Career change

[Confusedandundecided]

AIBU to want to change careers at 37? I work in political/stakeholder engagement with a broad communications background, which I used to love. I've had 2 periods of maternity leave in the past 6 years and have been back at work for over a year. I just feel so unsatisfied with what I'm doing and cant see it being my life for the next 30 years. I thought it was my company so I got a new job about 9 months ago, which is a promotion in an interesting sector, completely different to what I've worked in before, but I still just feel so unsatisfied. What could my skills be transferable to? I need ideas! Would prefer not to have to start studying from scratch, but could take a pay cut. Feel ridiculous because I work 4 days on a good salary (55k for 4 days) but I just have no idea what I really want to do with my life and now I'm finished having babies, I feel like i can focus on it a bit more.

Op are you miserable in your current role or just not challenged? I've alot of friends that did career changes in their 30s but they were doing g it to follow their dreams. You don't seem to know what job you want to get into so who's to say that you end up.in another job earning 30k and working 5 days and still feeling unsatisfied?

Could you maybe do part time courses so you can find what interests you? Or take up something that does challenge you like a hobby?

Giving up a 55k job when you don't actually don't know what you want to do sounds like absolute insanity unless the job is affecting your mental health

No i don't think it is my current job specifically, more my role. I thought it was my job, so I moved to a totally different sector and still, whilst it is challenging, I just don't love what I'm actually doing day to day. It almost feels a bit pointless (which I know it isnt actually). But it isnt affecting my mental health and I absolutely wouldn't leave without a clear, well thought out plan - I'm very aware that I've not got it badly! Maybe you are right and i should look st other things i can do on the side to see what sparks my interest. It's just when I think of the rest of my working life, even with promotions, it just doesn't feel like this is what I want to be doing

I just don't have any career dreams really which I think is the problem- I've always been a good student, got good grades and a good degree from a good uni and just fell into what I'm doing without much actual thought. Which sounds a bit pathetic really

This is exactly me, apart from the fact I’m 36. No advice to offer I’m afraid. I keep spending my evenings researching teaching, charity jobs etc trying to find some inspiration. I wonder if COVID and home working might be causing it for me, so I’m forcing myself to put career changes on hold until things are more normal 🤷🏻‍♀️

YANBU. I’m nearly 37 and I’ve decided to retrain as a health psychologist. I must be mad 😂

@SkyeIsPink

YANBU. I’m nearly 37 and I’ve decided to retrain as a health psychologist. I must be mad 😂

It's not mad at all if its something you want to do!! I'm.all for career changes I think if you have a dream you have to follow it!

@Confusedandundecided

I just don't have any career dreams really which I think is the problem- I've always been a good student, got good grades and a good degree from a good uni and just fell into what I'm doing without much actual thought. Which sounds a bit pathetic really

Not pathetic at all, this describes 95% of people!! Few people are actually in their dream job. I thought I wanted to be a counsellor and started doing online courses but half way through I lost interest. I'm in a well paying job but does it excite me? Not in the slightest. I work to live so I make sure that outside of work I'm challenged and doing things I enjoy

@Lovely234 it is really tricky isn't it? I don't actually love home working and feel like I can never switch off, which probably doesn't help. It just all feels a bit blah. The skills must be fairly transferable though I guess. Just a question of to what

@SkyelsPink definitely not mad - amazing that you know what you want to do. I wish I had that clarity

@2ndtimemum2 I think you are probably right and I just need to crack on with it and think about what I do outside work

This has been me for the last couple of months. I have a diploma in accounting and business, Bsc in Economics and a masters degree in corporate governance but I’m just coasting. I just haven’t found a job that I’ll use my degrees on as I currently work in customer relations in a bank. I’m lost, I’m stuck and I just don’t know what to do.
It does not help that I don’t live in a big city.
I know I would retrain at some point because I’m 33 and there’s no way I can continue like this and the later I leave it, the worse it’ll get but DH still keeps telling me to give myself time as I might be rushing it. Also my job now is secure and with the pandemic, it won’t be wise to just leave but I don’t even know what I’ll retrain on if I do it. If anyone can help me too I’ll be grateful

I’m similar to you OP, just a few years younger. I have a comms/marketing background and I too feel very unsatisfied at the moment. So much so that I’m starting a new job next month. Similar move to yours - progression, higher salary, interesting new industry.

If I still feel like this after a year in the new job, I’ll be looking to retrain. As what, I have no idea.

I’ve often thought I’d like to work for a charity or in the NHS/civil service as then maybe I’d feel a bit more ‘fulfilled’ but competition for comms roles is fierce and even after a number of decent interviews I’ve always been told “we went with someone internal”.

I feel exactly the same though. I can’t see myself doing this forever and I desperately wish I knew what I wanted to do.

OP are you me? I’m a 35 year old Mum working in government relations for 4 days a week!

I’m desperate to do something else, but I don’t know what. I’m not qualified in anything else and my grades from school/uni aren’t that good so I’d need to take additional steps to get in to a training course for a medical profession or teaching etc. I also don’t know what else I’d like to do and don’t want to risk leaving a well paid, part time role for one that I also may end up disliking which is paid less as I’m back on the bottom rung.

But I really don’t want to do this forever; it just feels like money for old rope, and getting in to the charity sector to do lobbying for actual good causes it’s virtually impossible without having been working for a charity from day 1 of your career

It’s making me really depressed and sad. If you have any ideas feel free to share!

Maybe lobbying is just an unfulfilled job role - whod have thought it! The irony is after being corporate for most of my post working for an MP career, im now actually doing something more 'worthy' that I don't feel ridiculous engaging on, but it hasn't really helped

Hey! I was in the same boat as you - earning a good salary in a career in advertising but just not happy, and I felt stuck as didn't know what I wanted. I've actually become a career coach for women off the back of it. No obligations, but I have an IG account with some good tips on it and happy to have a chat if you want. @jessrosevear_coach on IG.