To ask for help figuring out wtf I want to do?

[Hcisab]

Until 2 years ago I worked a job I absolutely loved. I went on mat leave and just a few weeks after I returned, covid happened and the whole industry got fucked. I got a job in a supermarket last year to pay the bills but it's making me so miserable. I'm due to go on second mat leave around Oct.

I have no qualifications as I left school and started work straight away. What I worked as is very outing but it's not possible to go back to that anyway due to having kids- nor do I want to go back to it.

My issue now is, I have absolutely no idea what I want to do. This will be our last child and so I want to start a career. I'm still young-mid 20s. I like the idea of an admin type job. At one point, the idea of being an estate agent was interesting. Recently, training to be an accountant has been on my mind. But, all these things are so far from anything I've done before. I have always worked very manual labour jobs, nothing on a computer. The idea of an apprenticeship really appeals to me as I learn much faster on the job rather than in an education setting.

I'm super organised, I like working with numbers(the small amount I have done at my current job), I enjoy speaking with people- not so much customer service though.

Any ideas much appreciated. Also, any experience from people who have left a job after mat leave and gone onto something else would be great.

That's was long so, thanks if you got this far.

I've worked in admin and the typical progression is start off as a receptionist, then become a PA or office Admin, then Office Manager or HR Admin. Would take a few years to climb the ladder, and the hours for reception tend to be inflexible, but the pay at the end is good. You'd know a lot about running a business and can take courses to up your skills along the way. All you really need to start is to know your way around Word and Excell and have a good phone manner. You'd also meet people in an office that can help you later on.
Or you could see if your supermarket job offers any opportunities, retail management pays alright and is hands on.

Cousins were the same. Both did access courses and went to uni. One is now a paramedic and the other went on to do a PhD and now does research at uni.

Or get a trade - electrician, gas fitter

@ThedaBara I have looked at receptionist positions as I thought that would be a good starting place. I need to up my computer skills. Do you think doing an online excel/word course would be useful? I'm stuck on where to start to get me the skills I need to get into even a receptionist type job.

@Hankunamatata That's amazing. I don't really want to go to uni, I would much prefer to do an apprenticeship or something similar and then work my way up. I did think about electrician actually as I do enjoy very hands on things.

I would second learning a trade. I used to meet apprentices as part of my job and it was interesting talking to them. while it's relatively unusual for women to go into trades, two I did meet were electricians. I wouldn't recommend gas fitter though, 1. you have to do basic plumbing which involves unblocking loos and drains 2. a lot of people will be switching from gas over the next few years. Carpentry might also suit you?

The young women's trust do 6 hour long phone sessions of free career mentoring. My mentor is amazing and I now have an interview for a dream job doing what I love but before I started having meetings I had no idea who I even was any more and my confidence was at rock bottom. Definitely do it if you're 30 or under.

There are free online courses for software, have a look on reed.co.uk
Have a look at some receptionist type job ads and tailor your CV to the kinds of skills they're looking for
The main thing is attitude, if you come across as enthusiastic and happy to be there you shouldn't have any issues. I used to sit in on admin interviews in my old job and the main issue was if someone was way too shy to sit on the front desk, or clearly wasn't too interested.
Good luck!

A great qualification to get is the Association of Accounting Technicians. Excellent starting point for an accountancy career

@FangsForTheMemory I would definitely go for electrician over plumber! Never thought of carpentry- something to look into.

@ShoesEverywhere Oh that's amazing. I will definitely check it out, thank you.

@ThedaBara Thanks I'll have a look. I think doing some online courses would help as I learn quickly but am relatively clueless when it comes to software. I'm definitely not shy so that wouldn't be a problem! I've seen a lot about civil service jobs on here recently so had a look and their apprenticeships look really good. I've got a while to figure it all out but my brain feels mush from thinking about it too much!

I think I'm struggling as, before I got pregnant with my first, I knew exactly what I was doing and loved it. Having to figure it out all over again is difficult. I just want to find something I enjoy and am good at.

@MyNameIsArthur Yes, I've actually had a look into courses online and even thought about doing one during mat leave. If my second is anything like my first, I will be seriously sleep deprived and I wont have a spare minute though 😂

Do you know what kind of position I could go for with an AAT qualification? And would an online course be adequate?

What did you do before?

