Monday 27 April 2015

I Don't Actually Know What I'm Doing

When I graduated the most hated thing said to me was along the lines of "Oh, but you can do anything. You could get any job. You've got all your options open!" I didn't want lots of options - I wanted a clear indication of what I should do next whether this be some internal instinct, an actual hand on my elbow guiding me towards an actual building, or something in between. I now find myself in the same god awful place, with the exception of graduate training schemes, for which I am now somewhat age'd.
Snow White and the Evil Queen
I've transitioned from left to right. 

I need to be able to go back to the UK 3-4 times a year so that's 8+ weeks of holiday I need straight off. All my experience is in England so I'm unfamiliar with any US working practices. I've just had 18 months off. My main field, project management, has different qualifications over here. I kind of feel like a 3-pin bird in a 2-pin world.
Smiley Socket
In fact I kept finding myself humming Jake-the-peg yesterday which won't make much sense to most people and is, in any case, almost as non-pc, given last year's court case, as two-little-boys. I seriously thought Rolf Harris was innocent, right up until the guilty verdict. Anyway. I digress.
I Eat Kids Graffiti

I have pondered consulting a career advisor but my experience of them in the UK has suggested it is a good career for people who also don't know what to do with themselves, which doesn't necessarily make them suitable to advise you on your own direction. Pooch is away for a few days for a conference so I'm using the time to have a bit of a think. Any advice? The more specific the better.


3 comments:

Elly said...

Self employment, of some form? All your options are open..!

Farm Quilter said...

I think that the only way you will find a job that will give you 8+ weeks off a year is to work for yourself. With the awful economy and the new healthcare laws here in the US, most employers are not hiring full time employees, so they don't have to provide benefits - which includes vacation time. Honestly, most full time jobs here start off with 1-2 weeks vacation time per year and it is a VERY rare job that offers 8 weeks vacation without 30+ years on the job(if even then!). What so you love to do? How can you do that while being an independent contractor or sole proprietor? Are you really too old to go to graduate school? My dad graduated from law school at 48 years of age and he is still practicing law at 94. I graduated with my Master's Degree when I was 50 while my mom got her Master's at 57...so are you really too old?

Ynot said...

I can't imagine any job that will let you have 8 weeks off a year (and I even have a couple of friends whose employers give them 2 weeks of generic time off a year - that is for your vacation AND your sick time.)

But have you ever heard of Manpower? They are what used to be called a temp agency. I did admin (secretarial) work for them in the late 1980s and it was great. You can request long or short assignments and the like. Plus they do have some training/education offerings. Might be a good place to start, even if it's only for a while.

Good Luck!