Feeling down, no career direction

[workworkworkugh]

I work in reception/administration for an accounting firm. My office career didn’t start until my youngest started school so I have only been working in admin for about 5 years.

My workplace is really great. There’s only 20 of us so very much like a family, we all get along, great culture, the bosses don’t feel like our boss, they very much include us all in decisions and took the whole team on a four day holiday last year as a reward with another possibly this year. It is also quite a flexible workplace which I have always valued.

I don’t particularly love working in general if I'm to be honest, but if I have to go each day I’m happy to go here, my role is quite low level so not much stress which suits my personality.
I’m 40 and I could do this role for the next 20 years and be reasonably happy, but I just don’t feel satisfied, I feel a bit suffocated thinking that this is all I will be doing.

I want to do something with meaning and something that I’m passionate about but I literally can’t think of anything that would suit me!

I’ve already ruled out teaching, nursing, accounting, they're just not for me.
I don’t have any particular good skill set, no degree, I can do my job (most jobs) well with training but I’m just average in whatever I do. Im not a standout in anything if that makes sense.

I'm happy to study but it's a lot of money to study something if I'm not sure about it or it doesn't work out.
How on earth do you find the thing that you love, that will make you feel fulfilled?

Why does it have to be your job that brings meaning or fulfilment?

It sounds pretty fulfilling already, other than you giving yourself a hard time.

Have a browse here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/mature_students

It does sound as if you’d find doing a degree or apprenticeship intellectually / vocationally satisfying!

When I was looking for my first post-degree job way back in the late 80’s the required reading was ‘What Colour Is Your Parachute’ - an alienatingly annoying American workbook that somehow worked miracles in helping one to identify personal values, skills, aspirations - thus pushing you inexorably to the next step of actually applying to places. It’s still available, updated to at least 2021. Lots of people hate it, but I’d say you have nothing to lose by giving it a try.

The National Careers Service is supposed to do what it says on the tin (for people of any age) though I gather some people have found the (free) service disappointing.

If I were you - I’d go to the UCAS website

https://careerfinder.ucas.com/

I’ve linked to the opening page for apprenticeships - because it’s easy to forget they offer guidance on those as well as traditional degrees.

(I’m not sure whether you mentioned accountancy, teaching, and nursing because you’re sick of hearing about them, or because you’re really old school and aren’t aware of the breadth of career possibilities! Either way, apprenticeships have opened up to pretty much everyone now, so worth considering.)

But the thing to do is browse through all the study possibilities UCAS lists, and see what jumps out at you. And think about people whose careers you envy. The camerawoman on the news? Someone opening up a flower shop as you pass by in the morning? The sculptor with an exhibition opening in your city? The farmer up all night with lambing? Sally Wainwright? There must be something you secretly wish you could do??

Does it need to be work/job, what about volunteering in an area you’re passionate about? It sounds as if your job is actually really nice and a good fit.

You want to do something with meaning and something that you are passionate about.

So, you have to ask yourself what has meaning for you, and what you are passionate about. What do you like? What do you care about? What did you enjoy as a child and what were you good at then? (Some people lose sight of their true personalities in adulthood - think back).

Ask yourself these questions about your life in general, not just your career, and you might get a starting point .

@swanling @Smaram It is a great workplace but there's no room for progression for me and as great as it is, if I have to work every day for the next 20+ years, I want it to be something I enjoy, or feel proud to do etc.
What I'm doing now is basically helping rich people get richer and I just plainly don't love it.

@CountryCousin I mentioned those three mainly because they're the main three that are thrown at me if I'm speaking to someone about it.
I'm open to all areas.

Hope you’ll find the links useful!