Please advise me what to do...

[Bihye]

...quite literally, please tell me what I can do career wise!

I have no career which really affects my self esteem, I'm 35 and I really want to work, I can afford training/education if needed - ideally I'd like to train/study for 12-24 months and know I can get a job afterwards. I just don't know where to start.

So I don't drip-feed, I was attacked in my 20s and suffered severe PTSD afterwards, I didn't leave the house for years and my DH supported us both. I've pushed myself the past few years and I now really want to work and finally have more of a life after hiding for so long.

I'm just overwhelmed with not knowing what do to. I have a BA degree in an art subject, I'm really not sure if this counts for anything!

If you love your job, what do you do? Or, if you re-trained in your 30s, are you glad you did and what did you change from/to?

Thank you for reading, I know it's not really an AIBU and I'm taking advantage of the traffic so apologies and I'll don my hard-hat.

It sounds like you don’t work currently, but are ready to start?
I think in that case, I wouldn’t rush to choose a training path, as you don’t know what you want to do, and actually some jobs you don’t even think of / know of until you come across them in another role!
I’d try to find a job in any field that comes up that interests you - possibly better still, I’d temp so I’d get a wider breadth of companies and roles with a good reason for the quick changes on my CV.
Explore before committing!

Would getting some volunteering experience be worthwhile to build your confidence?
Library/ gallery / etc? Look at do-it .org.
Might help you think about what you wanted / didn’t want?

If you have a art degree could you do a PGCE?

Start thinking about what interests you.

Creative or Practical or words/numbers
Indoors or Outdoors
Customer facing or not
Animals /Plants/Books/Food
Predictable or changing
Structured or free form
Full time or part-time

Do you have any hobbies?

Are you good with computers? My husband trained as a Software Tester in his 30's. There is a shortage of them and a company ran a training programme where he was guaranteed work after it (he was paid at the same time - like training on the job). He now earns 50K+ less than 5 years later. He had some vague IT experience but I know they also took graduates, not necessarily of computer science subjects, and were open to older candidates too. Good luck whatever you decide!

I love my job
Helicopter mechanic

Did an adult apprenticeship
Look on whatever the current version of the job centre is and see if they have any apprenticeships that look interesting to you?

I think you need to gain some work experience to build your people skills up a bit. It will help with your confidence.

If you volunteer you could chose different organisations. Then get a more realistic picture of what you’d like to do.

Try schools, charities, NHS, caring, library, shops etc.

What are your interests? No point us suggesting things you might hate. And no point pursuing a career for the sake of a career if you will end up leaving because you hate it.

Do you have an interest in business? Teaching? Looking after people? Animals? Nature? Politics? IT? Culture?

There are some companies (mainly consultancies) who will train on the job. For instance, you could have a degree in anything but they will train you to be a software engineer.

How about an apprenticeship?

It sounds like you don’t work currently, but are ready to start?

Exactly, and you've hit the nail on the head in that I just don't know about job roles/fields/interests because I've been so isolated for so long. Temping is a really good idea. Scary, but really practical. I hope I'd get taken on with my (very little) experience - will my blank CV put an agency off from taking me on?

Would getting some volunteering experience be worthwhile to build your confidence?

I volunteer as a receptionist for a charity one day a week, while it's been amazing to build my confidence, I feel I could be doing much more, I just have no idea quite what! But I could certainly have another look at what's needed locally, thank you :)

What are your interests? No point us suggesting things you might hate.

Good point! My hobbies/interests are running, hiking, going to the gym, reading, poetry and cooking and baking. But I don't think I could transition any of my hobbies into careers, if that makes sense.

But generally, I do like computers (I wouldn't say I know much, though), I'm a natural planner with attention to detail, I like people, I'm academic if I put my mind to it, I love research, animals (I've fostered dogs in the past) and find lots of things interesting.

I'm absolutely hopeless with anything practical!

@MyNameHasBeenTaken and @user1480880826 I must admit I've never considered an apprenticeship as I assumed they were all for under 25s, I'll do some research, thank you so much.

