I have been working for my local council within social services for 5 ½ years now. I started off working as a care assistant (working with people with physical disabilities in a day centre, group settings and one to one settings) on a part time basis (4 days a week) whilst attending college to do my degree (1 day a week). I worked in this job for 3 ½ years and gained a degree in Social Welfare within this time. As I was coming to the end of my degree I felt that I had done all I could do within this role so shortly after gaining my degree I moved to work as a social care worker (working in a residential setting with people with mental health issues and dual diagnosis). I was in this role for almost 2 years when an opportunity arouses for a temporary team leader (within elderly residential services). I was fortunate to gain this post and viewed it as being a chance for me to see whether I can work at a higher level without committing myself to a role that I may/may not be able to do or enjoy. (It is a temporary post for maternity cover and will be moving back to my previous role as a social care worker when the other person returns to work or if I feel I am unable to do the role).
However having been doing the team leader role for only 1 week I am not sure whether it is the right job for me. I feel very uneasy and am feeling like a fish out of water, I know that it is early days but I just have a gut feeling that I have not done the right thing.
To throw another spanner in the works a social work traineeship has now been advertised within the council. Social work is something that I have always wanted to do, but am unable to afford to do it myself as I am still paying back the loan for my previous degree.
I love my job as a social care worker, have always wanted to progress my career and have always dreamed of being a social worker. I would like some advice on what to do.
Do I
(1) Go straight back to my role as a social care worker that I really enjoy and provides me with a great wages and suits my personal/home life a great deal.
(2) Stick it out at the team leader role for the time allocated even though I don’t feel comfortable and have a gut feeling I am never going to settle in or enjoy the role. (although I don’t want to let anyone down by having started the role and leaving them without a team leader that is needed, and I don’t want to be viewed in future as someone who lets people down). But this role is one I initially expected would suit my home life is turning out to cause me stress as shifts are not what I was initially told or expected.
(3) Apply for the social work traineeship as it is something I have always wanted to do but put myself at risk of going into a job that I then find is not for me and be left in a career that I don’t enjoy, leaving behind a role I was happy in.
I would like some advice as I feel my own mind is pulling me in all directions and I don’t know what to do for the best.
Asked Jun 01, 2014
0