Pondering a career change

[Llareggub]

I'm in the process of being made redundant. It's a professional role, can be stressful and it is what I have always done. I've worked in both large and small orgnanisations, have professional qualifications and never really considered any other type of work.

I'm currently part-time and it has struck me that perhaps I now have the luxury of trying something else. Due my length of service I'm entitled to a fairly short notice period and no redundancy compensation. I'm applying for jobs but there is very little in my field.

I've sent off speculative applications to various employers offering my services on an interim basis, as I do have some useful (and relevant!) past experience that might be of use on this basis. However I am probably suffering from a redundancy-induced crisis of confidence and I am not entirely sure I want to continue in my field.

I can't afford not to work and have two children to support. I am keen to try new things and I am wondering how to approach applications for roles in a different field - obviously I know I will have to take a pay cut but I'm OK with this. Has anyone got any advice to offer? I'm also happy to work full-time instead of part-time as needs must and all that.

I'm trying to see this as an exciting adventure that might lead to better things...

I would look at what skills you have, particularly ones which aren't specific to your current role, e.g. communicating to customers, writing documentation, whatever. I'd also look at what sort of tasks I enjoy, what things give me satisfaction - and also which things I really don't want to have much of.

This should all mean you're building a profile of the sort of job you want, and then you can start looking at what sort of roles fit that profile, and whether you could just start applying or if you need to get some relevant training or experience first - you might need to look at an interim role to gain particular experience before you get to what you really want, but that will be fine if you have a longer term plan.

I think what I really want is to actually do something. My role (without being specific) is about spending lots of time advising others on how to do stuff, with hardly any time to actually produce anything myself. its also constant conflict, reacting to stuff and generally firefighting. I've worked in a few different organisations and it tends to be the same everywhere.

I did undertake a policy role once and it was duller than dull, so it really is my choice of career that I don't like.

I do like the idea of profiling my skills, I think I'll do that tonight and maybe ask a few trusted colleagues if they could help me with this - including the negatives!