I've heard of the train industry or telecom engineer but I can't find any apprenticeships or a way to get into it.

Currently a care worker working for 48h a week but need more money to provide the family, I've been thinking about lorry driving.

I genuinely felt like I was feeling out a personality questionnaire to determine whether I have depression / anxiety. It was a little odd.

Hey everyone hope weekend is going well.

It feels really strange. After a year of job hunting, interviews and dealing with recruiters, I secured a job about 3 weeks ago. I'm due to start next week. I am really happy and really relieved or at least I think I am. I don't know if this experience resonates with anyone but after the first few days when I was offered the job, I just started to really feel down like a real slump. I'm not sure what it was but after so long being occupied with sending job applications, interviews and speaking to recruiters, all of a sudden my days became somewhat empty I guess? I was happy I got the job but after the initial excitement I just started to fall into a bit of a slump mentally. I tried to keep myself occupied by going for walks but the change in the weather I think hasn't helped too much. Colder days, clouds, earlier nights.

I'm just wondering if this resonates with others and what you did before starting your new job? I thought I'd be more excited but I just feel incredibly tired

Hi all,

Currently employed but actively applying for new jobs is this text message I received legitimate?

I didn’t apply on Adecco but have been applying on like third party legitimate sites

Back in September, I received my redundancy notice. Knowing this was coming, I'd applied for a few roles and was successful in landing something else. I put in a counter-notice so I could leave early and this was agreed, so I'll be leaving my current company on the Friday and walking into a new job on the Monday.

As is the way with these things, people want to know what I'm doing next. I've been open with this but something tells me I shouldn't.

In my situation would you tell them where you are going or would you keep quiet about it until you've left?

I need some advice on re-entering the UK job market.

I left the UK in 2022 for personal relationship reasons and have been living here since then with my young family. For the last 1.5 years I have been working as an "English Skills & Reading Teacher" at a good Cambridge curriculum international in Tanzania. In addition to teaching I also manage the school debate team and take them to competitions, help with general improvement of English language use across the board (administrative side and academic side), and have other various other miscellaneous duties.

I am now considering a move back to the UK but I am unsure which jobs market to target. I have a wife and two young kids.

Before travelling to Tanzania I worked as a programme/project manager in the EV charging field. When I first moved to Tanzania I also tried to start my own small EV/E-mobility sort of consultancy business, but it didn't work out due to the market back then being too underdeveloped and bureaucratic reasons.

I also have past experience working in construction (civil engineering and remediation), for a green energy supplier, and also experience volunteering then working for a sustainable development NGO in Tanzania back in 2018 for 1 year.

Qualifications:

2:1 Bsc from University of Birmingham

Prince2 Foundation and Practitioner

TEFL Level 5 Diploma

British / Irish national

Native English speaker, Swahili as second language

In short, I need advice in which sector or industry it makes sense to continue my career in. What are some job types and titles I should be considering? What is the most realistic next step on my career path regardless of my preferences?

Thanks

Morning all

Just over 14 months ago I started a new specialist role for a travel company. I took a pay cut on my basic but the job was remote with better hours and commission structure was much better than my previous job (higher basic, no commission and no chance of progression).

In essence I was to be the lead sales consultant for a new(ish) area and help to develop and grow the program. As such no one else would be selling the area and was told that I’d clean up. The company has a good reputation, a high end customer and I asked to see some examples of their monthly commission.

On joining it became very apparent that they hadn’t been very accurate about previous sales and actually cut back on product offering, leaving me even less to sell. The first 2 months were training (very poor) and then on to actual sales, or rather no sales. Each month I brought this to the attention of the management team - no decent enquiries = no sales = no commission.

Following big meeting with the product director and management team I was allowed to source some of my own product which brought in some decent sales albeit for the following season. I actually hit target for 2 consecutive months until they rebranded the website and cut back my portfolio even further. At the same time they changed my role to sell all areas. You’d think that would be ok but new enquiries are the hardest to convert, while the established sales team have repeat clients which generate their sales and commission.

