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Original poster

Help me with a career change!

17 replies

WannabeFormerJourno · 02/10/2023 11:50

I'm 38 and am a freelance journalist / copywriter – I'm really not enjoying it at the moment, work is drying up, and I'm struggling to stay motivated. I would love to make a career change but am at a loss for ideas. I have zero desire to move into PR or communications, and would need the salary to be £60k+ for it to make sense. I would be happy to do some kind of course but it would need to be a shorter course as I can't afford to take several years out to go back to study. Any ideas? I have an undergraduate and masters degree. I generally write about lifestyle topics (food, travel, design etc so it's very broad).

OP posts:

SilkieChick · 02/10/2023 14:38

I'm in a really similar position OP - unfortunately I have no brilliant ideas, am watching with interest. I'm working freelance as I lost my comms job in May. No desire to go back into PR/comms but struggling with what to do instead. I don't mind retraining but can't afford years of study. I'm a few years ahead of you at 45, with 2 teen DDs. DH has a good job but we need two decent incomes.

£60k is a pretty high salary - were you making that freelance? If so, I may need to get my act together and persist... my main problem at the moment is I feel like I've totally lost my mojo for any kind of work... no idea what to do at all! 😣

Original poster

WannabeFormerJourno · 02/10/2023 15:08

@SilkieChick Thanks for replying - even with no ideas, it's nice to hear I'm not alone! I made £60k last financial year with a mix of freelance journalism and copywriting. I've faced quite a few personal challenges this year though and I just haven't been able to keep on top of it all and think I have lost some clients who were important. I'm feeling really unmotivated and just need a change. I used to turn work around so quickly and now I just can't even get started and it's awful... I do really need to be on £60k to meet my outgoings, and so going back in-house as a journalist / editor somewhere really isn't feasible! Hence thinking about career change..

Have you got any areas you're interested in? I've always been interested in law but think I've probably missed the boat on that with the time it would take to study and then work my way up...! I could be interested in a corporate comms job if it was the right company (probably something aligned with what I write about) but I'm just not seeing those kinds of roles advertised at the moment (unless they are very junior roles). It feels like media jobs have become more and more scarce and most senior roles are filled by people working their way up internally so most of the roles I'm seeing advertised are for juniors...

OP posts:

Findyourneutralspace · 02/10/2023 15:12

Sorry to be no help at all but I’m in the same boat. It’s a shame as I’ve loved journalism but just not sure I can face another 20 years of it.

Original poster

WannabeFormerJourno · 02/10/2023 15:18

@Findyourneutralspace I used to really, really love it too – it just feels like work is becoming more scarce and some fees are just a joke. Most of the actual money I make is from advertorial / copywriting and I just don't enjoy it and find it really uninspiring. Most editorial work is horrendously paid (and I've even had – well respected! – publications ask me to write for free?!) . I don't think I can face it any more either but have no idea where to move as it's all I've done since uni!

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Findyourneutralspace · 02/10/2023 15:23

I’ve ended up taking a staff job but it feels like I’m going backwards instead of forward 😕 Freelance was brilliant a few years ago but my field is hard news and it’s just getting worse.
A weekly DPS in one of the tabloids (print) would make it manageable but I only managed to secure one of those every few months and even their fees have gone down.

SilkieChick · 02/10/2023 17:02

Nothing appeals at the moment. At all. I think I'm burned out if I'm honest, it feels like all I could cope with at the moment is a job stacking shelves. I just don't feel enthusiastic about any job or freelance option.

I'm impressed that you've been making £60k plus - I've been thinking that freelance journalism is constant hustle for not very much money, but that's a pretty decent income - way more than my last in-house comms job. But I guess no salary is worth it if you're fed up - I totally feel that way too.

