To think I've completely ruined my career

[itsoverat29]

I think I may have ruined my career before it's even started, and I feel like it's going to be impossible to get it back on track. I don't know if I'm catastrophising or just being realistic.

I did an undergraduate degree followed by a master's and graduated in 2019. Then COVID kicked off and I couldn't find a job, I finally got a job but had to wait a few months to start so ended up having a year between finishing my master's and starting my new job. I worked there for 6 months and really enjoyed it and had good mental health and no issues, but it was a fixed-term contract so I needed something more stable. I got a job, where I worked for 18 months. I hated it, it destroyed my mental health and I ended up taking 2 months off sick (signed off by my GP), as well as lots of sporadic absences due to anxiety and depression. My attendance was awful. I finally decided to quit, have a few months off over the summer and then go back to university to retrain which I started last September. I really dislike the course and want to leave. I've been trying my absolute best and getting good grades, but I know it's not the right path for me.

I'm really worried as I feel like I'll never be able to get a job due to having so many gaps in my CV and my last job having poor attendance records. I have really struggled with my mental health the last few years, and seem to burn out quickly. I have been considering whether I'm neurodivergent.

Is there any hope for me? Any way of redeeming myself? I want to go back to the field I graduated in, as I feel like I've kind of lost my way since then and I was a lot happier in that field. I'm just worried no one will give me a chance.

Look at civil service jobs. There are lab and similar jobs going

keep an eye on UKRI - great employer, lots of work in your field and related ones, chock full of the neurodiverse

Find a job at UKRI – UKRI

That sounds good! I'd not apply for a master's - big employers may be willing to pay for one, once you've been working there a while.

This....most institutions will happily accept you for a paid Masters.

Of course, you're more than capable of completing the course with a high grade.

But there won't necessarily be a good solid entry-level paid role at the end of it if you aren't already "in the system".

After I read your post I did wonder if you were ND.

As someone involved in recruiting the red flags are gaps with no explanation or lots of job changes.
Your blank year post masters can be explained by eg travelling/covid.
Make clear job you enjoyed was fixed term.
Then you did 18 m role leaving to pursue further studies.
All sounds fine.

First 2 job rejections have come rolling in today. Trying to not take it personally but I feel like my confidence is already on the floor

None of what you’ve said sounds like a problem? You graduated, there was a pandemic and lockdown, then you had one temp job that lasted 6 months and one permanent job that lasted 18 months, followed by another uni course.

You don’t need to mention that you were off sick. You can claim that you went travelling to fill in some of the gaps. Tweak your employment dates by a month or two, that will fill some gaps. Definitely put down working at your family business too, and don’t say it was voluntary. Employers have no way of verifying any of the info on your CV. They can ask for references and certificates but that’s all. Your family can absolutely give you a reference - don’t say they’re your family.

Rejection is normal! What's your approach, are you listing all the ways you meet the essential and desirable criteria using the STAR technique?

2 rejections is nothing in a grand scheme of things. I do worry about your mental health though because it could affect how you tackle the next challenges. You had a tough year. Can you refer yourself for counselling? You might have to go private, NHS lists are way too long. You need to start paying attention to your daily routine, diet and exercise. I also highly recommend a Buddhist chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo for 20 minutes twice daily morning and evening . Modern mindfulness has roots in Buddhism, chanting isn't as exotic as it seems, it's a good breathing exercise that helps to clear one's head if done properly. You can find info on pronunciation and meaning on SGI-UK website. I hope it helps

This is completely normal. I got hundreds of job rejections in my life, some of them I was really overqualified for as well lol. But you know which job did I end up getting? The one I really wanted and like doing! In the grand scheme of things it does not matter and it entirely possible you are being automatically rejected by software that checks if you have used the same wording in your CV as they did in the job ad. So that is another reason you should not take it personally

Don't take the rejections personally.

What everyone else said. A couple of false starts (and they don’t even sound like false starts) are nothing to worry about and you’re gaining loads of self-knowledge. Being able to understand and explain your strengths, weaknesses, reactions and behaviours is a really valuable skill. Also, knowing something isn’t working out and changing tack is brave and a good learning point for you to discuss with prospective employers.

Do have someone who could act as a mentor, maybe review your CV and applications to ensure they’re as good as they could be?

I really wouldn't have thought you need another masters to get back into lab work, as your last masters and lab experience was recent. It sounds like you liked the lab work so why not persevere with that? You might have to be a little patient is all - and it's not unusual to get a few rejections, whoever you are. I know it feels crap, and it's OK to feel a bit crap about it, but a few rejections are no reason to change course dramatically.

