If you are already a night worker then we don’t need to tell you how great it can be but have you considered that you may earn more money working nights in a different role?
That’s right, many careers you only thought of when you were knee high to a grass hopper have night working opportunities with plenty of scope to take on day shifts too.
If you have not tried working nights then we urge you to give it a go, it brings a heap of benefits that day shifts just can’t offer:
- Higher pay (unsociable hours, night time and waking incentives).
- Travel to work is a breeze if you drive, less ideal if you need to take the bus!
- Catch up on sleep in the morning and find that you have the whole afternoon to get your errands done.
- Works around family life, especially young children who are at nursery or school in the mornings - if you have someone who can watch the kids overnight of course.
- Nights are quiet and peaceful. You are working hard while everyone else slumbers so you are hauled into fewer meetings & have to answer less calls so for those of us who like a bit of peace and quiet, nights are a blessing.
- Not many people have worked out how awesome working nights can be and so in many cases there is a lot less competition for jobs.
Our top 10 night working jobs might just inspire you to think out of the box and put your skills to use in a different role.
1. Taxi driver £14,000 to £30,000 per year
To become a Taxi Driver you will need to:
- complete a driving skills assessment
- have a full UK or EU driving licence, held for at least 12 months (3 years in London)
- pass background and medical checks
- be 18 or over (21 in some areas, including London)
- pass a local geography test ('The Knowledge' in London)
2. Security guard £16,000 - £26,000
To become a Security Guard you will need:
- a Security industry Authority license for agency and contractor jobs.
- to pass enhanced background checks
- to be over 18
3. Paramedic £24,000 to £37,000
To become a Paramedic you will need:
- a University Paramedic qualification that is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). (Full-time courses usually take 3 years)
- to pass enhanced background checks, as you may be working with children and vulnerable adults
- to pass a medical check
- to have a driving licence, including medium-sized vehicles
If you wanted to get started right away, you could start as an Ambulance Care Assistant and with further training and experience, you could then apply for a training scheme as a Paramedic.
4. Firefighter £22,000 to £42,000
You can apply directly to join the fire service. Each local service sets it’s own entry requirements. Many ask for GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English and Maths, or equivalent qualifications.
To become a Firefighter you will need to:
- pass a fitness test
- pass a medical check
- pass enhanced background checks
- have a full UK or EU driving licence, held for at least 12 months
- be over 18 years of age
- pass an online test to assess your judgement ability in a realistic work setting
- pass number and reading tests
Some fire services may only accept applications from people living in the local and surrounding areas.
5. Police Officer £20,000 to £60,000
You can get a taste of what it's like to work with the police by volunteering as a Special Constable or you could also get paid work as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) before applying for Police Officer training.
To become a Police Officer you will need to:
- pass enhanced background checks
- be a British or Commonwealth citizen, a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) citizen, or a foreign national with the right to stay and work in the UK for an indefinite period
- be over 18 years of age
You can apply directly to join the Police Service. You'll usually apply to one police force at a time and if your application is successful, you'll be invited to an assessment centre where you will:
- have an interview
- take written tests
- take a physical fitness test
- have a medical and eyesight test
To give you the very best chance of success, you can prepare for your application by doing the Certificate in Knowledge of Policing.
If your application is unsuccessful, you may have to wait a minimum of 6 months before you can re-apply.
Did you know that if you have management experience you could apply for direct entry as an Inspector or Superintendent, or if you have an upper second class degree, you could apply for the Police Now Graduate Leadership Development Programme.
6. Nurse £24,214 to £37,267
To become a Nurse you will need to:
- do a degree in adult nursing approved by the Nursing & Midwifery Council.
- pass enhanced background checks.
You may be able to join the second year of a nursing degree if you already have a degree in:
- a health-related subject
- psychology
- life sciences
- social work
7. Air Traffic Controller £17,000 to £50,000
To become an Air Traffic Controller you will need to:
- be over 18 years of age
- apply for a place as a trainee with National Air Traffic Services.
- have a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent qualifications, including English and Maths.
- pass security checks
- pass a medical check
- be eligible to work in the UK.
- relocate to Fareham in Hampshire while training. (Initial training takes up to 1 year)
- be prepared to work anywhere in the UK once you are qualified.
8. Prison Officer £20,750 £38,000
You do not need qualifications to apply directly to be a Prison Officer your personal qualities are more important but outside of qualifications you will need to:
- pass an online test based around your judgement skills
- pass reading and writing and number tests
- take part in role play scenario’s to see if you have the right personal qualities for the job
- pass fitness tests
- pass a medical and eyesight test
- be interviewed
- pass enhanced background checks
- be over 18 years of age
9. Truck Driver £18,500 to £35,000
To become a Truck Driver you will need to:
- have a driving licence that includes LGV (lorries) HGV (articulated lorries) find out more here
- be over 18 years of age
- have a Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC)
- have good eyesight
10. Casino Croupier £14,000 to £25,000
To become a Croupier you will need to:
- be over 18 years of age
- pass background checks
- hold a personal functional licence (PFL) from the Gambling Commission.
- pass a math test for mental arithmetic
- pass a manual dexterity test
You could apply to a casino company for a job as a Trainee Croupier, where you'll receive on-the-job training or you could sign up to croupier training course and qualify before you apply.
