What direction should I go, work-wise?

theroamingnomad

Just looking for a bit of advice, as I chug along to 40, in regards to how I should push on with my working life

Brief working history:

1998-2002 - Customer Service, starting as an agent and working my way up through team leader and into management. Worked for a well-known telecommunications company.

2002-2014 - TEFL, started as a teacher and finished up as a programme director. I worked across Northern Africa, Russia, the US, and Europe.

2014-present - IT/IS, working as a systems and testing analyst with proprietary software for a utilities company.

I enjoy numbers, developing people, projects, and working hard. I have been considering accountancy (CIMA), computer science (ITIL), business management (CMI), and HR (CIPD) as options; I guess I'm just concerned that I might be a bit old to try and push on to the higher levels of management I've always gotten close to, but never quite penetrated.

Just looking to get some thoughts from the hive mind as to possible directions I might want to take myself in or possible career avenues, based on my work history, I might not yet have considered.

I like the idea of a degree but the above qualifications I have been looking at are all Level 5 (Foundation degree level) and will take only 12-18 months to complete, with another 12-18 months months for a Level 6 (full degree) at a fraction of the price, so ideally suggestions that have vocational ways to obtain the qualifications.

Many thanks in advance!

stuartJo1989

That TEFL work sounds interesting!

I did a few months in Poland for about 2000 zloty a month :rotfl: Very chilled out compared to UK teaching* but the money didn't seem to be good enough to make a career out of it.

*I was going to suggest you look into UK teacher training, most notably TeachFirst as they'll probably be more suited to your qualifications + experience, but I fear that I may have given you a bit of an insight into how it compares

Aside from that, you've already thrown some ideas about and I think your biggest challenge is going to be figuring out which one you want to pursue (40 isn't too old to do it). Sadly, a random internet stranger can't make that decision for you. Good luck!

MWAUGH1983

If wanting accountancy maybe consider AAT which would allow you to work self employed, if wanting cima or acca then your would eb exempt from first 5 of cima or the first 3 of acca.

trailingspouse

By your age, I would suggest that starting again with something new might not be the best move.

Is there any reason why you can't go for promotions within the sector you are already working in? That would seem to me to be the surest route into higher level management.

Re further qualifications - what about an MBA?

theroamingnomad

stuartJo1989 wrote: »

That TEFL work sounds interesting!

I did a few months in Poland for about 2000 zloty a month :rotfl: Very chilled out compared to UK teaching* but the money didn't seem to be good enough to make a career out of it.

*I was going to suggest you look into UK teacher training, most notably TeachFirst as they'll probably be more suited to your qualifications + experience, but I fear that I may have given you a bit of an insight into how it compares

Aside from that, you've already thrown some ideas about and I think your biggest challenge is going to be figuring out which one you want to pursue (40 isn't too old to do it). Sadly, a random internet stranger can't make that decision for you. Good luck!

I spent two years in Poland and I loved it too. After 12 years I felt burned out in that environment. Just need to figure out next steps...

theroamingnomad

MWAUGH1983 wrote: »

If wanting accountancy maybe consider AAT which would allow you to work self employed, if wanting cima or acca then your would eb exempt from first 5 of cima or the first 3 of acca.

Good shout! I'm looking into AAT as I write this...

theroamingnomad

trailingspouse wrote: »

By your age, I would suggest that starting again with something new might not be the best move.

Is there any reason why you can't go for promotions within the sector you are already working in? That would seem to me to be the surest route into higher level management.

Re further qualifications - what about an MBA?

I thought the same thing, hence why the CMI option is in the mix. I just don't want to rule anything out at this stage without doing my research.

rustywallet

trailingspouse wrote: »

By your age, I would suggest that starting again with something new might not be the best move.

Crickey - spring chicken to me.

trailingspouse

rusty wallet - I didn't say starting again is impossible. Just that it might not be best given the OP's wish to advance themselves.

I'm on to my 6th career myself, so I should know...

theroamingnomad

rustywallet wrote: »

Crickey - spring chicken to me.

Very kind. I like to think I'm a young nearly-40