Has anyone changed career path? How did you reach decision?

sterl1ng

After 9yrs at firm as well as same team working as admin has tired me but its only ting I know so not sure what else I can look at. Part of me wants to go to new company but other part says stay put as safer plus would like kids in next yr so of which their maternity package is really good only thing is not sure what kind of change to make? My manager said I should try do something else inside firm but really not sure on what so wonder is i should do admin in other team but a part of me finds it depressing. Wondering if anyone has been in similar 'limbo' situation and if so how to tackle?

Croatoan

I realised I was getting on (in employment terms) so needed to choose a career in which a) my age would be seen as if not a boon, then fairly irrelevant; b) it would be as near to a job for life as I could find; c) it would pay a reasonable, at least 20k plus,wage.

Unfortunately while I succeeded getting all the above, I've done plenty of different jobs in my time, and I loathe this job more than any I've ever had before. Now I'm very old, 52, in job terms and so am pretty much trapped into doing it even though I've applied for a good few minimum wage jobs just to get out, the fact I'm old and have decent educational and (specialised) employment qualifications means nobody's interested.
Just be careful when deciding whether to make a complete career shift, the grass isn't always greener.
I wish you luck though, and if you really do want to change then give it a go. I'm firmly of the belief that being happy on a low wage is infinitely more desirable than being unhappy on a good wage.

InsideInsurance

I did coming up to 10 years of call centre type work and whilst I had progressed in terms of salary and being full time perm rather than part time temp etc and still had some room to grow technically in the work I was doing (insurance claims) the scope was limited given I didnt want to go up the line management route.

For me, given I was mid 20s, I decided to apply internally to the graduate scheme as they didn't require a 2.1 degree for internal applicants. During the process one of the directors that interviewed me seemed to see something useful in me and I was given an offer of relocating and working for one of his teams on a 6 month secondment and if it worked out it would become perm, if it didnt then either I could go on the graduate scheme or go back to claims.

Given my salary had more than doubled and was significantly more than the graduate scheme (plus I had a graduate on the graduate scheme working for me) I decided to stay on and whilst I am now more senior I am still doing the same line of work 9 years on.


I would always say it is massively easier to move up or switch roles inside a company but your salary will always be behind the average. Its always easier to increase your salary by switching employers.

sterl1ng

I'm in mid 30s in finance industry, get paid well but below average. I would ideally like to move to new employer as I know I'd get the salary hike I'm after. Only concern is being more likely to lose job should anything happen to firm. Plus maternity in current place is good. Be good to have the family then may address this again in few years as to going outside maybe. But right now doing what I do and being in this large team is killing my spirits. I winder ifi should try move dept first as admin still then see how I feel or use this support manager is giving so to get out of admin. I cannot help that feel I'm hiding behind admin when I know that's not what I truly want

Rather confused

Dunroamin

It sounds to me as if you 're considering getting a new job as opposed to a new career path. Could you clarify.

National_Careers_Service

Well it sounds like you’re in a very comfortable place at the moment, having been with the same company and in the same team for such a long period of time – so I can see why you’re feeling like you’re stuck in limbo.

If you want to make some kind of change, even a relatively small one, it’ll involve feeling a little less comfortable. However that small amount discomfort could mean you being happier and more fulfilled in your working life.

If you’re really unsure what you’d like to do, it could help to start thinking about parts of your role you really enjoy and parts of your role that you’d like to change. For example, do you feel that you’d like a more challenging role and if so, what challenges to you feel you would enjoy. Are you simply looking to change team or have more variety in your work?

From what you’ve told us, it sounds like you’ve had some positive encouragement from your employer and they seem keen to keep you onboard. If you have a good working relationship with your manager, which it sounds like you do, you could consider asking them what they feel your skills and strengths are, when you next have a 1-2-1. Similarly, you could ask them about the different departments, and which they feel you might be suited to with your skills set.

If you wanted to take a tentative step, you could find out if it’s possible to arrange some shadowing experience in another department. This would enable you to interact with a new team, findout more about what they do, what skills are required and what their working day looks like.

If you feel that your present employer really has nothing to offer in terms of alternative roles, then maybe it’s time to start prioritising. You mention that you’re considering having children in the near future, so you’ll need to think carefully, whether you need the stability around you as your circumstances change.

If the sticking point for you is not knowing what to go for, then resources such as the Skills Health Check, can help you in identifying your skills, strengths, clarifying your interests, and also help you in generating career ideas.

Consider some of the points I’ve raised and do come back to us to let us know how you’re getting along.

If any other posters have been in a similar position, maybe they like to share their experiences too.

Adam

DCFC79

Yes I tried this, thinking Id made the right decision and that it would be interesting but 2 years down the line wham bam I was made redundant (I must have been blessed that day) due to not being up to speed yet it was entirely the fault of the manager or so called manager.

Just to add I dont have as much stress with the last job and mainly everyone are fine to work with.

andrewjf

Croatoan wrote: »

Unfortunately while I succeeded getting all the above, I've done plenty of different jobs in my time, and I loathe this job more than any I've ever had before.

What job are you doing?

hcb42

I read a long time ago that it is easier to get a sideways move to another role within an organisation to then move up the ranks in a new career.

I followed this advice - this is exactly what I did, previously senior call centre management role, but wanting a change, I took a smaller role in a hotel call centre, and then moved into the hotel management structure, specialising in a particular area, now responsible for forty properties, very different to 12-13 years ago!

sterl1ng

hcb42 wrote: »

I read a long time ago that it is easier to get a sideways move to another role within an organisation to then move up the ranks in a new career.

I followed this advice - this is exactly what I did, previously senior call centre management role, but wanting a change, I took a smaller role in a hotel call centre, and then moved into the hotel management structure, specialising in a particular area, now responsible for forty properties, very different to 12-13 years ago!

So do u mean like take pay cut to then go up?

I think maybe ill try more pa role as safe but pays more money if I look outside but may give couple of years before I do until having kids I guess. I'll apply for jobs though outside in case right one calls me. The idea of staying in this current firm makes me unhappy

hcb42

I did take a cut but it is also possible to take a sideways move without dropping pay that much, if you are an organisation where that is possible