Come to a crossroads in employment and dont know what to do

reallydontknowwhattodo

Just want some opinions really on the following situation.

I currently have a job i absolutely love, look forward to going in, in the morning etc. But it is only part time and i now need more money. The job only pays minimum wage, there is no hope of any more hours doing the same job in my company (however as it is a care home i could do extra shifts caring, which im not sure i can do, as i have abit of a vomit phobia and even though i work in that environment already i do not deal with any thing remotely personal care like.)

I have been looking for another part time job to go alongside the one i have, but with no success so far, as i work 10-2 its proved abit tricky finding anything that fits in around it, also have no car so working late at night abit difficult.

I used to work as a fully trained legal secretary, and have just been told of a job in a local solicitors office that i would properly have a reasonable chance of getting (as am known by them) although know that this, is by no means guarenteed. It is a nice normal 9-5 job and a lot better paid, then the one i have now. But i really didnt enjoy being a legal secretary and that is why i left to persue something different. Now however im thinking, that perhaps i'd be better off going back to something that actually pays the bills!

So opinions please, what would you do, try to get back into a better paid job, with more chances of progressing in the company, in a job you didnt really enjoy that much OR stay in a job you love, but that has very little prospects and would mean that you have to do extra hours as a carer when you have serious reservations about doing that (would like to make it clear, i have upmost respect for the caring industry, just not sure if i could do it myself.)

Thank you

Premier_2

Sometimes earning more money is more important than than suffering the job. Only you can decide where your priorities lie, but it's always better to do a job you enjoy if you can (so a legal position sounds out - remember you were trained for this, didn't like it and decided to take a low paid care job instead)

You could try to progress in the care sector and earn more money, but you realise what that entails (and it could involve you dealing with your phobia)

Why not take the time to look at other job possibilities, decide on one you really would like to do (and don't have a phobia regarding any part of it's likely involvement) and see if you can get into that profession?

SarEl

I agree. Employment is something that you are (hopefully, barring a winning lottery ticket ) in for the long haul. So unless there is some reason why you absolutely must, right now, have more money, I would suggest that you give this a lot more consideration, and possibly some "investment". You hate being a legal secretary - how much more will you hate it in a decade or two? Do you want to be one of those people who spend their lives as wage slaves to something they get no enjoyment from? Many people have little choice in the matter - I think you do.

Your current job (I know, I see a lot of you in chambers for one reason or another:() is generally lousy. There are a lot of bad employers in the field and wages are often c!!p. But it is something you love. So the choice isn't between something you hate and something you love. Work out what it is that you love about it. If you hate the "messy" bits then it certainly isn't that! My guess is that it is more around the role of caring, making a difference in the lives of people, or something along those lines.

Then add up your "marketables" - if you have worked as a legal secretary, for example, you aren't exactly stupid and you may have some reasonable qualifications. You obviously don't lack confidence, and you are self-aware. Consider what other roles you might do that make the best of these. It might take some additional study or qualifications, but now is the right time to do it if you must - not in that decade or two. You are used to managing on less money, and if you have a purpose (and a route to earning more in the future) you will sail through. Social work, for example, is still an area where jobs are available and will continue to be so. There's lots of options in it - children's, vulnerable adults, hospitals etc. There are "golden hello's" in many places, reasonable wages and if you are inclined, very good wages for many agency workers with relevant skills and experience. What about teaching - that's certainly something we will never run out of a need for, and makes a huge difference to life opportunities for generations to come. There are many other "caring professions", and just because you may not be exactly qualified for them right now doesn't mean you can't be.

Life is too short to accept second best, and if you want something that you love, then now is the time to start going for it. Too many people get to old age regretting the chances they didn't take, the things they didn't do, or the experiences they never had. Don't be one of them. Decide what it is that you really want to do and get out there and make it happen.

reallydontknowwhattodo

Thanks for the reply. I did stick out the legal secretary thing for about 6 years, as just realised 1st post made it sound like i only did it for few weeks or similar! But just never really enjoyed it and got no satisfaction out of it.

Whereas job i have now, is as an activities and events co-ordinator in a care home. Which basicially means providing and joining in with activities for the residents and planning fund raising and fetes etc. So although on a daily basis i am in the environment of my phobia, it is not up to me to actively "help" in these matters. I really wish i could overcome my phobia, as apart from that i would have no problems with any of the other parts of the jobs, and am getting better about it (2 years ago i couldnt have even been in a building where i knew someone had a sickness bug or similar.)

What im doing is what i'd like to do, but have been hoping to find another job in a similar field that i can do at same time, but unfortanetly that hasnt happened and i am getting to the stage of really needing extra wages at the end of the month.

reallydontknowwhattodo

SarEl wrote: »

I agree. Employment is something that you are (hopefully, barring a winning lottery ticket ) in for the long haul. So unless there is some reason why you absolutely must, right now, have more money, I would suggest that you give this a lot more consideration, and possibly some "investment". You hate being a legal secretary - how much more will you hate it in a decade or two? Do you want to be one of those people who spend their lives as wage slaves to something they get no enjoyment from? Many people have little choice in the matter - I think you do.

