Starting over (career wise)

[bluesuperted]

My dad retrained when we were young, from engineering lecturer to book keeper - did a very short correspondence course. He now has 100 clients (mainly small businesses and limited companies) and does all their accounts (more lucrative than book keeping!) despite not being chartered or having sat any accountancy exams - he's very upfront about this and no one seems to mind as he knows his stuff. He's done really well to build his business, makes a reasonable wage, is his own boss and now fends off new business as he's too busy. An interesting and fairly inexpensive path...

[Earl Aelfheah]

Hey

Excuse my ignorance, but what does SLT mean?

x

[BeccaL]

I think it's speech and language therapy

[Helen GV]

I have done a book keeping course but lack the confidence to start without experience! Silly really I know as if I never start I'll never get the experience.. I did the course when my first was a few months old and have looked at finishing the aat qualification, doing a bit of studying here and there but now with two I am so TIRED in the evenings that I haven't done very much, and every time I start I need to back track to remind myself of what I read before.

It still appeals though so I guess I need to want it enough to find a way!

Off to play with the kids and do my housework... :))

[tor]

I changed my career after having my second child. The advertising industry and leaving at 5.30pm to collect children from nursery just don't go together.

I actually went to see a careers advisor and although I haven't ended up going down the route she suggested, it gave me the kick up the backside to really get on the case and look at options outside the media world for the first time in my career.

I'm so pleased I took the risk and went for it. It was daunting at first but I now work closer to home, leave on time every evening and get paid the same money in a job I really enjoy.

Go for it - it can be done!

[mima08]

I too find this threat really interesting. I am currently on maternity leave with no. 1 and am not relishing the idea of going back to my old job with its very long hours, boredom and frustrations. I do have to earn money, but I only want to work 3 days, which, although my company say they are supportive (which is great) I am very suspicious that these turn into 3days paid, plus long evenings etc unpaid to cope with the workload...

tor - it might be a silly question, but where did you find a careers advisor? I seem to only find ones dealing with new uni graduates, and that is a long time ago for me....

[veryseriousgirl]

Sillywoman, I'm almost tempted to have a 3rd baby if I could have you as a midwife! :)

I keep fantasizing about changing career, but have no idea what I'd do. It sounds really stupid, but I can't think of anything I could do that's as well paid as my current work and keep feeling torn between the fact that I can provide really well for my family in the current job, but could likely spend more time with daughter and child-to-be doing something else.

Great to see so many inspirational stories here, though!

[sillywoman]

Thankyou very much VSG - that's very kind of you. Need to get myself accepted first. Then break it to MrS that the 3 yr degree course doesn't give me academic holidays - just 5 weeks a year - so God only knows what we'll do in the school holidays. Also we will lose my income for 3 years so it's quite a big deal/ask for the whole family. Think I'll just go for it & see what happens though - sometimes you just have to bite the bullet don't you? Aaaargh!

[GSJ57]

This thread reminds me of a question in an advice column I read years ago. The question was from a woman who wanted to go back to college to become a teacher, she was in her 40's, and she was bemoaning the fact that when she was finished with college she would be 48. The advice columnists answer was - 'and how old will you be if you don't go to college'. That has always stuck with me. I say - go for it!

[zeban]

I'm re-training to become a hairdresser after working in fashion buying and then training to becoming a teacher (and changing my mind about actually teaching)! It's a trade, a skill, it's mobile, financially rewarding (hopefully!), and fairly flexible, plus it's crative and not in an office! yay!

Go for it!

[sillywoman]

I love that GSJ57, and I'm going to repeat it to myself whenever I wobble. Thanks.

[EDmummy]

For those who think they may need a bit of advice I know a fantastic careers adviser. Her company is Second Careers. Just to reassure, I have no financial interest in Zena's company, just know her through our sons' being at the same nursery and she giving me a listening ear when I was having career issues.

I would actually like to retrain as a doctor but I know that both me and my family could not cope with the amount of time and effort that would take. After realising that is what I wanted to do when I was in my late 20s, I had to accept that an opportunity to do so had passed me by. My advice would be to take whatever opportunity you have to re-train when it is offered to you!