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Original poster

If you were 27….

47 replies

Yebbie · 23/05/2022 13:04

And could train up, get a degree, do anything really (apart from relocate!) to start a new career.. what would you do?

I’ve drifted from admin job to admin job for years and I’m so bored and unfulfilled. I work very flexible 3 days per week at the moment which is ideal whilst my kids are young but I want to start working towards my ‘real’ career. I just don’t know what I want to do!

Dh earns well, so it takes the pressure off me and I can really work hard to get where I want. But I would like to also be a high-ish earner eventually, 40/50k ish.

OP posts:
TonyBlairsLover · 23/05/2022 13:05

Comercial diving ?

ThatPosterIsSoRight · 23/05/2022 13:09

What are you good at? What interests you? What parts of your current job give you satisfaction?

Needmorelego · 23/05/2022 13:10

If I had my time over again I would be a toy designer or furniture restorer.
What are your interests? What do you like doing?

KangarooKenny · 23/05/2022 13:10

What are you interested in ? Do you have a degree ?

Intrigueddotcom · 23/05/2022 13:10

How old are your children?

your driving force should be what you are actually good and interested in

Intrigueddotcom · 23/05/2022 13:11

With opportunity at the end of it
ie not a media degree perhaps

Athenajm80 · 23/05/2022 13:11

Personally, a forensic anthropologist or actuary. The former is crap money though and the latter would need me to do other A-Levels first.

You could do one of those career quiz things. I did one in school, all about your interests and other things, then it suggests careers. Mine suggested mainly things I would have no interest in or no skills for doing, but it might be better for you, or at least give you some ideas.

Intrigueddotcom · 23/05/2022 13:13

Do you have funds to actually fund the degree? Very expensive

hernameis · 23/05/2022 13:13

University costs so much now I wouldn't go down that route. If build on my administration skills by adding project management - lots of courses on udemy, LinkedIn learning etc. Then undertake formal PMP certification, P2 etc.

Original poster
Yebbie · 23/05/2022 13:13

I’m boring and don’t really have any hobbies.. that’s quite tragic isn’t it. I don’t really know, no degree or even A-levels just GCSES and a decade of admin experience as far as band 4 NHS. Qualifications in boring admin crap like excel, audio typing. I just want to have better salary prospects and not spend my life staring at spreadsheets..

OP posts:
fyn · 23/05/2022 13:14

At 27 I left an Estate Manager and became a Parish Clerk. Very flexible working, perfect for small children but will go back to Estate Management when they go to school. It’s managing large country estates for people with high net worths, very downton abbey and generally comes with free accommodation and bills.

Intrigueddotcom · 23/05/2022 13:14

I don’t think jumping in to an expensive degree would be wise if you got as far as gcse. You need to get back in to studying and revising etc.

how about doing an a level? Not such a big commitment so you see how balances with family life

Needmorelego · 23/05/2022 13:17

@Yebbie you might not have any hobbies now but what did you enjoy doing when younger?

Original poster
Yebbie · 23/05/2022 13:20

I was going to do a degree (and access course) through the open uni. It’s still quite cheap where I live and will go up in a few years no doubt so was thinking I should do it now while I can. I was looking at business but not sure if it would just be more of the same..

OP posts:
BreadmanAndCake · 23/05/2022 13:20

I'm 27 with two young children and am about to finish my first year of uni studying Health Sciences with the Open Uni. I've loved it! Would absolutely reccomwnd it to anyone.

AffIt · 23/05/2022 13:20

Well, what do you want to do? What do you like? What interests you? Maths, sports, animals, environment, literature, history etc?

Everything in your post is about your kids, your DH, and I'll be honest, it depresses the fuck out of me that you're not even 30 and thinking like this.

What would YOU like to do with YOUR life?

HandlebarLadyTash · 23/05/2022 13:21

Plumber

Original poster
Yebbie · 23/05/2022 13:21

The only things I’ve ever really loved doing are photography and English. A photographer wouldn’t work for me though as I couldn’t do weekends as dh works.

I love reading and writing and have about 20 different chapters of different books I start writing and never finish always saying I’ll do a free kindle book but never do it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Yebbie · 23/05/2022 13:23

AffIt · 23/05/2022 13:20

Well, what do you want to do? What do you like? What interests you? Maths, sports, animals, environment, literature, history etc?

Everything in your post is about your kids, your DH, and I'll be honest, it depresses the fuck out of me that you're not even 30 and thinking like this.

What would YOU like to do with YOUR life?

Ha, I get you. It’s quite depressing yes. I have just been focused on my family so far and haven’t done much for myself. I moved out my parents house at 16 and had to go straight into work so personal progression fell by the wayside. I’m still young though and will start figuring my life out next.. not sure how though I just feel clueless when I think about what I want to do so I just carry on as I am.

OP posts:
cornflakedreams · 23/05/2022 13:25

Have you tried this to see what it comes up with?

nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/skills-health-check/home

It looks at where your skills and interests intersect. No point training in something you detest, that's the path to misery not success!

gwenneh · 23/05/2022 13:27

Fair enough to not want to spend your life staring at spreadsheets but you do need to have some idea of what you DO want to do. A degree is only value for money if it then opens up a path into something you want to do.

It sounds like there are no aspects of the job that you do like, but what about the industries you've been exposed to while in your admin roles?

watcherintherye · 23/05/2022 13:27

If I could have done anything (too late for me now!) I would have gone in for art restoration and worked for museums, galleries, the National Trust, maybe. Good luck, op. Hope you find your thing!

Beamur · 23/05/2022 13:30

I'd train for a trade. Plumber, electrician, hugely in demand, hard work but can be well paid. Set your own hours. USP being female.

Solosunrise · 23/05/2022 13:32

Good for you for wanting to go for something new! Far from being depressing, I think @Yebbie was just giving background to where she's currently at.
I'd highly recommend doing an Access to HE course as you've already mentioned. That will give you the opportunity to work out what really interests you. Personally I loved the look of the humanities one that my local college does. Open university ones are worth a look too.
Also, though you are young by my reckoning, you still class as a mature student so I'd recommend looking at the mature students board on here (it doesn't come up in active much since you might not know about it)
Wishing you all the best!

Nosetickle · 23/05/2022 13:36

At 27 I decided to quit my latest in a long succession of admin jobs to go back to uni to train in a professional career (won’t say what as it’s outing but it was helping people as I felt this was something I really wanted to do) and I loved the training but was absolutely miserable in the career. Realised I missed admin and have ended up working back in it, but in a field I love and have a passion for. Having experienced the stress of a professional career I really appreciate the low stress and predictability of admin. It was a good process to go through though!

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