Life path mistake

[Ditto22]

I am in my mid 30s with a young child. I did really well at school and university and worked in several well-paid jobs with good career paths but with huge amounts of stress. I don't handle work stress well and felt under too much pressure and wasn't happy so I quit and took a lower level admin job. I am extremely lucky to still be earning a decent enough wage (about the same as a classroom teacher) with great perks (due to the industry). I have no stress at work and good working hours but feel very unstimulated and have very few opportunities to use my brain. I have been doing this job for several years and it's really compatible with having a child, so I know I'm really lucky. However, my job is very unstimulating and frankly, often boring. I can cope with this but I do feel like the office junior and am treated as such - with a boss who while nice, is traditionally hierarchial and I am very much the admin person to her and everyone else. It can seem a bit demeaning at times as I know if I'd made different choices earlier on, I could be doing her job! There is no room for progression in my organisation and I think other employers would wonder why someone with my background and qualifications would spend several years in the job I'm in. Part of the reason for my life turning out the way it has have been very difficult family problems (illness) which made stress at work too much to deal with on top of everything else. I'm also quite a sensitive person and find nasty bosses etc really hard to cope with. Should I be happy that I've found a non-stressful, well paid job and accept the bad bits? I feel I've wasted my talents and see my friends with professional jobs and salaries to match and feel a very inadequate. Will anyone hire me above admin level after several years in that job? Have I made a huge life error in taking this job and sitting in it for so long? I feel I've thrown away my chance at having a good career and have regrets. It might be too late to do much about it. What do you think?

My story is different from yours and I'm older but I have also gone down a path that has taken me from being on a successful career path with a good salary to somewhere where I feel I will never get a decent job again. I don't have any real advice but I think you should fight against what seems to be a loss of confidence and start looking for something more fulfilling. It could well be difficult to convince a recruiter what you are capable of but you won't get anywhere if you don't try.

Of course you can, you might have been stagnating for a while but that doesn't erode your past experience and do not feel inadequate.

Look around for jobs you think you might fancy, you can then look and see what you need to do to update your previous skills so at least at interview stage you can show that you're thinking along those lines. You have a very reasonable excuse for staying in an admin job for so long with family compatibility and yes, you may have to go into the higher level jobs at entry level but its still a step up from where you are.

The other thing to look at, is there a market in what you do to go self employed (no annoying bosses to deal with)?

I think you're lucky to have a job that suits you and your situation.

Stimulation doesn't have to come from work. Could you undertake further study? Get involved with a charity or volunteer organisation? Several are family/child friendly

A relatively stress free job is like gold dust! I think you might regret changing if you then find yourself dealing with difficult colleagues/work stress.

I’d say start looking around at what’s available, what you’d like to do, and start planning. Don’t rush into something new but definitely start getting things moving to change.... mid-30s is still plenty young enough to change

Could you look for a job that's the next level up, in another organisation? So for instance if you are an administrator, perhaps a PA or secretary type role that uses some of your previous skills, and try to progress that way?

OP - Also mid thirties and looking change career (to one that is less stressful). Only at the start of looking at jobs so not much advice. It helps that I’m looking at DH’s sector so can do a bit of training while casually looking.

Perhaps do some edx courses or take up a hobby in something that may lead to a job?

Hi, your post resonated with me OP. I'm similar though older. I think you should listen to your instincts- you feel you could do more so you probably can! Browse similar but one step up jobs or start looking around for other fields that interest you. Good luck!