Which Job Offers The Best Pay For Your Time?

These Brits are quitting their jobs for any of the following three main reasons - or a combination of them; burnout, realising that they want a career and lifestyle change, or because they want a job that allows them to continue working remotely.

With this record number of vacancies, there is now more choice than ever for those wanting to change careers - especially for a move that comes with better wages. Researchers at The Hub Events compiled a list of jobs that saw the largest proportion of salary increase during the pandemic.

Industries Offering Better Wages Since The Pandemic Began

These jobs cover a wide range of industries, from bar staff to energy plant operatives and paramedics. There’s something on this list for everyone.

Here are the top 5 jobs that have seen the biggest pay increases:

1. Publicans managers of licensed premises

2. Process operatives N.E.C.

3. Bar staff

4. Travel agents

5. Business, research and administrative professionals N.E.C.

If you’re looking for the job with the largest percentage increase in salary, then that would be pub owners. They have seen a huge 67% increase in their salaries since the start of the pandemic, but it’s not just the owners who have seen a rise in salary, bar staff have seen a 25% increase in their wages since the pandemic began.

For those who prefer working with machinery, the process operative job salary has increased by 27% since 2018. This job involves any and all processing jobs that aren’t already classified elsewhere by the ONS, leaving lots of variation in the form of creating cement, asphalt and processing seeds, for example.

The most surprising result comes from the unprecedented 22% increase in annual salaries of travel agents. With lockdowns easing across the world, it might not be as crazy of an idea as it first appears.

The infographic below shows just how much some jobs have seen their wages increase since the pandemic began.

The Top 20 Jobs By Salary Percentage Increase

Before making any decision on where you might want the next phase of your career to take you, it never hurts to look into salary growth over recent years, and look at what industry experts are saying for the future. It could help you make a very good choice, and this table is a good starting point.

Why You Might Want To Change Careers

In light of these recent findings, we decided to offer more insights as to why people might want to change careers - beyond the financial incentives.

Everyone has their own reason why they are looking to change careers, and money is just one of them. They may want the ability to work remotely, feeling undervalued or are burned out. Whatever the reasoning for this decision, there are a few signs that will clue you in on when it is time to leave.

The Employment Landscape Is Just Right

When there’s a lot of jobs, there’s opportunity. Even in a brand new career where you’re starting from the bottom, a lot of transferable and core skills you have learned will be useful no matter what you do.

In a market full of jobs and not enough candidates, you are also in a better position to negotiate the salary you want. While you might not get what you were on in your previous job and career - given that you might not be at the same level for a while - you can use the landscape to your advantage.

Even staying in the same industry presents opportunities to strengthen your position if you’re looking for a better financial remuneration or a more challenging role. You can use data to support your desire for a better salary from a new role, as it’s clear wages are going up in a number of jobs and industries. This is openly available, so don’t be afraid to use it.

Your Suffering from Career Burnout

A toxic work environment, or one that continually puts you under large amounts of stress, is one that will cause you to burn out. Burnout can have long-term impacts on your physical and mental wellbeing, which is why identifying the signs is so critical.

Burnout has only intensified due to the pandemic and is a reason why so many people are leaving their jobs. With remote working, many workers and employers found the lines between work and home blurred - to the point that people would spend longer hours working than in the office. Without a good balance that’s enforced by the employer, people will look elsewhere to find it.

Having No Passion For Your Work

We spend so much of our day working yet some of us have no passion for it. That’s not fair on you, nor is it fair to the people you work with.

With so many jobs up for grabs, now is the perfect time to sit down and have a serious think about what you want to do with your life. A career change can make all the difference in your professional and personal life. You might need to study or retrain, or you may need time to put the right things in place before making the switch, but even making the decision and doing something will make you feel better.

How To Go About Changing Careers

As much as we wish changing careers was a simple affair, there’s a lot to consider. The decision itself might be the easiest part, so we always advise against making a choice without thinking it through and having a backup option where possible.

To help with the change, use the following points to help identify your current situation and how to focus it on looking for a new job or industry.

Evaluate Your Current Job

Every job is different and everybody’s perspective on a role will vary - people may have different experiences to the same job. Take the time to understand why you aren’t happy in your current job and what you think would make you feel better and more fulfilled each day.

If it is purely a question of money, then speak to your employer and see what can be done. Point out that there’s data to show wages are increasing and use that to your advantage. If it’s the role or industry, you can still look at opportunities that show good wage growth to get that new challenge and financial support together.

Think about what works and what doesn’t - in all parts of your role, organisation and industry, and let that inform the career you would rather pursue.

Objectively Assess Your Interests, Skills And Values

Your job should, in some way, complement who you are as an individual or what you want to achieve. You don’t need to make your interests your job, but you can find jobs that use those same skills and broaden your horizons at the same time.

If you know what skills you have and what your interests are, you can narrow down your job search substantially, what level you might be suited for and what kind of progression you can achieve.

Research Alternative Careers

You never know what jobs are out there unless you look. You may find that some of the less well-known jobs are the ones that suit you the best, so do some proper research to find out what appeals the most.

There might be a few options, and that is fine. You can dig deeper into what each industry does, what it offers and where you might fit into it all. Even if it’s something completely new, you’ll have core skills and, with enough determination, you can learn what you need to succeed.

Look For Work Experience

Nothing gives you the same level of insight as actually doing the job. There could be opportunities for part-time work available, contract opportunities or volunteer roles that you can use to try things for yourself. These will serve to let you know if the job is right for you and it will give you relevant experience for your CV.

For unpaid or low-paid opportunities, you may need another job to tide you over, but this could be the start of a change that brings you a better opportunity later.

Write Your Career Change CV And Cover Letter

Even if you are content with your current job placement, it is very important to keep your CV up to date.

However, if you are changing careers completely, then you should refocus your CV based on what you want to do. Look at the skills you have and what can be used. Don’t hide what you’ve learned already, but if it’s less relevant, it shouldn’t be what you want to draw attention to first.

Write a cover letter that emphasises your transferable skills and expresses your passion for the new company or industry. If you have gained additional experience in the interim then make sure you put that down as well. Each role you find will be different, and your cover letter and CV should be tailored to each role, showcasing specific skills you have and your ambition to succeed.

Preparing For Your New Career

When you’re considering a new career, it can feel like everything stands against you and that you should remain as you are. That’s going to mean you miss opportunities, especially in a job market crying out for talented individuals. You can make a big move forward in any career with the right decisions, but you might also need training to take those steps.
If you’d like to know more about what changing careers involves, how you can prepare for success and even more information on jobs and industries that have seen salary increases, get in touch with our team at The Hub Events.