When you get to interview stage and they ask why you've applied you can say you loved your last job in a lab, but as it was fixed term, you were looking for something more stable and thought you'd give the office role a try as you hadn't really worked in that field before. You learned that kind of office work is not for you, and neither are patient facing roles, and lab work is really the best fit, so you've decided to be patient and persevere with that.

Or something like that. Practice telling your story out loud (literally out loud) until you can say something honest enough that doesn't sound bad! I have made several career pivots and do that each time before interviews.

We all have to come up with some kind of tidied up narrative, hardly anyone says why they really want a job (the money in most cases!!!)

Also, I'd really recommend the YouTube videos of Careers Consultant Raj Sidhu, from Cambridge uni. You'll get great easy guidance on how to improve your CV etc.

Good luck! Imagine older you looking back at the you of today and congratulating you on getting through this tough time!

Also, if you're doing your health care qualification at a university, they may well have a careers service you can access before you officially leave. For CV and interview support, someone to talk things through with etc. Even if you've said you're leaving already you'll probably be in the system for a little while longer...

Silence from many companies is so much worse than nice and quick rejection. You will gwt plentyof both and then once you get job offer, ten other will suddenly roll in!

I would really suggest you try to get a Mentor/career coach. Someone who can look through your applications and discuss with you honestly where you want to go. Your family may be able to help you find one or your old Universitys' careers services (open for years after you leave) or any "learned" societies you belong to.
And don't worry so much about a career! I spent most of my 20s hoping about and only really started a career in my 50s

I’m in my 30th year of my career. I’ve worked in a lot of settings some appalling, some good and some amazing. About 20 years ago I ended up having 4 months off because of an injury. During a career of 30 years 4 months is nothing. People get ill
If a setting is making you unhappy then leave it.

We all drop out, change jobs, don't show up, quit.
It is microbiology that you want, so go for it.
Life worrying about past jobs is not worth it.
If u succeed in your applications, great..keep going until you do.
Keep your mental health in check and work towards making your daily life pleasant and less worrysome.

I work in a large scientific industry, and certainly in our labs we have many analysts who have moved into sales, hated it, and come back into lab work. It’s not unusual. I recruit analysts for my team, and that wouldn’t bother me. I’m not even bothered about qualifications tbh, I just want somebody with lab experience.

If you want lab work then my advice would be to apply for any & every analyst role you can. With just 6 months’ lab experience, this is likely to be near minimum-wage lab tech/lab analyst work. Get the job, try different things in the role and see what part you like after a couple of years - you might like quality assurance, or regulatory, or HSE, or lab systems IT…or you might still really love lab work. There are career paths for all of these, but unfortunately you’ve likely got to start at the bottom and work your way up.

Don’t take rejections to heart, some roles get loads of applicants. Reframe your path so far as having tried these other things and realising that it really is lab work you like and want to do - this is actually a huge positive when recruiting as it means you’re less likely to leave after 6 months for something else!

Do not tweak thhe dates if your employment as suggested above as some employers will just send a reference with job title and dates employed. It’s good that you filled the gaps volunteering for a family member and as they have a business I think that you could use them as a reference.

Not sure if this will be helpful but I had no clue what I wanted to do when I was in your position, also ND, quit a degree course halfway to change to a different one. Then went into one career field without really thinking it through. Got made redundant three times in a row so had a few small gaps too.

Moved into something slightly different but that uses my skill set and feel like I've found my place and now earn well and have a lot of support around me for the ND.

If you have any neurodiversity you are entitled to reasonable adjustments and support. I only got diagnosed last year as was lucky to have private healthcare. If you don't I'd get on the waitlist for assessment now, and look into 'right to choose', because once you are able to work out what's going on you can work out strategies to help and support you 😊

Sometimes you have to make mistakes and try things out to decide what you really want to do. You may find that you’re better for it in the long run. Just make sure you’re prepared to explain it at interview. Don’t take the rejections personally and good luck.

I wouldn't recommend doing yet more study. You need to get a job, think outside the box and apply for all sorts. I would focus on more temp work for a bit and make sure you have good attendance and work hard so you can reference's. In the meantime, us uni for references rather than the sales job.

I actually think I know of a job that would suit you.

A simulation technition at a university or NHS setting. You set up the rooms for healthcare students to practice clinical skills and simulations. It's very autonomous, not high pressure and technical and interesting work. It's in university which is an environment that you seem to be comfortable. It's not a massive earner (22k ish?) though I know 2 who have progressed well from this role. Its a fairly safe role so you could work it for a while to rebuilt your shattered confidence and then apply for the lab roles that you really want from already being employed which is much easier.

If your new degree that you are studying is nursing I think its probably a good idea to leave it if you are finding it is not for you at this stage.