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The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
The 20 best ‘squiggly' careers where you don't need a degree and can earn £60,000 a year
FED up of your 9-5 and want a job that teaches you new skills, doesn't require a degree, and best of all offers a decent salary? A "squiggly" career could be exactly what you are looking for - we reveal the top 20 best paying jobs you can apply for NOW and earn up to £60,000 a year. 7 7 A squiggly career is a job where you can move easily between different roles or industries. They are very different from more traditional jobs which require you to have certain degrees or qualifications, and then you climb up the ladder in that one industry. Squiggly careers are in high demand, because workers want the flexibility to be able to shake up their career and do something different, Natalie Ellis from the HR consultancy Rebox HR says. Shockingly, almost half of all the UK's workforce are dreaming of switching their career but don't know which path to take, according to research by HR advisory firm LHH. Squiggly careers are perfect to help with a career switch up, and also provide better job security than more traditional jobs - so if you're in the unfortunate position of losing your job, it's easier to transition to another role. Best of all, many squiggly jobs don't require you to have a degree - which is great for those looking to make a career switch without having to take a pay cut or go back to university. "The focus from the gig economy is shifting once more, and the spotlight is firmly on squiggle jobs," Natalie says. "These roles are an attractive proposition - you can earn competitive salaries without spending years and thousands of pounds on university fees. "Roles such as plumber, electrician and carpenter offer great pay and job security, ranging from £30,000 to £50,000 annually." Jobs site CV-Library has listed the top 20 highest paying squiggly careers which don't require a degree. Some require training - although many provide it on-the-job so you can earn while you learn. Otherwise, you can get the qualifications for some of the jobs through evening courses, so you don't have to give up your salary. You might be able to sign up to a free course to get the skills needed to move into a squiggly career of your choice too - but it depends on where you live and how far you're willing to travel. You can find free courses in your local area via the National Careers Service website. See if your dream job is on our list: 'I DOUBLED my salary by ditching my Army job and switching to a squiggly career' SHANE FOOTE packed in his job in the Army to move into a squiggly career as a HGV driver - and has DOUBLED his salary. Shane, 28, earned £21,500 as an infantryman, but grew tired of the gruelling work schedule. He switched careers and is now a crane operator. He earns between £40,000-£50,000 a year, depending on which jobs he takes on. "The only regret I have is not doing it sooner," he said. "When I was in the Army I was getting 30 hours at home all week, travelling home on Friday night and had Saturday and travelling back Sunday. "While I was there I had no money, was in debt, I was just unhappy. Two years after getting out, I bought my first house, got out of debt, and with my HGV licence I've got an influx of work." Shane got the job after putting a post out on LinkedIn saying he was looking to get out of the Army. He was tagged in posts mentioning Veterans into Logistics, which helps soldiers make a shift out of the armed forces. He took a 10-day course to get his HGV Class 1 Licence and the cost was covered by Veterans into Logistics - he just had to pay for the theory test. "The course was five days of manoeuvres off-road and five days on-road. "But you can get it done earlier (if you're good enough). "Veterans into Logistics runs the course. Part A, off road manoeuvres they have their own tester. "But for the on-road test, you go to get a test done like a DVLA car testing office." "I didn't pay anything to get the licence, all I paid for was the theory test which was about £40 - Veterans into Logistics funded the whole thing. "While I was still serving in the Army, living in the barracks, you always hear the grass is greener doing other work. "It didn't take me long to realise the grass is bright green." People looking to get into HGV driving might also be eligible for free government-funded "Skills Bootcamps" that last 16 weeks. You can apply for these bootcamps directly through training providers. Find providers by searching on the National Careers Service website. Highest paying squiggle careers hiring NOW Train driver - £60,850 The highest-paying role that tops CV-Library's list is a train driver. Someone in this role typically works between 35 to 40 hours a week - and you may need to work evenings, weekends and bank holidays. For that reason, it might not be well-suited to you if you're after more of a 9-5-type role. There are three main avenues into landing a train driver role - as an apprentice, applying directly or working your way up from a junior role like a train conductor. You can move into this type of role if you have experience as a depot driver too. Train driver