Thinking of a career change but no idea where to start...

[ItsAllGoodMan]

I currently work in a Financial Services job, in an area where most people do Professional qualifications to progress. I'm not really interested in the work, nor doing the qualifications and really feel I'd like to do something different as I find my job very unfulfilling. I'm pretty good at the job despite this and do work hard. I might be up for a promotion at the end of the year which would mean line managing a few people for the first time.

I've been thinking I'd quite like to work for a charity but when I look at jobs a lot of them specify marketing qualifications etc.

I could be open to studying again, maybe part time, if this would be at all possible with a toddler! I'm early 30s and have a Maths degree and am really hoping it's not too late to change it all.

Sorry for waffling ... Does anyone have any ideas of careers I could look into?

Of course it's not too late! You're early 30s - you could have another 30 or 40 years before you retire!

Think about your current and past jobs, and any outside activities.
Think about all the different tasks involved, from the daily/weekly admin tasks, to whatever attracted you to the job in the first place. Consider things like the physical environment, the location, the hours, the commute... whatever else.

For all these things, work out which ones you definitely want more of, which ones you'd prefer to have (but wouldn't be a deal-breaker), ones you aren't bothered either way, ones you would prefer not to have (but again, not a deal-breaker), and those you absolutely couldn't bear.

This should start building some sort of profile about what your ideal job might look like. Then you can start looking at the sort of jobs which fit that. (This is the trickiest part, IMO, because it's not always easy to tell which jobs would fit, unless you already know about them, and if you're looking to change careers...)

If you can afford to consider studying again, then it might also be worth considering a careers counsellor.

(Also consider any restrictions - e.g. mortgage costs mean you need a salary of at least £x amount, or children's schools or ailing parents mean you need to be within an hour of X town, or you need to be near public transport links or whatever.)

I have a friend looking into charity PR and media and it's extremely competitive. There are some marketing/PR quals you can do which are short but sector specific experience is key - my friend has the experience and quals but not directly in charity so is failing to secure the job.

I currently work voluntarily for two charities and this is the best way to start, you'll get to try it out and gain experience (I'm actually trying to get into finance/accountancy once youngest starts school). I work closely with the office staff and help with admin, fundraising, events and finance so a good insight. Smaller charities or local branches often have a media person or will consider an offer to help as social media is so big now. These local committees would also fit round your work if they run in the evenings. I do one or two meetings a month with the rest at home. Trying to get work experience placements is an idea - I'm trying to do this in the next few months - use any contacts or approach charities.

Just be aware that larger charities can feel like corporates unless you are close to the grass roots work. So consider what you actually want to do p/what motivates you. You can always move into a finance department in a charity and see if they'll help you move into other areas.

Oh and finding voluntary work can be tricky, no responses and hard to find the right fit - often they want a highly qualified and experienced person to work for free.