Have taken VR but now feel totally lost

voodoojimi

I am 39 and I worked for my last employer for nearly 11 years. I successfully covered a more senior role (role holder was off sick) for over a year which finished near the end of 2015 - the role holder took early retirement and I was told that due to the senior role being covered by me so well from a lower pay grade that they were getting rid of it and giving me the responsibility whereas I had expected promotion. A few departments were relocating and redundancies made so I applied for VR which was accepted on the condition I stayed until the end of 2016.

I considered a career change to Accountancy, as I have a lot of transferable skills and deal with budgets/spreadsheets in my current profession, as my redundancy payment would cover the salary drop I was taking for a couple of years while I worked my way back up. After 3 months of constant rejection, I realised I had to stick with my current career in the short term so I have been applying for jobs since October.

I finished my last role at Christmas and am now stuck at home applying for jobs. I am looking for something local as previously I commuted for 90 minutes each way into London and can afford to take a salary drop as I don't have to pay an extortionate train fare anymore.

I feel totally lost about what to do. I have no idea what I could do for a career change or whether it is feasible at my age or with my financial responsibilities. I can take a sideways step but I think people are put off by my experience and wont stick it. I have been interviewed for more senior roles but don't have enough specialist experience for them. My wife is not being supportive and saying I have wasted my time waiting for a redundancy payment that I am only going to end up spending on day to day living rather than for something nice for me and the family.