Jobhop Jobhop's blog : Four Valuable Skills You Can Learn as a Carer
Caring for others can be an incredibly rewarding job.
A career as a carer can benefit you just as much as it benefits the people who are cared for.
As a carer, you can make a difference in people’s lives, helping them achieve a higher quality of life through your support. It requires patience, compassion and strength to put others' needs before your own, but did you know that working as a carer can also teach you crucial life skills?
We explore some of the valuable skills that you can learn throughout your career as a carer.
Problem-solving
Working as a carer is a complex and somewhat unpredictable role, with every day being different from the last. You’ll come across challenges and issues that need to be solved, such as figuring out the best way to bathe someone with limited mobility, or how to effectively communicate with someone suffering from dementia.
As a carer, you’ll learn how to assess these situations and come up with creative solutions. By doing so, you’re training your brain to work under pressure and problem-solve on the go. These skills are invaluable in the workplace, even outside of the caring career, making you an excellent candidate for a range of different roles.
Emotional intelligence
The role of a carer is not one without emotion. Experiencing the harsh realities of many of your patient’s lives can take a toll on you, causing you to feel upset or frustrated for them. However, taking on this role can also help you to build emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise and manage the emotions of others and yourself through empathy. Due to the emotional intensity of the role and the first-hand experience of people’s struggles, you’ll quickly learn how to treat patients with care and compassion.
Adaptability
Caring for others demands adaptability and flexibility. You may need to undertake new responsibilities, work additional hours in times of need and deal with situations that may feel beyond your capabilities. The reality is that we’re all capable of great things, but sometimes we need that push to force us to commit ourselves.
Adaptability is an incredibly valuable skill that can benefit you in multiple different ways. It shows that you can handle change and take uncertainty in your stride, a quality that is highly sought after by employers.
Time management
As a carer, you’ll be required to juggle multiple different tasks daily. Many of these will require pre-planning and organisation, such as ensuring that your patients are in the right place at the right time or administering medication at specific times.
Unfortunately, there is a shortage of carers across the industry, so you may be required to prioritise tasks, identifying the most urgent tasks that need to be attended to first. By doing this, you’ll learn how to effectively manage your time while allocating your resources accordingly.
Skills for a lifetime
The skills that you acquire through working as a carer can stick with you for a lifetime. They’re not only beneficial in a caring role but are transferable to a multitude of other professions and life experiences.
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