Help me choose - career change

[FrazzledCareerWoman]

Work in finance - been ten years
Want to do something else in 3-5yrs time, happy to re train etc

Would like to be PT, 3-4days a week. I'm super organised, extrovert and enjoy helping people.
I was thinking some kind of coaching but I'm not sure what. Would love my own business. Or completely retraining eg 3yr midwifery degree...

I couldn't be a teacher (not enough patience / too many people and kids / it's not part time).

Transferable skills include... stroking the male ego? And maths

Suggestions on a postcard please!

Lots of finance types go into senior management.
Sideways move to a finance role in a different field?

Do you have money to pay for training/higher education, and would you be doing this full time or on top of your day job?

How much would you need to earn, including to put into your pension etc?

Thanks for replying @Dozer
I want to get out of corporate mgmt roles and do something more fulfilling / meaningful

If I hit my savings goals in the next 3yrs I will be able to take time out to retrain full time.

I have a decent pension pot already but the income rules mean I cannot add to it more than 10k/yr. So any job that allowed me to at least maintain that would be fine. I think 30k per year or above? Assuming my DH still works. I'm currently the breadwinner but that would change.

What do you find meaningful?

Finance role in another type of work, eg voluntary sector, creative field?

Midwifery strikes me as a rock hard, badly paid job requiring immense physical and mental energy. Shiftwork can be v bad for health and wellbeing.

Suggest thoroughly investigating options, speaking to people in different fields etc. Sounds like you have time to do this.

Was your old job more like being a PA, calculating claims from massive databases, running large contracts or being an accountant?

Careers adviser....you can do an MA in a year and there are lots of opportunities for part time work.

I know you've said not teaching- but it does actually sound like you have the right skill set and there is a desperate need for maths teachers.

Would you consider an independent school?

@reefedsail I haven't ruled it out completely but I know a lot of teachers they are all completely overwhelmed and there is no such thing as part time. I want to be around for my kids and don't want to have to do marking in the evenings etc.

@ragged more like research and consensus building in a team (investment committee) and then lots of negotiations. Within a very technical context

Midwifery's brilliant but not really part time in the sense of shorter, fixed hours.

Possibly look for something in the third sector/ charity or funded work. Can be very satisfying. Tends to be varied and opportunities in whatever area/age group interests you.

Management Consultant?

Medical Trainer? Offer courses on elements of midwifery? Anatomy training courses to medical representatives selling devices?

Jobs helping people never pay as much as finance so Iwould day that in 3-5 years time the gap between the salary you would have then (and what it provides for) against what you could get helping people would be difficult to bridge unless you have a very affluent husband or can make up the difference from your savings.

I have a friend that has found herself in the same dilemma and over the years she has participated in several initiatives to help disadvantage students, getting scholarships etc. She is in the board of directors of a few charities already, she expects that if she gets into another few she may make up for her salary and leave her current career in a few years time.
(She has been saying the same since she was 23... she is going to be 50 next year)

Yes, you could be a charity trustee or board member in spare time.

@IdiotInDisguise yes that's the trap isn't it!
I do not currently have any spare time:.. i would like to live a bit more and work a bit less!

I don't think my salary is going to go up a lot in next 3yrs. I'm in a privileged position where I can save a lot now to give myself options then.

check out the charityjob website. Lots of jobs in charities, part-time options, front-line jobs or back-office. Lots of charities want finance officers or operations directors. Also loads of jobs to be fundraisers (see also development directors - ie developing the next stage for the charity= sort of fundraiser-plus). Your finance skills and negotiation skills will both be excellent in the fundraiser role.

Or, looking round charityjob will give you an idea if there's a role that so grabs you, you know what to retrain in.

Ooh thanks @chillied I will have a look at that

Try these:
jobs.thirdsector.co.uk/
www.charitypeople.co.uk/

Trainee accountant ACA then work from home as a self employed accountant.

Do you have a degree? So sonographer or Clinical vascular scientist ( which is basically a vascular sonographer) or echocardiographer. These are all physics heavy post grads that lead to band 7 nhs posts. Normally a healthcare based or science type degree is needed first. Midwifery is reward but a band 6 and will involve more nights. Depends how much you fancy nights. I did it young. Wouldn’t fancy now.

I moved out of the health sector because I found it v stressful. Part of it is my anxious personality but rotas and understaffing (meaning less time for training) made it worse. I often ended up working longer than contracted hours.

If you really want to try the midwife route, I suggest working as hca for a period on obstetric ward to check you can cope with the environment/rota.

Do not set up your own practice as a life coach or counsellor. It's a well trodden road that most regret.

And so many people in finance want to retrain in teaching or healthcare, while teachers and healthcare professionals want the reverse!

Would you consider using your skills in a hospital or school? I have several friends previously in accountancy who now work part-time term time for academy trusts. Not big salaries.

I used to work in finance and now retraining (in my 40s) as a midwife. I'm in year 2 of the degree and it's hard, but so much more fulfilling than I ever had in the financial industry. You wont get part time regular hours though, it's not exactly a career you go into for the work life balance. I'm planning on working in community after my preceptorship, which could give you that balance, but you have to put the years in first before that's an option. If you are truly interested in healthcare, maybe look into training as an Allied Health Professional, as certain areas have greater flexibility.

OP - I feel the same, but I've been in my Finance job 20 years! Hate it. Problem is I'm a single mum, no financial help from exes so I can't retrain. I thought about being a midwife but i'm 50 so just chugging along really until retirement. My youngest is 8 ago i can't stop until i'm in my 60's!

I'm a complete introvert though so not sure what else I'd do. I'd just like to work part time as i'm shattered.

Thanks for all the replies

@olivehater
Yes I have a degree - msc and Bsc in maths
Those physics heavy postgrads into medtech could be something worth looking into

@Mosaic123 I did think maybe accountancy but how many years of exams before you can work? Will check

@Namenic
@steamboatwilly123
Thanks for the honest replies re midwifery. Yes my fear is that I couldn't cope with nights, and wouldn't be able to get a job w part time hours (why is this though?)