What does career progression look like in teaching?

For many teachers, the first few years after qualifying are about getting to grips with learning effective teaching methods, carrying out assessments and keeping a good work life balance but after gaining a few years teaching experience some teachers begin to look at career progression and whether they want to stay as a classroom teacher or whether they have ambitions to be a lead teacher, deputy head or a head teacher.

Gaining promotion may not be possible in the school where you are currently employed as it will depend on whether there is a vacancy however should a promotion opportunity exist in your school it is a good idea to let the senior team know your intention to apply and ask how you could improve your chances of getting the job such as gaining additional qualifications or taking on extra responsibilities in the school. If the school is trying to win awards or get accreditation from a body it may be that you could volunteer to lead in this aspect showing your willingness to take on responsibility.

Should you need to consider moving to another school in order to achieve promotion the application process can be time consuming but should also be seen as an exciting way to pursue a new challenge.

Working in the great outdoors could be good for your mental health

Working in retail, hospitality or in an office environment is not for everyone and if you really want to work outdoors for the majority of your day then perhaps working in the agriculture or horticulture industry may be something that you should seriously consider. Spending time outdoors has been shown to improve mental health and well being so being able to do this and earn a living could be a positive experience.

There are many different roles that fall into this category not just working on a farm as many people may think. Modern technology is changing the face of agriculture and therefore there is an increased need for engineers, scientists and researchers in the field.

Being employed as a farm manager is a career option that may offer the advantage of doing an enjoyable job without the financial risks of owning a farm. There has been a shortage of people choosing this career path in the past so opting for this employment now would be a good choice to make. Jobseekers may be concerned about the reported low rate of pay for agricultural workers however the average salary in agriculture actually exceeds the national average and as the need for food will always be there, job security is assured on the whole.

Setting up your own subscription-based business

Many people have found themselves working from home or even furloughed for the majority of the last 12 months. During this time, you may have been able to consider what it is you really want to do and you may decide that you want to set up your own business.

Ideally you want to set up a business that you have some experience in or one that you have an interest in as this will not only make it easier for you to set up and be successful, but you are more likely to stick at it if it’s something that you find interesting.

Subscription based businesses are booming at the moment. These sorts of businesses offer their customers a product or service often on a monthly or weekly basis for a fee. It may be that they post out a physical product or it may be that they get access to a stream of videos or to be part of an online group.

These types of businesses often have little risk attached to them as you tie people in to a fee and only send the product or give them the service once they have paid. IF they do not pay one month then you can stop the item being sent or end their subscription blocking their access to future services.

Magazine subscriptions have been around for sometime now, but with people being able to view them on tables and phones, postal subscriptions for magazines started to drop off. Offering an incentive to sign up to a subscription is a great way to get people interested. Most companies either offer a free gift when you first sign up or they may give you a free trial.

You can even sign up for subscriptions to flowers not, paying a weekly or monthly fee to have fresh flowers delivered to your door. During lockdown more people have taken advantage of subscriptions as they may not have wanted to or were not able to leave the house, so liked the fact they could get things delivered to their door.

Another subscription-based business that is taking of it meal kits. These types of businesses are doing really well as they make cooking simple and easy and cut down on waste. Someone can sign up and receive all the ingredients they need to make a weeks’ worth of meals in one box. You only get the right amount of what you need so nothing is wasted.

If you are considering setting up your own subscription-based business, be sure to do your research and try and find a gap in the market.

Another subscription-based business that is taking of it meal kits. These types of businesses are doing really well as they make cooking simple and easy and cut down on waste. Someone can sign up and receive all the ingredients they need to make a weeks’ worth of meals in one box. You only get the right amount of what you need so nothing is wasted.

How important is work experience during training?

During training courses in many different industries, students are offered the opportunity to spend some of their course on work experience. This is when they get to work in the workplace alongside employees and experience for themselves exactly what the job entails and is the best way to really find out if that role is right for them.

Usually work experience is organised by the college or university where the student is based but placements can be found independently by the student if they have contacts within the chosen industry. These placements can last for weeks, months or even a year and may be in the UK or abroad. If the work experience placement is abroad this will involve living abroad too which is a fantastic chance to learn a new language and practise speaking it to native speakers.

When starting a work experience placement, it is important to be open to learning new things and to be willing to work hard alongside colleagues. Students may be allocated a mentor in the company who will spend time with the student discussing progress and any difficulties. They may also need to carry out regular assessments on the student celebrating achievements, giving constructive feedback and suggesting clear targets for improvement. All of these things should make the work experience process both positive and helpful.

