Career choices

[Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain]

After many years of being a PA/EA/Legal Sec, I'm now 52 and have been in contracts as EA/PA for the past 9 years. Didn't mean for it to get that long and actually did get one permanent job in the past but perimenopause anxiety (which I didn't realise I had then!) scuppered that one and I left after 2 months.

I'm now stuck for what to do next, temping in contracts is more competitive and less stable and I need stability as I can't afford to retire.

I did think about:

• HR (too old), paralegal - not sure if I really want to do this.
• legal bookkeeper - seen a course for this, 18 months total, I know what our legal bookkeeper did when I worked in a small solicitors office, benefit would be I'd be self employed.
• BD executive roles/law professional services but think I'd need a degree there which I don't have.

I am highly skilled in admin/project management, proactive, a people person, love helping people, organised. When I was a legal sec/receptionist at one firm for 5 years I was virtually running the office as well as typing and was almost doing paralegal work. I'm the kind of person who never makes mistakes either.

My confidence just seems low right now. Feel down and depressed about it all and that at my age I may as well give up.

Definitely don’t give up!

Firstly you might find it helpful to browse the Mature Study and Retraining board - there may well be options you haven’t thought of or posters with experience of the routes you’re considering.

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

Secondly, I’m not clear whether you have no degree or just no degree in the thing you’re interested in? But I’m wondering if your vast experience might get you on to a postgraduate course - which you could fund with a Government Postgraduate Loan:

https://www.gov.uk/masters-loan

No degree sadly yes! Actually - thank you! For both the links.

If stability is your main driver, would you go for a permanent job in the sort of area you are currently in. Do you have any other criteria?

Other alternatives that are not on your current list are an office manager job, a sole PA in a small business which provided you have a nice boss can be broader.

If you are interested in book keeping, take a look at the finance roles available in Government where your training will be paid for, and you'll earn as you learn. They really do welcome applications from career changers and are keen to hear from people at all stages in their careers.

www.financecareers.civilservice.gov.uk

There are over 400 organisations and roles come up throughout the year so worth keeping an eye out on the website.

The office manager/PA in a small business sounds good. Pity the one I worked for for 2 months approx 2017-ish turned out to be a complete and utter psycho whose previous Office Managers/PAs had left plus his bookkeeper!

That's actually a good idea. and one I hadn't thought about.

To be honest - legal bookkeeper is because I know the area of work, and it seems interesting plus you can work for yourself and there are lots of smaller law firms who don't have an inhouse accountant/bookkeeper. I'm not brilliant with figures but am good at inputting them if that makes sense, and I got to be quite good at completion statements and so on.