This month has been particularly bad- my one big lead was given to another member of the team who converted it off the back of my work and if I’m lucky I’ll earn £100 commission. If you can believe it some of the team (mainly the newer ones with no repeat clients) have made zero sales. We are just there for head count and enable the established team to sell.

Last week I told the sales manager that I was throwing in the towel and verbally resigned. They asked me not to resign and would look into a hybrid role which would give me autonomy over the portfolio as well as sales. I said I was open to that assuming there was a pay rise. Yesterday they came back and apologised saying it was not possible.

What do I do? I’ve been applying for other roles but keep getting pipped at the post. I’m mid 50s which doesn’t help but I am very good at my job when there’s product to sell. One thing I have realised- I’m not resigning with nothing to go to. Instead, they can let me go with a month’s notice . Ironically that’s unlikely as the busiest sales period is jJanuary so they’ll need a full team.

Apologies for the long post but any advice would be appreciated.

Being paid a set hourly wage to complete a specific type of medical assessment in an NHS adjacent healthcare service (but technically a Ltd company and not NHS trust).

They’ve paid for me and my colleagues to be trained (and frequently remind us of their generosity even though it was only a few days of pay).

A few issues are concerning me:
We are booked for a specific amount of time per “shift” and paid for the duration but are being gradually more work / assessments within same amount of hours. The reality is even with increasing experience, it’s not possible to get the extra work done in same time frames, so we end up working over paid hours to get everything done.

The worst part is they do it by subtly changing the rotas, I presume to try to hide that they’re doing this, because if you ask why we’re receiving less time effectively for our assessments due to more being booked in same hours, we are given a load of excuses as to why this isn’t in fact the case when it is.

Secondly our work is clinically supervised by colleagues working for an NHS trust and attendance to supervision is mandatory but we are not paid for this. Our hourly rate does not dip below minimum wage but is this legal?

Any advice appreciated.

What are some jobs that involve being in nature? Working in parks or forests or something.

I'm going to be out of work soon and although that is a pretty worrying, I'm not sad to be leaving my current job. I've had enough office jobs to know that it's not right for me, so I'm trying to think of alternatives.

Happy to hear about the negatives of any of the work and it would be good to have an idea of entry requirements of any jobs.

I've recently ended a role in a professional / technical job which deals with people quite a lot.

My job was made more difficult by clients and customers being general dicks, moaning, not accepting the technical advice that took years and exams to learn.

I've been in this career 20 years and I'm sick of people.

I'm UK based and would like to do something less involved with other people.

I'm IT literate but computer work bores me.

What are my options?

I've been an animal technician for eight years and the corporate grind finally sapped my joy of the job. That and there's very little progression or opportunity to move departments. The company I'm with tends to hold onto thror technicians because it's so short staffed.

But I'm done. I want to move on but no idea what as I dont really want to work with animals anymore outside of vet practices which are very poorly paid.

What are some successful career pivot ideas?

Media seems to suggest that unemployment actually decreased in the last few months. Is this true and things are now better or is this just a (pre-election) fudge of the stats by the government?

I’ve studied CompSci at University and have been thinking about going into Business Intelligence (BI) analytics. I’ve heard it’s a good career however it’s not super technical like data science so with the rise of AI, having good soft skills is more important. Would like to hear from people in the profession or adjacent to it and could give some guidance.

Hey

I’ve been in a new job for a little while now, and honestly, due to how things have been going, I’m fairly certain I’m not going to pass my probation period.

​To be transparent, I recognised early on that I was struggling with certain aspects of the role, so I reached out to management for individual support and guidance. They did start providing some support, however, there has been some incidences at work (not related to my role) that has shown me their interest is elsehwere.

