Going for a big career change ... sort of!

[SamLouise]

As some might remember, I used to work for social services as a children's outreach worker (I helped to look after/teach children between the ages of 11-16 in foster care who'd been booted out of school for a number of reasons) and I did this for five years before it became a bit too much for me (yes, wimpy, I know) and I not so much left as was gently nudged out, lol and have just meandered from job to job since.  I now work for a security company which is nice enough and the hours & money are good enough but for me there's no job satisfaction at all - it's just day in day out mundane stuff.  I want to go back to working with the vulnerable so from tomorrow I'm submitting my CVs to all and sundry to try and get back into it.  I'm a little nervous because it's been five years or so since doing such work and I've lost my mojo a bit and yet I feel excited already!

Has anybody else just woken up and thought, 'yes, this is the day it all changes!' ?  And more to the point, did it work and are you happy??

Am I mad?  Wish me luck, LOL!  ::) ;D

[SamLouise]

[Duke Ellington]

Good Luck and its never too late to change direction. I did in 2000 and became a beauty therapist. I went on to add to my qualification Aromatherapy Massage and  Reflexology in 2003.

Duke :)

[macmac]

good luck SamLouise,I didn't choose a career change but illness forced one upon me.Result-much less money much better life.The OH retired early to help me out.Result much much less money much much better life. Sounds to me like you've got 5 years more life experience and will give more and get more .Somebody quoted on tv that when you find a job you love you never have to "work" again. Keep posting to let us know how you get on -bet you'll fly :)

[Ninnyscrops.]

Good luck SamLouise - hope it all works out well for you.

Bit too late for me to change, I've been working with my hubby since 1974, just after Clarksons Holidays went to the wall!

Ninny
x

[Digeroo]

There is a saying that tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life.

I spent 11 years at home with children and then went back to work.  The first few days I felt very confused and wondered whether I had made a big mistake.  But suddenly the brain got back into gear and by the end of the week it was as if the years had been rolled away.  A few things had changed - computers had appeared on every desk but within a couple of weeks I had got to grips.

Just make sure that you justify to yourself and others how the experience of your other job has equipped you well for the challenges you want to take on next.

Good luck. Keep moving onward.

[CotswoldLass]

SamLouise,

You go for it! A few years ago I decided to make a big change which involved doing a degree, I'm now doing post-grad and totally loving my new life. It was a leap of faith for me (but I'd always wanted to do it), for you it's leaping back, but back to the future.

Huge luck, throw your heart over the fence!

CLxx

[elvis2003]

GOOD LUCK!!!!
something i can relate to,spent 15 years on the road with bands yes ones youve heard of,got our plot and found i couldnt bear to be away from it/home/hubbie anymore.now in my second year at college,retraining as a makeup artist,hubbie also quit the road to study horticulture,both very poor,but richer in so many ways! we have cats now,and both work very hard as sec and shop keeper at the plot,and have turned the site around (with full support from all plotholders)
i wish you well,and as digs said,tmrw is the first day of the rest of your life,i wish you well sam
r
xxxxx

[Tulipa]

Good luck, keep us posted on how you get on.  A big change but sounds a good one and you will feel much more fulfilled.

Take care

T.

[shirlton]

Good Luck to you Sam.I worked as a care worker before I had to retire. I then cared for Mom for 10 years. When we got to see her now in the home I have to glue meself onto the chair to stop meself from getting up when one of ther residents needs anything.Perhaps yopu will have gone full circle into the job you were meant to do

[1066]

good luck SamLouise in whatever you do!  :)
1066

[misfit]

good luck  :) if you dont do it you will always be wondering "what if" !
hope everything works out great for you  :)

[lorna]

Good luck Samantha, you just have to try otherwise as misfit said you will always be wondering why.

[BarriedaleNick]

Sam,

I had that moment once.  I used to work in the city, doing fairly mundane jobs for reasonable reward - I wasnt't a cityboy but worked for merchant banks etc.  One day after being lead around a trading floor being told I was f**** C*** for not filling the printers up with paper.  I looked around and thought - wow 2000 people work here and we dont make anything except for money for people who already had enough of the d**n stuff.
Two days later my best mate basically gave me a job as IT manager at a small charity working with and for children with (I think the current pharse is) specific learning difficulties.  I never went back - I never looked back.  The charity job was the best thing (apart from my wife) that ever happened to me.  You should have read my resignation letter - good job I never need a reference>

Jump with both feet and the best of British!!!

[snipsnip]

Good luck Sam

Shirlton why don't you help them i do when i visit my grandma

[lushy86]

Go for it Sam and see where life takes you.  I trained as a holistic therapist some years ago and ended up being a lecturer at the same college teaching people with learning diabilities!  ;D ;D That was never in the plan but apart from the management who are a nightmare its the best job in the world.   good luck

Lushy x

[taurus]

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  Good luck and wishing you every succsess :)

[Poppy Mole]

Good Luck - go for it.
After my husband died I wallowed aimlessly for a while then suddenly decided to take a 10 year lease on a pub, (there was no learning curve , it was vertical!) but it was the best thing I have ever done.

[mike77]

I wish you the best of luck with whatever you do but you said in your post that it all got too much for you the first time round? Could you be sure that wouldn't happen again?

[Paulines7]

Good luck Sam. 

I had a change of direction when I took a degree course which ended in a BSc (Hons) in Geography with Environmental studies in 1998 when I was 54 years of age.  However, I then looked after my mother who had Alzheimer's.  When she died 4 years later, instead of doing something with Geography, I went to work for Mencap and Turning Point as a Support Worker for people with learning disabilities.  I really enjoyed the work but had to give it up due to my own physical disabilities but I never regretted having done something so very different and the people I looked after were wonderful.

Do what your heart tells you to do Sam.

[SamLouise]

Oh wow, thank you very much for the encouraging words. Lovely!  I am today 'sprucing up' my CV and relevant docs to try and impress some possible employers, lol.  I'll post up when I've submitted them all officially.

Just a question though; one agency based in London have their own standard registration form, which is fine, but it asks me for my bank details and also for photocopies of my passport etc.  I'm not happy with this, is it standard practice these days or should I steer clear?  Obviously I don't mind submitting these details during an official interview or when I've actually been offered a position – but at registration stage?

Also, well done to those who've taken the plunge and changed direction, it must feel great!  :D

I wish you the best of luck with whatever you do but you said in your post that it all got too much for you the first time round? Could you be sure that wouldn't happen again?

Erm, no  :-[  I'd like to think I'm stronger now but I can't say for sure.