I think I need a career change

[treaclesoda]

I had a massive lightbulb moment today, which basically was that I don't want to spend the rest of my life doing something I am fundamentally unsuited to.

I work in an office (accounts type stuff) and I can't 'play the game' anymore. I've been trying for almost 20 years to fit in, to not get caught up in office politics, to get my head down and work. I've always had fantastic feedback on my actual work. But it doesn't count for anything in the end. It's all about saying the write things, backstabbing colleagues, taking credit for other people's work etc, fighting not to let anyone take credit for yours, and I just can't do it any more. I feel totally stuck, totally drained, and totally miserable. I've worked in quite a few different places and they've all been the same (although with varying degrees of viciousness). I've tried so hard to change my personality to fit in and I just can't do it. I'm introverted and quiet and I can't make myself heard. I can be assertive, I'm not a doormat, but I just can't go on like this.

[treaclesoda]

The right things, not the write things... I'm tired

[jclm]

Have you got any ideas about what you could change careers to? X

[AddToBasket]

That's exciting. What's next?!

(I changed career and I get very excited about other people's career changes too )

[treaclesoda]

I would love to do something more practical. Work with young people, be a family support worker or something. Something that isn't 8 hours a day of sitting in the same office.

[treaclesoda]

I'm waiting to hear from an acquaintance tomorrow to give me contact details for someone who might be able to assist in pointing me in the right direction for volunteering opportunities.

[Movingonmymind]

Great to follow your interest. Just the voice of experience, I have had some awful experiences as a volunteer (and this in a well regarded national charity), bullying (paid )managers, being v crossly told off that I had made someone's cup of coffee wrong , being told as "only" a volunteer, I couldn't enrol in a free, highly relevant course that I'd be doing in my own time
The nicest people by far were the other volunteers and the clients! And you know what? I walked. There is only so much I'll put up with when I'm not being paid so be careful. I have now jumped back into paid work as unwilling to bolocokbollocks around unpaid when I need income, a pension and a system within to work somehow which reins people in. It might be worth trying for a paid role using transferable skills in the area.

[treaclesoda]

The problem with transferable skills is that I've found that employers just aren't interested. They're always wanting x years experience in a similar role. I'm in N Ireland and everything seems much more regulated here Eg if they say they want someone with x experience, they mean x experience. No such thing as saying 'well, she doesn't have x experience but she has y experience and has explained how it could transfer, let's interview her'. It just doesn't happen in my experience.

[Movingonmymind]

Yes, it can be hard but maybe try different tactics- overhaul your cv, get a few people to appraise it, try different sectors, present yourself differently. I find contract work seems much more conservative about this, wanting a candidate to have exact current experience in the role for which they're recruiting. Other types of work slightly more open, so might need scatter gun approach, fire off lots of applications and accept that it will take a while. Maybe I was unlucky with volunteering but it really opened my eyes and put me off doing something similar again for a very long time. Would rather be paid if I'm going to be treated badly! Happy to rattle the occasional tin, but to devote myself to a full on volunteering role? No way.
Good luck anyway, op.