apprenticeship wages vary, but you can start on around £24,000 a year, rising to £60,000 when fully qualified. While salaries for train conductors are worth as much as £36,000. There are only around 58 train driver roles available out there though, so places will be competitive. Carpenter - £45,527 Next on the list is a carpenter, which is one of the most sought-after trades roles and pays an average wage of £45,527. Your day job will include working with wood, such as making, fixing and installing furniture, flooring, roof rafters and staircases. Someone who is details-oriented, enjoys working with their hands and isn't sold on the idea of a desk job would be well-suited to this job. If you've got experience in cabinetry, furniture making or the construction sector more broadly, you could make the transition to carpentry more easily. You'll typically work 40 to 45 hours a week, and may have to do the occasional weekend or evening shift. The main route into becoming a carpenter is as an apprentice, where you can earn anywhere between £15k and £24k a year at the start of your career. There are just under 3,000 carpentry jobs available on the Adzuna website, so plenty to choose from. It cost the charity £3,147 to put him through the course, but the price of getting this type of licence can vary between £2,500 to £3,500. Plumber - £44,529 Another trade offering big bucks is plumbing work - but you'll have to work up to 45 hours a week. You'll be installing and repairing water and heating systems in homes and commercial buildings. It will suit those who like using their hands and are analytical. The most common route into plumbing is to start out as an apprentice. An apprentice plumber earns around £24,000 a year, rising up to anywhere around £44,000 and upwards as they gain experience. Fancy this type of job? There are 3,816 roles out there to choose from currently. If you've got prior experience working in construction, or generally working a hands-on role, a swap to plumbing could suit you. HGV driver - £41,891 Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers transport goods from one location to another, earning on average £41,891. You become an HGV driver by obtaining a Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), which costs between £400 and £500. You get one of these by passing five tests and taking 35 hours of Driver CPC training every five years to stay qualified. Just bear in mind, if you're a social butterfly this type of job might not be for you - it can involve long hours on the road on your own. Many employers will pay bonuses for rewarding good driving. For example, Travis Perkins gives a bonus of up to £2,400 a year if you drive safely. There are 3,591 HGV driver roles to choose from if this type of career matches your skill set. Previous experience working a role driving vans or buses can make it easier to segway into a career as an HGV driver. Estate agent - £40,174 7 Estate agents earn on average around £40,000 a year, and you don't need any formal qualifications to become one. You can boost your chances of getting a job by studying for a university degree like property management - although it's not essential. The job involves assisting clients in buying and selling their homes, guiding them through the process from start to finish. You might also have to find rental properties for someone to move into, or help a landlord source tenants. A typical working week is 35 to 40 hours. Natural extroverts who are persistent, competitive and self-motivated will feel at home in this type of role. Jobs are a bit fewer and far between though - there are just under 1,500 out there to choose from currently. If you've got work experience in sales, customer service or admin, this could help you land a role as an estate agent. Builder - £36,689 A builder coordinates tradespeople and the day-to-day logistics of a construction project. They generally earn an average salary of just over £36,000. They might also have to muck in by bricklaying, plastering or installing insulation. An apprenticeship scheme is one of the most common routes into this role, with starting salaries between £15,000 to £25,000. Love getting your hands dirty and consider yourself well-organised? This might be the role for you, although there are only 233 of the roles going at the minute. Any previous construction experience will put you in good stead if you're looking to get into this type of job. Electrician - £35,500 Electricians earn up to around £35,000 on average when qualified, but even more depending on experience. The job suits someone who enjoys practical work, problem-solving and with a strong attention to detail. Sound like you? Expect to work between 37 and 45 hours a week if you land a job. The most popular way of making it into this profession is via a college course, which can cost up to £7,000. Or, you can take the apprenticeship route, where you'll earn around £24k a year at the start. The role is highly in demand too - there are over 12,000 sparkie jobs out there on the market. If you've worked in construction, maintenance or engineering before, it'll be easier to make the swap to electrician work. What help is available to help me retrain? WANT to switch careers but can't afford