Latest news with #careerchange
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Mother quits her £50,000 corporate job to work in a factory - and claims she's never been happier
A mother took a 50 per cent pay cut when she left her corporate executive job to become a factory-worker - and claims she's the 'happiest' she's ever been. Budding artist Shany Hagan, 56, was a business development manager, earning £50,000 a year, but decided the salary wasn't worth the 'Sunday scaries' that came with the stressful job. Having worked her way up the ranks during two decades at an electronics company, she realised that a 'stress-free life' and the free time to pursue portrait painting were more important to her than a healthy pay cheque. Shany, from York, swapped her office for a factory floor, where she is paid £24,000 a year, after struggling with menopausal symptoms earlier this year. The mother-of-one had to cope with hot flushes and brain fog, which proved to be the final straw. Shany said: 'I had been in the business for 20 years, and it had always been very stressful.' She added that, no matter how hard someone works, corporate employers will always expect you to do more. While she acknowledged that she coped well when she was younger, Shany's priorities have shifted and she's now keen to spend more time reflecting on herself and her life. 'I've always had a love for painting and now I just want to focus on my passions and myself now,' Shany explained. 'For the first time in 20 years, I can forget about work when I walk out the door at the end of the day.' Shany didn't go to university but managed to secure a good job in her twenties and worked her way up the ladder in business development at an electronics company. The corporate role saw her 'chained to a desk' and working in a high-pressure environment, she said. But she had been motivated by the pressure as she wanted to pay her mortgage off in full on her four-bed cottage. In 2019, she finally paid it off - but then she began to realise she no longer enjoyed the work. Shany said: 'I could cope when I was younger, but it's stressful.' When furloughed during the Covid-19 pandemic, she picked up a paintbrush and discovered she had a love for portrait painting. She had been unable to pursue the passion previously due to an eye condition, but had recently had surgery to fix the issue. As she 'brushed up' on her skills, she even began to donate her artworks to charities - after getting celebrities to sign them. Celebrities including Mel B and Cliff Richard have signed their own portraits which have been sold at auction to raise more than £350,000 in total, she said. After returning to work post-Covid, she realised she was no longer motivated by her former role. She said: 'After I paid off my mortgage, I was done. The work could be stressful, and I couldn't paint when I was stressed.' She began job-hunting and applied for some other management positions, as well as lower-qualified roles including a factory worker. She said: 'I went for a management interview where the interviewer told me "I want you to give this job 100 per cent, I don't want you focusing on your art."' 'I realised then that I wanted to focus on me - so I turned the job down in favour of a factory floor worker job. 'I wanted to be on my feet a bit more, a more physical job, to lose some weight for my health, which I have.' Shany now packs food, labels products, does computer admin and cleaning at her minimum-wage job. Since starting her new role in May, Shany said she has already noticed a difference in her physical and mental well-being. She said: 'I don't get the Sunday evening "scaries" at all, and the people are kind. 'You can actually switch off when you leave. 'And I get to paint in my free time, and help people by selling my paintings. I get to go to big charity auctions. 'I do have to be more careful with my money of course, but the free time is the main thing. 'And my mental health has already improved, I have such a spring in my step now.
Washington Post
13 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
An executive lost his job and became a mailman. It wasn't what he expected.
Stephen Starring Grant became a mail carrier at age 50 for a practical reason: He needed health insurance. A longtime consultant and marketing executive, Grant lost his job when covid hit. The layoff was so abrupt that he was in an airport, halfway to a meeting in New York, when he got the call. 'At four that morning, I had been employed,' Grant writes in his new book, 'Mailman.' 'Now I was not.'
