How to change your career?

[Bramble_killer]

It's been a strange time at the moment. I took a day off work as I was so exhausted from work that I couldn't think about what to do.

The current career is based on short term contracts and mine runs out in a year. Normally, things like that don't phase me but now have mortgage and thinking about producing sprogs, future planning seems to have gripped me and stressing me out.

Anyways, has anyone changed careers and how did you do it?

I'm going through the painful exercise of asking people what they think I'm good at and what I'm not. However, work isn't quite so helpful as I've now decided that I had been so unhappy at work for a while that the first thing that comes to their mind is what I'm showing due to being unhappy at work.

I know what would be my perfect job but it's completely out of reach (well, I can't find anything like it so far and it's probably a completely new profession in the UK)

I'd like to migrate but OH has his children here and he's been trained up without a degree so in essence, it's easier for me to try and fit rather than run away to a new country.

*plonks herself down and passes cookies to anyone walking in here*

[chris]

You know what.. I'm in the same boat.

I am seriously considering swapping over from a developer, to something perhaps outdoors. Only problem is, I don't really want to take the drop in salary. it's a tough call - so I know what your sort of going through.. plus I'd have wasted 4 years at uni too.

We're "ok" at the mo, but if we took a hit on the wages - I don't think I could come to terms with adjusting to a "lesser way of living" for a while.

I'd probably sulk too

Though - that vs job satisfaction? that vs the stress?

I do do a lot of work outside of work (have a backlog queued up) - after I've completed this freelance work I think I'm going to knock that on the head, witha new baby and all I think that's one thing that's making me think this way.

either way... good luck!

what was the job you had in mind though?

[zazen999]

skills_interests

I changed careers 10 years ago, and am trying to change it again [towards growing F and V....]

It's never easy and you have to often plug the gaps in quals at your expense; which is why evening courses are sometimes needed.

Try the above website and see if it throws up any interesting career choices; try not to just answer 'a bit like me' on every one though!!!

I did it last time by doing a degree and applying for my dream job and being ridiculously enthusiastic and [according to my ex-boss] obtuse in my presentation [training as a noun not a verb changed the shift of the presentation and they liked that...it was a training adviser role that I went for]

[binley100]

Ny OH was had redundancy in'08. After working in newpaper photography for 25 years he is finding it difficult to know what to do. He took a 'temporary' job with O***o delivering shopping g but with the totally rubbish money he's on and the rubbish hours it's not obviously what he wants to do for the next 10-15 years. The trouble is all his skills and experience are related to photographic work gained over the years and there's not a lot out there for that sort of experience.His only hope is total career change but then he's no qualifications. Evening courses are no good as he works shifts.
PS I'd love a cookie thanks

[northepaul]

The first thing you need to do, Bramble, is be absolutely sure that you want to change careers - 100%
Maybe take a bit of time away (I know its hard finantially, maybe a few days holiday?? After all, its the rest of your life you're talking about here.) Go somewhere that you feel you can really think and do just that - even if its at home or on your lottie etc.

Hope that helps

[northepaul]

Ny OH was had redundancy in'08. After working in newpaper photography for 25 years he is finding it difficult to know what to do. He took a 'temporary' job with O***o delivering shopping g but with the totally rubbish money he's on and the rubbish hours it's not obviously what he wants to do for the next 10-15 years. The trouble is all his skills and experience are related to photographic work gained over the years and there's not a lot out there for that sort of experience.His only hope is total career change but then he's no qualifications. Evening courses are no good as he works shifts.
PS I'd love a cookie thanks

Yep tell me about it!!

I hope I am not suggesting what you already know, Binley, but what about freelancing for one or more of the newspapers, they tend to like people they know?
Or does he want to get out of it altogether?

Just interested, cos I have done the exact oposite

[Snadger]

I swapped (well actually I was made redundant) from a well paid career in Engineering to a low paid outdoors job.

This was 25 years ago and I'm still here loving it!

