Career change at 30 - options?

[timbob]

I've had thoughts running about in my head for a while now about a possible career change, but given the field I currently work in, I'm unsure as to my options. I have a Music degree and have 10 years experience of teaching - both one to one instrumental lessons, but more recently over the last few years as a classroom teacher in a secondary school.

For various reasons I'm beginning to think that teaching in the classroom is not a sustainable long term proposition for me (it really does take over your life - week nights, weekends etc) and I'm thinking of looking elsewhere. Hitting 30 has perhaps brought this realisation closer to home, in that if I'm going to make a career change, now is probably the time to do it rather than in 5 years (which could easily become 8 or 10...)

The problem is obviously finding a career and making the jump. I can't quite start at the bottom - I'm earning in the mid £20k region at the moment, and can't drop below £20k for a starter job in a new career. I'm numerate (A level Maths and Further Maths, AS Physics), obviously very strong with interpersonal/communication skills, working to deadlines and used to a fast paced working environment working in a school. I'm also technically minded in terms of DIY, fixing stuff, strong with IT (no coding experience though) and sound engineering equipment.

I've thought about looking at accountancy, or something based in finance. Friends have speculated about jobs in the commercial sector in corporate training. I'm not sure there are any local, stable jobs in sound engineering (broadcast engineering, radio?) and I'm not sure where to start looking in terms of finding something!

I'm not really looking for a golden egg, but perhaps some useful ideas or things I've not thought of might pop up out of a discussion.

[rog007]

You've mentioned your skills but not what you would enjoy; it's quite an important factor.

[oldbanger]

If you are numerate and articulate, there are various police analysis roles where an entry level salary would get you around £24-26k pa. Beds isn't recruiting for any analysts at the moment, but they are looking for qualified or unqualified financial investigators (those who can demonstrate the necessary attributes to successfully attain and maintain accreditation. ... good IT skills (in particular Excel), be inquisitive, decisive, have the ability to work alone and in a team, show initiative and independence, have problem-solving skills and be tactful and polite. They must have personal integrity and be able to work accurately and pay close attention to detail. )
If you are interested in an accounting/finance role, this is an interesting one. No two days will be the same ...
https://tri-force.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/a...

[blindspot]

Legion Etrangere?

[dojo]

Thought about myself when was your age (also looked at going into classroom instead of 1-2-1).

I suppose what it comes down to is there is no way (for me) to earn the same money in the same amount of weeks. I too am fairly DIY minded - I figured the best was to spend my holidays doing work on the house and get run down flats with a view to do up and BTL, that way I'm still making cash when not 'working'

You can still get a decent pension with classroom & chance to climb the ladder. Are you in State or Private??

[Hoofy]

OPer, you could learn something technical even ITish and then become a trainer. On the plus side, people are paying to be there, on the downside, work may be more contract-based. I do know of an SAP trainer who only has to work 6 months of the year (choice thanks to big pay).

oldbanger said:

If you are numerate and articulate, there are various police analysis roles where an entry level salary would get you around £24-26k pa. Beds isn't recruiting for any analysts at the moment, but they are looking for qualified or unqualified financial investigators (those who can demonstrate the necessary attributes to successfully attain and maintain accreditation. ... good IT skills (in particular Excel), be inquisitive, decisive, have the ability to work alone and in a team, show initiative and independence, have problem-solving skills and be tactful and polite. They must have personal integrity and be able to work accurately and pay close attention to detail. )
If you are interested in an accounting/finance role, this is an interesting one. No two days will be the same ...
https://tri-force.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/a...

Sounds like a cool job.

"investigators disrupt a criminal’s ability to fund further crime and remove their incentive by creating a continued deterrent"

I think I've watched far too many US crime series. I just have a mental image of coming home one day, opening the door and finding someone sitting on my sofa with a gun pointing at me, just as I'm about make a run for it, an accomplice sneaking up behind me and clumping me on the head. Then I wake up tied to a chair ready to be tickled with a knife for an hour because I upset Mr Big.

Edited by Hoofy on Thursday 12th February 14:24

[groundcontrol]

rog007 said:

You've mentioned your skills but not what you would enjoy; it's quite an important factor.

+1

Also depends what you want to get out of a job. Personally my aims are to be left alone as much as possible and also to be as far away from the public as possible, which is why I became a train driver (freight). Well paid and you certainly don't take your work home with you. Plenty of starters at my place over 30 (up to mid-40s), I'm one of the younger ones at 26.

[oldbanger]

Hoofy , I've met a couple of FIs. So far all of them seem to have their appendages still attached, so I suspect it doesn't happen that often

[simoid]

You say you couldn't afford to drop salary by £5k or so, could you make it up with music if you did find a promising M-F 9-5 job?

For example half a dozen pupils, or a gig a week for a band?

[nick_968]

Get onto a management trainee scheme with a decent main contractor in construction and re-train as a contractors quantity surveyor. It is a good fit with your skill set and within 5 years you could be earning double what you are and probably more if you are any good.

[Hoofy]

oldbanger said:

Hoofy , I've met a couple of FIs. So far all of them seem to have their appendages still attached, so I suspect it doesn't happen that often

And what about the ones you haven't met because they've disappeared?

[timbob]

Thanks for the input so far chaps, not been on the computer all week to catch up... Half term weeks are usually "real life catch up"!

In terms of what I enjoy about my current job - one of the things that I do enjoy about teaching is that I'm not tied to a desk all day. I enjoy the personal interaction (although not the 30+ disturbing knocks on the office door every lunch break!) of the job and I'm not convinced that a job on my own sat at a computer in an office is the way forward for me.

I like working on something and getting it done, and having something to show for it. One of the things I dislike about teaching is that nothing is ever finished. I also dislike the fact that probably half my workload seems extra work generated by micromanagement to prove I'm doing my job properly. I'm fully aware that a degree of this probably exists in most professions these days, but I'd prefer to be judged on the end result of a project - that sort of thing.

The Police job looked interesting, but despite being a Bedfordshire police job, and the Beds Police HQ being only 5 miles from my house... the job is in Newmarket!

Quantity Surveying does sound good however - engineering/construction interests me, and it does seem a good fit with my skills, and what I'd enjoy. I'll look further into it.

I wonder what else there might be out there...?!

[AnimalBob]

I was on an internal training course a couple of weeks ago and met someone who used to be a teacher but recently moved into sales.

The business I work for manufactures industrial printers, we were on a course learning how one of the models worked.

The sales woman said that she found the move from teaching quite easy because she already had the presentation skills. She got to drive around the country visiting customer sites and I think she enjoyed the variety of it.

[Polarbert]

I don't have a lot to add, but I read something recently (which is probably bks) that says it takes about 7 years to master something, so you can have 11 chances at becoming fantastic at something in your lifetime. It was one of those motivational articles, so it was probably mostly bks.