to retrain? Luckily there's help out there. You can get an Advanced Learner Loan from your college to help with costs. You will have to pay this back though, and it works like a student loan for those over 19 years old. What you can get isn't based on income, but the cost of the course. You start paying your loan back when you earn £21,000 or more. You can apply for grants and bursaries to help pay for courses and training - and you usually don't have to pay this back. For example, you can get an NHS bursary for medicine, dentistry or healthcare, or a social work bursary for social work. Look at what help is available on the See if you can apply to a Skills Bootcamp, which is run by the government. These are free, flexible courses lasting up to 16 weeks. Courses include HGV driving, health and social care, early years, business and administration, and digital skills like data engineering and software. See if there's a bootcamp running near you here. If you're unemployed, Jobcentre Plus may be able to help provide funding or training as part of a return-to-work plan. Ask your local Job Centre Plus centre here. There are charities who may be able to help with a grant that you don't need to pay back. For example, ABTA Lifeline helps people who worked in the travel industry get back into work with grants to help with the cost of interview clothes, IT, and travel. Some Armed Forces charities offer grants if you are or were serving personnel, such as the Royal British Legion and poppyscotland (for those in Scotland). Find if you could get a charitable grant here. Police officer - £34,512 If you have a strong sense of duty, you might want to consider becoming a police officer. The average salary is around £34,512 a year but you can end up earning up to £48,000 based on experience. There are multiple routes into becoming a police constable, including taking the Police Constable Entry Programme (PCEP). This is usually a two-year course where you're paid from the start - you could earn as much as £30,000. You'll likely have to put in 37 to 40 hours a week in the role - and expect shift work and anti-social hours. You might have to wait a while to get a job as a police constable though - there are just 20 roles available currently. Working as a security guard or in the military can help with the transition to the police. Recruitment consultant - £32,466 7 Think you've got the gift of the gab? Recruitment might be for you. A recruitment consultant acts as a bridge between job seekers and employers to fill open positions within businesses. You'll earn around £32,000 on average, but can see your income massively boosted depending on experience and your workplace's commission structure. The job, which doesn't require any formal qualifications, can involve long hours and working in a highly-competitive environment though. There are over 6,600 of this type of job on the market currently. Any previous HR, sales or customer service jobs will help if you're looking to apply to this type of role. Chef - £31,000 Got a penchant for good food? Work as a chef might be the squiggly job for you. Experienced chefs can earn up to £40,000 a year but average annual salaries are around £31,000. The job, depending on where you're based, can involve long hours, mostly in the evenings. You can take an apprenticeship or college course to become a chef, or you could start off as a kitchen assistant or trainee commis chef and earn while learning on the job. Kitchen assistants normally start on around the national minimum wage, earning between £17,000 to £25,000 a year. There are plenty of chef roles out there on the market as well - 16,519 to be exact. Any previous catering sector experience will help you make the move into becoming a chef. Sales executive - £30,807 A sales executive focuses on driving sales to a business, either through customers or clients. Someone in this role will earn on average roughly £30,000 a year, with no formal qualifications needed. Like recruitment, sales work can be hard work and can involve long hours depending on your employer. You'll take well to this type of role if you're determined, personable and competitive. There are 12,062 roles to choose from currently too. Like with recruitment, any prior experience in HR or customer service will give you a boost making the swap into sales. IT support technician - £30,016 If you love computers and everything technical that goes into making them work, you might be keen on an IT support technician role. There are various routes into this career, including taking a job as a trainee technician, paying around £24,000, at an organisation and gaining IT support qualifications while you work. You'll usually need some basic IT skills and knowledge to get a job as a trainee though. Once you become a support technician, you will earn around £30,000 on average, but can get up to £36,000 a year. You'll have to respond to customer requests for IT help, find and fix faults and regularly check hardware like printers, projectors and cabling. The standard working week is up to 40 hours long and you can start off as a trainee technician where you'll be paid around £26k a year. You might also benefit from getting industry-standard training through organisations