Making a job share role work

Job sharing is becoming more and more popular as people try to get a better work life balance without sacrificing their career prospects. It is certainly worth approaching employers to see whether they are open to such a job arrangement if you are struggling to keep up with working full time but do not want to give up the role completely.

One situation where job sharing is common is in a school environment. One class of pupils is taught by two teachers whose hours of work are either divided equally or split according to the two teachers’ terms of employment. This is done with the agreement of the Head Teacher, school governors and the Local Authority. Often the teachers agree between them which subjects they will be responsible for planning and teaching and how the workload will be divided. This is of great benefit to the pupils in the class as they are getting the expertise of two teachers. It always works well if both parties have similar teaching styles and are willing to spend time discussing future planning and assessments.

Mutual respect and an equal workload are essential for a job share to work successfully and for each party to benefit by the arrangement.

Self-employment could be the best decision you make

Some people may choose to start up their own business and become self-employed or others may find themselves unemployed because of redundancy and so become self-employed out of necessity but whatever the reason it may actually be one of the best decisions of your life.

The reason for this is that as a self-employed trader you have the potential to vastly increase your earnings in line with how much hard work you put into your business rather than profits going to an employer. You also have the freedom that working for yourself provides, an issue that is especially a concern if you have family commitments as if your business is one that can be carried out during evenings and weekends this may fit in better with family life.

The financial rewards of starting up your own business are often felt after the first couple of years as there are usually setting up costs to deal with but if your business is successful then profits may be seen straightaway. It is a good idea to employ the services of an accountant when it gets to the point of having to submit a tax return as they can advise on the expenses that can be offset against any profit.

Job opportunities after retirement

Some people find that even though they have longed to finish work and retire they begin to miss some aspects of their working life such as banter with colleagues, the structure of the day and earning their own money. It is for these reasons that retirees sometimes look for part time work after retirement but what openings are there for someone in this position?

If earning money is not an issue, then looking for work in the volunteering sector is a good idea. There are many different roles that can be found from working in a charity shop to providing support for a young family by regularly visiting them. Environmental projects in the local community such as clearing overgrown areas by the side of canals and rivers are often run by volunteers and so if you enjoy being outdoors this could be something you could get involved with.

Paid employment may be harder to find after retirement but working in local shops and cafes may be an option especially if you do not mind working at the weekend. Many retired adults have skills and experience that are in demand in a variety of occupations so if you are serious about re-entering the world of work it may be worth updating your CV and submitting it to possible employers.

Are you trying to get back in to work?

Many people have found themselves out of work over the past 9 months, due to the Covid pandemic. It may be that the company they worked for has had to close or lay people off, or maybe you have had to leave your job as it was too risky for you to continue.

If you have been out of work for a period of time you may find it hard to get back into a role that you wanted. There is and will continue to be a high level of competition for job roles as people start to get back in to work.

There are many reasons that people find themselves out of work such as starting a family, sickness or caring for a relative. This may have been something that you wanted or needed to do, but now find that you are ready to work again. Knowing where to start can be daunting. Depending on your personal circumstances you may be able to return to education to gain a qualification that you require to get in to the role you want. If your financial situation requires you to start working immediately then you may wish to register with a recruitment agency who will job hunt on your behalf.

Could you start the new year with a new career?

This year certainly has been like no other. So many businesses are still very much up in the air as to whether they are going to survive this financial year. Many of them are yo-yo-ing between being extremely busy and then having to shut down or run at limited capacity for a while.

If you are thinking of changing career then may be a good time to do it if you are confident that you have the skills and experience needed for the new role and if you think your career may be coming to an end.

people start to look for new careers in January, often promising themselves that they are going to get a job that they enjoy doing and find rewarding.

If you are already in employment then you may want to line up a new job before quitting the old one as competition for jobs is extremely high at present.

If you are not sure what career you want you can always go and speak to a careers advisor or someone at the job centre who may be able to offer you some advice.

Whenever you are looking to apply for jobs, be sure that you have an up to date CV and that you adapt your covering letter accordingly for each job you apply for.

How important are job references?

More and more people are finding themselves in a position where they are having to apply for a job. It may have been that you have been in employment for a number of years but following the lockdown period, the company you worked for may have had to close or make cuts. There are a lot of people in the same position so competition for jobs is high.

When applying for a job you will more than likely be asked to provide at least one reference. They will usually want one from your current employer and possibly one from a previous employer. A job reference is basically a letter or verbal confirmation that you attended a place of work for a certain period. The reference may also include information on your skills and the work you did for the previous company. The idea of a reference is to give the prospective employer an idea of what kind of worker you are.

People can refuse to give you a reference but usually will not unless they have a valid reason not to.

They can detail information such as disciplinary details etc, but all the information they give has to be true.