Latest news with #careerchange
ABC News
20 hours ago
- ABC News
Why I quit my 30-year career as a flight attendant and became a chauffeur for pets
Sandy Robson was a flight attendant for three decades before COVID presented her with the chance to switch careers. After taking a redundancy from the job that "defined her", Sandy came across a Facebook ad looking for drivers — for pets. The 58-year-old now works for a pet-sitting service, transporting animals between their homes and their sitters around Sydney/Gadigal Country. "I just potter around in my boss's car, talking nonsense to dogs and cats all day … Everyone is much more envious of that than when I was a flight attendant." We spoke to Sandy about her career switch, which also included a stint in retail and bartending on a vintage train. These are her words. I started [as a flight attendant] in 1992 when Qantas was recruiting for Japanese speakers. That's something I did at high school and in university. It was the peak of Japanese tourism in Australia. I started off as a flight attendant and made my way through the ranks to supervisor and eventually cabin manager. The best thing was we had lots of long trips and long time in various ports. But once Qantas was sold and they started to cut costs, they started making trips shorter. We called them slam-clickers — where you get off the flight, go to your hotel room, and only leave to come out for work. What kept me there was the fun and the great people I worked with. We had a laugh every single day. And the cheap travel. I was working in short-haul domestic flights for three years of COVID. It was all about the handwashing and the masks and people getting edgy on flights. They offered a redundancy, and I thought "the writing's on the wall now — get out while they're offering money to do so". I wasn't one of those people who were very upset to leave, or felt forced out. It was time. One of the first things I did was get a pet, then the second was book subscriptions, because I knew I was going to be home for shows, the theatre, birthdays. That was the first Christmas I knew I would be home in 30 years, and I got to spend it with my sister and her husband, and my beautiful 19-year-old niece. I had a good payout from Qantas, so had the financial stability to experiment with work a bit. I own my home. I don't have dependants, just the cats. I decided I needed to do something to get out of my house because it was [during] COVID, and a lot of retail was considered essential work. I worked in a homewares store, which was considered a vital industry. I don't know why, I guess people need sheets and towels! I found that very different to the airline. People really didn't treat you well in retail, even though it was a lovely shop. People were quite respectful to flight attendants. You had the odd drongo, but [most passengers] knew you were there doing a hard job, looking after their safety. Do you have a unique job you often get questions about? We'd love to hear about it lifestyle@ After a couple of years in retail, I was offered work on a vintage train. It was the old Southern Aurora, a stainless-steel diesel from 1962. The owners knew someone from Qantas and he recruited his friends to work on it — it was taken over by Qantas people. The owners of the train were delighted because they had this pre-trained … workforce. We all knew the way each other worked, and how to move around each other in confined spaces. I was the bartender. I absolutely loved it and would be doing it now if it didn't change hands. For the pet-sitting company, I pick up the pets from the owners and take them to the pet sitter's home with their belongings. And reverse when the owners get back from holiday. After 30 years of working with people, it's really nice to have customers that can't talk. I've lived in Sydney all my life, so I'm not daunted by traffic or parking. You have some hysterical moments. I have this golden retriever who gets car sick ... Throws up, tries to eat it, and then sits in it. Then I have a Maine coon [cat] who lives in the poshest house imaginable and gets sent to quite a small apartment. He yells at me the whole way. People comment about how wonderful it must be. I say, 'It's not well paid, but it's hugely emotionally rewarding'. I just love animals. I get so much out of it when I see the dogs reunited with their owners.
