Is A Career In The Care Sector Right For You?

Working in care is not right for everyone. It can be challenging in all sorts of ways. But if it suits your working personality it can be a wonderful career. Care work can be highly flexible, satisfying and extremely rewarding work, a career that makes a real difference to people’s lives, a job that’s genuinely worth doing. Here’s some information to help you decide whether a career in care will suit you.

What does it mean to be a carer?

As a carer you get to help people who are struggling to live a ‘normal life’, whether their problems are down to ill health, injury or simply old age. You might find yourself working with children, with pensioners or any age group in between, with people who suffer learning difficulties, people with disabilities or those trying to adjust to and cope with life-changing injuries. But whoever you end up supporting, you play an essential role in making their life better. And that’s really special.

What makes a brilliant care assistant?

Being a good care assistant involves a wide spread of skills and attributes. Compassion sits at the heart of every great carer, an essential trait you’ll bring into play at every point in your daily work. Patience is another. And the ability to empathise makes a good carer great, the ability to feel how the person or people you’re caring for feel, to understand their hopes and dreams, problems and frustrations.

It’s important to genuinely enjoy everyday interactions with your fellow humans, which is why natural team players often make excellent carers. It helps if you’re calm and steady, able to take all sorts of issues and problems in your stride without panicking. You need to treat people with the utmost respect, vital when the things you might find yourself doing can otherwise be embarrassing or humiliating for the person you’re caring for.

Pragmatism is a valuable trait. It doesn’t help to make a fuss or create unnecessary drama. It is a positive thing if you’re a naturally warm person, naturally friendly and open. And last but not least you have to be flexible, since everyone is unique and everyone’s needs are different. You know it yourself – one size never fits all.

Special training makes all the difference

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as working within a team of people who love their work, who give you a really warm welcome and a thorough induction. It’s the same with every career. As a carer it’s important to feel cared for yourself, to feel valued and to know that the company you work for always has your best interests at heart.

Carers are the people who actually experience the day-to-day lives of those struggling to lead a normal life. They’re the ones who help people do the every day things we all take for granted, stuff like having a wash, shower or bath, going to the toilet, preparing a tasty meal. But there’s more to it than simply knowing how to do these things for yourself and your family, and that’s where specialist training comes in.

There’s no doubt it’s a challenging job, and it takes a special kind of person to thrive as a carer. On the other hand good, solid, regular and ongoing training is an excellent way to nurture carers and give them the wide range of different skills they need to make a great job of it. The best care organisations provide top class training and support from an experienced team, as well as career progression.

What real carers say about their career

We care deeply about our carers. Here’s what a few of them say about their experiences of working with Caremark Mid Sussex and Crawley:

“Having nearly finished my 12th rostered week with Caremark Mid Sussex and Crawley I have gone from someone who has never done caring before to someone who is much more confident and happy with their capability and level of service to the customers.” 

“The girls I work with are so friendly and supportive. It is a real team. I respect and admire them so much.”

“I love what I do, it’s so satisfying making a real difference to someone’s life. And every day is different. I go home after my shifts feeling good about myself, looking forward to my next one. The ongoing training we get helps me be the best at my job that I can be, and the people I look after are lovely.”

Why not give it a go?

Do you fancy a change? Are you keen to try something completely different? Why not give caring a chance? You might just find you love it, and that it changes your life just as much as your work changes other people’s lives. Contact Tania on 01444 455 800 for an informal chat about the opportunities at Caremark Mid Sussex and Crawley 

We’ll give you a warm welcome.