10 reasons to choose a career in care

It is extremely rewarding!

If you are passionate about people and want a job where you are having a positive impact on the lives of others, then you may find adult social care extremely rewarding. Going home knowing that you have improved the quality of someone’s day and in turn, their quality of life can make it all feel extremely worthwhile.

Whether someone needs minimal support or a full personal care plan, you are having a direct impact on their quality of life.

You are appreciated and valued

For the individuals you provide care and support to, seeing you can really make their day. In some cases, you could be the only person they see each day if they receive care in their own home.

Their family members are also extremely grateful for the care and support you provide to their loved ones. We have had care and support staff receive gifts and letters from family members for the dedication they put into their work.

You will gain valuable life skills

Even if you do not realise it you will get an abundance of skills that will help you through your own life. For example, how to be compassionate, caring, knowing how to empathise with someone, having emotional intelligence, and being patient with an individual who may struggle to communicate how they feel.

All this can come in useful with various scenarios you may come across in your personal life such as the support you provide to your own family and children.

It is very flexible

Many people who choose a career in care do so for the flexibility. Whether you have a family, are studying, care for a family member or have other responsibilities there will be options for you. Remember care is required 24 hours 7 days a week so there is likely to be a shift pattern to suit you.

Some companies can offer 0-hour contracts which provide full flexibility to work when suits you, based on what shifts are available. Many residential care homes provide the option of doing 12 hours shifts (e.g., 7/8 am to 7/8 pm) or split shifts (7 am to 1 pm or 1 pm to 7 pm). A lot of domiciliary home care companies offer flexible shifts between the hours of 7 am and 10 pm. Some companies also hire for night care and support roles.

Every day is different

You will work with a variety of different people, both in the clients you work with and the team around you. You will hear their life stories and they will have advice and guidance for you too. With new conversations, activities and needs of the clients, you can expect no two days to be the same.

The needs of the individuals you support will also vary. You could have a client who is non-verbal and who you will need to adapt the way you communicate with them. You may work with individuals living with dementia which poses its own challenges and rewards. The activities you may carry out with an individual who has a learning disability as opposed to an older frail individual may be completely different.

You will have a career for life

With both an ageing population and individuals of all ages with more complex needs that require additional social care support, there is an increasing requirement to recruit staff in the adult social care sector.

As companies grow to accommodate this need there is also an opportunity to move into different areas of care or progress into management. See more about career progression by clicking here.

There will always be an opportunity for you.

Get qualifications via your employer

During your career in care, you will have the opportunity to gain qualifications and learn new skills. After completing mandatory training (Care Certificate and Level 1 in Health and Social Care) and passing your probation, you may have the opportunity to complete further qualifications to develop your skills and knowledge.

Here are some of the most common qualifications available:

• Level 2 in Care
• Level 3 in Adult Care
• Level 5 in Leadership and Management for Adult Care 

Some companies offer apprenticeships to new staff and existing team members, meaning you can ‘earn while you learn’. Find out more by clicking here.

If you are interested in becoming a nurse or occupational therapist there may also be degree apprenticeships available. You may find you want to go into training delivery and complete a Train the Trainer course and Level 3 Award in Education and Training. There are endless possibilities of where your career could take you.

You can shape your career path

Perhaps you have thought about becoming a nurse in the future? Maybe training others to provide high quality care interests you? Maybe you want to manage your own team one day?

There are hundreds of opportunities working in care. You can find out more about what job roles are available and the career progression by clicking here. 

We recruit based on your values

We do not just look at what your CV tells us. We want to find out a bit about you and why you are choosing to work in care, to learn your personality and what you as an individual can bring to a job within the sector.

Working in care is person-centred, providing the best quality of care and support to an individual based on what they want and need. Therefore, we do not worry too much if your previous experience or qualifications are not relevant, we will be delving deeper to see if you have the right values, attitude, and work ethic.

Get rewarded through the Care Professional Academy 

When you get a job in care you can sign up to the Care Professional Academy for free, a portal for you to keep track of any training and development you do, and gain access to thousands of benefits and savings.

Some of the rewards include:

• Discounts and Cashback on hundreds of high street stores and online shops.
• Transport discounts from local transport firms, discounts on fuel, car servicing and MOT discounts.
• National Student Discounts (usually exclusive to university students!).
• Log in details for preferential rates on essential workwear, household items and useful equipment
• Luxury deals such as spa days.

This is a completely free reward for you, just for being a part of Hertfordshire’s amazing social care workforce. To find out more and sign up today visit careprofessional.co.uk.