How did you choose your current job and career field?

[CareerFuckup]

I'm feeling very overwhelmed by this right now. Not ever had a solid, steady career, due to chronic illness - I've just had bits of (very interesting) work here and there, followed by physical health burnouts. Chronic illness has really dented my confidence sadly.

I'm educated to Masters level in a science subject that I love and in theory I can use this to get a foot in the door of something manageable.

But I don't know what to aim for? I see quite a few jobs and think yes I could apply for that...but what if it's overstretching myself? What if I'm just shit and can't cope?

How did you know you would be able to do your current job and how did you know what career would suit you?

Plus, if you are interested in several different directions within your field of work - how did you pick one?

Ah, I can empathise with the illness screwing up one's life thing. And the consequent loss of confidence.

Is your postgraduate degree recent, or ancient? Is there any route for topping it up with perhaps a year of specialist research? An M.St or ...? Don't know if you feel inclined towards a PhD? Obviously these won't make you rich, but you might be able to build up some confidence in yourself while doing something relatively risk free. (I realise finances might be an issue.)

I did something directly related to my best subject at school.

I too can understand the loss of confidence though, OP. My advice would be - apply for those jobs, even if they're all a bit different and you're not sure which would suit you best. The fact that you're worried about overstretching yourself already puts you above some of the mediocre men people I've worked with, who vastly overestimate their abilities and competence.

Use the interviews as practice, think about what you've done either in your jobs or your personal life to illustrate the things they're asking for the the job spec, and get feedback if you're not selected.

Good luck.

The fact that you're worried about overstretching yourself already puts you above some of the mediocre men people I've worked with, who vastly overestimate their abilities and competence.

This is bang on.

OP, I've had a ton of different jobs over the years. Most of them sound very flashy on paper, and some of them have paid very well.

Not one has been beyond the abilities of a middling A-level student. Most jobs are piss easy once you know the ropes. It's all smoke and mirrors.

Forgot to answer your question!

First career, glamorous, high status post-Oxbridge City profession. Dawdled into it, wasn't sure what I wanted to do, and it was something 'hard' that would make my parents proud.

Second - decades later after long gaps for the reasons you mentioned - something I hadn't even known I wanted until it was suggested to me. Utterly terrifying and exhausting postgrad year, wonderful tutors, peers, colleagues. Minor success. Precarious but occasionally glorious few years since.