@NothingIsWrong Exactly what I did is too outing- I know that's annoying. It was performing of some kind. I don't want to go back into anything like that now though, there was absolutely no work/life balance. I'm really keen to try/learn something new and I actually now would just love a mon-fri/9-5.

Yes, I've actually had a look into courses online and even thought about doing one during mat leave. If my second is anything like my first, I will be seriously sleep deprived and I wont have a spare minute though 😂

Do you know what kind of position I could go for with an AAT qualification? And would an online course be adequate

I did AAT years ago. I did it as a distance learning course before online courses were a thing! Much the same thing though and was great as I could do it at my own pace. There were three levels - basic, intermediate and advanced. There were several modules. Along with the exams, there were also home assessments and projects and a record of practical experience. It's a well respected professional accountancy qualification recognised by all employers. It is a great starting point and you can get to management level in an organisation with it. If after qualifying, you decided to then study towards higher professional accountancy exams such as CIMA or ACCA, having studied AAT can give you some exemptions from modules in stage 1 of the higher exams.

I understand about the challenges of studying it while having young kids. The good thing was I could study it at whatever pace I wanted plus I was lucky to have an understanding and supportive partner.

Another good thing is you don't need other qualifications to be eligible to study AAT. It would look good on your CV and will help you get jobs if your CV says you are studying towards AAT. If you start working in a finance dept for an organisation, they may support your studies financially and with time off. You could start off as an accounts assistant for example, but you can work up to a fairly high level. Alot can depend on the size of the organisation. To be a head of finance or a finance director in a large organisation will require a higher professional accountancy qualification usually but not necessarily so for a small organisation where AAT may be sufficient.

Fingers crossed for You!

Have you thought about an apprenticeship with a Big 4 accountancy firm? The one I'm with offer them. I'm not an accountant but love where I work and work closely with them - it can be really varied and interesting work and, if you progress well, very good money. A Partner I work with retrained as an accountant in her twenties at a local college - she was a single working class mum - and now makes hundreds of thousands a year. Not that everyone has that drive (and appetite for the intense hours/responsibility) but it can be very lucrative.

If you're considering admin, have you thought about barristers clerk? It's a mix of admin, PA, advertising / marketing / networking, accounts and basic legal knowledge. There's rapid progression and the biggest sets pay their clerks a proportion of the income. Senior clerks do much better than the junior barristers in terms of income.

Y immediate reaction was accounting technician which l see already suggested. I am in lreland but see it advertised here and always feel its a great opportunity as you get paid while you train. Also here some firms offer in-house training as computer programmers so you get paid and study all at the one time. Both situations seem to be work 4 days lectures on the fifth. I always think both of these are fantastic for anyone who doesn't want to go to university.
Or post person which seems to me here to be a lovely job around a family as they start very early but finish early . I have a friend doing it and he finishes in time to collect his children from school at 3 and also gets lots of overtime and opportunities to earn extra money. He loves his job.

@MyNameIsArthur Thank you, that's all really helpful. I have a very supportive partner who works standard 9-5. I know he will help me achieve whatever I want- just need to figure that bit out! The thought of studying while having 2 young children does worry me a bit but, I have a lot of support around me so I'm sure it would be possible.

@Essentialironingwater I have definitely thought about that. If there was an opening at the right time, I think I would definitely go for it.

@KarmaViolet I hadn't thought about that actually- will have a look into it. There's so many different jobs, I feel totally clueless. It's great to get ideas from other people.

@CrazyNeighbour I had a very very hard time at school with bullying. I was pretty lost the whole time and couldn't wait to leave. I think that's part of the reason I don't want to go back into education and would much rather do an apprenticeship. I am willing to put in the hours in the evening/weekends and I know I will put my everything into it. As long as it's something I really enjoy. Hence trying to figure out what that will be!

Government’s Find an Apprenticeship Service - employers with an apprenticeship vacancy often list on here (as well as their usual vacancy advertising platforms). They don’t HAVE to list their vacancies on here, so don’t JUST look on here, but it’s a good start.

www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

Lots of good advice here but I just want to say good luck OP! Lots of opportunities for someone as keen and enthusiastic as you, you'll be fine 🥰

@Tsiagisel Ah yes, thank you. I've looked on there before so will keep checking it.

@M0nkeybars Aw thank you. I really hope so!