Career change or not?

[moonlight1705]

I have been working with a well known heritage organisation for just under 8 years and am being made redundant next Wednesday.

I have applied for another job in the company but didn't get it as I didn't quite have the experience and obviously now I am going to be unemployed.

I guess I would like help with deciding where to go from here - do I try and stick in heritage which has notoriously few jobs (but I love doing) or do I go for something different? I don't know what as I have always worked in this industry.

What did you do? Could you go into property? As in selling? Management?

What sort of role did you do? Your skills will probably be useful in other industries besides heritage.

I think I would look for other heritage jobs - but also look at other jobs outside of heritage, which would help me build useful skills and experience for when a job I really want comes up in heritage.

True - I guess most of my skills were in visitor experience. I liked the organising of events and creating daft but fun children's trails etc.

I think I have worked out that I really don't want to think about strategic plans and thinking about the big picture - I like getting my hands in and doing something.

Event planning would be really interesting. I am going to start looking for jobs around the sector, things that are just outside the comfort zone and see if anything gets me excited to try.

That's a good start - focus on the tasks you do and don't enjoy, and look at jobs that can offer that. I should think there will be lots of types of organisation you could use those skills in.

Try an events/partnerships role at a University? - or even public engagement (the bits that link Universities with local schools and other groups, including events for school age children)