Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask which careers will be most sustainable in the future?

72 replies

Greengrotbag · 07/01/2021 16:18

I'm looking for a new career after being a SAHM for 5 years, and previously in financial services (front office and latterly risk management - good money, but long hours and not workable with my family). I'm desperately brainstorming new careers, ideally something I could do mainly from home and not completely full-time. However, I'm conscious some careers have been shown to be much more sustainable in the last year. Or maybe there are careers that are going to grow a lot now? Any ideas, I'd love some pointers. I wish there was something I loved, but I don't seem to have a vocation. Thanks :)

OP posts:
MillieEpple · 07/01/2021 18:40

Something to do with setting up the infrastructure for all the electric cars. We need 4 new power stations and a whole charging point network.

MawkishHawk · 07/01/2021 18:45

Recycling & waste management
Utilities & energy
Construction/trades
Healthcare
Undertakers!

Pesopasodoble · 07/01/2021 18:51

What do you want to do? Any hobbies that you enjoy? Don't be put off by what sound like quite bland jobs. After two back to back maternity leaves, I went from dental receptionist to medical secretary. Ended up in forensic psychiatry, writing about homicide cases every day and now studying for a degree in social work.
I chose social work as I looked at all the professional people I know and thought about job satisfaction, work/life balance, salary and things which can't be automated or done completely remotely. Social work is (to me) about humanity and being relatable. It will never be able to be done by a robot or someone who can't pop round to someone not opening the door or answering the phone.
Think about what inspired you at 16 and go from there.

SisyphusDad · 07/01/2021 19:03

If you've been in Financial Services and Risk Management then something like data science and analysis sound like they could be a good fit.

With every company scooping as much data as they can, it'll all need interpreting and analysing. You shouldn't be short of work!

StrippedFridge · 07/01/2021 19:06

Data science and associated IT topics. You will find a surprisingly high overlap with your previous work, especially in management roles.

StrippedFridge · 07/01/2021 19:07

Ha x with sisyph. Data science.

BrummyMum1 · 07/01/2021 19:10

Book an appointment to see (virtually) a good careers advisor.

Duanphen · 07/01/2021 21:17

@Greengrotbag

I'm looking for a new career after being a SAHM for 5 years, and previously in financial services (front office and latterly risk management - good money, but long hours and not workable with my family). I'm desperately brainstorming new careers, ideally something I could do mainly from home and not completely full-time. However, I'm conscious some careers have been shown to be much more sustainable in the last year. Or maybe there are careers that are going to grow a lot now? Any ideas, I'd love some pointers. I wish there was something I loved, but I don't seem to have a vocation. Thanks :)
I wanted to pick something future-proof, and although I hate WFH many do. So I picked software development. I learned online with FreeCodeCamp and Codecademy, then joined a bootcamp. Hired straight after and still going strong after three years.

People go "oh but isn't that hard?", well of course at times it's hard but it's challenging, you're always in demand and you're always learning. Plus it pays well. Too many new mums go into some dead-end low-paid high stress role and end up miserable, whereas you could sit in glowing offices being respected and well-paid. I would heartily recommend it to anyone.

Coriandersucks · 07/01/2021 21:25

I work in the legal sector and business always booms in times of crisis. The firm I currently work for are having their best year since the 2008 recession. Not all practice areas though (property, education, probate, litigation, family all good) but they made minimal redundancies - secretaries, paralegals, general admin etc all survived as well as qualified lawyers.

Scottishskifun · 07/01/2021 21:29

Civil service and the options are vast within it as its bloody massive!

LadyfromtheBelleEpoque · 07/01/2021 21:55

@HouseofBrieandBanter

Any links about web testing you could share?

Original poster
Greengrotbag · 07/01/2021 23:05

Thanks everyone. Lots of good ideas. Data science isn't something I'd ever considered but I do like IT. I really enjoy writing, so thought it might be nice to combine that with my experience but aside financial journalism I'm not sure. Think that might be tricky wfh and part-time. Thsnks everyone. Any more ideas are very welcome

OP posts:
DoThePropeller · 07/01/2021 23:10

Green finance? Lots of consultancies and organisations in this space, often looking for people with FS expertise.

ESG work too, if you like writing, what about annual reports? Number of consultancies who offer this type of work too.

Dannydevitoiloveyourart · 07/01/2021 23:16

Tax law and finance.

But for real:
*healthcare
*data protection and data privacy - it’s a massive industry and will continue to grow with the increase in personal tech

  • web and software development
  • cyber security
  • accounting
  • tax (law & accounting) *teaching *academia (some subjects more than others - I.e. finance related , medical etc)
Dannydevitoiloveyourart · 07/01/2021 23:19

@Bluntness100

All the usual ones

Law
Accounting
Medicine
IT/Digital.

Law isn’t future proof - some areas perhaps but not all areas. Legal tech is coming on leaps and bounds and I’m sure many areas that currently use lawyers will be made redundant or change significantly in the not too distant future (I.e private client work, basic commercial contracts, even family law to some extent).
Syrrup · 07/01/2021 23:20

Data or finance analyst

united4ever · 07/01/2021 23:23

Won't more and more IT roles get outsourced to India in the future?

caringcarer · 07/01/2021 23:24

Green energy
Medical
Teaching
Child care
Funerals

InTheSnow · 07/01/2021 23:27

Somewhere at the margins where things need to be fused.

Eg

  1. shortage of mental health provision but growing need.
  2. IT systems developer to manage provision of mental health services in a growth sector.

Find the sweet spot where these fuse.

Another eg

  1. More consumer pressure towards local agronomy underpinned by Brexit and the increased cost of importation and the Covid effect combined with a drive towards green energy.
  2. Consider careers as a technician on green energy and agri-robots associated with the farming industry.
Girlyracer · 07/01/2021 23:28

Agree with Coriander.

We are legal and it is going crazy.

InTheSnow · 07/01/2021 23:29

Look for the 'fusion' as that is where the money is, the specialist not the generalist.

Peachered · 07/01/2021 23:30

Anything related to AI.

daisychain01 · 07/01/2021 23:36

Artificial Intelligence
Machine Learning
Data Analytics/Big Data
Data Visualisations - incl dashboards
Records and Knowledge Management systems and processes
Business Analysis
Change Management
Project and Programme Management

InTheSnow · 07/01/2021 23:37

Anything related to AI

Yes that is so true! Judging by the ever increasing perfomance of men while dating, as evidenced by the numerous threads on here, there is going to be a great future in Artificial Insemination. Wink

WhyDoesItAlways · 07/01/2021 23:37

Everything can and will be automated in the future

I don't want a robot cut and colouring my hair thanks Grin

I came on to say some sort of software engineering/project management role or something in analysis. Could go to finance if that's your background, business, police, NHS etc

Swipe left for the next trending thread