To jack in my ‘good graduate job’ and change direction at 24?

[BitterAndJaded]

I was extremely fortunate to fall into ‘a good graduate job’ straight after a Masters at the age of 22. I’d done some work experience there and was offered the position without having to apply or even look at anything else. Totally unlike everyone else I know who went to masses of assessment centre days and interviews only to receive multiple rejections, meanwhile having to do low level work in bars and call centres to support themselves.

Honestly though, two years in I’m hating it. The work involves doing research for the public sector and it simply isn’t anything I have any interest in at all. I spend whole days in a room on my own crunching statistics and it is mind-numbing. I truly feel like I am starting to become depressed as I am losing the motivation even to get out of bed in the morning. I doubt I am ever going to be able to get significant promotion here as I just can’t seem to get engaged with it at all (not that there’s potential to ever make big money anyway).

Admittedly I took the job partly because it meant being able to stay on in the small town where I’d studied. At the time this seemed very attractive as I felt settled here and was slightly in love with it. However all my friends have now moved on for jobs elsewhere (mostly London which I confess I find daunting), my student boyfriend and I are ancient history, I’m no longer part of the university scene and there’s not really a lot else. Dating prospects are frankly crap as it’s so small and the demographic is just all wrong (mostly older people who are already settled basically, other than a handful of PhD students).

My parents have been devastated though when I’ve talked about wanting to move on. They think of me as nicely settled here and onto something good. When I tell them how incredibly dull I find the work they say I am expecting too much. My generation’s expectation that jobs should ‘feed our souls’ is unrealistic. My father stayed in a job for over 25 years which he never much liked so that he could support us all, yet he didn’t complain. It would be realistic to think I could manage to buy a flat here in a few more years which would not be the case in London or many other places. Isn’t it worth hanging on for that?

Yet there are moments where I wonder whether I can keep going even one more day here. AIBU?

God you’re only 24 and in a job that’s not making you happy. Obviously don’t chuck your job in until you’ve got a solid plan but definitely do it. I’ve told my kids to make sure they do a job that makes them happy and that they don’t dread getting up for every day.

There's a funded training scheme for EPs that might be of interest - https://www.aep.org.uk/EPFT

Do it do it do it OP. I quit my ‘good graduate job’ at 30 and retrained in a totally different field and my only regret is not doing it sooner (I’m now 41). My work now pays far less but it’s a million times more fulfilling and interesting and I wouldn’t go back to what I used to do for all the money in the world.

Getting on the property ladder is a good thing to aim for eventually but if you prioritise that right now then you’ll be even more stuck in your current town with a mortgage to pay and even less likely to pack in your job to retrain or go travelling.

People will say it’s reckless advice but honestly at 24 you are far too young to be prioritising stability and security above everything else, especially your own happiness!

Nothing wrong with taking some time to make plans and save up some money for your next steps, I’m not saying hand in your notice tomorrow, but please don’t just stay in a job you hate out of fear.

Thanks all. I have now made plans to go to Australia for three weeks this summer to visit a friend who is working out there.

I’m going to see what university careers service says too.

Good for you ! have a wonderful trip !

Fab update OP.
I think life can be tricky for women when they know they want kids. There is a reason that so many women 'settle' for shite partners. The desire to have kids is so strong that it can override some women's normal sensible thought processes.

Good for you.

Yes! 🙌 had an amazing time in Australia!

Yay OP

Have you thought about organisational psychology? You'll need masters but could even do it part time around your job.

You can’t live your life for what your parents want. You’re 24, look for something else. Civil service is a good option, you don’t need to join via grad route, plenty of entry level jobs and you can quickly move up the grades

Definitely don't "jack it in". DO start looking for something else though. Have a think about the experience you've gained from this job and what other jobs you can transfer those skills to.

Look nationwide if you want to move away. With two years work experience under your belt you've got a good head start.

working on the floor with young people in complex social care or health settings or SEN education settings would give a much deeper and wider insight than a PGCE (I’ve done a PGCE and complex support work). A PGCE is mostly about delivery of education and educational standards, with differentiation thrown in, lots of children, only scratching the surface of deeper issues. While the right role in a complex setting might give you a deeper experience of diagnosis, EHCPs, annual reviews, DOLS assessments, medication understanding/reviews, CAHMS, OT & SaLT, children’s risk assessments, GP involvement, mental health emergencies, educational difficulties and solutions which are more person centred, closer relationships with parents or foster parents or residential settings, mainstream therapies and possibly alternative therapies.

In your shoes I’d sign up for agencies and ask to work in multiple settings so you can sample different environments and eventually focus in on what you really enjoy or apply directly to settings. Look for SEN work, special schools and colleges, eating disorder units, residential. Check out cqc and Ofsted reports before applying.

My brother got on the civil services grad scheme with no experience apart from flipping burgers. Obviously he had a good degree (and masters) but spent a year or two on minimum wage jobs before getting into the civil service. So don’t think it’s impossible.

I agree with the PP upthread who advise to stay where you are and plan carefully for your next move.

You obviously have a skill for numbers and statistics in the current role you do. However I get the sense that this kind of work brings you no sense of satisfaction. Perhaps you need to work out what excites and moves you and what other skills you have in that area. Do you prefer working with people? Or something more creative.

I used to think I had made a complete change of career from librarianship to academia in my mid 40s. However many of the skills I had developed in 20 years as a librarian set me well ahead of other students on the road to academia. I only recognise that by looking back.