Work out what needs to change
Most people who move jobs in care are not unhappy with care. They are unhappy with something specific: the hours, the travel, the pay, the manager, or not getting anywhere.
Write down what did not work last time, and what you would not give up. Be specific. "Better hours" could mean no nights, fixed days, or being home for school pick-up. Each points to different jobs.
It also helps to decide what matters most. A role with better pay and a longer drive is a different trade from one with the same pay and a better team.
Choosing a care setting and role
The same job title can feel very different depending on where you do it. Residential homes, nursing homes, home care, supported living and specialist services each have their own pace, working patterns and ways of doing things.
If you are thinking about a step up, look at what the next role actually involves. A senior carer role adds responsibility for others. A deputy manager role adds rotas, supervision and paperwork. Our guide to care leadership roles covers what employers look for at manager level.
Looking while you are employed
Most people look while they are still working. A few habits protect you:
- Use a personal email address and phone number.
- Think before switching on an "open to work" setting. Your manager may see it.
- Ask any recruiter how they will describe you, and to whom.
- Keep a note of which employers you have agreed to be put forward to.
We will not send your CV to an employer without speaking to you first. You can read more about how we work with candidates, and our guide to what happens to your CV explains how that works.
Preparing for a care job interview
Many care employers now use values-based interviews. Expect questions about what you actually did in real situations: a time you put someone's wishes first, a time you raised a concern, a time you disagreed with a colleague.
Prepare three or four examples from your own work. Use real detail and say what happened in the end.
Ask your own questions too:
- Why is the role open?
- What does a normal week look like, including weekends and nights?
- How often will I have supervision, and with whom?
- What training will I get in the first three months?
- Can I see the service before I decide?
The checks you will go through
Before you start, a care employer in England has to check your identity, your right to work, a DBS certificate at the right level, references from previous care work, your qualifications and your full employment history.
Gaps in your history are fine if you can explain them. Time out to care for family, study or recover from illness is common. Have the dates ready.
Our guide to DBS checks when you change jobs covers whether your current certificate can be used.
Handing in your notice and counter-offers
By law, if you have worked somewhere for more than a month, you must give at least one week's notice. Your contract may say more, and it usually does for senior roles. Check it before you agree a start date.
If you are good at your job, your employer may offer you more to stay. Decide before you resign what, if anything, would change your mind. If the reason you are leaving is not money, a pay rise may not fix it.
Ask your new employer to contact referees after the offer, so your current manager hears about the move from you.
Questions
Do I have to pay a recruitment agency to find me a job?
No. The Conduct Regulations stop employment agencies charging work-seekers for finding them work, apart from a few exceptions in entertainment and modelling. You will never pay Crown Talent.
Will my current employer find out I am looking?
Not from us. We will not send your details anywhere without speaking to you first, and you can ask for references to be taken only after an offer.
I have gaps in my employment history. Is that a problem?
Not if you can explain them. Employers are required to ask about gaps and write down the explanation. Have the dates and a short reason ready.
Do I need to be actively applying to speak to you?
No. Many people talk to us while they are still deciding. Tell us what you are considering and we will help you understand the options.
Sources
This guide covers England unless it says otherwise. It is general information, not legal advice. We review it when the rules change and update the date above.