Only 5% of the UK are currently in their dream job

• Recruitment agencies are at their busiest in January.

• Financial strain and finding the time to re-train deters UK workers from making a career move.

• A fifth state they are concerned that their age is a barrier to change.

The prospect of the New Year causes many to resolute to making significant changes that contribute to a happier and healthier lifestyle and with most UK recruitment firms stating that January is their busiest time, for a huge proportion of the UK starting the forthcoming year in new employment is a resolution hoping to bring improved well-being and job satisfaction.

A new study focusing on careers conducted by The Institute for Optimum Nutrition found that only 5% of the UK are currently in their dream job. Despite this, the anxieties of financial uncertainty, the embarrassment of being at the bottom of the career ladder and the fear of unsupportive family and friends deters individuals from seeking new employment. The research also identified that a fifth of people were concerned an age barrier may impact their likelihood of securing a new job and 10% said they did not have the confidence to job hunt.

For those who are desperate to break away from their mundane and dissatisfying job, the insecurity and uncertainty of searching for new employment can be extremely daunting but fear not, we tracked down individuals that have taken the plunge and have never looked back.

Clemmie Macpherson, was severely ill after the diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis which resulted in life saving surgery to save her colon. After moving to London and beginning a stressful career in PR, she fell ill again, feeling nauseous and bloated whenever she ate, she worryingly began to lose weight and her hair. Desperate to find an effective treatment, Clemmie turned to nutrition as a possible cure. She discovered that she could transform her digestion and overall health through diet and lifestyle medicine. The experience was so powerful and significant, Clemmie gained the confidence to quit her PR job and retrain as a registered nutritional therapist at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition. Now, she has set up her own clinic specialising in digestive health. Clemmie explains how working in a job that she finds rewarding has altered her outlook on working life: “I am now in a career that I love, and I can see myself doing for the rest of my life. I am helping to change people’s lives on a daily basis which is incredibly rewarding. I was scared and daunted about starting all over again and that I would be behind all my peers in terms of career progression. The thought of having to retrain for three years seemed like such a long time but it flew by.”

Mike Murphy, who also took the leap of faith and changed his career, is now a registered Nutritional Therapist and the Executive Health Coach and Founder of Saffron Wellness. Prior to this, for over 25 years Mike worked in international sales and marketing for various US companies. After completing a diploma with the Institute for Optimum Nutrition and setting up his own company, Mike talks about how his decision to change his career has impacted his life: “I absolutely love the diversity of work that I am involved in; one day I’m working on a writing project, the next I’m preparing a health talk for a charity or researching a complex condition to help a client. I find it very empowering to be 100% in charge of my work schedule. My main concern when changing my career was becoming self- employed and accumulating a cliental that would generate income. However, with the high demand for nutritional therapists, this fear faded.”

For the 95% of the UK who are frightened to break away from the constraints of their current employment, here are Mike and Clemmie’s top tips on how to change career:

Mike and Clemmie’s Top Tips to landing your dream job:

1. Make sure you are passionate about the career you want to go into, changing careers is not easy; it takes time, money and determination so you’ve got to really want it.

2. Think about that job you want to do and then do your research really thoroughly about how to get there. Explore all the different avenues so you can make an informed decision.

3. Talk to as many different people as you can in the industry you want to go into, to give you an idea of what it’s really like, how they got to where they are, and what they recommend to someone just starting out.

4. When you follow a passion-driven career it doesn’t really feel like you’re working because you love what you do. But that can be a trap, make sure you have clear boundaries between your work and the other aspects of your life.

For more information on available careers in nutrition please contact: 020 8614 7800 or visit https://www.ion.ac.uk/.