What job can I do?

[StColumbofNavron]

I'm at a crossroads and have a year, two at most to make a decision - I want to be on my new path by 45 (I'm 41 this year). I've tried to keep it concise. I've got some useful feedback from previous employers who I am still in contact with so some of the below is informed by what they have said, not just what I think.

• qualifications: BA and MA in humanities subject (recently had to withdraw from a research degree in my 3rd year so have some decent research skills - mostly covid related)
• 10 years of high level Executive Assistant work (lower level admin before that for c. 5 years)
• experienced gained working for CEO in smaller company with some strategic work; other experience in large professional services type environments
• other skills: people skills (by far my strongest soft skill) at all levels; written communication; organised
• I like people; I'm big ideas and less good at detail (though I can do detail when I have to)

I went to university as an adult in order to move into teaching. This is still high on my agenda but for a number of reasons money has recently become more of a motivation than it has previously been. I earn a good salary as an EA and whilst there is no scope really to progress further I would need to take a pretty hefty salary decrease to teach for probably quite a while - this is still something I might want to do but I am trying to work out what a corporate/industry career might look like for me.

I know what teaching looks like as a career for me - I have researched it lots, volunteered in schools and spoken to lots of teacher friends and I had planned to still do this once I'd finished my PhD.

The organisation I am currently at is huge, so it may be possible to find opportunities here, but I don't know what to look for if that makes sense. Can anyone help with what an industry based career might look like? I'd like something that includes progression to leadership over time and where I can match my EA salary from the outset but plays to my strengths.

Suggest you approach a recruitment agency they may have some ideas you hadn’t thought of.

Some university site have career paths you could look at.

Have you considered looking for roles with awarding bodies like AQA, Edexcel or computer based testing companies like Pearson Vue, Prometric, PSI. To see if there are any roles that would utilise your teaching experience and your Administration skills?

I have been speaking to a friend who is a recruitment consultant and have some dinners coming up with two previous bosses who I am still friendly with for some career advice - one of them is the person who put the idea of industry into my head to be honest.

@HalfShrunkMoreToGo I don't have teaching experience - well only volunteering and that is not all that recent. I'm considering teaching or staying in industry essentially, but the latter is something I hadn't considered but I don't want to stay as an EA if I do this, I want something with more progression.

The problem with EA work is that it pays well but leads nowhere all too often. To start a career I think you may have to take a lower salary and be prepared to enter at Officer/Senior Admin level and take exams as you go along: H&Safety, HR, Marketing, etc.. Could you do the conversion required for law? Are you numerate enough to consider accountancy.

I'm absolutely willing to take further professional qualifications along the way, ideally paid for as part of training but if I have to do it myself that is an option. An MBA was mentioned by my ex-boss but I think that is probably running before I walk.

I could convert to law, and I am numerate enough but as mentioned I am conscious that detail is not my forte, I force myself to it and do it well but it isn't a natural state.

People and relationships are really where my skill set lies really. I'm a good speaker forge relationships really quickly and effectively.

Have you looked at Chief of Staff type roles? That could lead on from being an EA, especially as you are a graduate.

Good call - it is looking for the relevant job titles that I am struggling with so that is a great suggestion.

I’ve been wondering about Civil Service roles too, but suspect I have to go down to go up, which maybe is fine.

Have you considered being a trainer? The obvious move would be into a private sector trainer role if your PhD subject matter is something you could leverage as a specialism to train people in? And from that you could love into more generic trainer roles and eventually up into management in training companies (or set up your own business)

I think you have to gave either taking a hit financially so you can retrain or find a way to convert your existing experience (such as the trainer route as I've suggested).

I don't think a MBA would help at all! What you lack is actual experience (other than as an EA) and that's what you need to develop rather than getting more qualifications. We regularly turn people down with MBAs even for quite junior roles as what we need is experience rather than theory. Good people skills and good communication/written skills are a given rather than anything special.

HR might be an interesting option given your background if you're willing to start at the bottom and work your way up.

Lots to think about there. I totally agree it’s experience over qualification at this point. I do have good strategic experience from at least one role where I acted more as a CoS and had my own projects with a team that I led and was accountable for so I think it’s about trying to work out how these can fit in other roles.

Of course people skills etc are a given. My previous employers have told me that my skills in these areas set me apart from others. There are concrete examples of this if I think about it, but I know that these are normal skills - I really highlighted them here because I think they are relevant to the type of role that I would suit, i.e. working closely with people vs looking at spreadsheets all day, or client facing vs not.