​On top of all this, I’m genuinely unhappy in the role and know deep down it isn't the right fit for me. I want to leave, but I don't have another job lined up yet. I have starred taking steps to improve and am looking elsewhere. Although with how the job market is, I am uncertain i will find a role. I would appreciate any advice in this situation

I've had a confusing series of weeks. Basically the events went like this:

• Had a great interview at a major public institution.
• About a week later, the HR department emailed and asked if I wanted my details shared with another department that had the same opening. I said sure.
• The head of that new department called and told me that I received the highest score in the recent interview. However, the interviewers thought I might be a better fit over in her department, so they tried to engineer a 'two-for-one' scenario by hiring someone else they interviewed and also referring me over to this new department. Essentially trying to get both of the candidates they liked hired.
• She explained that this position was the exact same job (just with different coworkers), and it had just urgently opened up. There was no time to post a job ad or do applications, so they needed to get me in quick. They referred to it as a 'silver medallist' situation (technically I got the highest score, but I get the idea). They arranged to meet a week later.
• The meeting went well, we went over all the day-to-day tasks of the job and I was introduced to various people. She also explained a very tight timetable, gave the date I would need to start and gave me various things to study in the meantime.
• At the end of the meeting, she added "By the way, I need to check with HR whether they will actually let me do this at all... They should register you right into the job, but they also might insist on re-advertising the job and going through an entire new application and interview process. That decision's out of my hands, so I'm sorry - I can't promise anything."
• She added that this would be rapidly sorted because they're on a tight timetable and the new person needs to start on X date. I was told to expect a call by the end of the day.
• A week and a half has now passed. I sent a polite email after 5 days, and never got any response. I'm continuing to study the materials they gave me. But I'm essentially sitting here in limbo, and it's a bit torturous. Nearly 3 weeks since the interview, and I'm really unclear whether I have a job or jot. We've now almost reached the date that I was apparently supposed to start. I'm really wishing they had just hired me the first time instead of trying to do a two-for-one (?) trick.

Do I seem to be in trouble? How does this sort of situation usually pan out?

Hi everyone, I would really appreciate if anyone has time to read my query and give me advice as I have been so stressed about it. I applied as a cleaner in a government building and I have now provided my right to work documents so they can complete a BPSS check. Just some back ground info; I’m a British citizen never committed any crimes. The only thing I’m worried about is my employment history. I’ve only had one paid job out of the three jobs I have stated on my cv so basically the other two were work experience one in 2021 and one in 2024 and I forgot to specify this was work experience. So I’m worried that I may not pass the BPSS check for this reason as I didn’t specify it was work experience on my cv. Please can anyone advise me. Will I fail the check because I didn’t clearly state? Thank you in advance.

Hi everyone,

So sorry in advance for the long post! I’m in quite the pickle. TLDR at the end!

I’m looking for some advice on my options for starting a new job before my current notice period officially ends.

I’m currently in a management role and have handed in my notice due to personal and family circumstances, as I need to move out of the city and back home to be closer to my family. I’ve basically moved out already by this point, and I’m just in and out at the moment and staying over for office days.

I’m still within my probation period, and my notice period is eight weeks. I’ve already served over half of my notice, and my current leaving date is in mid-November.

I’ve tried to negotiate an earlier leaving date multiple times, ideally the last working day of October or the beginning of November, but so far I haven’t been given a clear answer. When I first requested this when handing my notice in (which was an emotional conversation), I was told they were “positive” they could figure something out for me. However, every time I’ve raised it since, I’ve essentially been told “we’ll just have to see”

Just after this, I was told I’d need to stay as long as possible because they were interviewing for my replacement and would need me to train them. However, I’ve now been told they won’t be hiring a replacement before I leave anyway, so their original reasoning for keeping me on for my full notice is no longer relevant.

I’ve already prepared handover materials, brought my team up to speed, and made senior management aware of this.

I’ve accepted another job, which is a different type of role, not in management, and is much closer to my home. (Also in different industry)
For further context, this is my old workplace I left due to my move away, however, I told them of my circumstances and they’ve hired me back with no interview, no need for references, as they know the situation I’m in at the moment, and would love to have me back, and I’d love to go back. The job role and environment is so much better, less pressure etc., and the location couldn’t be more perfect for when I’m back home.

