I need a new career but I don’t actually know how to find one

[IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece]

I’ve been a nanny for 14 years, it is literally the only job I have ever done and I am done with it!

I want to do something else, something that uses my brain, something different.

I have done a fair amount of personal PA work for families and always enjoyed it so I did look at becoming a pa but I don’t know if I’d be any good at it in an office environment

I flunked all my GCSE’s (and dont really want to redo them unless that’s a gamechanger) so have no proper qualifications

I know how to find a nanny job no problem but I have no idea how to find another job, how to do another job or what to even do

I would really appreciate some help or advice!

As a starter look at “what colour is your parachute” website and book- brilliant best selling career changers guide.b

I'm not sure about the PA route I'm afraid. Would you want a job away from children? Did you get any qualifications to be a nanny? Have you considered a play specialist?

Thank you both!

I did look at a play specialist but it looks like several years of qualifications and I Can’t afford to not work whilst doing them but I found school quite hard, I’m not really a natural learner! So I think I would struggle to work and study for so long

I don’t want to work in a nursery and I don’t want to have sole care of children anymore so yes I would still work with children outside of that but if I’m honest, I would happily consider not working with kids!

You could try getting a personal PA role. Maybe with a small amount of minding older children, say 10 plus and use that as a transition role. If you can make a go of that then you might be able to transition to office work as a PA. Be warned though. it can be pretty demeaning at times. 'Oh, Blue, be a love and pop out and get my usual lunch. And keep the change'. Grates after a while. OTOH, we all need to compromise at tines to earn a living.

I'm in a similar boat. Nannies for the last ten years and have any first child due later in the year. No idea what I'll do for work afterwards so desperately trying to figure something out! It's the dreaded nanny trap isn't it, earn a great salary which keeps you in the job far too long and to change would mean a massive pay cut.

I'm looking for a career too op. Not even a career change because I've never really had one. No idea where to start either but I really need to start earning more money.

See these guys -
tiger-recruitment.com/about-us/contact/

See if you can talk to someone there first. Get some advice based on what you've said. If that goes well, tailor your Cv based on what they say and go for it. Bear in mind that Covid is going to make competition for new roles tough, and if you have a job and earn an income ATM you need to count your blessings.

BlueTuesday - do you do this type of work? What type of experience would they need?

Thank you Blue! I’ve emailed them so fingers crossed they can offer some advice!

Addler difficult isn’t it, it’s good money but I really am done with it, I was done last August when I left my last long term position but I moved to another because it’s easy and safe. I’m bored of safe!

Thanks all

Bump

I think it's best to re-enter education. I know you said you're not a "natural" learner, but learning is a skill you develop. You wont be great overnight. It could really give you more options if you get a degree, maybe with the OU?

If you have no qualifications, then I'm pretty sure you can do levels GCSE and A levels at college for no charge as you currently don't have these.

Bored can be a good motivational thing and point to move on from, it can also lead to irrational decissions.

Can you elaborate on bored?

Are you bored in life in general, just in work hours, that you dont have routes - or maybe you do, that your job has no variety, that there is no progression, you dont have any exciting life plans?

What are the life bits you feel are missing?

There was an interesting thread a while ago about careers and someone was a private PA. Travelled the world, could be called anytime day or night, lived luxuriously but with the cost to quite a bit of personal independence.

Could you set up your own business in parallel to what you do for that bit of challenge? Is part time a possibility to fund exploring other options whilst keeping money coming in.

It's good that you're optimistic about employment possibilities, but ... I'm surprised you've found it so easy to get jobs. (I know millions of people manage perfectly well without GCSEs etc, particularly in self-employment.)

You say you're not really a natural learner. I imagine you know whether you fall closer to 'couldn't be bothered' or 'diagnosed difficulty' - though the fact you're so bored suggests you could be stretching your brain rather more than you have done so far. Now that you're at least 14 years away from school might it not be worth looking at gaining some qualifications? Not necessarily committing to several years at once, but something.

PerditaProvokesEnmity

I’m an excellent nanny, I have impeccable references and am extremely good at my job. I generally have to choose between job offers so no, I’ve never had a problem finding a job but that’s in that field, I don’t know how to find another job in another field.

RippleEffects I just find my job easy, I can go into a new roll, need 3/4 days to find my feet then I’m settled, I’m very good at it but after 14 years it just isn’t challenging me and I don’t feel very satisfied by it. I want something new that I need to think about and uses my brain a bit.
I am bored with life in general, I did nothing but work through my 20s (with nothing to show for it) and I’m now 31 and desperate to do things like travel and see new things so it is an overwhelming boredom with everything I think!

I’d love to be a personal PA for several people and I did try but I just couldn’t find the extra work, partly because I wasn’t really sure where to look and partly because I didn’t really have the confidence to put myself out there

I think I’m worried that I’ll spend 3 years learning and still have no idea what to do at the end of it. I’m not stupid but I wouldn’t say I was the brightest bulb and I worry that I’ll just waste more time.

Thanks you

I'm very much of the every pound isn't equal and almost anything is achievable mindset - but achievement involves sacrafice and compromise. Working out the balance of desire against cost (emotional, time, financial) is an interesting challenge.

Don't undervalue your skillset you've built up as a nanny. Your non exam based qualifications go way beyond GCSE with so many years work experience.

I take my hat off to you being able to multitask and settling in with full time children to look after in a few days, the most demanding uncompromising clients (the children - possibly some parents!). My eldest is now 16 and I'm not sure I've settled into mastering childcare yet.

Travel is going to be very interesting over the next year but the UK is an amazing place and will slowly become accessible again. Our transport infrastructure makes getting between cities so fast that overnight breaks from London to Edinburgh, Newcastle, York, Leeds, Cardiff to name but a few are completely doable. Just write a hit list, work out the transport links, do a quick what to do in... search then go.

I just googled nanny travel jobs and came up with this www.mytravellingnanny.co.uk/ All travel and accomodation paid, some paid time off, a chance to get a feel for places you could go back to and explore more. Something to create a bit of life excitement whilst pondering on life changes.

On education, do you have your basic GCSE grades in - Maths and English? Thats a good starting point to access other courses and to see if you find study easier as a young adult rather than a teen.

There is so much life and time ahead of you from 31, don't worry that any years have been lost. That experience you've gained may have many alternative uses yet.

The parents are definitely more difficult then the kids .

I just feel like this is the only thing I’m good at and I think I’m scared to try something new and I don’t know what to do or where to go. I only have D grades in Maths & English so not very good.

Thank you Ripple, you supportive words are very much appreciated