like Microsoft Learn and CompTia A+. On the market, there are currently 1,021 IT support technician roles available. Having worked at a computer repair shop, in customer service or on a help desk will put you in good stead if you want to transition into this job. Retail assistant - £29,902 A retail assistant works in a shop, helping customers with queries, scanning items through tills and tidying and putting out stock. The typical working week is around 37 to 42 hours, with a starting earning around £19,000. This can go up to an average of about £29,000 a year though. If you're chatty, happy to please and like working in a fast-paced environment, this job could be for you. You generally won't need any qualifications either and can just dive straight into a job. According to Adzuna, there are over 4,000 retail assistant jobs on the market currently. Changing into this type of role will be made all the easier if you've got previous customer service experience. Parcel delivery driver - £28,562 7 Parcel delivery drivers collect parcels from warehouses and deliver them to customers, usually in their homes. Average yearly pay isn't too bad either - you can earn around £28,000. It's an ideal squiggle job as you can benefit from flexible working patterns, working typically between 20 and 42 hours a week. You can usually apply directly to a role if you have a valid driving licence, with most companies offering free basic onboarding training so you can start earning fast. Just bear in mind, you might have to pay to cover the costs of running your transportation vehicle. Fancy this type of job? Unfortunately, there are only 245 of them available currently. If you've worked as a taxi driver or in logistics, making the move into parcel delivery driving work could be for you. Healthcare assistant - £28,037 If you're naturally caring and able to stay calm under pressure, you might be keen on becoming a healthcare assistant. Average salaries are £28,000 a year although you could earn more if you go for private work. You'll usually work 37 to 40 hours a week and may have to do evenings, weekends and bank holiday shifts. One of the more common routes into becoming a healthcare assistant is via an apprenticeship, where you'll usually be paid just over the minimum wage (£12.21 an hour for those aged 21 and over) to start off with. There are plenty of jobs to be filled as well, with 11,113 roles available. Anyone who has worked in a pharmacy, in social work or has cared for someone before could be well-suited to make the swap into a career as a healthcare assistant. Administrator - £27,016 If you've got a basic set of IT skills, strong attention to detail and are a good communicator, you might want to consider becoming an administrator. The average pay for one is around £27,000 a year, but salaries can vary depending on the type of role. For example, pensions administrators earn around £23k - £38k a year while arts administrators earn up to £32k a year. Or, a basic admin assistant will start on an annual salary of around £21,000 a year. One of the easiest ways into becoming an admin assistant is through a recruitment agency - this can then lead to a permanent job. Employers are on the hunt for administrators as well - there are more than 15,000 roles on the market. Anyone with office experience will find it easier transferring into administration work. Warehouse operative - £26,039 This job involves a lot of physical labour and some heavy lifting, but you can pretty much start earning from the off without too much training. Average salaries are around £26,000 a year, however pay goes up to as much as £30,000 dependant on experience. You could clock up to 48 hours a week though so bear that in mind if you're after something not so demanding. On the market, there are currently 14,810 warehouse operative roles going. If you've got experience working a physical job, like in a depot or in construction, becoming a warehouse operative will be all the easier. Construction labourer - £25,624 7 A labourer digs trenches, mixes mortar and concrete and operates construction equipment. Most of the time, you can learn on the job, with wages averaging out at around £25,000 a year. A typical working week is around 40 hours long, but you may have to work evenings and weekends, depending on the job. Someone who doesn't mind getting dirty and enjoys manual labour would be well-suited to this type of job. There doesn't appear to be a major demand for this type of role currently though - just 251 jobs are going. Any experience working a physical labour job, even gardening, will help you make the swap into the construction industry. Hairdresser/Barber - £24,500 Fancy yourself as the next Vidal Sassoon? You might be able to start work as a trainee hairdresser or barber and learn on the job, earning around £15,000 a year. Your employer would expect you to take a part-time course to get qualifications though, either at college or in their own training school. You may also be able to work freelance and rent space in a salon or barbershop, though you'll usually have to fork out for your own equipment. A typical working week is around 37 to 40 hours long and it goes without saying, but may have to work evening or weekend shifts. But