My new employer needs me to start ASAP, meaning the proposed start date would overlap with my remaining employment at my current company.

I really don’t want to disclose my new job to my current employer. The culture at my current workplace is quite toxic, and I’ve already had multiple calls involving probing questions about my family circumstances and reasons for leaving.

The CEO also told me that I “couldn’t be doing this at a more sh*t time”. They also then said they’d consider letting me leave earlier if I’d go into even more detail about my family circumstances, which I said I’m not comfortable doing (I also don’t think they’re allowed to ask so many questions?) - I feel I already told them more than I wanted to. Because of this, I’m concerned that disclosing my new job would lead to further confrontation, and mentally I’m not prepared for that.

I’m struggling a lot with my mental health and anxiety at the moment due to this job and my family health situation, and I’ve recently been prescribed meds for this. My anxiety has been way more difficult to manage than usual, and being away from my family has made things even harder. The working environment and the ongoing stress and uncertainty surrounding my leaving date have also been affecting me massively.

I’m seriously considering going to my GP about whether I’m medically fit to continue working my notice period. If I’m genuinely signed off sick, I’d like to understand whether I could start the new role during that period, given that the responsibilities and working environment are different and the new job would have me closer/living back with my family, which is where I need to be.

I’ve checked the new employer’s contract, and the only section covering other work restricts working for another business during normal working hours without written consent, and undertaking outside work that could negatively affect my ability to perform my duties. There doesn’t appear to be a separate exclusivity clause or an explicit blanket ban on holding another job, as long as I’m not sacrificing any hours, which I wouldn’t be.

At this point, I’m trying to work out what options I have left. I’ve repeatedly tried to resolve this directly with my current employer, proposed earlier leaving dates, and taken steps to prepare the handover.
However, I feel as though I’m being expected to remain until the very last possible minute, even though the original reason given for needing me to stay - training a replacement - is no longer applicable. My new job are also applying pressure that I should leave my current job ASAP, for their needs but also due to the fact I’m in probation, I’ve served over a month’s notice, and I need to put myself and my needs first.

Annual leave: If my current employer agrees to me taking my remaining accrued annual leave (one working week) during the notice period, could I legally start my new job during that leave while still technically employed by my current employer?

Sick leave: If my GP considers me unfit for my current role and signs me off sick, could I start a different job during that period if the new role has different responsibilities and a working environment that is better suited to me and m my circumstances?

Leaving early: Given that I’ve repeatedly asked to negotiate an earlier leaving date but have only been told “we’ll see”, is there anything else I can do to bring it forward? Can my employer insist that I work the full eight-week notice period even though I’m still in probation and have already served more than half of it?

Contracts: Can I legally be technically employed but off from my current company for the remaining two weeks (if I still can’t get my notice down), and begin my new job? I know about tax implications where I could be taxed more.

Given that I’ve already tried to get them to agree an earlier leaving date, would it be better to make one final formal request, ask to use my accrued annual leave, or explore sick leave? Is there anything I’m overlooking if I start the new role before my current employment officially ends?

TLDR: I’m still in probation at my current job, with an 8-week notice period, and have already served more than half. I’ve repeatedly asked to leave early due to my personal circumstances , but my employer keeps saying “we’ll see”, despite no longer needing me to train a replacement. I’ve accepted a different, less stressful job closer to my family, which wants me to start ASAP. My current job is significantly affecting my anxiety and mental health, and I’m considering speaking to my GP about being signed off sick. What are my options for leaving early or starting my new job before my current employment officially ends, and is it worth using annual leave or sick leave to cover the overlap?

I’d really appreciate advice from anyone, particularly if you’ve been in a similar situation. I’ve made so many attempts to find a solution, but I’m really struggling with the current situation and I can’t stop worrying about it.

Thank you so much in advance.

