How will I ever earn any money?

[itwasntmetho]

I've never been in a role where I'm working towards something, right now I'm a PA, I've done general admin, bookkeeping, office management.

Every role I've had I wasn't a part of the main industry, more of a support, other people climb ladders, they know if they take this course they move up to this level.

I've worked at small places as the supporting act for the main people, how can I ever earn any money now? I'm mid forties. I'm feeling very flat about it, I'd like to work for another 20 to 25 years and I love the routine of having a job, working with colleagues but I'm always paid very poorly.

What, you worked as a volunteer, unpaid??

Can you afford/would you like to train in something else?
is there anything else that you would like to do?
could you build on bookkeeping skills and do some courses/accountancy?
do PAs in different companies get paid more or less? PA for CEO of a large company may get paid more than PA for senior manager of a small company?

If you've done bookkeeping how about taking your AAT or even ATT exams? I started off as admin in an accountants and am now 1 exam away from being a qualified tax advisor

I did AAT 2, I actually loved it, it was a very expensive thing to carry on though.

I was very aware that a lot of people finish the AAT and can't get the experience as the course is pushed at a lot of people not even in accountancy, I was working for an Estate Agency chain at the time.

I'm now a PA for a Chartered Accountant, she is very negative about anyone late coming to the industry and makes me think it's good I didn't waster that money! I feel like I'm too late for that and so many people want to do that.

I was looking into freelance work and maybe starting something of my own like a Virtual Assistant type of thing, but I'm not sure how much demand there is for it.

That's a shame my accountancy firm were very supportive about me starting ATT in my 40s. If you do ATT you can set up as a self employed tax advisor. Lots of people willing to pay for their tax returns being completed rather than having to do it themselves. Also should be able to get a tax job fairly easily there is a lack of applicants at the moment.

Move somewhere where you will be appreciated and encouraged to finish your qualifications. Have a look at schemes that firms like Deloitte have to encourage returners.

I had a partner at a law firm where I worked as a paralegal sneer when I was qualifying as a solicitor as a mature student that there were already too many people coming into the profession. I didn't let his nonsense deter me.

Are your qualifications still valid if you were to continue them or do they "expire"?

Not unpaid, just lowest rung type of work, with no clear path to do any better.

I suppose other people are in the main industry, where as I as the support.

Eg sales people go Trainee> Negotiator > Branch Manager securing more money at each stop and higher commission, I stay the same always, there is no where to go from office manager without wanting to be in sales.

Now I work somewhere with people making their way up but PA is always going to be PA, whatever else I take on it comes under PA and pays the same.

I'm now a PA for a Chartered Accountant, she is very negative about anyone late coming to the industry and makes me think it's good I didn't waster that money! I feel like I'm too late for that and so many people want to do that.

You definitely aren’t too late for that if you’re interested! I work with someone in his 50s who is doing an accountancy apprenticeship and you’re already part way through the AAT so more advanced than he was.

My friend's Husband works for Deloitte he's so happy there and has just got a promotion.

Unfortunately I live outside of London, my Son has just had a turbulent first year at Secondary school and I'm a single parent so I'm not as free to travel to work right now.

Maybe it's a mind set thing, I do struggle with confidence sometimes around things like this. I'm so pleased to hear about late trainers that is helpful.

I'm frightened of never having any financial security, I'm worried about spending money on training to never secure the job, I am aware that selling courses to people is an industry in itself.

I really liked the look of this https://www.institutelegalsecretaries.com/training/diploma/ to take on a better paying PA role, I bombard myself with information, and then talk myself out of things. I can't throw cash at myself like that if nothing will come of it, I know I can't purchase a career.

I passed the first (lowest level) AAT with distinction and still didn't secure anything in accounts or bookkeeping, I thought I'd like to do the next level when I was working in an accounts role so that it definitely wouldn't be a waste of money.

After I'd given up trying I started the bookkeeping at the employment I already had at the time, as I helped with the banking already and the accountant wanted to put them onto Xero so took it over, but that's not the same as applying for the job and securing it and it was so long past the point of giving up on that, I'd already moved on from the whole idea.

I dont think that legal secretaries course will actually get you any further or better paid than just being a decent PA I am afraid to say. Not once have we required ours to have any such formal qualification.

Also check whether Deloitte (and similar firms) have offices more local to you. You don't have to go into London.

Thank you, that is helpful, this is exactly what I mean about you can't purchase a career!

I can really sense your frustration. Have you ever done a degree because you would get student finance if you haven't done an undergraduate degree before?

I would look into an apprenticeship rather than paying for a qualification.

Look at the job descriptions for Executive Assistants. You do tend to be better appreciated at management levels especially if you're good with the Microsoft applications and can bring your experience to that.

Really? Good PAs earn well. Look into what it takes to be a top-earning PA and then start to develop any skills you are missing. As a freelance virtual PA you can charge a lot more per hour. (Bear in mind you'll need to pay reliable cover for when you are on holiday, and freelancers don't get paid for being ill, taking holiday, employer contributions towards pensions and NI etc, so you have to charge more - typically at least double your hourly rate to make the same amount over a year, and pay into similar benefits schemes.

Where roughly are you based? Civil service might be a good option with flexible working and opportunity for promotion. HMRC if you like tax! PM me if you like.

I know PAs who are on a base of 100k plus bonus 🤯 so I just think that you might be in the wrong place… They are on 24/7 call though. So maybe you’re not in the wrong place 😌

@itwasntmetho with your transferrable skill set I would be looking at the public sector. Local authority, NHS or Civil Service as there is the opportunity to progress and support to do qualification’s.
https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate
https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi
https://www.jobsgopublic.com/