A bit overwhelmed

Smandiville

Hi all!
New to this so please bear with me. Anyone who takes the time to read this and then give me their views - thank you so much!

I’m going to bullet point as I find it easier and I’m sure it’s easier to read than a big chunk of text.

- I currently work as a Team Leader at a residential/supported living unit for adults with learning disabilities. This is with the council. This is basically lower management, supervising staff, holding meetings, inducting new staff, auditing, budgeting etc. but also doing a little bit of care work still.
- I started as a support worker and have worked my way up to a senior support worker and then a team leader.
- I have GCSEs but no A levels or degree.
- I have completed various courses and an NVQ2 and 3 at work.
- I’m good on the computer and can type quickly. I’m pretty organised.
- I’ve done this for nearly 10 years. My shifts are not set, different every week and consist of earlies, lates, sleep ins and alternate weekends. All bank holidays including Christmas and new year. I feel like I’ve done my time with the dreadful shifts and I’d like something a little less antisocial!
- Have just purchased our first home which happens to be 100 miles away from where we live now.
- The council I work for are one of the last with ‘in house services’ eg they provide care with council staff and not private. So when I move the equivalent job I am in currently is a 10k difference in pay. I don’t think I can do this job with the same shifts for 10 thousand pounds less a year. It’s a stressful job (a lovely one, but very stressful).
- I am aware that I have transferable skills eg knowledge of care legislation, CQC etc and managing people...but I have no idea where else other than in the care setting this would be relevant. I’m dreadful at this kind of thing so have been searching ‘health and social care’ aimlessly on job sites for weeks and getting nowhere.
- My current manager has suggested something training related to share my knowledge of care or something at a uni - but I’ve had a look and I can’t see anything that I would be qualified for. She also suggested a team leader/management position at an agency providing care for homes etc but again I’m not sure how to get into that.

Any help or guidance would be hugely appreciated. Just feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment. Moving from home to our very own house...leaving my job of 10 years. As an aside, I was in a fire several years ago which caused me to have facial burns and scarring so I get a bit panicky when having to think about new things. Once I do it I’m okay - I think it’s the thought that’s the worst part so perhaps that’s why I’m being a bit dithery!

Scorpio33

So to summarise:

- Currently a team leader with 10 years experience in a field that has little opportunities due to local government funding (or lack of)
- Qualifications:some GCSEs and NVQ 2 and 3.
- Currently you love the role, but hate the shift work.
- Just purchased house in a different location.

To me, I would think about about what you would ideally like. What is it about the role you currently enjoy? Then think about your ideal role (no matter how crazy it sounds). When I was made redundant, the question posed to me was: Lets pretend money was no object. What would you do with your days? From there, you get an idea as to what you enjoy. Then think about how that translates into a realistic job. Then once you know what your ideal role, think about how your next role can get you towards that. You won't get to where you want straight away, there will be steps indtween, but you will get there.

You have transferable skills, particularly around managing people, working with different people and the care sector. If there is a gap (say in terms of qualifications and / or experience) to get to where you want, think about how your current role can help you gain that. For example, is there a course your manager would be happy to send you on? Or is there something in your workplace that would give you more experience of where you want to be.

Blatchford

The "go to" jobs that I see around now are actually care commissioning - the buying and managing of all those contracted out services. I would have thought your experience might be a route into that, and I see a lot of fast tracked promotion - many councils are screaming for people with commissioning staff and are constantly poaching off one another!

SadieO

Then think about your ideal role (no matter how crazy it sounds). When I was made redundant, the question posed to me was: Lets pretend money was no object. What would you do with your days? From there, you get an idea as to what you enjoy. Then think about how that translates into a realistic job. Then once you know what your ideal role, think about how your next role can get you towards that.

This is exactly what my husband did when he got made redundant. Wrote a list, starting with his absolute fantasy dream job, then jobs he would like, then ones he would be okay with, down to ones he really wouldn't want unless desperate. It was actually quite fun to do and really helped him focus on what to look for.

Would you be interested in/be able to afford to go back into education? Given your caring experience would you be interested training to be a nurse?

username901

Where are you based?

Smandiville

Scorpio33,
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. Your summary was accurate! That’s a really good point to think about. I do enjoy my job but I do need to think about where I want to be and how I can get there. If money were no object I would read all day with breaks to fuss and walk my dogs! But yes - I see completely what you mean and I need to have a good old think about this. Because of having bought our house I’m limited on what I can do before I move but you’ve definitely given me some direction. Thanks again!

Smandiville

Blatchford - yes this is kind of along the lines of what I was thinking - something still connected but less of the shift work etc that comes with being a carer. Just need to work out how to look for jobs in that area now! Going to do a bit of googling I think.

Smandiville

SadieO,
What a great suggestion! Yes it would absolutely be something I would and have considered but now is the absolute worst time for me to be thinking about doing nursing training due to just having taken out our first mortgage and the difference in pay anyway is making a big impact on how I’m looking for jobs. I’m not sure I could manage the training too. But it’s definitely something for me to think about in the future. Thanks so much for replying.

Smandiville

Username901,
Currently in Hertfordshire. Moving down to the New Forest area, near Lymington. So could potentially travel to Bournemouth or at a push Southampton.

amandacat

Have you considered becoming an NVQ Assessor for health and social care. You could share your knowledge and skills with others and you mentioned getting involved with training.

My step daughter took this route and you need to gain an Assessor qualification but my step daughter got a job doing this and her employer put her through the Assessor qualification. She now visits care homes and puts staff through their NVQs. You do need to be able to drive.

If this appeals have a search on Indeed/totaljobs etc

Smandiville

Amandacat

Thanks - hadn’t really considered being an assessor - definitely worth looking into. Thank you for the suggestion!