To ask what job I can do with A Levels?

[DragonsandDungeons]

I'm 23. Did A levels when I was 18, got 3 Bs. I had my son early and took time out and then attempted uni and have just done my first year. Despite this I don't want to complete my degree. I have an anxiety disorder and I find exams stressful to the point of making me unwell.

Ive unfortunately just had a miscarriage of an unplanned but not unwanted baby and I need something to throw myself into to deal with it. A new job sounds like it would suffice.

However all jobs seem to be either degree level or GCSE level. I've worked in sales before and I don't really want to repeat it.

Can anyone give me ideas? I don't even know what to look for.

What are your interests? What sort of job do you have in mind? Any old job or the start of a career?

I like politics and helping people. I'm a member of the Labour Party. I like law too, that's what I started uni doing. I enjoy working with people, I enjoy a challenge, I like solving problems. I'm quite analytical.

Other than that my other interests are gaming and fantasy novels which I don't think I can make a career out of

No, I did retail until I had DS so haven't ever had a career. I need something that isn't nights or unsociable hours.

NHS administration.
University administration.
Basic accountancy and you can work to do your AAT and potentially later ACCA or CIMA or other.

If I was starting from scratch I would learn to code and become a developer - best pay to work ratio I can think of with plenty of options for flexible and/or home working.

I have a huge interest in quantum physics and general science too but have literally zero qualifications in the field so don't see how I can use it. I just read a lot.

Hipster I've never thought of that actually, thanks. Might be worth doing that. I can do very rudimentary HTML but I could learn.

Have a look at the apprenticeship website and search for higher level apprenticeships. You might not want to do an apprenticeship but it let's you search by sector and it might give you some ideas. There's also some career tools on the prospects website which might help you. And depending on how long ago you stopped your degree you may be able to access some help and advice from your uni careers office.
Maybe some volunteering at your local CAB or politicians office might be of interest and utilise your skills and interests?

I'm a senior manager within a finance function of a large company. I studied CIMA whilst in a job. All I have is a levels.

Try the civil service? Entry level doesn't normally dictate a degree.

You could do a science degree with the OU and then train as a secondary school science teacher?

I know several people who have done accountancy after A-levels. You do the AAT first and then either ACA (with an accountancy firm) or CIMA (in industry).
Once you have the qualification (working and earning money while you take the exams) you have the option of being an accountant BUT it also leads to a huge amount of opportunities - well paid and often flexible work. I have the ACA and ended up with a high paid, 3 day a week role in senior management with a large marketing company.
Definitely worth checking out...

I do have a degree and am an Accountant, but I work with a number of people who have followed the AAT route before taking professional exams, so another vote to say you definitely don't need a degree to go down that career route.

You say you've completed the first year of a law degree, have you considered looking at what is needed to become a Paralegal?

Bank job

I thought of paralegal but they all seem to require at the very least experience. I'm unsure how to get it. I will look into accounting, thanks everyone what are the exams like? I go to pieces in essay writing but otherwise I'm alright

Most coders have a comp sci or software engineering degree. Not impossible to enter without but you'd need to prove your skills somehow.

How about transferring credits to the OU? Not all their modules require a written exam at the end.

As a lawyer, I would say now is not the moment to get into law - pay is low and with the various govt legislation coming down the pipeline prospects are poor. Also whilst it's technically possible to progress without a degree, very few do - it's just so competitive.

If you're analytical I'd go for an accountancy apprenticeship - I've considered myself quite frankly!

(I recently retrained and did AAT part time but bowed out before CIMA - the exams are not essay-writing, with an analytical brain you'll be fine. And even if you don't go right on into accountancy there are lots of admin / bookeeping routes you could go down, some of which can be part time / round school hours which is very handy indeed)

Accountancy exams for ACCA / CIMA and the like are not for the faint hearted. I studied CIPFA (I work in the public sector) there were a couple for modules which were more wordy & essay based but most were numbers with short essay needed to analyse & interpret your findings.

Legal secretary for experience before moving to Paralegal? I have a friend who has recently passed all her training for this via distance learning.

Civil Service. Direct entry or apprenticeship.

Most civil service jobs are now recruited on competency rather than qualifications. How about something like policy? There are always loads of such jobs going and it's what I thought of when I read I like politics and helping people. I'm a member of the Labour Party. I like law too, that's what I started uni doing. I enjoy working with people, I enjoy a challenge, I like solving problems. I'm quite analytical - and they'll train you completely.

Or if you like solving problems how about an investigative role - for one of the ombudsmen or maybe the security services?

I am a lawyer working for a commercial firm. We take on people with A levels either in apprenticeship or paralegal roles. I would say that the paralegal roles do tend to go to graduates though. I suggest you approach some law firms, ask to speak to the recruitment team and see if there are any opportunities for work experience or if they holding any recruitment events.

If you struggle with exams I would say ACA isn't for you. They're quite difficult and I found them stressful.

What were your A levels? Can you touch type at a fair degree of speed (40wpm or more?). Did you do any languages? I'd look into entry level admin (how do you feel about customer facing jobs?) such as receptionist to start with. Are you proficient in MS Office applications particularly Word, Excel and Powerpoint?

I was amazed to find that as a PA I earn more than some nurses and Junior Doctors.
Skills for admin though would be excellent people skills, excellent ability to organise and prioritise work, an ability to deal with all levels of seniority (from the cleaner to the CEO) and a proficiency in MS Office.

Attention to detail would also be critical and a good grasp of spelling and grammar.

Self taught developer here. I spent the time My DD was at nursery teaching myself HTML, CSS, Ruby and Javascript. I got to a point, like you, where I knew a lot in theory but needed to understand how it was used in the working world, I went for 2 weeks work experience with a friend and was offered a 6 month contract as a junior after that which allowed me to earn as I learnt more. It's entirely possibly to start a career without a degree.

Perhaps you could look into work experience as a paralegal initially or an apprenticeship, from what I understand if you show you have the knowledge and ambition it can develop into a full time job.

Have you considered posts in the third sector or with community groups?

Police??