an experienced hairdresser can earn up to £30,000 a year. There are currently 777 hairdresser roles on the market. If you have ever worked as a nail technician, makeup artist or in a customer-facing position, making the move into a hairdressing career might be for you. Barista - £21,500 Caffeine addict? You can get a job as a barista almost fuss free and without a formal qualification. One of the easiest routes to a job is by applying directly. When you start, most bosses will put you through barista training as part of your employment. Having experience in customer service, retail sales or catering may give you a better chance of landing a job in the first place though. Experienced baristas, who can work anywhere between 40 and 42 hours, earn on average £21,500 a year. Currently on the market, there are just over 10,000 barista roles going. Anyone who has worked in a customer-facing role before should be able to transition to barista work without fuss. How to make the perfect CV and smash your job interview JAMES Neave, head of data science at Adzuna, reveals his top tips... Showcase your wins, not your duties Your CVs should prove to your future employer how you can ace the role, instead of what you did in the past. Focus on achievements, results, and measurable impact. Use numbers and percentages wherever possible e.g. Replace 'managed all social media platforms' with 'Grew social media followers by 50% in 3 months'. Practice, don't wing it Interview nerves are normal, even the most charismatic person needs some degree of preparation because jobs might be alike, but not identical. Utilise AI tools like ChatGPT as a starting point to research the company, industry trends and common questions. Content is king, but don't forget about strategy Great CV and interview answers matter, so does strategy. This could mean being among the first to apply or running social media background checks on your interviewers. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@
Khaleej Times
06-07-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
UAE law: Can full-time employees legally start their own business?
Question: I work in a private firm in the UAE. What does the law say about starting a business while being employed full-time? Will it be a legal problem if the business I started and my current job are similar? I work in the HR department in my firm, and the company I plan to start is an HR consultancy. Answer: An employee may establish a new entity or become a partner or shareholder in an existing entity in the UAE, provided that the employer issues a No Objection Certificate (NOC) permitting the employee to do so. Accordingly, if you intend to establish a new human resource consultancy firm while still being employed with your current employer, it is advisable first to obtain an NOC from your current employer. Furthermore, if you establish a human resource consultancy and the nature of the work is similar to your role in your current employment, then this may be considered as joining a competitor of your employer only if your signed employment contract includes a non-competition clause. This is by Article 10(1) of the Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations, which states, 'Where the employee performs a work which gives him access to employer's customers or business secrets, the employer may make a provision in the employment contract that the employee shall not compete with or be engaged in any business which competes with him in the same sector after the expiry of the contract. Such a clause shall specify the place, time, and type of work to the extent necessary to protect the legitimate business interests, and the non-competition period shall not exceed two (2) years after the expiration of the contract." However, the non-competition clause in your employment may not be applicable once you leave the employment, provided you and your employer have agreed in writing that non-competition between you and your employer does not apply upon the end of your current employment contract. This is under Article 12 (4) of the Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Employment Relations, which states, 'It shall be permissible to agree in writing on the non-performance of the non-competition clause after the end of the employment contract." In addition, the provisions of non-competition may be exempted as mentioned in Article 12 (5) of the Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2022 on Employment Relations, which states, "An employee shall be exempted from the non-compete clause provided for in Article (10) of the Employment Law under the following conditions: a. If the employee or the new employer pays compensation not exceeding three (3) months of the employee's wage agreed upon in the last contract to the former employer, and the former employer's written consent thereto is required. b. If the contract is terminated during the probationary period. c. Any professional categories according to the needs of the employment market in the UAE, as determined by the decision of the Ministry under the employment classification approved by the Cabinet." You may contact the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation for further clarification.
