What Career shall I choose now?

[Over The Hill]

I am one of the many who has lost my job in the present situation. I have now been out of work for 6 months and so felt it was time to explore all avenues of what I can do for work. Have any of you got any ideas of what I can do to earn a living that is in demand at the moment?

I guess you need to know a bit about me.
I am male, 48 and situated in Hampshire. The only limit I put on what I do is that it is legal, I can stay where I live and it earns a reasonable living.

The story so far……
Left school at 16 with 7 GCSEs. Worked in a bank for a while and then went into retail management.
I taught myself how to do Jewellery repairs and opened a shop and workshop which I ran for 15 years.
Had a bit of a mid life crisis and was really fed up with repairing jewellery so I trained to be a Licensed Conveyancer and have worked as a property lawyer for the past nine years until made redundant six months ago.
Along the way done a bit of temping in payroll, accounts and credit control.

There is no legal work out there in property, so I tried for a much lower position in another area of law (PI, CPS). Looked at setting up a will writing business but really no one is buying optional purchases at the moment.
I have been applying for almost any job in local government (admin, housing even collecting council tax) but not getting anywhere (30 applications lead to 3 interviews lead to no job).

I had really aimed at just getting back into anything but now if it involves a bit of training them I am happy to go for it but really need to be sure there is a job at the end of it.

I can think of lots of things I can do, but what is there that is able to earn a living in the present hard times? I am not expecting to ever now be able to go back into property law.

One thought I had today was to be qualify as a Corgi gas man. Anyone know about the course?

So is there anything I should be looking at that I have missed!

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I took a few 'pro' tests...apparently the career I am most suited to is that of a local Vicar.

 

[cheadle hulme]

I sympathise OTH. I have been looking for a few weeks now and have already had a few comments that "the client is looking for somebody younger". I'm 37!!

I suppose it depends on how much you need to earn and whether you are happy with the loss of status that some people perceive a lower paid job brings.

Although you retail experience is some years ago, good customer service skills are always in demand; they just don't pay that well. Have you registered with agencies?

 

[BigonaBianchi]

I taught myself how to do Jewellery repairs and opened a shop and workshop which I ran for 15 years.

I know you left it because it pee'd you off but is it a possible stop gap until you find something else?...difficult to go backwards though..I know that...

Some might laugh given the current financial balls up...but perhaps take a look at financial services sales...you know...flogging life assurance etc....the bigger outfits will take on a train/mould mature applicants....but you'll need some serious re training...but if you have th eright characteristics they will pay for it...
..,stress city though..really VERY stressfull work.

 

[Young Un]

Is being a porn-star legal?

 

[BigonaBianchi]

Good plan young un!

 

[ChrisKH]

Is being a porn-star legal?

It is, but you need to be able to speak German.

 

[4F]

It is, but you need to be able to speak German.

and fix washing machines

 

[Kirstie]

Home improvements seems to be the way forward at the moment. People are doing their houses up rather than selling. Try carpentry, plumbing, sparky or something like that? Local FE colleges do that kind of thing. You are good with your hands by the sound of it, so maybe an electrician?

Debt collection would also be a good line of work...

Or funeral directors...people still die, no matter how hard the economic climate!

Failing that KFC have just announced 9000 new jobs and Tesco announced 7000 a few weeks ago.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

how, at 48, did you get gcses?

 

[Globalti]

From where I sit there is a desperate shortage of well spoken, presentable people to represent British businesses overseas. You need to be approachable, able to express yourself clearly to people whose first language is not English while presenting an image of trustworthiness. If you have these and are free to travel there are thousands of exporters out there looking for people like you. Sadly most career advisers seem to ignore the unsung hero exporters who earn the foreign currency this country needs.

 

[numbnuts]

doing a Corgi gas course can cost up to £7000

 

[BigonaBianchi]

From where I sit there is a desperate shortage of well spoken, presentable people to represent British businesses overseas

Where are you sitting?

I can do all those things.

 

[Ravenz]

So is there anything I should be looking at that I have missed!

In the same boat... but not so far in timewise.. I am in a survivable situation where I can subsist a bit on Jobseekers and my few fitness committments.. I am trying NOT to rush.. but can see your situation one where you begin to ? the whole logic of what the next step is.. I am just trying to adhere to a few hard and fast principles .. only consider what you have an full on interest in....anything that is going to demand £,000's initial investment disregard as a complete smokescreen.. no one can afford to be putting themselves into hock even in the best of times...

back to practicalities.. if you possess a talent in repairing jewelly.. could you design and manufacture it as well...?

if you go down the route of self reliance then I can only recommend that you keep setup costs as minimal as possible.. don't let the vultures out there twist your mind in overspending and there are plenty of vultures who prey on new businesses....

my main skillset is in IT.. so I have been 'contracted' out for the last 12 months and there are plenty of short term contracts still available tho' I am picky about location and the commute side of things.. surely there has to be lots of gaps for temp work in book keeping...?

hope that helps buddy!




ps my young nephew is CORGI with experience behind him but he is finding life tough at the mo

 

[cheadle hulme]

ps my young nephew is CORGI with experience behind him but he is finding life tough at the mo

I hope he's more economically astute than a plumber I spoke to.

Business is down by about half on last year he reckons. His solution?

"I'll double rates so my take home is the same innit?"!!!!!!