The world is your Oyster!

Lipsticklady

:rotfl: Ha ha

Yeah, its hard sitting around him when he tells us he has been promoted to Customer advisor and is planning to buy a BMW next year. He's only 22!

Youre right. I am going to make a list and try and do things bit by bit. Have been looking into the Social worker thing. I emailled the Careers advisor who said;

"I do think you need an appointment to discuss things in detail - you're a bit all over the place!!!

You need to develop substantial experience prior to the course. The course can be done full time (there is funding) or part time assuming you can get an employer to second you. Jobs are within local government, the voluntary sector and occasionally in the health sector. A good site for information is www.gcsc.org.uk"

Clicked on the link and its a swim club :rotfl: .Thankfully an earlier poster, Purple12 :A had provided the website for the GSCC!

Eliza252

Lipsticklady wrote:

:rotfl: Ha ha

Yeah, its hard sitting around him when he tells us he has been promoted to Customer advisor and is planning to buy a BMW next year. He's only 22!

Yea, But I'll bet he's not actually 'buying' one, I'll bet he's just getting it on credit - imagine if its the bank he works for thats given him the loan - that'd mean they give him his wages and then he gives it all back!! :rolleyes:

Who needs a flash car on credit when you can develop a career that you'll find rewarding and get loads more job satisfaction from I'll bet!

Poppy9

Lipsticklady wrote:

:rotfl:

Yeah, its hard sitting around him when he tells us he has been promoted to Customer advisor and is planning to buy a BMW next year. He's only 22!

Boys and their toys :rolleyes: Hope he takes out redundancy protection on the loan!

Youre right. I am going to make a list and try and do things bit by bit. Have been looking into the Social worker thing.

Well done. You are sounding happier already.

I emailled the Careers advisor who said;

"I do think you need an appointment to discuss things in detail - you're a bit all over the place!!!

Thats helpful of her/him! A friendlier tone to the email would have been more encouraging if you were nervous of visiting.

You need to develop substantial experience prior to the course.

Not necessarily true. You already have some relevant experience and degree. Ask about application rates to each college as it varies enormously according to my buddy who trained a few years ago. When she applied the local college only had 15 places for 34 applicants. She didn't have a degree but had been doing volunteer work with children for a few years and had done an access course. She was initially told she was on the reserve list but got in. She did say she could have got in at another college 50 miles away no problem as they took most applicants but due to having young children preferred to stay locally.

A good site for information is www.gcsc.org.uk" Clicked on the link and its a swim club :rotfl:

Obviously a first rate careers advisor!!! .

purple12

I've just got back from holiday otherwise I would have replied sooner! Just wanted to reiterate what Poppy9 wrote - experience can be extremely wide and not necessarily conventional. But really, different colleges have different criteria too with that. Especially with the new social work degree, some universities are accepting people straight from school - voluntary work and enthusiasm is the most important thing..
I think the best thing though is to think about what you really want to do but from what i read, i think you are doing that. And it is a very difficult time now but it doesn't mean that this time that you are spending in your job is wasted - you are, at least, able to be clear in your mind about what you DON'T want..
Not much consolation - I know... but best to look at the positives!

Lipsticklady

Hello, went for lunch :spam: yesterday with a work colleague she has just become a professor :eek: and we were having a chat about life :j . She was really helpful in making me see that i have lots of skills :T . Everything i am currently doing is to ultimately enhance my career prospects :dance: .
I am feeling a bit better about things although, i know that i have 'outgrown' my current role. Just need a new challenge :think: but, in what direction? :idea:

Decisions, decisions, decisions!!!! :grouphug:

Lipsticklady

Hi all, going to a psychiatry conference this weekend (my mums friend is a psychiatrist). Looking forward to it hopefully, i will be able to get some ideas on what career to go into (fingers crossed). My mum said that there will be alot of "educated people" there.
Excited but feel a bit nervous. I mean, they will be all top of their fields and i am a 'Clerical officer' yipeee!!!!!!! I am dreading the questions "why" and "what do you do?". Feel a bit out of my depth.

Lipsticklady

(Sigh),

Feel a bit depressed. My boyfriend has just ran into an 'old school friend' at the university. She is completing her Masters in Biochemistry and is working as a biochemist.

She is a really nice girl, pretty, intelligent and owns a £100,000 apartment!

Dont feel jealous....just more of a disappointment. Why dont i know what i want to do and do it? How on earth have i got to this point where i am afraid to move forward incase i am not good enough?

I have application forms unfilled because, i no longer feel like i can do anything? :wall:

Some days are easier than others.

lara1983

Hiya there,

I agree with everyone, it's really tough. I'm at Oxford University reading Classics and when I got my offer to study there, I felt like nothing was beyond reach. Strangely, instead of making me feel like more opportunities are open since I've been there, it has felt like the walls are closing in on me. Everyone seems to go into either Law or City Finance. Ok, that sounds great at first, until you realise it means you either work every hour god sends and live in London or you have failed in some way.
I'm trying to view my own degree (my finals this year-Yikes!) as a) an important social stage b) a useful qualification for later up the ladder, rather than the very first rung. From personal experience, I know that exceptional universities/grades don't guarantee even dead-end jobs. It's all about contacts, luck, bare-faced cheek and daring to persevere with your ambitions.
Don't be afraid to at least attempt some speculative letters to the people you'd really love to work for. Don't sound desperate, just state your abilities and acknowledge that your concern is learning, not the money. People remember and appreciate initiative.
You are still so damn young! I'm 21 and as I'm on a four year course I'll be 22 before I can even begin to apply - plus I'm planning to travel. I'm not even worried so neither should you be! Expect a low wage for a few years if you're working towards something you really want to do. Scraping by will make the reward all the sweeter!
Better get back to my essay, but keep your eyes open for opportunities in the most unlikely places!

black-saturn

I have 7 A levels at grade A and a degree in Publicity and Marketing and yet I'm now a stay at home mum lone parent. I get £120 a week and am scraping and saving all the time. I have luckily bought and paid for my house but it was only £37,000. When I was at Uni I thought I was heading for a high profile career with loads of money and a great social life. It's not the case. But I'm not really moaning. I never fitted in with them anyway.

Lipsticklady

I dont think it helps when there are articles stating that graduates should earn £20,000 a year to begin with!

My boyfriend is a joiner and he is on much better pay than me. We are purchasing our first home and the advisor just treated me like the 'little woman' on the really poor wage!

Everyone around me appears to be progressing and achieving things. I feel like i am on the sidelines and the longer it continues the more depressed i feel.