Daily Mail
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Joy Taylor breaks silence on claims she's quitting sports media after Fox Sports firing
Former Fox Sports analyst Joy Taylor has revealed whether she will continue working in sports media after being fired by the network. The host's nine-year stint at Fox came to an abrupt end after the network reportedly failed to renew her contract four months after she found herself embroiled in a bombshell sex lawsuit. The 38-year-old broke her silence on the matter last week and has now hinted at what the future will hold for her as she embarks on the next chapter of her career. In a snippet from an upcoming episode of the 'Let Her Shoot' podcast, Taylor said: 'I'll have a lot of announcements coming up. 'You know, as far as everything that happened, that's the business. Nothing is forever, as all these cliches, but that is what it is. You know, (I'm) grateful, I had nine years on a network and the next chapter will be equally as exciting. 'I'm not limiting myself. I've worked with a bunch of different people over the years, people I never thought that I would end up partnering up with. 'It might surprise people what the next move is... I'm not teasing anything, but we'll have announcements very soon.' Earlier this month, Fox Sports reportedly slashed its weekday lineup with a trio of shows axed, including 'Speak' which was hosted by Taylor. The former sports host had worked on a number of different shows in her nine-year stint with Fox, yet the company has decided not to renew her expiring contract this summer - just months after she found herself embroiled in a bombshell sex lawsuit . The network shortly announced a new deal with Barstool Sports and founder Dave Portnoy, while Kay Adams was rumored to be a leading contender to fill the void left at Fox. The decision from Fox came in the wake of lawsuit brought by former FS1 hairstylist Noushin Faraji, who listed Taylor as a defendant as well as top programming executive Charlie Dixon and Skip Bayless. Taylor was accused of using sexual relationships with colleagues, including Dixon and former co-host Emmanuel Acho, to further her career in the lawsuit filed by the ex-employee. The 38-year-old was also alleged to have told Faraji to 'get over it' when she confided in her about claims she was sexually assaulted by Dixon. Taylor has denied all allegations. The 38-year-old initially broke her silence on the matter last week, as she expressed gratitude for the opportunities she's had as a female panelist in sports media, but suggested that the events have left her feeling jaded towards the industry. 'Overall, like the saying 'it doesn't feel like work when you're doing something that you actually enjoy.' I think what happened to me this year took that away from me,' Taylor said on The Ringer's Higher Learning. 'I don't know if I'll get that back. I might — and maybe like when the callous forms over the wound and you get away from things you it doesn't feel, like the tremors go away, so we're not there yet — but right now, it doesn't feel that way. It doesn't feel exciting.
The Sun
a day ago
- Business
- The Sun
Best jobs to switch to mid-life without taking a pay cut & you won't need a degree – including £64k role
LOOKING for a fresh mid-life career start but don't want to take a pay cut or go back to university? Luckily, there are employers hiring NOW for roles where you can learn on the job and get paid up to £64,000 a year. We also reveal why men are more likely to shake up their careers in their 40s. Job satisfaction hits rock bottom in your 40s, based on a survey of 100,000 workers by the University of Surrey. At this age, workers are more likely to feel frustrated in their role and demotivated about their career path, the study showed. Men are particularly at risk of feeling the job switch itch. One in five men aged 44-59 is actively hunting for a new job, while 38% have thought about their career options, according to research from Standard Life. Mike Ambery from Standard Life said: "Lots of men in their 40s and 50s are taking a long, hard look at their careers, and thinking about making a change. "The idea of having one job for life with a traditional career pathway is fading fast. "These days, more people are favouring 'squiggly careers' – where they move between roles or industries over time. "That flexibility has advantages, especially as most of us will be working longer than previous generations." Ready for a change? Jobs site Adzuna has compiled a list of 15 jobs that are ideal for a mid-life career switch. These careers are best for job hoppers because they are available to a wide range of age groups, AND they offer attractive salaries. Plus, you don't need a degree to switch to these jobs, making them ideal for those who want to skip going back to university. Some require training, although many of the roles listed provide on-the-job training so you can earn as you learn - here's what you need to know. We've researched how much you can earn at the start of these new careers based on average salaries - and you may have to take a pay cut. But you can get the qualifications for some of the jobs through evening courses, so you don't have to sacrifice your existing salary. Highest paying roles hiring NOW The highest paying role that tops the list is a software developer. They create and test computer