Changing jobs in changing times

The results show that four out of five British people have said that the events of 2020 have made them reconsider their lifestyle, and jobs are the number one thing people are thinking of changing.

We asked 2,000* British workers about their future plans. An enormous 66% of people think you should do a job you love and 31% said they had a new appreciation for a better work-life balance.

Retraining as a medical professional is by far the most popular choice among those considering a new job, with 23% saying they’d like to pull on a white coat and stethoscope. The result may reflect widespread admiration for the work done by NHS frontline workers during the pandemic.

Another much-admired profession, teaching, has piqued the interest of 11% of people surveyed.

Some have clearly found inspiration in the kitchen with 9% saying they’d like to be either a baker or a chef. Charity is popular too, with 8% interested in taking their careers in that direction.

And it looks like those of us who have been taking work calls in the garden have found inspiration too, with 12% of respondents keen to test the greenness of their fingers with a job in gardening.

Meanwhile the endless Instagram and YouTube content we’ve all been wolfing down has had an impact too. One in twenty people (5%) are now interested in becoming a social media influencer.

An impressive 12% have already found something they’re better at doing and 23% have realised they’d like to find a more enjoyable way to earn a living.

But would winning a big prize on The National Lottery change anything? It might act as a catalyst, according to the survey, where 36% said they’d learn an entirely new trade. And it seems like winners love flowers, with 13% saying a win would encourage them to train as a florist.

Flowers certainly held a special draw for one Lotto winner, Barbara Derry-McClellan. In 2000, she won £2.3MMillion and had a job that she didn’t find engaging. Her Mum was a florist, so in 2002 she purchased her first flower shop.

Now, 18 years on, Barbara and her husband Ian own a blooming business with a shop and a wholesale supply company that provides flowers to shops and businesses across the UK.

Speaking about her decision to change careers, Barbara said, “I didn’t really have any other skills apart from being good at talking to customers but I did think my mum was super talented and that I’d love to be able to do what she did.

“It can be incredibly busy and hard work, especially on big occasions like Mother's Day and Valentines but I find it really rewarding. I probably wouldn’t have made the leap if it hadn’t been for the Lotto win and now I’m surrounded by beautiful blooms everyday.”

Here’s the top 20 jobs that Brits would love to retrain to do:

• 1. Medical Professional – 23%
• 2. Gardener – 12%
• 3. Teacher – 11%
• 4. Chef/Baker – 9%
• 5. Decorator/Interior Designer – 9%
• 6. Charity Worker/Volunteer – 8%
• 7. Florist – 7%
• 8. Care Worker – 7%
• 9. Photographer – 7%
• 10. Delivery Driver –– 7%
• 11. Personal Trainer – 6%
• 12. Shop Assistant – 6%
• 13. YouTube Star – 6%
• 14. Novelist – 6%
• 15. Counsellor/Therapist – 5%
• 16. Social Media Influencer – 5%
• 17. Politician – 4%
• 18. Video Creator – 4%
• 19. Musician – 4%
• 20. Film Maker – 3%

*Research conducted on behalf of The National Lottery by Gingercomms among 2,000 adults between 14 and 19 August 2020

28th August 2020