Change of career for a 30 something?

[Grendel]

OK simple question. I want a change of career but not sure to what yet?
I’ve been in nursing for the past 14 years and I’m sick and tired of the crap pay and arrogance from NHS Managers. Only problem is I only have 2 A/S levels and all other qualifications are in nursing related things.
I want to move to something that pays more than £15K and is totally different from nursing. But being in my early 30’s most companies won’t go near me since I’m too old apparently? Also I can’t really take a pay cut to retrain since I still need to pay the mortgage and bills.

So any suggestions for an unqualified 30 something with excellent people skills?
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[Itchy]

My general advice is if you are looking for a career in something make sure it doesn't have one of those lock ins,

In that accountants /lawyers/surveyors / achititechs etc have to work for somebody else for 3-5 years to get the experience before they can go into the profession by themselves...

In this 3-5 year period you will be exploited and abused because employers know you need the experience time and they have you by the short and curlies...

I sold most of my 20s to folks like that , and I feel ripped off.....

The other thought it to grit your teeth and go back to night school get some more A levels (shouldn't take more than 3 months at a local place), but what value do those things have anymore anyway , bar showing potential employers that you have the discipline to self study.

But you have 14 years of experience should use this to your advantage and find something related even teniously.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[iooi]

What you mean by 30 being too old......

I totally changed career's after 30+ years in the same job for the same firm....

Simply looked at the jobs in the papers and applied for what sounded like a good prospect.
Now after 2 1/2 years in the job i have progressed further than 30 years of my old one.
Applied for what was basically call center work, with the UK most recommended bank. Was told that the call center was not for me, but they offered me a post in a dept that has both calls and off the phone work.
Now looked on as a experienced person, who often gets referred to for advice by people who have been doing the job a lot longer than me, and placed of out of the ordinary tasks that need doing.

Who says old (50 this year) can't get on and climb the ladder.
OK never going to make CEO, not that i would want to anyway.
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[mad4it028]

now is not the time to change jobs!!
stick it out for at least the next couple of years untill things pick up again
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[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Get a nursing job where you can work days only. Then do evening/weekend courses in a subject that you want to.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[Whosthedaddy]

[iooi]

To be honest at your age, going for a degree will not really help you much.

You have what many employers are looking for...

Life experiance and the knowledge of work ethos.

So long as you are moving to a sound employer, the move should not be a issue. Yest times are hard at the moment, but good hard workers will always be needed. Many companies would rather loose the young, and keep the more mature workers on in times like this as they are aware that the more mature understand the needs of the buissnes a lot better.

Too many that have never worked as they have been at school and then on to Uni, have no perception of what real life work is about.
They then find that having to work hard all the time far too much.
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[Clanger]

Hayes agency in Soton are desperate for people to work in Social Housing / Support Workers...the pay is pretty good, but shifts vary, and they pay for enhanced CRB check.
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[JodieWodie]

I was in the same position as you a few years back when I had just turned 30. I only had GCSE's and qualis in Childcare/Nursery Nursing.
The problem with my job was I hated kids. They were noisy and smelled. I had to get out.
I thought, what the fuk can I do? I am getting on and short of qualis for the big scheme.

I chanced my arm for an office job. Luckily I can type (practice on forums ) I can banter on and fluff my way through stuff, I was perfect! I started as a temp and got a perm job a year later.
Turns out they like mature people who can waffle on in an office. You are good at dealing with the public!
And I like my job. I am my own boss (apart from when boss is in the office) I don't go home covered in snot, and when I leave work I leave work. I am not thinking about stuff, which was my main reason for getting out of the whole kid/teaching thing.

Also, the equivalant of my job at 37 hours is £16k (I only do 25 hrs a week). That's not bad for a less stressful job.

A bad climate at the minute though. Hopefully my job is secure, but who knows.
Jobs with the elderly etc will always be needed, but that may be too close to nursing for you?

Good luck anyway.

J
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[Itchy]

Christ this sort of applies to me too , in that looking over some jobs websites in that I am the total opposite sort of to the OP , ie I have a ton of qualifications and quite a lot of experience only in accountancy though. Trouble is I'm so niched ie accountant type, that I can't actually do anything outside of accountancy and I utterly loathe accountancy even more so presently makes me wonder what the hell I'll do for a job when I get back off my big trip.

Maybe the big trip won't happen now...
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Mr Nice Guy]

How can you be a nurse of 14 years on a salary of £15k? Or have I read that wrong?

My friend is a nurse and his fresh out of Uni starting pay was £17k, I think he is on about £22k now... ?
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[ms51ves3]

[Grendel]

[mooserx]

prison officer!!!

[G]

If you can put some effort in and aren't too bad with computers, there's plenty of IT positions that pay ok.

I don't put my age on CVs and probably look mid-30s (am 29 now). Seen plenty of people in low-level IT jobs that are older than me.
I've got no qualifications bar 6 A-C GCSEs and am on a reasonable bit more than double you minimum requirements after about 8 years in the industry; I have put some work into it and am quite good with technology.

You'd probably have to start in a help desk or similar, unless you're lucky. However if you get with the right company there's often opportunities to move up through the company regardless of qualifications if you can show you know what you're doing.

[UnknownStuntm...]

Oh G, the irony ...

I was just about to say don't even think about IT, as it's increasingly overpopulated by mouth breathers and self righteous berks with borderline mental issues who will not take no for an answer....

[G]

Hmm, suppose it depends what sector; mine and others I know view of the bit I've been involved in (smallish 'service' software houses) has generally been pretty good.
Have heard less good stuff about big corporate stuff, though does depend on the comapny; Cisco employees generally seemed quite happy with their lot, for instance.

[Mr Nice Guy]

[Barry_M2]

I 'need' to change my career too (am almost 34). Been an IT twerp for around 14 years now (current company 6 years) and I'm fed up to the back teeth and bores sh!tless with it!

But, for the job I do the pay if f**king fantastic! (touch wood with all the job losses!!!).

Having a wife a nipper to look after though makes things a little harder to just give up and move on to another job!


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