Please help me work out what to do with my life -Need a new job

[40andneedacareer]

Hi.

I need help, despite a good education I've ended up in a zero hours minimum wage job due to bad decisions when I was younger.
I have hit forty and the terrifying prospect that I have no pension, no career and I'm half way through my life.
I have a English degree from a good university (sold the lie at school that any degree was worth it)
I could study for a MA or anything that would open up a career for me. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

That's a bit vague - what do you enjoy doing? what are your best personal skills? what sort of thing do you fancy?

Agree with @Purplewithred - a great start would be to work out what you enjoy doing and making a career from there. How about PGCE and go into teaching? Your degree will come in useful when looking for numerous roles - lots of transferable skills in English! Good luck working out what you want to do, I know it can be horrible to feel like you have no direction.

Brilliant that you have a good degree from a good university already. What do you like doing, where do your interests lie?

Yep more info needed.

Generally I would say there’s always demand for bookkeepers and it’s a good part time WFH option

I would not do an MA without a specific career path in mind
Can you sign up to a temp agency which generally pays well and try a variety of things to see what you enjoy?

Thanks, what you said is part of the problem, I have no idea who I am any more let alone what I want , I just need to become an adult and make a proper plan.
I understand about not doing a MA without a plan, otherwise that will be as pointless as my degree.

I guess I'm good at customer service, working with people and especially at absorbing/finding information weakness is numerical, I'm competent but not confident.

I have a English degree from a good university (sold the lie at school that any degree was worth it)

Traditional subjects such as English and History are sought after by graduate recruiters but you do need to have an idea as to the type of job you want.

I would only do an MA if you are using it as access to a particular profession otherwise your situation won't change dramatically.

If funds allow it might be worth booking in to see a qualified careers professional as they may be able to help.

Based on your last update something along the lines of training to be a careers adviser might be of interest.
It involves working with people and requires you to know and keep up to date with lots of information

I do sympathise. It's a horrible feeling, the mid-life anxiety. FEeling like everyone else has made it to adulthood and you are still stuck. Yes, I know it well.

Even if it was a while ago that you did your degree, the university will probably still offer careers advice to alumnae and may be a good source of networking contacts too. I agree talking it through with someone would be a good move.

What did you enjoy about your degree? It's got great transferable skills I think.

well you are one up on me as I dont have a degree (dropped out of uni)

Until DS2 went to school I was a waitress as that fitted in with the kids and DH work and childcare for 3 kids was £££££

I then got a part time job as an accounts assistant, then a job as an admin assistant and now have been promoted to Account executive.

its possible to start again. im 40 and actually i still have probably 30 years of workinig life left which is longer than I have been working so far!

If you can figure out what sort of thing you want to get into and can manage on a crappy wage for a bit, apprenticeships are a really great way to get work experience and training simultaneously, and there are usually VG prospects once you finish. Try just having a noodle around at the options.

Civil service - there's a huge range of jobs and the career progression looks clear.
School librarian or school pastoral person or similar, whilst you retrain?

Thanks, I've signed up to NHS and Civil service emails as nothing there suitable (as in I wouldn't get an interview)
Finances aren't really an issue in as much as I have no money now so am used to making ends meet it would just be a little less soul destroying if I knew that my wages would rise in time.
Brie that's a hopeful post thank you. I am certainly expecting to start somewhere low I just want there to be some progression possible.

Rosie I studied English because it was easy

But you found it easy because you're skilled at it! It's not in itself an easy subject - and it's not easy to stick with it and complete a degree, so don't be hard on yourself.
You have transferable skills there - analysing, communicating, creating an argument and backing it up, research, self-discipline. You might not be using those skills in your current role but you will still be capable of them.
Entry level jobs in admin - eg. University admin? There's great scope for progression there. I think the civil service suggestion is a great one too - and signing up for a temp agency, which can often lead to finding out about longer term positions.
GOOD LUCK! You sound like you have so much going for you.

Following as I'm 38 and in a similar position.

@40andneedacareer

Thanks, I've signed up to NHS and Civil service emails as nothing there suitable (as in I wouldn't get an interview) Finances aren't really an issue in as much as I have no money now so am used to making ends meet it would just be a little less soul destroying if I knew that my wages would rise in time. Brie that's a hopeful post thank you. I am certainly expecting to start somewhere low I just want there to be some progression possible.

Why wouldn’t you get an interview? There are lots of entry roles advertised on Civil Service jobs and NHS. Once you are in there will be opportunities to progress.

I think you definitely have a confidence problem here and it sounds like it’s not so much that you’re not getting jobs; it’s that you’re talking yourself out of even applying for anything!

Don’t put yourself down - I’m shit at English, it’s definitely not the “easy option”!

You sound like you’re well placed to apply for an admin role - aim for large companies where there are decent benefits and lots of opportunities to work your way sideways/upwards (utilities, council, nhs etc)

How much time/money do you have to retrain?

Similar position here - mid 30’s (but closer to 40 then I’d care to admit), good education at a grammar school, degree in a stem subject, currently earning £9.50 an hour in a job that only requires GCSEs. But I have decided I’m fed up of it all and am making the brave (possibly stupid) step of going self employed! Training as a bookkeeper at the moment in order to open my own practise. Is that a possibility for you? I’m working on it costing about £3k to set up (for exams, professional membership, equipment and program subscriptions etc).

I Just decided that I’ll never become a millionaire working for other people

I work in marketing and there is a lot of demand for good copywriters at the moment as content is a v popular marketing strategy. If you are good at absorbing information may be writing content could be good? Hubspot have free courses and there's loads of other free sites with information.
A lot of communications and PR roles like English as a degree. Hope that helps!

Teaching? Teach First or an AO route, you can get paid a salary while you train which goes up once you qualify. Either primary or English at secondary.

You could try retraining as a Salesforce admin ( to start with). Salesforce is huge and skilled people are very much in demand.

Check out the Salesforce super mums website

Are there still such people as traditional secretaries? Sounds like you have appropriate skills. Easy enough to learn officey software and to touch type properly if you can't already. Or maybe train as a specialist medical or legal secretary.

Other ideas
Legal executive
General office admin anywhere really.
Maybe an apprenticeship/trainee scheme in an admin or retail role?

Have a look at the icould website and try the careers quiz.
Lots of free on line courses with coursera, futurelearn etc to improve it skills , intro to marketing etc.
Also have a look at apprenticeships- not just for 18 year olds.
Marketing etc springs to mind- do you have great it skills? Worth investing in those rather than ma unless it’s specific.
Get some voluntary work experience with a charit6 etc?