I would value some advice on a potential job change. I am a science graduate and have 15 years experience in industry. I am now a team leader with people, leadership, organisational and presentation skills.

I would like a career change to use my people skills, working in social work, counselling, family support or training. I will need some form of qualification, as my science degree will not be very helpful, but my life skills should be able to be applied.

This would mean a pay cut and I’d like to know if I would be eligible for a grant for training, how significant the salary cut would be and what sort of jobs I would be suitable for.
Alison B 
 

The Career Guru says:

It seems from your email that you already have a good idea of what you would like to do in the next stage of your career, which is always a great starting point!

The sectors you have mentioned mainly fall under local government and when it comes to providing training for staff, they rival any private sector employer.

When you’re apply for jobs, it’s worth including in the skills section of your CV your desire to expand your abilities outside your current skill set. Mention some of the training courses you would like to complete to complete which will show your aspiration to improve yourself to the reader. All employers want people who are willing to learn and push themselves to the next level so don’t be afraid to state you don’t currently have all the skills on the job description.

Always try and link your transferrable skills to the job description you’re applying for when changing career so your prospective employer can clearly see how your skills relate. It’s also important to cut any jargon as someone within a different industry may not be aware of the terms used and may overlook an important point.

All companies have budgets set aside for training and few expect you to be able to do every aspect of the job straight away. Rather than going down the grant route, ask what training opportunities are available once you join the company when you’re in an interview.

If you’re not ready to take on the exact role you want, consider applying for roles within companies you want to work for, then moving to the position you want internally once you have developed your skills.

Without knowing the exact role you’re aiming for it’s difficult to advise on how significant a pay drop you’re going to face, but if you use our Salary Checker tool then you will be able to get an idea of what to expect.

When looking at taking a salary cut, remember not just to consider the actual ‘take home’ pay you’ll be expecting. Will your commute cost less? Will you get any freebies such as subsidised lunch or a company car? Our article The value of bonuses and benefits will give you some useful information.