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Teacher looking for a career change

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  1. #21

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    Mar 2021
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    Quote Originally Posted by dinosaurs88:
    He's got great skills and experience. How about publishing and sales for those big publishing companies ?
    This is a good call. Often see vacancies for textbook editors.

  2. #22

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    Original Post Deleted
    Yes. Partner is a local HKer so has native Cantonese with decent English and mandarin. For English they have language proficiency qualification (lpat 4 to be precise which is apparently hard to achieve)

  3. #23

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    I would suggest he takes some time off to really consider the direction he wants to pursue. I know you gave some potential jobs, but you also mention he doesn't know. I would also have the concern that if he goes into something he hasn't give much thought to, then he's in a the same situation 1 or 2 years later where he hates the job.

    Since you have some expectation on salary I assume there are responsibilities. I agree with some of the earlier comments where he can continue his current job to maintain the income, but try different hobbies or interests on the side to truly find his passion. To manage an exit and transition rather than jumping into another industry blind.


  4. #24

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    Feb 2009
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    Ok, I'll offer a different perspective.
    You have a newborn. This is a big change. It's hard for everyone with a newborn! But it gets better and easier. It is a huge adjustment and this is not an easy time in the world on top of it.
    My advice is to keep the job. Why have another life change at this time? A job search and new position are also stressfull.

    Take the money from this current job and buy yourself more time - outsource cleaning, cooking, take taxis, anything that helps. Get massages to relax and get as much sleep as you can. Some people even get a night nanny for a while.
    When the baby is a bit older, sleeping through the night, then take another look at the job.

    hike, z754103, GRRR and 1 others like this.

  5. #25

    Just an observation. Pronoun assumption in this thread is quite interesting

    OP- a burnt out teacher here too, counsellor / practising Behavorial therapist now. I added a Positive psych Cert and counselling dip( trauma) to my psych Masters. 6+ experience with teaching youngsters helped a lot.

    June20 likes this.

  6. #26

    I met a taxi driver last month who drops his wife to work every day because she is a teacher. Then he tells me he was a maths teacher with 20 years of experience. He came out to do his own business. It didn't work out and after a few years, he applied to go back to maths teaching. But he never got the jobs...because they saw it as once you leave the system, you leave the system for good.

    Your partner is frustrated with work but changing from a cushy high paying job might be replaced with either
    a) lower income job and less pressure
    b) lower income job and more pressure.

    May be he has no hobbies, interests etc. outside of school ? There is no work - leisure balance since he has to spend all his time on work.

    I would suggest take the higher salary and meanwhile try different things to figure out what he wants to do. If he wants to do sales, then get a part time job selling insurance and real estate and see if he likes sales. Try starting a drop shipping business and see if he likes trading. Go out and exericse, exercise, and clean the cobwebs from the brain. What makes him excited ? He can't do a job that is replacing another dull job.

    UK/HKboy likes this.

  7. #27

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    I would suggest that with his communication skills and qualifications the career pathway that looks like a fit is Marketing. Literature/teaching/marketing can be presented as a positive story rather than a desperate escape. I might be inclined however to do a Marketing Masters at U of HK assuming one exists and include Chinese language in the mix as part of the transition.


  8. #28

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    Dec 2010
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    Quote Originally Posted by dinosaurs88:
    a) lower income job and less pressure
    b) lower income job and more pressure.
    This.

    The actual outcome for employment in a new industry is not likely going to be better.

    On a separate approach, why not start up his own education center? I have been interested in creating my own play group center as a side gig. Maybe we can connect and start a partnership haha

  9. #29

    If he is after a career change, moving from a high income at a school to opening a education center is not a good move. You move from stable income to forking out $$ for rent etc and trying to find students.

    A better move is to be private tutor earning money and then figuring out what to do.

    scotland likes this.

  10. #30

    Join Date
    Sep 2017
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    What exactly does he hope to get out of a career change?
    Without knowing the goal, one can't formulate the how...

    If he doesn't know what he wants, his gonna have to try new things, outside his comfort zone or thinking outside his own box to see what he does want.

    Maybe meeting new people from different backgrounds, hear about their lives, which might give him ideas of other lifestyles. By definition if he 'wants a change', then his gonna to have to start by doing something different! Maybe he could start by thinking and doing new things, tipping his toe in to see what might be for him.