would really really appreciate some help with a career change, please

[maggiesmama]

ok - heres a run down of, first, my cv, interests and circumstances. i really want to make some decisions about career and so on. my dd (3) starts school next sept, and i guess i feel like i can make some changes between now and then. also - apologies for any introspection.

currently, i develop property and work as an interior designer. i have been doing the design for a year and a half. i used to be writing my phd (pretty obscure french phil) which i loved - but i am a lone parent, and trying to raise a child with no support, and almost no money, and then read derrida all night just wasnt working. i mean, i would have finished, but not 'brilliantly', whihc was important to me. i decided to do the design because i have been buying and selling houses since i graduated, and i am pretty interested in design, and can do all the technical drawing and so on. and its great, but it feels very frivolous, and not particularly taxing. i miss using the more cerebral parts of my brain.

i would also say that i think a career in acadaemia is closed to me now. i dont think i want to go back.

ok - cv

5 a-levels (maths - a, further maths - a, english - b, art - a, politics - b)
bsc - philosophy and sociology, first, bristol
ma - history of art, distinction, sussex
am halfway through ahrb funded phd registered at sussex

all the intervening gaps in cv (i'm 31) are filled by property developing (ie, project managment etc) and design. have been pretty sucessful at it.

i had a consultation with a careers advisor after graduating. the problem is that i'm a bit of a jack of all trades: makes decisons so difficult. i am interested in so many things. i love writing, curation, project managmant, politics, law, literature...

restrictions - i'm a single mother. so far, ive had the luxary of a lot of time with my dd. i would hate to work 15 hours a day and never see her. i would like to achieve a comfortable lifestyle, and not worry when i am paying for the weeks food and so on. oh, and i'm dyslexic - guess it might be an issue for some people.

i guess some career suggestions, or ideas about how to make a decision would be amazing. i guess, in the past, ive always had a mentor - my tutor etc. i'm hoping mumsnet might help fill the void. heeeelp pls!

[bluejelly]

Have you thought about getting a mentor in a field that interests you? Not sure how you go about it but sounds like a career mentor rather than an academic mentor would be more useful now.

I've heard people say that a book called 'What colour is my parachute' is good but haven't read it myself.

I'm sure you can find a job that doesnt require selling your soul and never seeing your dd. I work in journalism though wouldn't necessarily recommend, bloody hard to get into and the money is crap initially...

Good luck

[spooxooky]

have you thought about architecture - your background lends itself to it fairly well.
Best is to get apprenticeship: day a week at college etc. I know friends who ahve done this and it pays OK in the first years. It takes a while though but you are still young.

look at RIBA web.

[maggiesmama]

thanks for your replies. i have considered architecture, but i think it would take seven years til i qualified which is really such a long time.

journalism remains tempting, it would be really interesting to talk to you bluejelly about your experience of it.

i wonder - does anyone else work in any of the fields i mentioned who might have any great insights, please?

[Judy1234]

Why not just develop the interior design work?

[maggiesmama]

i just really miss using the more critical parts of my brain. design is fun, but not really challenging enough. fair suggestion, though.

[threebob]

What about doing the design work AND sending articles to design magazines - combine journalism and what obviously works for you money and time wise.

[puppydavies]

why is the 7 years for architecture such a barrier if it's possible to be working - and earning - while you train? it still leaves you with 25+ working years and you hardly seem averse to studying

it sounds as though you're in a similar (although higher flying) position to me. i've always pursued things i was abstractly interested in, without much plan for a job at the end.

i'm currently considering working towards becoming an educational psychologist, which would take 2 years part time undergrad study plus a 3 year doctorate, ideally with a couple of years' work experience inbetween. i'm 32, so potentially i could be newly qualified at 40, still seems worth a shot to me.

[JoshandJamie]

If you're good at interior design, why not pursue it? I am absolutely bloody crap at interior design. I know what I dont like and that's as far as I get. I wish there was a service out there for people who just need a little guidance. Why not do this? You could get fabrics from here? This builder is fab - etc. If I had a person like that who didn't charge a fortune but gave good honest advice at a reasonable fee - and either then helped me do it or buggered off and left me to it, I would go for it.

So why not set yourself up in business doing something like that?

[threebob]

And being self employed with a school age child is very worthwhile too.

[maggiesmama]

glad to know i'm not the only one in this odd position...

seems like being self employed is very helpful at this time... will mull it further.

ta again

ps - joshandjamie - am already working as a int designer - and do offer that kind of service - ideas working with what you have, rather than a full re-design. always happy to build protfolio, so get in touch if you want some free advice!

[hatwoman]

I haven't read all the posts but I wondered if there are some kind of similarities with my own current plans. I work 3 days and in a few months both dds will be in f-t school. I do like my 3 days but it's not as cerebral as the masters I've just done (although they are in the same area - ie its practitioner rather than academic). My plan is to keep the 3-day a week job and see if I can use the other 2 days to do some university teaching and/or writing for journals. this keeps me straddling the practitioner/academic business. Your paid work is obviously very different from your academic interests, but as, presumably, it's self employed could you not combine both. you won't get a glittering academic career like that, I appreciate, but you'll get personal fulfillment

[hatwoman]

I even read a label for this - portfolio career, I think it's called. You could come with some hugely original articles - the impact of French philosophy on interior design, no?

[liquidclocks]

Leading on from your current career but using your brain more, you could use your skills working on inclusive design - design that accomodates all people so it looks good, but is accessible to people with disabilities. These people are a good starting point in the uk: Helen Hamlyn Research Centre . The remit extends from product design to housing to public building etc. Obviously your skills could be useful because you have an eye for what looks good (I'm assuming as you've managed to make a career out of it) but you're also intellingent and creative - winning combinmation!

Good luck with the career search - and well done for managing it being a single parent too, it's hard enough when I can rely on DH for income security while I train!