To want to change career even though it won't benefit our family?

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When I was young I had always wanted to work in the beauty sector with a particular interest in makeup. I have always been very artistic. My parents told me that was a silly thing to do and a waste of my life and that I should get a degree and be a manager of some sort. So being me and being eager to make them proud I got a degree in economics and then didn't know how to get a job as a manager of some sort, so I got a job as an administrator! By the time I had dd I was on a good wage as a senior administrator in a boring job. I left to become a SAHM. My youngest will start pre-school next year, and then school the year after. So I have been thinking about what my plans will be to go back to work. I know there are lots of office jobs that are part time, I've been looking on reed. These would be great. Although dull. My dream would be to go back to college (which would cost a fortune) and get a qualification in make up artistry and apply for a job on a make up counter!! I've looked at various jobs and these seem to be part time although include early starts, late finishes and weekends which would clash with DH job and we would have to pay for childcare that may well cost more than I earn! But I really don't want to spend the rest of my life in admin :( I'm 32 now I want to go back to being 16 and start again! Is it too late?

Bump

No of course it is not too late.

But are those really your only two options? I know lots of people who re-qualified in different jobs, often at about your age. Only a couple did the full-time option, few of us have that luxury. Most worked a job to pay the bills and did the study on top.

"it might clash with DH job" is not a reason to drop your dream.

Being a good administrator and manager means it is very likely you would rapidly move into running your own salon or being self-employed, mobile etc. Therefore don't base too many decisions on the money being low at first.

I could possibly work in retail and then apply for makeup counter posts instead of doing the course. A lot of them do not require a course. I just thought it would show interest. I cannot find any suitable part time courses. I'm just worried as the pay would be low after paying a childminder my DH would not see the job as sensible as we may not actually be any better off!

I would definitely do it if that's what you want, you can just as easily run your own salon as you can become a manager of some boring admin company. I wouldn't think it necessary to go back to college when you have a degree. Maybe you could apply for a job as a receptionist at a beauty salon, that might give you a heads up. I think it's pretty obvious you are interested, no one's gonna work their way up from the bottom just for a laugh now are they!

YANBU, but with a degree in economics you could aim higher than working on a beauty counter. What appeals to you about the beauty industry/ make up? Is it the products? the people? the creative side of make up? How important to you is it to be flexible around the kids? I would have thought there were lots of opportunities, from taking on an Avon round to taking on a body shop franchise to becoming a freelance make up artist.

I'm most interested in the people side and the creative side. But it's also important for me to be there for the dc as dh works funny hours. So I feel torn.