What can I doooooo?

[Olympickney]

I NEED to set up something for myself. I'm so very sick of trudging into central London 8-7 5 days a week and answering to miserable old gits.

I don't really know what my skills are. I think I have good research skills. I like writing. I like using the internet. I'm interested in issues relatig to families, women, young people and children; politics; literature.

I was a music journalist and radio producer for 10 years.

I am also a qualified careers advisor, but post-qualification went into youth work and so never really got much experience of actually doing the job.

I just want to do something for ME. I don't mind hard work.

Are you on Linkedin?
It could be very useful for you to drag up old colleagues and see what opportunities are out there.
What interests you?
Do you sell tat on ebay or equivalent - could you expand that.
Time to think laterally rather than reading a book on the tube....
Put together a bloke CV
(you know the ones that take credit for the whole team's work no matter how junior you were in it)
Could you afford to go part time / 4 days a week to give yourself breathing / thinking space?

Talkinpeace, LOL at bloke CV.

Olympickney, you sound like you have a really good set of skills. Would you be interested in working with young people? You might be able to get funding to set up a recording studio as an outreach programme. Worth looking into local arts organisations for grants, hospital radio stations etc to see if you can borrow equipment.

Menagerie
you know I'm not joking
seen and heard too many
when I worked in teams I learned to hide the crucial bit of the project workings so the cocky (in all senses) brigade could not do it to me.

Women are DIRE at taking credit for what they have achieved.
We are too consensual and cooperative in how we view outcomes and then arrogant little pigs like on the apprentice become the bosses.
Then again every partner at my old firm was divorced. Rather them than me.

A good place to start might be Howard Garner's Multiple Intelligence test. There is a self calculating version available online but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to link to it here (I'm new to Mumsnet). It will help you identify your natural strengths and some versions suggest possible career choices. I use it a lot with clients - usually because they want to ease out someone who is underperforming without resorting to the disciplinary route but it does have positive applications!

Another useful exercise might be to identify the skills that previous roles have required and see if there is a common thread. You can then use job ads to work out the currently trendy way of describing and selling those skills - whether that is to a future employer or potential client.

A good life coach could also help - but you might need one who is tuned into the business world to get the best result.

Hi OP - watching thread with interest as I am a careers adviser facing redundancy and don't know what to do with my life ... oh the irony.

What are you doing at the moment?

Is your problem just about travelling time and working for bad managers? Would a local job working with nice people be the solution?

Depending on your financial situation you could try temping for a while. It can be a way of exploring opportunities without committing yourself.

You sound a bit like me! 2 years ago I left a full-time job that paid very well but was soulless - I could feel any energy and positivity being sucked out of me.
My background is in fashion recruitment but I much preferred giving careers advice to the hundreds of young graduates who came through the doors of the rec agency I worked for. I soon realised that there was a huge gap in the market for a careers advice consultancy advising grads and also experienced designers on portfolio and CV presentation, networking, interview technique, etc.

This is exactly what you could do, but with the music and radio production sectors - both competitive fields to get into, I presume, with lots of young people yearning to get your inside info on what it's really like!
Have to go to bed now, but pm me for more info if you like, and I'll email back in the morning.

Sorry I wasn't clearer in my previous post - the result of leaving the rec agency was that I established the careers consultancy, have written a book on how to get into fashion, and am involved in lots of careers fairs, talks and lecturing work. It's very rewarding!

Tiger - how is it going for you?

.

Hi Chipping - it's going ok, but sometimes it would be nice to have someone to bounce ideas off in a professional capacity, instead of having to ask my poor husband when I need a second opinion on something! He also helps me with all the techie computer stuff, exhibitions, graphic design for flyers, etc and I do feel a bit bad to dump so much on him...

Tiger
Why do you think my name (this one not my real one) pops up on discussion boards all over - If I could not swap ideas, compare notes and let off steam with other like minded people working from home I'd go even more hatstand than I already am!

Tiger - have you though about joining any of the womens business groups? There used to be quite a few around and some of them were really good or even just the 'general' ones - I liked the breakfast club - but if you have kids it's probably not that practical!

Chipping, I've thought about joining a group but never seem to get round to it. Hmm, breakfast club, not sure - I'm not the best in the morning. I once aimed to go to a BNI meeting at 6.30am but never made it!

I've often thought we should create a networking group for mumsnetters. What do you think?

Sorry OP, that was rather rude of me. To get back on topic, I've just left my career for a leap in the dark into something new. My husband and I run a business together.

I've no idea if this is feasible for you, but have you considered local politics? There is an allowance payable which isn't in any way equivalent to a full-time salary but it might allow you to combine with building up a business or something part-time but interesting.

Local councils are really keen to lower the average age of councillors and whilst they have no influence over the selection process nor the democratic process, you'll be welcomed with open arms.

It is really hard to find good candidates so if you have a natural affinity with a party, give them a call and see what they say.

Parish councils are largely non party political - they are just about supporting your local area...
meetings are in the evening so only feasible if you have childcare covered

Networking group for mumsnetters - not my thing. I am in FB contact with a few people I've known on ebay for 6 years but otherwise keep internet and RW separate

I didn't mean Parish Council. I was thinking District or County Council. Our Council meetings are during the day and childcare costs can be claimed back.

llareggub = it's a nice idea, but I think it blurs the lines too much for my liking. I wouldn't want MN to know all my work stuff and I wouldn't (necessarily) want my 'networking' friends to know about some of the stuff I post on MN and I wouldn't be name changing all the time.

Nice idea though.

I switched from print subediting (magazines) to online copywriting (mostly advertising copy).

It took a while to build up as I'm not the pushy type but it helped to have a website. I have other skills and they are 'finding a home' since I started indexing (basically I can finally use my degree and language skills).

My website has a sector for writing, one for newsletter production (I enjoy designing them too) and one for volunteering (I volunteer for three charities at the moment).

I use my blogs for crafts and any other interest I have. They only make little advertising money but I have been testing products I'm not commissioned to review and got a few nice freebies.