Miserable in new job, 53 and looking at other options

[14February2021]

I started a new firm in February and I feel permanently on edge and miserable. I come from a PA background and now do no PA work. Without outing myself I produce "things' for teams around the company, but I feel that my work is not to the level they are used to. Its like they're used to shopping in marks and spencer with an unlimited budget and now they have to shop in kwik save (I'm also the cheap option to what they were used to).

I'd like to look at working for a relaxed or more fulfilling company. When I say relaxed I don't mean totally laid back just where I can do a good job, enjoy the work and people and have a laugh-idealy wfh or hybrid.

Thing is I'm 53, and I've lost my confidence, people seem to have liked me at my other places of work and think I'm good but I feel abit shit. In my new role I'm judged on a daily basis and it's disheartening when I produce something I think looks good and they think is a bit bit meh.

Can anyone suggest any 'nice' or fulfilling places I could look at working, or maybe at similar roles to a PA, and does anyone temp at my age and how do you get on? I used to temp many moons ago but that was back in the day of fax machines and I was much younger.

I feel like I'm getting too old to spend my days worrying about whether I'm up to someone elses standard.

Thanks 😊

Honestly - it sounds as if you need fresh training to update your skills, and thus increase your confidence.

As they employed you they must have known what you can do? So it’s really on them to provide / pay for extra training if they’ve miscalculated exactly what they require from you.

I guess my problem is that I now just have a mental block with regards to what I'm doing, there is a large element of the job that potentially they can't teach you, you're either that way inclined or not and I think I'm in the 'not' range. I also think I'm not really into the company and people - I'd like to work somewhere where I enjoy the company and the people.

@MayIDestroyYou you are very right.
@Convincemebob I've been told but obviously not in the way I put it in my chat 😊

Yes, passed my probation and I would have to temp, I wouldn't go into another permanent job ideally temp to permanent I'd look at, that way I can assess them and they me, to see if I was the right fit.

As I (and countless people on the Mature Study and Retraining board )can attest, a fresh new qualification in your fifties can be a brilliant launchpad for the final decade or two of one’s working life.

Everyone becomes more resistant to novelty and change as they mature - I wonder if there are things you could possibly have engaged with or learned over the past few years, that you decided you could do without?

Get some training. Get yourself up to speed with all the stuff people half our age do as standard.

I'll check that out!!