills to make sure I mention these when detailing my current and previous work.
Does this sound about right? Any other tips? If I was lucky enough to even get an interview I’m concerned that the questions will throw me with my limited knowledge but I’m not scared to learn something new and get stuck in.
Thanks if u have read this far!

Hi, I've been a senior care assistant for 7 years now. It's a pretty easy career to get into as care homes are so desperate for staff they're willing to train people up with no skills. It's good you have communication skills. You can also use problem solving skills and remaining calm, working in fast paced environments, teamwork. At the minute in care homes person centred care and using a holistic approach is big so talk about that - treating each person as an individual and caring for every need like activities etc opposed to just a wash and support with meals. Safeguarding - knowing signs of abuse and what to do if you suspect abuse. Good luck, let me know if you have any questions

Thanks so much @kiana2015
I’ve been an assistant manager for over 10 years so I think a lot of my skills dealing with difficult situations, teamwork, leadership, showing empathy and so on would also be helpful.
This is great to know thanks, although I know I will have to support a lot with personal care the thing I am looking forward to the most is spending time, caring and hopefully making them happy. My grandfather had dementia before he passed and I loved to see him come alive at the sound of music or the mention of football! I think this would just be so rewarding.
Excellent point about safeguarding that’s a great one to mention. I’m going to be doing my cv tonight so I might well need to ask some more questions!
Thanks so much for taking the time x

Oh perfect, you absolutely sound like you'll be great in interview and the fact you actually want to make a difference to someone's life is amazing. You will be fab Nof a problem? Here if you need

Sorry to be a pain@kiana2015 do you think doing something like one of these would be useful to show I’m willing? Would be able to say on cv that I have started x, y or z to help gain knowledge.

https://www.thecoursemix.co.uk/courses/care-assistant-training-course/

https://www.hlonlinetraining.co.uk/product/health-care-assistant-hca-training-course/

Or is there anything you could recommend? Thank you!

No worries at all! It os really good initiative but I wouldn't waste your money to be honest as no matter if you've done them elsewhere every company makes you do it with them when you start

Hi OP, tbh I wouldn't rush to commit yourself to any training course. You will probably be signed up to The Care Certificate (or you should be). Most care employers get you to do online training, usually in your own time which can be a drag after a long shift. That would be something to bring up at interview - will you be paid for time used for training. Som@e are real cheapskates.
What sort of area are you thinking of applying for? A nursing/care home? I think you will be snapped up. Get some training and experience to put on your cv. What about support worker in learning disabilities? That can be very rewarding and varied- enabling someone to access opportunities in the community. Life experience seems to get people into that area as a career change. Good luck

Also forgot to mention that I am involved with recruitment at my place currently. We would much rather take someone with no experience and caring nature than someone with loads of experience and just basic. The way we look at it, if you're new to the job? We can train you to do the job correctly to whereas someone who has been doing it for years may have bad habits

Hi @CarolNoE thanks for your reply. There are quite a lot of care homes near me. There is one in particular that caters for elderly and frail residents on one floor and those with dementia on another. I’m quite keen on this one. There are others but this is actually somewhere we looked at placing my gran before she got her diagnosis and my parents got a really good feel for it on their visit. I just don’t feel I will be lucky enough to get into this line of work.
@kiana2015 thanks for that, I suppose it makes sense to train people in the way you want them to work so hopefully that will be a good thing going for me! Also where we live gets hit badly with snow and majority of these are walking distance so feel that would be a plus for me getting in but I think I’m grasping at straws to help me get the confidence to make the jump!

Yes that is definitely a bonus, so many people can't make it to work when it snows so they will love that! Try to relax I already know you'll do great and will definitely have no trouble getting hired at all xx

Thanks @kiana2015 it’s a big leap but I feel if I don’t try I will never know. Will let you know how I get on 🤞 x

@HIJKLMNOPQ I left Hospitality Management after 16 Years and went into Care. Best decision I ever made, actually got my life (and evenings!) back
That was 5 Years ago, I had no issues getting a job without care experience.

@chocciechipz that’s amazing thanks for that! The one I’m looking at has set shifts but it’s 4 on one week then 3 the next so definitely looks like a much better work life balance! There are others I’m going to apply for but kind of have my heart set on this specific place. It has so much for the residents to do which I think helps nurture their independence and choice.

You sound a fantastic person to do care work. With your cv, can I suggest you set up a chatgpt account on line, free, drop the job ad and your cv into it and ask it to optimise your cv to that role.
then use that as a basis to personalise😉 your cv and make sure it sounds like you.
good luck!

Thanks @thesandwich I appreciate that. Will definitely give that a try thank you x

Yes please do xx

Omg so I finished my application last night and got a link to click with some assessments.
The first one was about grammar- fine the 2nd was some questions about care some of which I had no idea but did my best guess. Things like here are the stats what was the patients blood pressure.
The 3rd I had to record my answers and submit which seemed so unnatural! I’ve done my best and hopefully will hear back 🤞 Going to look for others to send of to as well, though a few are asking for experience.

@HIJKLMNOPQ hi OP, just came across this and wondered if you have had any developments? Hope you had some success.