To beg shamelessly for advice on getting a good job in London?

[CareerCr0ssroads]

I'm desperate, and frustrated, and burnt out. I feel I need some career coaching, but can't afford the big fees for even a couple of sessions.

I'm early thirties have done patchy freelancing jobs in copywriting, PR, marketing, and as a PA since my mid twenties. My degree is in the arts and I loved it, but feel I shot myself in the foot in a way - with a science degree I could possibly apply for healthcare PR roles and get a good job with a pharma company or somesuch.

I've also looked at jobs in the city in financial PR which I think could be very interesting but again, I don't have the right background.

I'm open to virtually any job that my skills would translate to, at this point.

Can anyone throw me any ideas I may not have thought of? What would you do in my position?

Please can anyone suggest anything? I feel really low.

What qualifications do you have outside your degree?

University sector. Marketing, PR, International Office (so international marketing), Development- alumni relations, fundraising events.

Look on jobs.ac.uk.

I have no qualifications apart from degree, not sure what you mean? Professional quals like accountancy or whatnot? None of those, no.

I will have a look on jobs.ac.uk, thanks.

Have you looked at public sector communications jobs? There are lots of government departments and local authorities in London where roles might come up. Try the websites Civil Service jobs and Jobs Go Public. It's been a while since I was looking, there may be others. There are a lot of cuts in the sector just now so I don't know how many jobs will be going, but if you can get in, pay and conditions are generally pretty good.

Work on your CV. What have you actually done in the 14 or so years since you left uni? what are you living on and where - have you costed applying locally if you live outside London v commuting to/ living in London? You don't have a science degree so your idea of big Pharma is a bit lost though they'd take PAs - what have you done re the arts degree you got? What do you excel at? Finance is increasingly tough even as a PA but if you were a hugely organised and personable person with flair and the willingness to work early, late and at weekends - and knew IT systems - you might get in. Have you thought of volunteering or working paid for a charity?

Don't despair! Having PR, Marketing and PA skills are incredibly useful and translatable (I say this as someone that has a similar background who made a career change in my early 30s a couple of years ago)

Do you still want to do PR or marketing? If so I'd agree that it would be difficult to go down the financial route or pharmaceutical at the same level you were at before as it's such a specialised area. But if it's what you really want to do you could start at the bottom & work your way up? Otherwise you could look at specialised Arts PR agencies if that's your passion?

If you're looking for a total career change then take a look at graduate recruitment schemes - it's what I did after deciding I couldn't do PR or marketing anymore! It was a big pay cut but absolutely worth it.

If you want a chat - just send me a DM!

What do you consider a good job? In terms of salary, prospects etc

University sector sounds like it would suit you well and there's loads of marketing and comms jobs that are reasonably well paid. Look on jobs.ac.uk.

I had to break into a marketing and comms career and uni sector was great. DM me for more advice x

How about doing something like: www.cipr.co.uk/content/qualifications/foundation-award

Have you had a look at positions in creative agencies? Or PR agencies, something like: clarity.pr/job/account-executive-london-2/

Thanks so much, all of you. Reading with interest and taking heart that there could be a few routes I hadn't thought of. Thank goodness!

I left uni less than ten years ago. As I mentioned I have been doing a patchwork quilt of self employed pr/ marketing/ pa stuff since I left.

A big problem is for my age I don't have a sold several years at a decent company in a role showing progression, where I got promoted, or anytthing comparable to that. I have some decent references however. My CV is too flaky looking, and short of outright lies I can't really hide that.

The kind of people who hired me in the past have been start ups or one-man-band type outfits, but I'm very disillusioned with that because of no job security or opportunities to do big projects and really develop.

I do like PR, very much, but want to keep an open mind about what jobs I think I might be able to do.

I will be sending a couple of PMs

The PR agency I started off life with was very much of the opinion that PR qualifications weren't necessary. Although I'm very open to rethinking that.

You'd be perfect in the uni sector. We'd welcome you with open arms I also had patchy and weird career progression (quit PhD, worked for a disreputable education establishment in admissions and comms type roles managing social media accounts before getting a proper digital comms job and moving into content marketing. Totally recommend it.

The PR agency I started off life with was very much of the opinion that PR qualifications weren't necessary. Although I'm very open to rethinking that.

I've found this common when it comes to agencies, but when it comes to the private sector or higher roles its desired.

You do not need a science degree to work in PR for a pharma company!

I'd third that thinking about PR qualifications - that was my experience too! In terms of it staying anywhere for ages - you can use it to your advantage - the longest I was anywhere was two and a half/three years for a couple of positions everywhere else was under a year. There are people I have worked with that have made their PR career freelancing/filling various mat leaves. I think it's useful to have experience with different roles & seeing how different companies/agencies operate as you can bring a diverse wealth of experience to a new role and slot in well to a new way of workingrvi (well the blurb I used to spout in interviews!)