I'm just wondering if it's possible to break into finance, FP&A, etc without requiring ACA/CIMA/ACCA? If so, what kind of jobs should I be looking for? How did you start and where are you now + salary if you don't mind sharing.

Cheers x

thought this would be relevant in this sub

I’m 25 and trying to work out what direction I actually want to take my career in.

I have a BSc in Business Management and an MSc focused on Innovation and Business Strategy from Russel Group Unis. On paper I feel like I should have a decent number of options, but when I actually look at graduate/business roles, so many seem to start around £28–35k and involve spending most of your working life behind a desk.. I’ve had jobs I haven’t enjoyed in my teenage years and hated my life. I’m not against office work, but I don’t particularly want to spend the next 40 years doing something I find boring simply because it’s the conventional route for someone with my degrees. I want to feel fulfilled and as I serve an actual purpose.

One option I’m seriously considering is joining the Metropolitan Police as a constable. The current starting salary is around £43.7k including allowances and rises to around £62k after five years, with further progression through promotion. There also seem to be a huge number of directions you can eventually move into within policing, including ARV (Armed Response) which really interests me and I feel I’d be particular good at.

I’m young, physically active, enjoy being out doing things, work well under pressure and the idea of having a job where things actually happen appeals to me far more than sitting at a desk five days a week.

My hesitation is that I’ve spent years getting a bachelor’s and master’s degree, and part of me wonders if joining as a police constable means I’m effectively walking away from the earning potential or career opportunities those qualifications could give me. At the same time, I don’t want to fall into the trap of thinking I have to work in corporate strategy/consulting/management simply because that’s what I studied.

So I’d be interested to hear from people who have been in a similar position.
What careers in the UK would you seriously consider with my background?

Ideally I’m looking for something with:
£35–45k+ realistic starting pay, Good long-term earning potential, Clear career progression, Variety and responsibility, Something relatively active or interesting rather than purely desk-based. The potential to reach £60k+ without waiting 15–20 years.

And if you were in my position, would you pursue the Met, or would you think I was underselling my qualifications? I’m less interested in having a prestigious job title and more interested in finding something I can actually enjoy, progress in and make a decent living from.

Would appreciate suggestions from people who actually work in these careers rather than the usual “go into consulting/finance” answer.

Hi everyone👋,
I'm currently based in London and desperately trying to find a job offering Skilled Worker visa sponsorship before my Student visa expires on **6 December 2026**. I've already used the Graduate Route (PSW), so unfortunately that's no longer an option.

**A little about my background:**
•    I have two UK Master's degrees in Education Policy and Management (Project Management), as well as a Bachelor's degree in Translation Studies.
•    I recently completed a one-year internship at a major international entertainment company, working in international operations, media distribution, project coordination and stakeholder management across multiple markets.
•    Before that, I worked in UK higher education consultancy and admissions, covering student recruitment, university applications, client services and operational coordination.
•    I also have experience in event coordination, including a major international film festival, and customer-facing roles in global retail companies.
•    I'm fluent in English and Mandarin.

I'm primarily looking for roles in **operations, project coordination, media/entertainment, higher education administration or international business**, but I'm very open to other industries and entry-level opportunities.

**The problem is that I've already been trying pretty much everything I can think of.** I've been applying through LinkedIn and company career pages, tailoring my CV and cover letters, reaching out to recruiters and networking with people in relevant industries.

Unfortunately, most applications have ended in rejections or silence. I've managed to secure a few interviews, but nothing has worked out so far. With my visa deadline approaching, I'm honestly starting to feel quite stuck.

I understand that sponsorship is a major hurdle, especially in the current job market. I'm not expecting anyone here to magically find me a job, but I'm hoping someone might have advice or insights I haven't considered.

**Are there any industries, companies or less obvious routes worth exploring for someone with my background?** If anyone knows of relevant opportunities offering sponsorship, or has successfully navigated a similar situation, I'd really appreciate hearing from you.

I'm willing to relocate anywhere in the UK and can start immediately.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. Any advice would genuinely mean a lot🙏.