programmes used by workers. Surprisingly, there's no need to go to college in order to retrain. Instead, you can apply for an apprenticeship and earn on the job. The average software developer salary is £64,530. It's £26,000 for an apprentice. You can also study part-time through evening classes, so you don't have to pack in your day job. Some are free while others can cost over £2,000, with course lengths ranging from around 15 to 26 weeks. Visit the National Careers Service website to find an online or in-class course that works for your schedule. You'll typically be working a 37 to 40-hour week with occasional evening and weekend shifts - so it might not be the right fit if you need more flexible hours. You'll be well-suited to the role if you've got a keen eye for detail, have strong analytical skills and are proficient in coding. Best of all, there are plenty of roles going. There are currently 19,950 vacancies advertised. Next on the list is a project manager. You might think these roles are just in construction, but project managers can work in any industry and oversee projects from start to completion, ensuring targets are hit and budgets met. Salaries for this type of role average out just below £59,681. You'll be well-suited to a role in project management if you've got strong leadership skills, are well-organised and can communicate effectively. There is no need to carry out formal training to land a role, either. There are 39,298 vacancies for project managers available. Third on the list is an automation tester. Don't be put off by the technical-sounding name - this is someone who tests software to identify bugs or issues. Someone looking to get into this profession can do an online course in coding or even teach themselves. But you can also do apprenticeships and earn while you study, with them usually lasting 12 to 24 months. The maximum grant you can get from the government to cover your apprenticeship is £18,000. Individuals who enjoy problem-solving, have a knack for detail, and possess strong analytical skills are well-suited to this role. You might have to fight for a job though - there are just 19 vacancies advertised on jobs sites. Fancy being a sparkie? Electricians earn around £48k a year once fully-qualified. You'll work up to 45 hours a week and may need to respond to customer call-outs across a specific patch. The most popular way of making it into this profession is via a college course, which can cost up to £7,000 or an apprenticeship, where you'll earn around £24k a year at the start. You can also take part in flexible courses that fit around a full-time job - some let you study on weekends and others in the evening. Just expect to pay from around £1,000 to upwards of £6,000, depending on who is running the course. There are around 14,367 roles available for electricians. Next on Adzuna's list is a data analyst. They collect, organise and study data to solve business-related problems like how revenue can be increased. You'll find these types of roles across different sectors, including healthcare, technology and retail. You don't have to go to university to land a role as a data analyst either - you can get there via an apprenticeship route. You'll likely be suited to this role if you've got strong analytical skills and are good at maths. It comes with a steady pay packet too - just over £46,000 a year - and there are currently 12,622 roles being advertised. Apprenticeship salaries range between £18,000 and £25,000. The jobs where you can earn up to £44k Next up are plumbers, who can earn around £44,826. Anyone good with their hands and who hates the idea of being bolted to a desk is well-suited to this role. One of the best routes to being a plumber is via an apprenticeship, where you'll start off on an annual salary of around £24,000. Your daily roles will involve installing and repairing water and heating systems in homes and commercial buildings. You'll typically work up to 45 hours a week. There are 6,490 roles currently available - so apply now. Watched Selling Sunset and think you can do better? Why not try being a real estate agent? The average salary is £43k a year. STEVEN Eden went from working in the army to earning around £43,000 as a lorry driver. The ex-soldier and dad-of-four in his late 40s from Wigan now works for Asda, hauling food to stores, unloading and reloading empty cages, after making the switch in 2021. He used to work in the army, where the average salary is much lower at £30k, according to the jobs site Indeed. He said: "I can have the radio up, I'm my own boss. It's me all over, and it's so rewarding. "I'm doing good for other people, filling people up [with food]. I like the manual bits of taking the frozen food off. 'And I've got a few driver friends – they're all in good spirits.' It took Steven about 12 months to do his training, including getting his HGV licence, but he reckons it can be done in as little as three months. He then had a two-week breathing period before being buddied up with another driver. 