Forbes
10-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Giving Feedback To Your Boss: 5 Tips On How Not To Become A Target
Giving feedback to your boss--a senior executive, your supervisor or an important client--can be a scary and intimidating prospect, especially if they didn't ask for your opinion and especially during a time that layoffs haunt the corporate world. But your perspective matters, and if you work in a culture under a higher-up who values their employees, they welcome feedback so they can keep a pulse on how workers are engaged and performing. Even if the company culture is uncertain, there are strategies for you to give feedback without making yourself a target. The process of addressing difficult conversations starts with your own fear of bringing up a sensitive matter with a person in authority. That's right. The fear of the consequences of being targeted troublemaker often causes employees and even sometimes higher-ups from addressing difficult conversations at work. It's tricky to know how or when to have difficult conversations and give important feedback to someone in authority. The key in these tough-to-navigate situations is to prepare yourself and to put your fears aside and think critically before you present your points, leveraging strong situational awareness and emotional intelligence. I spoke by email with Candice Pokk, senior consultant in the organizational effectiveness practice at HR consultancy Segal. Pokk says you can do a 'reverse performance review' in a way that's both productive and safe. She named five tips to keep in mind to navigate situations where you believe your feedback for higher-ups is essential, but you don't want to make yourself a target. Pokk suggests that you avoid what she calls 'the feedback sandwich' and simply start on a positive note. She states that you might consider sharing something positive that your boss spearheaded that worked well or mention the impact he or she has made on the organization before launching into your feedback. 'Most people are doing their best to make a difference in the organization,' she points out. 'Showing some enthusiasm for the things they do well and acknowledging where they got it right, before sharing what they can do better, can go a long way both maintaining the relationship and ensuring the feedback is received and implemented.' When you communicate from a place of care and concern for the higher good, your message is more likely to land in a positive way. Beginning with a criticism or a negative perspective could put the person in a defensive position, cause your feedback to fall on deaf ears and potentially sour your relationship. 'Before you share any feedback, make sure it's both helpful and appropriate for the recipient,' Pokk advises. 'It should also take into consideration the broader context and potential impacts of sharing the information." As an example, she recommends that if you're going to share feedback to a senior leadership team member, it should be relevant to that person's position and portfolio of work. 'Often feedback that you may initially think is critical for one person turns out to be better suited to someone else who has more direct day-to-day experience with the issue, yet still has authority over the work," she notes. 'You want your feedback to increase their engagement so make sure it's going to the right person.' She also cautions that there may be times when sharing the feedback is not going to yield a net positive for the person receiving it. In those instances, she recommends that you might be better served by saving your feedback for another time and place. Pokk stresses the importance of tailoring the feedback to the individual. She says you can do that by asking yourself if this is a person with whom you've had extended contact and have built lots of social capital and that knows you have their best interest at heart. If so, she explains that a candid dialogue would be appropriate. On the other hand, if this is someone with whom you have limited interaction, she warns that you may want to proceed with caution and consider asking yourself, might someone else be in a better position to share the information with this individual? 'Feedback should be given as close to the inciting incident as possible,' according to Pokk. 'Give it at a time when the recipient will be open to receiving the input and free of distraction. This is particularly critical when a specific or urgent situation arises. Waiting too long to provide the feedback can mean the opportunity to correct the situation is no longer an option or the individual may not recall the circumstances. In these instances, time is of the essence when providing the feedback.' She adds that you should keep in mind that no one wants to receive feedback in a public forum. 'Early in my career there were stories of an executive that used to take pride in very publicly sharing criticisms with their team during meetings,' she recounts. 'Needless to say, the feedback was not well received, and the executive's reputation was harmed in the process.' Pokk advises that you be extremely clear on your messaging and say it in a concise and constructive manner. 'Shorter is always sweeter,' she states. 'Rehearse ahead of time to ensure your message is succinct and doesn't include unnecessary details that distract from the point you want to get across.' Studies show the feedback that matters most to employees from their bosses is both positive and negative as long as it's constructive. Perhaps the so-called feedback sandwich isn't ideal, but being a good manager definitely requires giving balanced opinions on employees' work. Unwritten workplace rules that are unspoken cause miscommunication and disconnection between employers and employees. Communication and honesty are a reciprocal process, requiring balance between both parties. Pokk recommends a reverse performance review. So, when giving feedback to your boss, the best bet to get your point across with ease might be to use the science-backed findings of a balanced negative and positive perspective and a style similar to your employer's feedback system (assuming it's balanced) since their baked-in style is obviously familiar and comfortable for them.