There’s lots of good suggestions above so I won’t retread the same things, I just wanted to say a huge well done for getting through something so awful and coming out the other end with a positive outlook and such determination to make the most of your life! Good luck with everything, I hope you find something wonderful to do that you love

@DessertQueen I'm really touched - thank you so much. It's been a tough road but finally, finally I feel I can begin to live life again. Better late than never!

Contact the national careers service. They can give you some good ideas for training and career paths and also access to Kudos which will give you job ideas based on your skills and strengths.

Look for graduate programmes at big companies? Most graduates on graduate programs are obviously fresh from uni, but that's not to say that other graduates wont be considered. Often you don't need a specific degree to do a graduate program as you do several rotations in the business in different areas before hopefully being offered a permanent position.

Also register your CV on some job sites, if you're lucky then some recruitment agents will pick your CV up and do some of the leg work for you!

Good luck!

I wonder if it might work better for you in the long run to focus on building up your volunteering and workplace experience in different environments before you try to commit to training for a specific career?

I recall reading something possibly on the BBC website about people who worked part time in multiple unrelated/loosely related jobs. It might be fun and a confidence builder / skills boost to embark on something like that and get experience in different areas? (It would also hopefully be enjoyable).

Apprenticeship wise you can do them in professions or land based industries or other traditional areas.

I was also wondering if volunteering or casual work in an animal sector where you'd be relating to people as well as animals might be helpful to you? Forming connections with animals can help us form connections with humans (esp if we have had experiences of people being unsafe) but it can also be less stressful/threatening/pressured than dealing with humans, so it would give you a bit of respite from coping with all the people iyswim?!

I was reading a blog I think the other day by someone who volunteers with RDA (Riding for the Disabled Assoc). My understanding is they provide full training. That would be one human/animal combo.

You've come so far, I reckon you've got time to take your time and make sure you feel confident before you launch into anything. Also, if you build yourself a nice strong foundation of workplace experiences and time spent figuring out how to manage yourself in different workplace/training scenarios/challenges, if you come up against anything in your future training/career or have a wobble/rough patch then you'll have experiences of coping with similar stuff both to draw on in terms of practical/coping skills but also as reassurance you can manage and it will pass.

And I am saying that purely from the point of view of setting yourself up to succeed with the next part of your recovery. (I am not unfamiliar with being in the severe mental illness club, and I find it helpful when I'm struggling with something now that I can call up memories from my "dabbling" period of when I did the scary thing or how I did it or just knowing that I did it. May not be right for you, but sharing in case it's helpful in any way.)

It's a very exciting goal to pursue, wherever you take it and however you proceed with it. Good luck.

Oh, and if the outdoors is your thing what about the National Trust or forest warden type roles?

If you are organised and a planner then have a look at project management types of roles and training. It’s a skill set that companies are often looking for.

How about an apprenticeship for a large company. That way you might find opportunities to move around to a different subject you might enjoy if you don't quite click with what you choose

Hi, could you try the book 'what colour us your parachute?'. It's quite good for working out what makes you tick.

Good luck!

reading, poetry....I do like computers (I wouldn't say I know much, though), I'm a natural planner with attention to detail, I like people, I'm academic if I put my mind to it, I love research, animals (I've fostered dogs in the past) and find lots of things interesting.

Library based? Maybe community engagement / event planning at one?

I tried commission based sales. I'd always fancied having a go at it and a job came up so I thought fuck it, I can always quit. It's the best job I ever had. Lovely bunch of people, good camaraderie and a manager who took one look at the shoddy state of my mental health and took me immediately under his wing and has been looking out for me ever since.

Just try something random that you've never done before but wouldn't mind a go.

Nothing-

What is it that you sell, out of interest?

My hobbies/interests are running, hiking, going to the gym, reading, poetry and cooking and baking.

Have you considered sports/exercise related roles? Working at a gym/sports centre? Personal trainer? Sports coach? Physiotherapist? Nutritionist?

Witches. Flooring. Nothing wildly exciting.