'You don't get chucked in the deep end,' Steven added. But within six weeks, he was signed off and ready to go on the road on his own. He said: 'That was a good feeling. It was a big step - I was made up.' To become a lorry driver, you'll usually have to be over 18 and comfortable with working alone on the road. You'll need to have a full car licence and a professional qualification called the driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC), which means you can be a commercial driver. You will also need to pass your HGV driving test, with the costs of training up to £2,000. However, there are not-for-profit organisations, like Veterans into Logistics, that work with ex-military to cover these costs. 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. One major perk of becoming an estate agent is that you don't need a formal qualification to land a job. You could also be a claims handler, which is someone who assesses and processes insurance claims. They review documents and investigate whether someone is owed a payout, and how much. Expect to earn around £41k in the role once you're qualified, but you'll start on around £17,000 if you're going down the apprenticeship route. There are 16,559 roles, suited to someone with a keen eye for detail, available right now. Next up is an accountant. Most people will be familiar with this job, which comes with an average salary of £46,160. Bag this job and you'll be employed by organisations and private clients to audit financial accounts and provide advice on where money could be better spent. You can learn to become an accountant as an apprentice, earning anywhere from between £17,000 to £26,000. You'll be suitable for the role if you've got strong numerical and analytical skills. There are loads of accountant jobs out there as well - 23,931. Account managers, who build relationships with existing clients and source new ones to drive sales, also feature. Land this job and you could end up earning £45,069 a year, and you won't need any formal training. Someone who is naturally extroverted and competitive will do well in this type of role, of which there are 56,022 roles currently available. A pipe fitter, as the name suggests, installs and repairs industrial pipework, valves and sprinklers in factories, commercial properties, ships and larger buildings like power stations. You can earn £42,308 in this job, which most people get into via the apprenticeship route, which pays around £18,000 at the start. But jobs are few and far between - 2,512 according to the latest data from Adzuna. How to smash an interview LEE Biggins, from CV-Library, gives his top tips for nailing that all-important job interview. "To smash any job interview, start by doing your homework - research the company, prepare solid answers, and think about how your past experience links to the new role. "Whatever your age or background, employers want to see a willingness to learn, passion for the role and industry and an adaptability to thrive. "This matters even more when switching careers. "Show the employer you're eager, driven, and ready to get stuck in. "Make sure your CV is well tailored to the role and highlights your transferrable skills and proves why your experience makes you a great fit. "Remember, you're up against people already in the industry, so come prepared with industry knowledge and a fresh perspective may set you apart." Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers transport goods from one location to another, earning on average £40,981. 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. There are currently 6,842 of these roles available, well-suited to anyone who enjoys routine and has the ability to drive for long stretches of time. Meanwhile, a car salesperson primarily sells cars to customers but may also organise test drives in order to drive business. Someone in this type of role earns on average £40,139, without any formal qualifications needed to get started. A sales advisor focuses on direct customer interaction, often in a retail or sales setting, driving sales to a business. Someone in this role will earn on average £37,684 a year, with 38,798 of these jobs currently available on the market. A recruitment agent is essentially the same as a salesperson, acting as a bridge between job seekers and employers to fill open positions within businesses. There are currently 28,649 of these roles in the market, which pay on average £36,247. You'll do well as either a sales advisor or recruitment agent if you're outgoing, talkative and naturally persuasive. Why switching to one of these jobs could pay So why are these 15 jobs so worth changing to in later life? Sarah Carroll, career expert at Indeed, said a lot of different sorts of skillsets can be applied to these roles, making them easy to switch to. "Employers today increasingly value transferable skills, experience, and resilience - all qualities mid-life professionals can bring in abundance." Some of the roles are across sectors experiencing major growth in the UK, like logistics and construction. Lee Biggins, founder and chief executive officer of CV-Library, said: "With a £500billion investment into UK construction and a surge in logistics and warehousing, there could be endless opportunities to upskill." Lack of time is a major stumbling block for workers looking to shift their careers mid-life too, but of the list above, plenty offer on-the-job training so your budget won't take too big a hit. Lee added: "Plenty of roles offer on-the-go training, apprenticeships or even sponsorships. "Or, you can use AI tools like ChatGPT to provide you with industry-rich knowledge needed to quickly access the industry you're looking to switch to."
Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Times
We quit London and learnt how to be baristas who bake
Ten years ago I lived in London where I worked in luxury hospitality as a commercial director for a swanky hotel company [Simon Kerr, 58, says]. My husband, Andrew Talbot, worked in Whitehall, in public health. One day I remember sitting in a meeting room in one of those boring presentations full of corporate speak and watching a couple of guys abseiling outside, cleaning windows. When the meeting finished, I started chatting with them. They told me they loved climbing mountains and that they made a lot of money going up and down buildings in London for six months purely so they could go to do the things that they enjoyed for the rest of the year. And it just got me thinking. • Read more expert advice on property, interiors and home improvement Andrew and I already had a holiday home in Falmouth in Cornwall, so we spent a lot of time down there. One day I saw this advert on the internet for a café in Truro. I asked Andrew: 'What do you know about running cafés?' Neither of us knew anything at all, but we went to have a look at it the next day. It turns out a guy had built the café for his wife using reclaimed wood and it was an absolutely stunning space. Then after all that his wife turned around and said: 'I don't really want to do this.' He was stuck holding the baby and had to sell. So Andrew and I decided to take the plunge, give up our lives and take a big leap of faith. We bought the lease to the café for £20,000 and rented a house about four miles away in a little village called Devoran, which is on the edge of Falmouth Bay. We called the café Lily's of Truro after our dog, and we threw ourselves into it and learnt from scratch. We learnt to be baristas, we learnt to work in the kitchen, we learnt to bake cakes — and we burnt a lot of cakes. I've lost count of the amount of times I've sat in bed looking at YouTube videos on how to poach the perfect egg. Owning and running a small business is phenomenally different to working in a larger corporate environment. We had to learn about cashflow and keeping your margins tight to maximise your profit — because in the hospitality industry things are so, so tight. We learnt to deal with staff — everyone from 16-year-old kids with their issues all the way up to older adults, some of whom come with their issues as well. We built it up to be a very successful business. And then, five years ago, a lady called Amy approached us and offered us £120,000 to buy us out. She already ran a catering business but she loved the space. We stood to make a £100,000 profit in four and a half years. We went for it and resolved to buy our own place. We love Cornwall, but we found it to be a long way away from our friends in London, who we could hardly ever see. As an alternative, we looked at Somerset, Wiltshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Suffolk and Dorset, but we decided on Norfolk. You can get more for your money in Norfolk, and it was only an hour and a half on a train to London. We came across an ideal site: a business and three-bedroom home wrapped together in Castle Acre, which is a stunning historical village that has two English Heritage sites, a Norman castle and a priory. It had a café, which we later called Wittles Castle Acre but at that point was called Barnfields, and we immediately fell in love with it. It had been run by a couple who were very much ready to retire and were running the business down. We bought the property for £625,000. Remarkably, we moved in a week before the second Covid lockdown, which with hindsight was absolutely crazy. How, we thought, could we start a business at a time when nobody could go inside during the middle of winter? • We moved to the country during Covid. Now we're returning to the city So we baked cakes, made a pot of soup and a vat of curry and started trading out the front door. And it turns out it was an amazing way to meet our neighbours. Everyone from the village came out, and everyone loved it. Social distancing was still in place, but the fact they could come and be sociable somewhere near to their home, get a damn good cup of coffee and an interesting cake and maybe see their neighbours was fantastic. It became a weekly event. It was the best way to introduce ourselves to the village, and those customers have helped to sustain us throughout the years, along with the village's many visitors. It became a booming success. Five years later though, and after agonising over the decision long and hard, we've decided to sell. We love it, but it's a physical job. We're nearly 60 and we're tired at the end of the day. We want to go and live in Italy, in either southern Tuscany or Umbria, and live a quiet life together. A couple of friends have died during the past year, which was very sudden, and it got us thinking that life can be short. We enjoy what we do. We're working hard and we're successful and we make good money. But we don't want to work ourselves into a grave.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
6 things I've learned in 25 years of food journalism
In 1999, I had a revelation. I was a copy editor at the Boston Globe, angling for a promotion, when I realized that I was getting tired of working in news and needed a change. I bought the book 'What Color Is Your Parachute?,' sat with a pen and paper in hand, and closed my eyes. It was the first of what I expected would be many visualization exercises aimed at finding my calling — imagine you're happy, now imagine you're at work, now imagine you're happy at work! — and it lasted all of 5 seconds.