Forbes
13 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
3 Signs That You Need A Career Change Within The Same Industry
You don't need to leave your industry to move forward—sometimes, a better team, new role, or fresh ... More challenge is all it takes to reignite your career spark. Many professionals find themselves at a crossroads in their careers, not because they dislike their work, but because something about their current situation is no longer fulfilling. Often, the solution is not to abandon the industry altogether but to shift within it. Staying in the same industry allows individuals to leverage their expertise and experience while seeking new challenges and environments that better align with their personal and professional goals. Here are three clear signs that indicate it might be time for a career change within your industry. You Love The Work But Dislike The Team Or Your Boss One of the most telling signs that it's time for a change is when the work itself still excites or fulfills you, but the environment in which you're doing it has become toxic or uninspiring. If you find yourself constantly frustrated by poor communication, micromanagement, lack of support, or workplace politics, it's not necessarily a sign that you should leave the field. Instead, it suggests you need a change of scenery. The impact of a poor team or ineffective leadership cannot be underestimated. Even the most passionate professionals can experience burnout or disengagement when they are surrounded by negativity or a lack of mutual respect. In these situations, it's important to recognize that your skills and love for the work deserve an environment that respects your contributions and promotes growth and collaboration. Moving to another company or department within the same industry can refresh your perspective and rekindle your enthusiasm. You've Been In The Same Role For Years Without Growth Longevity in a role can be both a strength and a weakness. On one hand, it signals loyalty, deep knowledge, and consistency. On the other, if you've been doing the same job for more than five years and there's been no progression, or no new responsibilities, promotions, and meaningful challenges, it may be time to re-evaluate your trajectory. Stagnation often indicates that your current organization may not be the right place for your long-term development. Even if you're good at your job, staying in one place for too long without a clear pathway forward can hinder your potential. Ambitious professionals thrive when they have goals to chase, whether that's a leadership role, new certifications, or exposure to different aspects of their field. If those opportunities are not available where you are, then seeking a new position within your industry can help reignite your motivation and set you on a path toward higher achievement. You've Mastered Your Role, But You Lost The Spark Mastery is a double-edged sword. While becoming an expert in your field is a significant achievement, it can also lead to a sense of complacency or boredom if there's nothing left to learn or challenge you in your current role. The early excitement that came with solving complex problems or learning new systems may have faded, leaving you feeling indifferent or unfulfilled, even though you're still performing well. This loss of zeal is not necessarily a sign that you're in the wrong career. It may just mean you've outgrown your current position or company. Many seasoned professionals feel this way after reaching a plateau where the learning curve has flattened. When that happens, the best move is often lateral rather than vertical, as there is a need to seek a new challenge within the same industry that allows you to apply your expertise in fresh ways. This could involve transitioning to a different specialization, working with a new client base, joining a startup, or taking on a consulting role. Feeling dissatisfied at work doesn't always mean you need to start over in a different field. Often, the solution lies in making a strategic move within the same industry where one offers a healthier work environment, more room for growth, or new challenges to tackle. Changing companies, departments, or even roles can breathe new life into your career while keeping you grounded in the work you enjoy and excel at. Recognizing these signs early and acting on them can help you stay motivated, fulfilled, and successful in the long run.
The Independent
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
For some employees, education benefits such as tuition assistance prove life-changing
After five years of working long nights as a truck driver, Julius Mosley wanted a change. He found driving unfulfilling, and his teenage son needed him to spend more time at home. So Mosley took a job as a customer service representative at a telecommunications company near his home. The employee benefits included being able to take job-related classes for free. He decided he wanted to study leadership so he could learn about managing teams and helping people become the best versions of themselves. His company, Spectrum, paid for a 10-week front-line manager certificate program that Mosley went on to complete. Then it covered the tuition cost for a bachelor's degree in leadership and organization studies that he's currently pursuing. The company also promoted him to a management position while he took college courses online. 'It's completely changed the course of my life,' Mosley said about the education benefit, which took care of his tuition up front instead of requiring him to pay and seek later reimbursement. 'It's truly a blessing to be able to do this.' As higher education costs have grown to heights many U.S. residents find unattainable or illogical, some adults are looking to their employers for help defraying the expense of college and professional credentials. Nearly half of public and private employers have a tuition reimbursement program for employees, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, or SHRM. Many employers that provide tuition assistance reimburse staff members up to $5,250 per year because that amount is tax-deductible, said Amy Dufrane, CEO of the Human Resource Certification Institute, which offers credentials to HR professionals. Some companies offer more, including Bank of America, which provides tuition assistance of up to $7,500 annually, and Spectrum which, in addition to its prepaid tuition program, reimburses employees earning master's degrees or enrolled in classes that fall outside the scope of its prepaid program up to $10,000 per year. "For companies who are looking to attract Generation Z and Millennials, it's a great way to bring them in because they're keenly interested in how companies are investing in them and the benefits that are available," said Dufrane. Because many college graduates start jobs after accumulating student loan debt, about 8% of employers also offer help with student loan repayment, according to James Atkinson, vice president of thought leadership at SHRM. If continuing education feels out of reach financially or seems incompatible with job demands, experts say there are ways to explore the possibility, either by by making the case to your employer or seeking a position at a place that provides education benefits. A pay-it-forward model In traditional tuition reimbursement programs, employees lay out thousands of dollars to pay for tuition, books and fees at the start of a semester, and usually must complete the course with a passing grade before a company would kick in its contribution. That means employees would often wait four to six months before being reimbursed, which only works for more affluent workers, said Paul Marchand, chief human resources officer at Spectrum. 