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Original poster

Could Mumsnet just please sort out my career for me? I'd be really grateful.....

31 replies

Pruni · 26/12/2006 21:46

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Original poster
Pruni · 26/12/2006 21:49

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Katymac · 26/12/2006 21:52

I'm not very good at this but..

Translating?
Open your own language school?
Teach young children in a club sort of thing?
Law?

duchesse · 26/12/2006 21:54

Pruni-- proofreading and copy-editing sound absolutely ideal to me- you can do it from home and fit it in around small boy if needed. There are courses and forums and websites and lists and things you can use.

By the way- I have never earned more than 21000 a year and I am in a similar boat to you. Also feeling unworldly when I see university friends on bloody 6 figure salaries!

Original poster
Pruni · 26/12/2006 21:56

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Pruni · 26/12/2006 21:57

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Katymac · 26/12/2006 21:58

Pruni - I don't like children ....I'm not even sure I like working with them

I just happen to be good at organising a childcare business

DimpledThighs · 26/12/2006 21:59

what was your degree?

I cannot see how the efl thing will work unless you take private students - but are there many of those around in a village?

Any universities near you?

What do you enjoy?

What ideally would you like to be doing in five years time?

Whizzz · 26/12/2006 22:00

Teaching Assistant ? Having languages is a good asset particularly in a secondary school

duchesse · 26/12/2006 22:10

I don't know Pruni- I have an online friend who is a proofreader/ copy-editor. I am a freelance translator who is also a trained teacher. I choose not to teach because I like to have a life outside work. I find I'm not earning pots translating because I don't work masses, but it's lucrative when I am earning, and you really can't put a value on spare time and being able to determine your own rate of work (ie if you have a school play or something to attend, you just turn down the work unless it's really, really attractive and you can fit it in at a pinch). I'd imagine there are proofreading/copy-editing sites out there that have faq pages and advice forums for beginners, as there are for translators.

Original poster
Pruni · 26/12/2006 22:39

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Pruni · 26/12/2006 22:43

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MariNativityPlay · 26/12/2006 22:49

Indexing.
I will remember to bring the blurb for my great trip North - we have a hopeful rendezvous - you are being mailed about it Pruni.
You can do a distance learning course through the Society of Indexers.

Original poster
Pruni · 26/12/2006 22:52

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Pruni · 26/12/2006 22:52

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MariNativityPlay · 26/12/2006 22:57

I think you are a natural personally

tamum · 26/12/2006 23:05

Rowan consultant, obviously. We just have to bump off the current lovely one in JL and you're a shoo-in. Indexing and proof-reading- there are several science/medical publishers in Edinburgh who emply people to do that kind of thing. I met someone last week who used to work for one of them and now freelances from home doing stuff like that and nagging academics to write their chapters. A thankless task, as you'll no doubt know

VeniVidiVickiQV · 26/12/2006 23:05

Pruni, finances and prior education and employment aside....

What do you like doing? What gets your brain ticking? What relaxes you?

Judy1234 · 26/12/2006 23:31

Do a list of jobs where people charge their time at £100 - £300 an hour and work your way through it to see what you could do. Avoid anything low paid.

USAUKMum · 27/12/2006 08:26

Pruni

I just started the Indexing course in Nov (sitting my first test in Jan) so if you decide to do it -- we can moan together Am finding it interesting so far, and I understand that if you have a "speciality" you can charge more than the base rate.

NotQuiteCockney · 27/12/2006 08:35

Oooh, please keep posting about indexing, I'm quite interested in that (and could claim a couple of specialist subjects on it) but from a conversation I had with an editor, ages ago, it sounded like getting work was a bit tricky.

wickedwinterwitch · 27/12/2006 08:57

Does being a SALT interest you? No idea what it pays though.

AnguaVonUberwald · 27/12/2006 08:59

Pruni - I don't know if this is practical for you but I recently wanted a complete career change and found it all very frustrating as people only wanted to hire me for the jobs I had done before and didn't seem to value my transferable skills.

Just like you I didn't want to start right at the bottom again either.

I found a job in the civil service - because they don't expect you to have done the job, or indeed anything like it before, as long as you have the skill sets that they are looking for. i.e. speaking in public, team leader - whatever it is.

civil service jobs

Pitchounette · 27/12/2006 09:04

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Bekks · 27/12/2006 09:24

Pitchounette - that sounds interesting - do you do it through a franchise or independently? Could I ask how much money you make from it or is that commercially sensitive?!

motherinfurrierfestivefrock · 27/12/2006 09:26

I've got friends who've done editing. It's something you'd be good at - you do have to train, and you do have to hustle from work, but you can also build up a decent work base, I gather.

I have to say my own experience of being freelance isn't quite the 'set your own hours and amount of work' that some people find, but I do like it.