Third time lucky for career-change carer

When Norfolk woman Jenny Masters changes career, she does it in dramatic style. ​

The 41-year-old began her working life in stage management, before spending 10 years in the retail industry. She then switched to care work and has recently celebrated her first anniversary at Extra Hands​, a family-run firm which provides bespoke home-care packages across Norfolk.

“Whenever I change job, I don’t just change job – I completely change job,” she said. “If I do something, I don’t do it by halves.”

Her latest career move was prompted by her young son.

“I’m a mum with a little boy, and doing weekends and nights in retail wasn’t ideal,” she explained. “When he started school I jumped ship from retail to care work, and it’s been brilliant. 

“I start work just after I’ve dropped him at school in the mornings, and, when I finish work, I go straight to pick him up.”

It wasn’t just the flexibility of care work that appealed to Miss Masters, who lives in Buxton and works from the company’s Broadland office in Horsham St Faith.

“My nan used to have carers come in when she needed support so she could continue to live on her own,” she continued. “She said the majority of them were lovely. At that point, she didn’t get to see anyone apart from me and my mum, and she didn’t get to go out much, so they were her contact with the outside world.

“My nan said she especially liked the happy ones, and people always said I was irritatingly happy, so I thought maybe I could do what those carers did for my nan, and brighten up someone’s day.”

She seems to be doing just that, winning a GEM Award for ‘Going the Extra Mile’, just a few months after starting in her new role. 

“I thought I hadn’t been there long enough to deserve an award,” she said. “The company is lovely. Every time I’ve got lost or been confused about something, they’ve helped me or calmed me down. 

“They’ve been very supportive, and I like the regular meetings. You get to see everyone’s names, but it’s nice to see the faces and I’ve made some good friends.”

Now that she’s established in her third career, Miss Masters feels she’s in for the long haul.

“I’m here for the foreseeable future,” she added. “I enjoy the work and have no plans to change job again.

“People always say, ‘I couldn’t do what you do’, but it isn’t what they think. Everyone’s got an idea of what the job will be like, but it’s nothing like you expect. 

“A lot of the time you’re just there to keep people company. You’ve just got to have a bit of compassion and think that could be me one day, or that could be my mother.

“It’s rewarding to think someone has company because of you, or has a meal because of you. I really enjoy it.

“Even if someone is particularly challenging, by the end of the visit they’re apologising for being grumpy, and, when I leave, they’re smiling. It’s nice to know you’ve made a difference.”

Extra Hands also has an office in Heacham.