Careers advice

tea_lover

Ok, so probably not completely on-topic but there's such a wealth of information and knowledge here that I'm hoping the mods will let this stay.

Does anyone know of any (decent!) careers advice companies/websites, etc? I don't mind paying if I can get some good advice and guidance at the end of it.

I feel completely stuck in a rut, workwise. I don't hate my job, but I dislike most of it and I can definitely see that I'll end up hating it soon. The things I do like are more to do with how close it is to home, the hours, etc rather than the job itself. I feel totally unfulfilled and the thought of 30+ years of this is making me feel quite low.

I like working, I like being busy, like paying my own way. I just want someone to help me find something that's a better fit.

Has anyone got any good idea of where to start??

Tropez

I'm not endorsing this as I have never used it but my first thought would be the National Careers Advice Service run by the government.

https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

Some universities run careers open days as well, where multiple employers, usually based locally, set up stalls and such to provide information to people who may be interested in working there. They are primarily targeted at students but I have heard of a few where it is open to all. Might be worth a look to see if any in your area offer such days?

Personally speaking, I'd be thinking about what it is you like doing then searching for night courses, Open University courses or any sort of local learning course that caters to that area. If you do it through a university, including the Open University, you should have access to the careers service that the university provides.

Similar to the career open days, many universities host open days for prospective students, including part-time ones, to promote their courses so once again, if you're feeling that you don't quite know what it is perhaps keep a look out and have a mosey on down and see if anything takes your fancy.

tea_lover

Thanks for the suggestions Tropez, will give them a try.

I've had a basic look but most things I can find seem aimed at school-leavers or graduates... or people that have some idea what they want to do.

I'm finding it difficult as a 34 yr old to find the entry-level advice of where to start. If I had a career in mind I think I'd be proactive enough to find out how to make that happen. I've done quite a bit of studying for work over the last few years and think I could put my mind to re-training. The problem I have is that I haven't got the faintest idea what I want to do.

If only I'd gone to the careers service at uni before I left... not sure I can go back 13 years later!