How would you plan a career from scratch at 35?

[Lallla]

I feel completely overwhelmed trying to plan out what steps to take. This year I finished my masters degree, intending to use it to specialise in a niche area of a wider field.

But I have had a patchy career history thanks to a lot of health problems and I just have no confidence. My health is a damn sight better than before but still a bit shit quite frankly compared to a lot of other people. However I'm getting so old (in terms of career) I have to try because I'll never be perfectly healthy.

How would you go about it? I do have some great experience but it's largely out of date now, nearly 10 years ago. Should I look for internships? How long would you plan to do those?

Can anyone advise on ways to tackle this? I did have some sessions with a career coach, she was lovely and she helped with my CV for example but something else is missing. I just have no confidence.

Does anyone have positive stories of making a successful career a little later in life, despite shit confidence?

What are roughly?

I think you need to get you CV right (which it sounds like you may have done), practice your interview technique, then hopefully get the first job in the desired area.

Can you say what field or at least what your masters was in?

If you have finished your masters that’s a wonderful achievement.
I would try to get some experience in the field you’re trying to get into - can you afford to work for free just shadowing somebody to find out more?
It is har to advise without knowing what your masters is or what field you’re trying to get into.
I’m sorry you’ve got no confidence but see it as baby steps. You’ve just taken a higher qualification - be proud of it.
Then try the next step.. getting experience or applying for a job. Good luck

My masters is in International Development.

I can afford to work for free or very low wages, but I get panicky because of how quickly time is passing. Another year will go by very fast and I'll be older, and if lucky enough to have an internship that's great but will be up against people in their early twenties for jobs.

Obviously the pandemic isn't really helping either, because there are just going to be even more people competing for every opportunity.

Realistically, I would try to cross-match skills from what you did before with your new knowledge.

@flaviaritt

Realistically, I would try to cross-match skills from what you did before with your new knowledge.

Yes that's what I am doing. But I still feel like I have no idea what to realistically aim for.

I changed careers at 35, did a masters, and had the same dilemma. I had a good career history but in a totally unrelated field. I decided foot in the door was a good technique. Wrote to lots of relevant organisations and just asked for work experience. It got me a good network, and then I moved on to the organisation I wanted to work for but in another role, then got an internal transfer but at a lower grade. It took me over a year from after I finished my masters to get the job I actually wanted but at a lower grade. My organisation at the public sector is very good at allowing you to move round roles and that helps. Also lots of training and development activities. Good luck and well done with the masters!

It’s hard to say, exactly, without knowing what you want to do with the MA and what you did before.

Confidence-wise, I think it’s important to fake it until you make it. Nobody is completely confident they can make a career change work. You have to at least pretend to believe it. Imagine you’re acting a part - a confident adult woman making a strategic career shift. What would that person do/say?