'The person that can afford to put it on their credit card and sit with $3- or $4- or $5,000 of expenses due back to them and not be concerned about that cost, that is not our average worker,' Marchand said. 'Our average worker is making $25, $28, $30 bucks an hour, maybe having a second job, maybe a single parent with kids, ... and they're important workers for us, and we want to help develop them and grow their careers.' Spectrum launched a program that lets employees sign up for an array of certificates or college courses while paying nothing themselves. The eligible courses and where to take them came from Guild, a Denver company that works with employers on workforce development and tuition assistance. Walmart offers a similar benefit to its front-line associates, who can enroll in college or certain classes without ever seeing an invoice, according to company spokesperson Jimmy Carter. The benefit also extends to family members of the employees, he said. Help with loan repayment As recent college graduates have struggled with debts from college, some employers have added student loan repayment programs as well as tuition assistance. Morgan Woods, 29, a training analyst at semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries, graduated from college with a $20,000 debt load. Her employer is paying $125 per month toward her student loans, a sum that will increase over time. Woods now expects to pay off her loans four years earlier than she anticipated doing on her own and hopes it will improve her options as she explores buying a house. 'The fact that I'm now ahead of where I thought I would be a little over a year ago is very nice to see,' she said. Making the case Not all employers offer education benefits, and when they do, they're not always widely publicized. To find out if your employer offers such benefits, ask a manager or a human resources representative. Show how a course or training directly relates to your role and how it would help you do your job more effectively, Dufrane advised. Even if there's no formal tuition reimbursement program, your employer might have a training or professional development budget. 'If you're taking on a stretch role or entering a new industry, you can advocate for training as part of your offer. Say something like, 'I'd like to take a course to help me get up to speed in this area.' In my experience, that shows initiative and employers often respect it,' Dufrane said. You can also approach your boss and say, 'I want to move up and I want to invest in myself. What recommendations do you have for me?' Dufrane added. Finding the time Fitting in classes, study sessions and paper writing can be daunting when holding down a full-time job, but there are ways to make it work. Rene Sotolongo, a cybersecurity analyst at the Human Resource Certification Institute, earned a master's degree in cybersecurity using tuition reimbursement benefits from his employer. To manage his time, he switched to working Monday through Thursday, studied on weeknights and dedicated Friday through Sunday to other schoolwork. 'Without the tuition reimbursement or the organization's flexibility, there's no way that I would be able to' earn advanced degrees, said Sotolongo, who is now pursuing a PhD with assistance from HRCI. 'It's rewarding in every aspect.' Providing flexibility shows commitment to employees, Dufrane said. 'You've got to be flexible around learning because people have parents they're taking care of and kids they're taking care of, and going home at night isn't always the best time to be writing a paper,' she said. Fitting in schoolwork while also meeting the needs of a son, a fiancee, a full-time job and a puppy has been challenging for Mosley, but it also provided a way to model studious behavior for his son. 'Instead of me just telling him he needs to do his, now he's seeing me doing schoolwork, so that actually helped out with him wanting to do his work more," Mosley said. "We actually take time to sit down together some days to work on our homework, so it's been a life-changing situation.' ___ Share your stories and questions about workplace wellness at cbussewitz@ Follow AP's Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health at
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
BBC radio star to pursue very different career after quitting station and slamming bosses for ‘treating staff like pets'
A VETERAN BBC radio presenter is having a major career change after quitting and accusing the Corporation of "treating staff like pets". Nihal Arthanayake, 54, had worked at the BBC for 23 years and was known for interviewing some of the biggest names in the country from Billy Connolly to Elton John. 3 Now the radio presenter is swapping his broadcasting microphone for a stage one and, this weekend, will make his debut as a stand-up comedian. Nihal didn't leave the Beeb without causing a stir, sharing feedback from another employee who told him that BBC managers treat staff "like pets," he has fired more shots at the Beeb. 'I couldn't be happy there any more,' he told The Times in an interview. 'I do feel that the BBC is in an existential crisis, especially BBC News.' Nihal admitted he would "get myself into trouble" for airing his grievances about the BBC so publicly, but does not think the broadcaster's alleged issues "can be solved with the current leadership." "I don't think they're fit for purpose. BBC News is ultimately at the heart of the BBC's trust — no one's looking at impartiality with [The] Traitors or Strictly Come Dancing," he told the newspaper. "Its trust derives from its ability to communicate truth and hold power to account, and it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt when it comes to the BBC's coverage of Israel and Gaza it has failed to do that.' Nihal shared an image of the newspaper article to his Instagram account where he expanded on his thoughts about his former employer. "I want the BBC to be better. Under the current leadership... I cannot see that happening," his post caption began. "At the weekend someone at 5Live told me how monocultural it still is and how their concerns are either ignored or management call for another meeting, and nothing much happens." TV star slams BBC for treating staff 'like pets' saying 'I'm leaving in September' Nihal's bold claims come about a year after he publicly called out the BBC about the lack of diversity and, in June, declared nothing much had changed in the past 12 months. Nihal said: "So today I walked into the BBC building in Salford and I was struck yet again, not for the first time, just how few black and Asian people work in that building and one thing that people have to understand is that when you walk into an environment where you just don't see anybody that looks like you, that has an effect. "Since I called them out on it, well over a year ago, it seems like ain't a damn thing changed." He captioned it: "I remember calling out BBC North on the lack of diversity in the building I worked in. "I remember speaking to some of the black and Asian people who worked there and I kept hearing how isolating it was for them (not all obviously). "It just struck me again today. "It also reminded why I I'll be leaving in September. Have pondered whether to press 'share' on this, but as I am leaving anyway." A BBC spokesperson said at the time: 'We're sorry if anyone feels this way, as creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels they belong is a big priority for us and we know we have further to go. "Whilst we're proud of the diversity of the BBC, we remain committed to continuing to build a workforce that fully reflects and represents the whole of the UK.' 3