Original poster

WannabeFormerJourno · 02/10/2023 17:24

@SilkieChick I can definitely relate to feeling burned out! I was on £40k in-house editorial, and then went freelance. I've been freelance for a few years now and have gradually built up – first year I matched my in-house salary, then £50k and then £60k last year. I then had some fairly major personal challenges in the past year, and I feel like I've just completely ruined everything I built up (no safety net if you're freelance!) but also like I might just be burned out from pushing so hard for those three years.. really don't know what to do and really need to sort something fairly quickly! I was looking at data entry jobs today so completely get you saying stacking shelves is about all you can cope with! Kind of feeling like I just need someone to tell me what to do rather than having to manage everything myself...

OP posts:

Cami65 · 02/10/2023 17:31

Have you considered bid writing? Huge demand at the moment across most sectors and pay is generally good

Original poster

WannabeFormerJourno · 02/10/2023 17:33

@Cami65 actually that's something I would potentially be interested in and haven't considered! And I have written a successful bid for government work previously through one of my freelance clients so have a little bit of experience, and I also enjoyed doing it. Thank you for the suggestion!

OP posts:

Cami65 · 02/10/2023 17:36

You could start with bid writing and then consider wider bid management in the future once you have had some exposure, which gives you scope for advancement and more £s. Journalism experience is quite coveted these days in bid teams. Lots of opportunities in IT and construction atm

nutellacrepe · 02/10/2023 17:40

I think it's a stretch to expect £60k straight away if you are having a career change. Especially if that's your current salary in a field that you have years of experience in. You may need to manage your expectations a bit - you are going to be new at whatever you do, and it's unlikely that you will not have to take a pay cut in the short term.

Original poster

WannabeFormerJourno · 02/10/2023 18:48

@nutellacrepe unfortunately I just can't afford to with current outgoings... I'm thinking that perhaps I can start with a part time role in corporate communications or bid writing, keep my one-day in-house with a client, and use the other day to get through as much freelance writing as possible – hopefully that would avoid too much of a pay cut. Then as I build up experience with the new industry (whatever it may be!) I can hopefully more into more full time roles (or perhaps mixing it up with a few different things is what I need and I'd find a love for journalism again!)

OP posts:

nutellacrepe · 02/10/2023 18:50

@WannabeFormerJourno Yes, if you don't want a pay cut then realistically the only way to do it is to do something part time to build experience, and carry on getting an income from your current role the rest of the time.

It will be a busy period as you upskill but hopefully worth it.

Good luck with it!

Findyourneutralspace · 03/10/2023 11:02

I’m burnt out too and the personal challenges floored me last year, hence taking the staff job. I can do it easily but it doesn’t pay enough really

Original poster

WannabeFormerJourno · 03/10/2023 11:05

Findyourneutralspace · 03/10/2023 11:02

I’m burnt out too and the personal challenges floored me last year, hence taking the staff job. I can do it easily but it doesn’t pay enough really

I've just applied for two part time jobs that are more marketing / comms. I'm hoping that mixing things up is what I need and I can still keep my freelance work going but feel less stress if I have other income that's fixed. One of them I actually really want but not sure they'll think I'm the right fit! Are you planning on staying on staff or eventually freelancing again? Journalism is just so tough at the moment...

OP posts:

Pinkdelight3 · 03/10/2023 11:13

Maybe it's not so much a career change as a rebalancing to get the money you need for less effort and get your career-type from other aspects in your life. For instance, you could go into comms in the public sector (even in the MOJ), so there's less pressure than the freelance life and better work/life balance, and train to be a magistrate so you get your law fix and can legitimately get time off to do that. Or some other combo of working a bit less and getting stimulation from study that could lead to retraining and open other doors. Whatever way you, I wouldn't set too much store by the 'it's too late to do x' - that's a self-fulfilling prophecy which means you leave it till it really is too late, but it sounds like you have plenty of time to spread your wings and explore.

Findyourneutralspace · 03/10/2023 15:51

I’ll probably stay on staff for the time being. I’m treated well, have quite a lot of autonomy in my role and it’s a steady income. I’m the only earner in my house with two older DCs (a bit irrelevant to go into here but neither is likely to bring a wage in any time soon), so I can’t really go back to the hustle

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