Strands #290 “You Say You Want A...
Quizzes & Puzzles1 min ago
Disillusioned
14 Answers
I am a teacher and just about had enough. Do you have any idea what kind of responses you get as a teacher when you apply for other jobs? They think you're having a laugh! "But you're a teacher, what do you want to work here for?" Some people for some reason think that teaching is a good job.
The main issue is that I have high qualifications and these are not 'door openers' as we were always told when we were gaining these qualifications - quite the opposite. Nowadays they are 'door closers' and appear to be barriers to gaining alternative employment - "You're too highly qualified mate" is a common response. Why is this?
I am thinking of working from home - but at a loss to find something to do that does not involve me having to try to 'insert' information into people who do not want it. Has anyone out there made a fresh start or experienced the same knock backs that I have? I guess the old saying, "If you train to be a teacher you train to do nothing else." is true - certainly in my case.
The main issue is that I have high qualifications and these are not 'door openers' as we were always told when we were gaining these qualifications - quite the opposite. Nowadays they are 'door closers' and appear to be barriers to gaining alternative employment - "You're too highly qualified mate" is a common response. Why is this?
I am thinking of working from home - but at a loss to find something to do that does not involve me having to try to 'insert' information into people who do not want it. Has anyone out there made a fresh start or experienced the same knock backs that I have? I guess the old saying, "If you train to be a teacher you train to do nothing else." is true - certainly in my case.
Answers
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There is no easy answer. A lot depends on you, your skills, needs, wants, motivators, expectations etc...
20:58 Fri 06th Apr 2012
We both left teaching five years ago because we had had enough, we started our own business (which ended badly) but are back on our feet now. Good luck with whatever you choose to do but please keep in mind the risks of leaving a reasonably secure job (even though you might hate it) and doing something else.
I was a teacher and after a maternity break went into the civil service where I remain. I'm often asked why I don't go back to teaching. My academic qualifications were not required for my current job and have had no bearing on getting promoted either. I do have a chip about senior managers who have got on because of their management style rather than intelligence. I'd try and forget that you are a teacher and look for professions that require degree standard in any discipline or else just keep your quals quiet!
Prudie. I did broach the keeping the qualifications quiet tactic but I spoke to our careers officer and he said that leaving qualifications off application forms is regarded just as serious as claiming to have qualifications that you haven't got. He knew of a person who had worked for a company for over 20 years who was sacked because they found out he had qualifiactions that he had not decalred on his application form when he first applied to his job.
I have 3 degrees and loads of post grad diplomas - his advice was - "Put them all on the form."
I have 3 degrees and loads of post grad diplomas - his advice was - "Put them all on the form."
sorry - but I cannot believe that anyone could get fired after being in a job for 20 years and not declaring a qualification - I think someone has been spinning a bit of a yarn there I'm afraid - employment law would not allow that sort of thing to happen. If you're that worried about being told you're over-qualified, deal with it in covering correspondence when you send your CV in!
I have just put my 25 bed hotel up for sale - we were both professional people and kind of quit the rat race for the same reasons ( ours were we were both stuck in jobs where we couldn't climb any high without waiting for "dead men's shoes" the top man needed to retire to give us a sniff at promotion - and in both cases the top man was no where near retirement age - )
Our Hotel has given us nothing but joy ( lots of hard work of course ) but the ultimate in working from home!! We have had a very good living from it and have put it up for sale this year because we should sell before it gets too much for us and we end up ruining the business -which has grown year on year.
After 10 years we need to move on ( or down to be precise ) for two people of our age it's getting rather a big job. So we are looking for something with about 6 - 10 bedrooms and a slightly less energetic lifestyle
Do you want to buy it ??
Our Hotel has given us nothing but joy ( lots of hard work of course ) but the ultimate in working from home!! We have had a very good living from it and have put it up for sale this year because we should sell before it gets too much for us and we end up ruining the business -which has grown year on year.
After 10 years we need to move on ( or down to be precise ) for two people of our age it's getting rather a big job. So we are looking for something with about 6 - 10 bedrooms and a slightly less energetic lifestyle
Do you want to buy it ??
Nini74
I agree it sounds a bit drastic but I have no reason to disbelieve my source. I'm guessing it was one thing that the employers were able to cite to get rid of an employee that they wanted to get rid of - i know many people who have been useless and sacked for reasons which may, on the face of it, be trivial but when you look at the full picture, employers do conduct witch hunt to gather as much ammunition they can get in order to dimiss someone.
Lying on an application form is one of those offences that can be used.
I agree it sounds a bit drastic but I have no reason to disbelieve my source. I'm guessing it was one thing that the employers were able to cite to get rid of an employee that they wanted to get rid of - i know many people who have been useless and sacked for reasons which may, on the face of it, be trivial but when you look at the full picture, employers do conduct witch hunt to gather as much ammunition they can get in order to dimiss someone.
Lying on an application form is one of those offences that can be used.
There is no easy answer. A lot depends on you, your skills, needs, wants, motivators, expectations etc...
Most jobs need some kind of experience unless you are looking at entry level for which you often need to start at the bottom with a commensurate salary. Could you forgo a comparative wage to what you earn now to get to where you want to be or afford to take further training if needed off the job?
Yes high qualifications can be a door closer, the best way is to get in and prove yourself (ability as well as staying power) and start at the bottom if you have to, volunteer, temp, train... It's a big risk though, the grass may be greener, it might not.
Think of the job market from an employer's point of view rather than your own - if choosing between a number of applicants then do you go for the one who might have all kinds of qualifications (which aren't needed) and comes from a relatively secure and well paid profession they trained long and hard for saying they want a fresh start but may find out they made a mistake and want to go back or do something more related to their qualifications or on more money and they have invested time and money for nothing and at the end of the day business is time and money.
It would be a calculated risk, the key is getting the calculation weighted in your favour and that can take sacrifice to make yourself a worthy investment.
If you are into countryside/wildlife preservation then there are plenty of opportnities for volunteering and, being a teacher, could you capitalise on the school holidays to get involved, meet people, research your options.
I would never recommend hiding important details. Once an element of dishonesty is revealed it, at the least, leads people to wonder what else you might have hidden, failed to disclose or otherwise been less than truthful about and is damaging to the trust of your employer.
Most jobs need some kind of experience unless you are looking at entry level for which you often need to start at the bottom with a commensurate salary. Could you forgo a comparative wage to what you earn now to get to where you want to be or afford to take further training if needed off the job?
Yes high qualifications can be a door closer, the best way is to get in and prove yourself (ability as well as staying power) and start at the bottom if you have to, volunteer, temp, train... It's a big risk though, the grass may be greener, it might not.
Think of the job market from an employer's point of view rather than your own - if choosing between a number of applicants then do you go for the one who might have all kinds of qualifications (which aren't needed) and comes from a relatively secure and well paid profession they trained long and hard for saying they want a fresh start but may find out they made a mistake and want to go back or do something more related to their qualifications or on more money and they have invested time and money for nothing and at the end of the day business is time and money.
It would be a calculated risk, the key is getting the calculation weighted in your favour and that can take sacrifice to make yourself a worthy investment.
If you are into countryside/wildlife preservation then there are plenty of opportnities for volunteering and, being a teacher, could you capitalise on the school holidays to get involved, meet people, research your options.
I would never recommend hiding important details. Once an element of dishonesty is revealed it, at the least, leads people to wonder what else you might have hidden, failed to disclose or otherwise been less than truthful about and is damaging to the trust of your employer.
My advice is to follow your dreams and apply for a job that you;re passionate about. Look at something like these and demonstrate your transferable skills.
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/jobs
http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/jobs
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