Experienced Social Worker looking to jump ship in the UK - ideas?

February 11, 2013 10:32 PM

My husband is a very experienced social work manager specializing in elder care. We live in the UK and are moving to another part of the UK (Northern England) for my job. He'll be leaving the job he's held for over 10 years to come with me. He'd like to use this opportunity to change careers but isn't sure what he might be able to do in this economy. Details after the break.

Some more information about my husband:

- He's in his mid-forties
- He has a lot of social care and social work management experience but wants to leave the field because he's burned out from fighting all the cutbacks and needs to get out
- He has a law degree (but has not completed the legal practice part)
- He does a lot of work for his union including representing employees at tribunals
- He loves to write and is very good at it

He's not a very social person so anything with a sales component would be right out. He's applied to a number of jobs such as running a drop-in centre for the homeless, working as a trainee investigator for the IPCC, and even jobs in his field such as managing independent housing. Unfortunately he's been rejected without interviews and is getting discouraged.

What would really help us is - any ideas of types of work that might suit him where jobs might be obtainable? Any ideas about how helpful the job centre will be (neither of us has ever visited one before)? Anecdotes about job searching in this economy without getting too discouraged? Anecdotes about people who have left social work? Many thanks for any answers you can give us.

posted by hazyjane to work & money (3 answers total)

My first thought was to get him work as a Paralegal. Perhaps for the union, or in an advocacy practice.

I did a quick search, using Yorkshire as a location. There were a couple of positions. I'm sure a more thorough search will yield better results.

Husbunny changed careers, he had been an RN, then he took some classes and became an actuary (he's a math genius and had an advanced mathematics degree, before he went to nursing school.) Even if your husband has to do some formal stuff for certification, I really recommend it.

A career where you're miserable is no way to live. I was happy to live in an apartment and clip coupons to insure that Husbunny was happy. He loves his job now and to know that he's happy is the most important thing.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:27 AM on February 12

Are you moving to a city, or a town? What are the main industries in the area?

I ask because I grew up in a former industrial town in the North-West which has little pickings for jobs (most people who leave school at 16 without going on to secretarial/beauty/building trade school end up in manual, shop or factory work) but the biggest employer in the town is the council, so he may have the same issue in terms of cutbacks. Manchester, on the other hand, has a lot more in terms of legal work, political positions and other industries such as media or publishing not common to small towns.

'Rejected without interviews' may well be down to two things 1) employers can be extremely specific about what experience they want and how specific to the position it needs to be now 2) if it is an area where few graduates stay/settle, then the law degree has probably made them decide he's 'overqualified'/'won't stay'. In the case of my small town, when I moved back after graduation there was nothing available at all and I was constantly being told I was 'overqualified' for office jobs when applying - the unemployment office had no idea whatsoever what to do with me as they thought anyone with a degree would be able to walk into a high-paying job. Both times I've signed on I've found they struggle in advising professionals for whatever reason and I felt I was patronising them by telling them that I knew how to conduct a job search and that applying for a job in an Asian-language company would not be ideal, even with my experience in the industry, because the only Urdu I know is quite rude. (The best job advice I had by far by anyone in the system was from the lady who processed my Housing Benefit form - and even then she was surprised that it was possible to be unemployed with a degree. Of course, we know right now it's entirely possible.) However, this may be dependent on the area and with the economy turning down since then it may have changed.

If he is claiming unemployment benefit, be aware that voluntary work, unless it is with a registered charity of which they approve, will lead to him being deemed 'unavailable for work' and any benefit stopped. I found this when I asked whether I could take on a short-term unpaid internship in order to increase my chances of getting a job. If he's not too burnt out, though, voluntary work might at least give him something to bring up at interviews and a way of getting to know people who might be able to give him leads.
posted by mippy at 9:28 AM on February 12

Check your MeMail.
posted by essexjan at 9:48 AM on February 12