A career in parking, like most things in life, can have its ups and downs. Whether you are a civil enforcement officer or a parking manager, there are both pros and cons to the role. For anyone thinking about a career in the industry it's important to take these into consideration before making your decision to apply for a job.

So, without further ado, here is a rundown of the good, the bad and the ugly of parking.

The good
There are plenty of positives to working in parking. For a start, it's an industry that has a direct impact on the way the country operates day-in and day-out. Without parking regulations and competent professionals to enforce them, the UK's crowded roads would become much more difficult to navigate and this would have a knock-on effect on the economy.

We're not suggesting civil enforcement officers and other parking staff should be recognised as national heroes, but if you work in the sector you can go home safe in the knowledge that you've played some small part in helping to keep the country running.

A major plus of being a civil enforcement officer is that you spend most of your day outside and on the move, which is great for both your health and mental wellbeing. The role is also becoming more varied than it has been in the past and this can help the day to pass by quickly. For example, officers are becoming much more customer service-focused, rather than being solely enforcement-orientated. This means that providing parking advice and guidance is becoming as much a part of the role as handing out tickets.

Many parking jobs are in the public sector and this can also be advantageous, as public workers tend to receive higher salaries than their private counterparts. What's more, holidays and pensions in the public sector are also often superior. A final positive to note is that parking is a career that offers the opportunity for progression, with it being eminently possible to move up the ladder with the right skills and experience.

The bad
We would like to say working in parking is all positive, but, as with most careers, it does have its downsides. For instance, spending most of your day outside may not be appealing to some people, especially during the winter months. However, parking is not all outdoor work and there are a number of roles such as parking manager and customer service positions that are primarily office-based.

Another downside to parking is that the hours sometimes fall outside of the regular nine-to-five, Friday-to-Saturday routine. Evening and weekend work can be required, which isn't ideal for everyone. One final negative to consider is that parking jobs, and civil enforcement officers in particular, don't exactly have the greatest reputation with the general public. Most of the old stereotypes about officers no longer apply, but it will probably take a while for the role to shake off its negative image completely.

The ugly
It would be unfair to discuss the pros and cons of parking without talking about its occasional ugly side as well. As mentioned, civil enforcement officers don't have the best reputation and can sometimes be on the receiving end of angry rants from unhappy motorists who are not pleased to find they have been issued a ticket for a parking offence. Thankfully, however, these incidents are very much in the minority and most of the interactions officers have with the public are of a positive nature.

So, there you have it - the good, the bad and the ugly of parking. Here at Unity we are confident parking's positives outweigh the negatives and you can take a look at our wide range of parking job vacancies here.