Finding the right career

GaryBC

flea72 said:

When i said work experience, i didnt mean having work history/skills, it was more try before you buy.  Some employers offer schemes where you get a snapshot of all areas of their business to see what interests you most.

 I work for the nhs.we have so many career pathways that are not medical based, but people discount us, because they “dont want to be a nurse”.  

The only way to know what options are out there, are to speak to people, carry out research, linkedin, or just get out there and try whatever presents itself.

A quick google gives this https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/psychology and https://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/whichcareer/health/optionspsych/ Its a starting point that could open up other avenues for research.  I know the directly linked pathways dont interest her, but the skills she has from attaining the qualification are transferable to so many other professions/fields

I've had a chance now to look at both of those links and there are some great looking leads there.
Thanks! 

[Deleted User]

She wouldn't need to be 'on the shop floor'.
Lots of opportunities in back office functions.
HR, finance, medical records, PALS, litigation, secretaries, lab work, facilities, the list is endless.
With a degree and supervisory experience, nothing to stop her going straight into a band 3-4 role.
Pay is rarely great but you do get reasonable holidays, in work benefits and pension.

I'm not trying to sell it (five years was enough for me) but it can be a good option if not set on a particular career.

GaryBC

[Deleted User] said:

She wouldn't need to be 'on the shop floor'.
Lots of opportunities in back office functions.
HR, finance, medical records, PALS, litigation, secretaries, lab work, facilities, the list is endless.
With a degree and supervisory experience, nothing to stop her going straight into a band 3-4 role.
Pay is rarely great but you do get reasonable holidays, in work benefits and pension.

I'm not trying to sell it (five years was enough for me) but it can be a good option if not set on a particular career.

Exactly. The NHS isn't just doctors and nurses. 

theoretica

GaryBC said:

But her problem is that she doesn't know what she wants to do.
It's finding a resource that helps with deriving options I'm after. 

Does she want a career? Or a job that pays enough to live on without being too horrible?

Lots of people don't have a grand desire and career focus in life - a decent work life can be as much about the right employer as it can be about the field. 

GaryBC

theoretica said:

GaryBC said:

But her problem is that she doesn't know what she wants to do.
It's finding a resource that helps with deriving options I'm after. 

Does she want a career? Or a job that pays enough to live on without being too horrible?

Lots of people don't have a grand desire and career focus in life - a decent work life can be as much about the right employer as it can be about the field. 

That's a good point and one which came up round the dinner table. Very few people in our experience choose, and then chase down, a 'career'. It tends more to be a series of smaller decisions based upon prevailing circumstances. 
"Pays enough and isn't too horrible" sounds a pretty decent goal to me! 

theoretica

I think it is important who you work for even when doing the same job.  It would matter to me what the business was selling if working in retail (eg not tobacco or fast fashion), and I am sure managing HR for different companies feels very different.  Where in the country (or world) a job is makes a huge difference to lifestyle.  I know people who decided they wanted to work for a certain organisation because of location and reputation as an employer and kept an eye on all the job ads they put out. 

GaryBC

Everybody will have different criteria for choosing who they work for and where; some practical, some ethical, all personal. 
Thank you for sharing yours. 

josephine82

If she has a degree then it’s likely this would open up a wealth of opportunities for her. 

It would be worth her thinking about the things from her degree and her current job that she likes, and the things she doesn’t like to build a picture of what her values for a job might be, to point in a direction. 

If she liked the research part of her degree, she could look for a research assistant role at a university or nhs trust. 

If she enjoys working face to face with people then there are lots of options for that- retail but also customer service based roles in a lot of different settings. 

If she wants to help people/patients she could look at health care assistant roles, if interested in counselling there are training programs out there. 

Or, she could find something that she is interested in- for example if she is passionate about mental health then look at roles within a mental health charity etc. 
I would say at this stage it’s about brainstorming and looking at job descriptions and identifying what she does and doesn’t enjoy. 

I volunteer for this organisation who may well be able to offer her some coaching or career advice: 

https://www.youngwomenstrust.org/get-support/ 

Wishing her luck! 

GaryBC

josephine82 said:

If she has a degree then it’s likely this would open up a wealth of opportunities for her. 

It would be worth her thinking about the things from her degree and her current job that she likes, and the things she doesn’t like to build a picture of what her values for a job might be, to point in a direction. 

If she liked the research part of her degree, she could look for a research assistant role at a university or nhs trust. 

If she enjoys working face to face with people then there are lots of options for that- retail but also customer service based roles in a lot of different settings. 

If she wants to help people/patients she could look at health care assistant roles, if interested in counselling there are training programs out there. 

Or, she could find something that she is interested in- for example if she is passionate about mental health then look at roles within a mental health charity etc. 
I would say at this stage it’s about brainstorming and looking at job descriptions and identifying what she does and doesn’t enjoy. 

I volunteer for this organisation who may well be able to offer her some coaching or career advice: 

https://www.youngwomenstrust.org/get-support/ 

Wishing her luck! 

I'll pass it on to her. Thanks.