There's NO WAY I would return to an indoors job, even if the wage was triple what I'm getting now!

[binley100]

Yep tell me about it!!

I hope I am not suggesting what you already know, Binley, but what about freelancing for one or more of the newspapers, they tend to like people they know?
Or does he want to get out of it altogether?

Just interested, cos I have done the exact oposite

He knows a lot of freelancers and in the present job climate they're all pretty much struggling. He had worked his way up to picture editor so although has the contacts has been "off the road" for a few years.
I think he would love to work outdoors but not delivering shopping,!

[Bramble_killer]

You know what.. I'm in the same boat.

I am seriously considering swapping over from a developer, to something perhaps outdoors. Only problem is, I don't really want to take the drop in salary. it's a tough call - so I know what your sort of going through.. plus I'd have wasted 4 years at uni too.

We're "ok" at the mo, but if we took a hit on the wages - I don't think I could come to terms with adjusting to a "lesser way of living" for a while.

I'd probably sulk too

Though - that vs job satisfaction? that vs the stress?


what was the job you had in mind though?

I have a sort of similar train of thought, I don't want to waste all the training and experience.

The perfect job would be as a science communicator/co-ordinator for primary school children but that's really the stuff I enjoy doing in my spare time (aside from doing up a house, knitting, gardening/growing veg and whatever else comes up...)

The first thing you need to do, Bramble, is be absolutely sure that you want to change careers - 100%
Maybe take a bit of time away (I know its hard finantially, maybe a few days holiday?? After all, its the rest of your life you're talking about here.) Go somewhere that you feel you can really think and do just that - even if its at home or on your lottie etc.

Hope that helps

I don't really want to change careers but the job I'm in (science research) is mostly short term contracts and it's difficult to get permanent jobs (made worse now by all sorts of funding cuts).

So I'm exploring options and thinking of making a move elsewhere.

Thanks for all for sharing. I'm absolutely terrified of jumping.

eta: sorry to hear about OH binley, is he looking for another permanent job?

[binley100]

It's scary jumping into the unknown but if it's what you want to do then go for it....

...and yes he wants a permanent job but there's too few jobs with too many chasing them

[Liza]

You have to loose sight of the shore sometimes to cross new oceans

[Snadger]

You have to loose sight of the shore sometimes to cross new oceans

Very deep!

[lizzylemon]

Sighs and then plonks me self down at your table and asks if there are any cookies (or crumbs) left.

Any further with your thoughts? I'm in similar situation but for different reasons - I'm coming up to 37 and have not a lot to show for it (think I might be having a mini mid-life crisis but will spare you of the details)

I've always been envious of people who've had direction in their work as I'm sadly not one of them. Now I feel the need to do something and get a recognised qualification for it so by the time I hit 40 I can say I've achieved something (other than being a mum) and I want to make my life a bit more interesting and forefilling too (asking for the impossible maybe )

I started as a PA for a dental technician earlier this year and really love the work I do helping out. He's suggested I try to get on a DT course but I have reservations. Am I too long in the tooth? Has my brain stopped working? Am I even smart enough if my brain was working at full capacity? Will my eye sight be good enough to see what I'm doing as I'm a specky 4 eyes already.

Silly stuff some of it, but I guess it means that I don't have much faith in myself and maybe, after feeling so unhappy in your job for such a long, you've lost a bit too? If so, maybe an evening course is the way to start. Something little to remind your self you're a lot more capable than you think

[matthew2riches]

I left school with a few of these so called GCSEs..... not really any good for anything other than covering the damp patches at the moment..... no one seems to want people to work.

I started up in 'business' in the end as I couldn't be assed with getting a qualification I couldn't use. The school teachers were rather red faced about it but I look back at the people I went to school with, all now sitting in classrooms getting a few quid a week from Mr Gormless Brown and feel rather proud of myself.

It is a pain sometimes, it's not all the glamour you hear about but GOD IS IT SATISFYING! Something for you to consider?