Should I consider a career change?

Savvy_Sue

Have you thought of getting some careers guidance to see what you might enjoy better?

Over the years I've done plenty of things at which I'm competent,  but I don't enjoy them. I wouldn't want to base a career on them, and it sounds as if your heart lies outside what you're doing. Yet you don't seem to have any positive leanings elsewhere.

Outside work, where do you enjoy expending time / energy?

ElefantEd

As I understand it the median wage for full time workers was about £28k. But if you include all the part time workers it's obviously going to be less than this. However for the sake of argument I'll amend my comment to say that £45k is considerably above the average wage, which was really my point, and, as others have since said, that the issue possibly isn't the money but the satisfaction in life.

MalMonroe

Your English is not quite as good as your maths, is it? But whatever, I think you should take a break from all your boring work and either study at Uni for a degree in something you are really interested in and stop focusing on money OR go on a fabulous holiday  -  before, during or after your study. You are here ONCE and once only. Do not waste your life being miserable and wishing you could do something else. You CAN do something else. Find out what it is, quick! - and go do it. Oh, and please, DO stop whining!

JayRitchie

Just as a thought - and I don't think you've answered previous questions to allow anyone to really make an assessment - data science has been in a real boom for the last few years. Young graduates with a years experience get headhunted. Why not you?

I wonder if it would be worth finding specialist coaching for job applications and in particular interview skills. 

JayRitchie

Jsacker said:

JayRitchie said:

Just as a thought - and I don't think you've answered previous questions to allow anyone to really make an assessment - data science has been in a real boom for the last few years. Young graduates with a years experience get headhunted. Why not you?

I wonder if it would be worth finding specialist coaching for job applications and in particular interview skills. 

It seems weird how young graduates with limited experience are being headhunted, and not the likes of the poster with 10+ years of experience. Could that be creeping into ageism territory? The "why not you?" question may turn out to be super interesting here

You could well be right - and of course young graduates are more likely to be in London  or travel to wherever the job is. I do think its worth exploring the 'why not you' issue. I suspect a lot of us are weak at interviews and could improve really easily - likewise phrasing things in a certain way on a CV can have a big impact.

theoretica

The 10+ years experience could indeed be a problem with the recruiter wondering why he hasn't progressed more compared to a recent graduate who might be about to start a fantastic upwards trajectory.  I agree that looking at ways to present this (needed stability for family reasons?) and to take the experience that your job isn't giving you.  Are there any local charities which you can see need your help and you could really make a difference to with a short stint of volunteer work?  Have you pointed things out in the data you are working with even if the company doesn't follow up on them?

theoretica

Jsacker said:

theoretica said:

The 10+ years experience could indeed be a problem with the recruiter wondering why he hasn't progressed more compared to a recent graduate who might be about to start a fantastic upwards trajectory.  

Substitute "10+ years" with "30+ years" and things get a bit funky...
You probably can't teach a 50-year-old any new tricks, but why not consider them for the job if they can perform at the level required? Lack of progress?

Not really - I know plenty of 50+ year olds learning new tricks.  But if the job did require spotting new things, developing new tricks and taking the initiative then someone who has spent the last 10 or 30 years plodding away doing much the same thing, and especially a thing they sound disaffected with, might not be your choice over someone who has a track record of learning and doing new things.  I suspect it is best to be somewhere in the wide balance between stagnation and lack of staying power.

nicechap

sent you a PM