Unusual Career Changes for a Change of Pace - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Unusual Career Changes for a Change of Pace Considering changing careers so you can enjoy a more rewarding, less stressful life? You’re certainly not alone. According to The Guardian newspaper, these days around half a million Brits suffer from work-related stress, a huge percentage of which end up hitting burnout. Unable to cope with the huge demands of their busy careers, they often decide to quit and start looking for a new direction. They look for something that won’t be as stressful, will allow them to follow their passions, allow them to learn new things and help them grow as people. If this sounds familiar, then you’ll be pleased to know that we’ve created a list of the five more unusual jobs you should consider. They will all help you achieve a calmer and simpler life whilst keeping the pennies coming in. Tour guide Becoming a tour guide is a great way to break out of the office and do something you love, perhaps even in the sun. You’ll put many of your skills to use, you’ll be meeting lots of interesting new people and you’ll be able to take different workshops and classes that can help you expand your knowledge and bring new opportunities your way. There are a variety of job openings within the tourism industry that could suit your needs and personality. You could consider: Becoming a coach tour guide Working on cruise ships Becoming a package holiday rep Working as a local museum guide Offering historical town or city tours If this sounds interesting, consider whether you’d like to travel or stay put in the UK, what responsibilities you might like and what working environment you’d prefer before making your choice. Teaching Switching to a career in teaching is a great way to escape the rat race whilst making a difference in the world. By following what you’re truly passionate about, this career allows you to combine your skills, experience and expertise and share them with another person. Depending on which age group you choose to teach, you can also enjoy significant flexibility with your schedule. You don’t need to become a full-time school teacher either. You can become a supply teacher, focus on teaching adults or even give private lessons in the field of your choice. This is perfect if you have a particular passion such as art, craft, music, science, dance or languages that is in demand. Depending on the type of teaching you’d like to do, there are plenty of opportunities and even funding available to help you train as a teacher if you meet certain criteria. House sitter pet sitter If you’ve always loved animals, you have plenty of energy and you’re a patient person, pet-sitting can be a fantastic choice for a career change. It’s much calmer than other careers and you’ll find yourself spending a lot of time outside, walking in the fresh air and meeting new friendly people. It also offers a varied schedule that works well if you have other obligations such as school pick up to attend to and can often be shaped according to your needs. There are even opportunities to house sit abroad, which is great if you often get itchy feet! Your responsibilities are likely to include walking dogs, feeding pets, brushing pets, changing litter trays, giving certain types of medication and taking animals to and from the vets. Entrepreneur Build your schedule to your needs by starting your own business doing something that you love. Thanks to ecommerce, social media and digital marketing, this is easier to do now than ever before. Yes, becoming your own boss can have its challenges, and you do need to be self-disciplined when it comes to time, but the payoff is well worth it. Consider what you love and think about how you could turn it into a thriving business. Perhaps you could sell handmade jewellery? Teach salsa? Become a freelance writer? Start a cake making business? Become a yoga teacher? Find what you truly want to do then start bringing your dreams to life. Life coach or mentor No matter your age, you have a huge amount of skills, life experience and work experience that you could share with the world. Become a life coach or a mentor and you can and turn this into a sustainable income. Whether you’d like to become a business coach, leadership coach, or career coach, or you’d prefer something more holistic and psychology-based such as a student mentor or life coach, there are plenty of opportunities available. This career change works especially well if you have a strong background in a particular sector or you have trained in a niche field as it helps improve your credibility and skills and allows you to charge more. No matter where you are in life, there’s a huge range of exciting career opportunities out there ready for the picking. They’ll help you break free of the rat race, improve your work-life balance and make your future much more rewarding. Consider what you’re really looking for, be brave and then make the leap.