Your current job (I know, I see a lot of you in chambers for one reason or another:() is generally lousy. There are a lot of bad employers in the field and wages are often c!!p. But it is something you love. So the choice isn't between something you hate and something you love. Work out what it is that you love about it. If you hate the "messy" bits then it certainly isn't that! My guess is that it is more around the role of caring, making a difference in the lives of people, or something along those lines.

Then add up your "marketables" - if you have worked as a legal secretary, for example, you aren't exactly stupid and you may have some reasonable qualifications. You obviously don't lack confidence, and you are self-aware. Consider what other roles you might do that make the best of these. It might take some additional study or qualifications, but now is the right time to do it if you must - not in that decade or two. You are used to managing on less money, and if you have a purpose (and a route to earning more in the future) you will sail through. Social work, for example, is still an area where jobs are available and will continue to be so. There's lots of options in it - children's, vulnerable adults, hospitals etc. There are "golden hello's" in many places, reasonable wages and if you are inclined, very good wages for many agency workers with relevant skills and experience. What about teaching - that's certainly something we will never run out of a need for, and makes a huge difference to life opportunities for generations to come. There are many other "caring professions", and just because you may not be exactly qualified for them right now doesn't mean you can't be.

Life is too short to accept second best, and if you want something that you love, then now is the time to start going for it. Too many people get to old age regretting the chances they didn't take, the things they didn't do, or the experiences they never had. Don't be one of them. Decide what it is that you really want to do and get out there and make it happen.

Thank you for the really useful post (you were posting at the same time as me!) has certainly given me some things to think about

Savvy_Sue

I'm just wondering if it's worth talking to your employer about any extra hours, perhaps doing other kinds of admin and organisation? Or cover for holidays, or that kind of thing.

Of if you ever know there's a surge of work coming - maybe when they're recruiting - see if there are extra hours available for that.

A long shot, I know, but you're obviously competent, and you might find that a range of work would make it all bearable.

ceridwen

I hope you find the answer to your dilemma.

I can understand why you enjoy the job you do and what you call a "vomitphobia". I certainly wouldnt do any "personal care" jobs myself - someone has to, but I couldnt handle anything like that and wouldnt even make myself try to do so. I say "good on you" to anyone who can handle doing those sort of tasks - but its definitely not for me....._pale_:eek:

Is there any way you could keep the job you do and just take on that legal secretary work on a part-time basis? (ie maybe jobshare it with someone else). That way - you could keep the job you like (whilst waiting for something to turn up to "top it up") and improve the amount of money you earn (whilst only having to be a wage slave for part of the time).

In your circumstances - I would look to do that myself. If the other employer wouldnt accept me only being a wage slave for them part-time - then I would have to swop jobs to being a wage slave full-time.

I would sympathise if you had to end up being a wage slave again - I know what thats like - as thats all I've EVER been.:( Sometimes - one just has to "gird the loins" and force oneself to be a wage slave - as thats what finances dictate you do....grrr!!! and I suspect that you might well have to do that - so my sympathies to you, as I think it sounds as if it will be necessary for you to do so too.

reallydontknowwhattodo

savvy_sue - i already do that where possible and grab any extra hours that come about (that are less hands on, such as basic admin help etc.) but its not regular enough to make any real difference to my annual wage, sure i may have a good month or two, but then theres no extra work for ages so cant be relied upon. Thanks for the suggestion though

ceridwen-thank you for your useful post, the rest of the personal care side doesnt bother me in the slightest, its just the vomit! Im fine with blood and other bodily things! Have talked to my colleagues about this and they have tried to say that they will do there best to ensure i dont have to deal with this one part (as long as i do my fair share of all the other personal care), but obviously they cant guarentee it and i would feel abit like i was taking the pee-as its not exactly a part anyone would enjoy, but is part of the job.

I actually had the same thought as you about doing each job part time, and would be more then happy to do this, unfortanetly no part time positions have arisen in the legal secretary field as of yet. But your post has given me the idea to call some of the full time ones and see if they would even consider doing a job share after all they can only say no.

Really don't want to be a wage slave again, but its looking more and more likely

DavidSPTABC

Have you thought about a part-time business to help bring in the income you need to allow you to continue in the job you love?

I did something similar a few years ago but in reverse. I have my own travel business that I work from home. During a quiet period I got a job driving the out of hours doctors around the area. I love the travel business but found working with the Doctors very interesting and in any case I also love driving. Once my business picked up I had to give up the job but the main thing is I enjoyed the experience, learnt a lot and made up my income for a while.

Just a thought! Hope it helped anyway, I'm here is I can help any more.