Menopause Matters Forum
General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: Justjules on May 01, 2017, 04:51:53 PM
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Hi ladies. Would value any input on any ideas for a change of job/direction.
Currently employed 4 days as a legal secretary. Job is fast becoming unbearable for several reasons i.e. am oldie in the office, can't cope with changing procedures and 4 secretaries are now just 2 but no increased pay, just heavier workload and basically very unhappy there.
I'm being realistic now, having had my cv out there at several agencies and getting no responses has been a shock, as in the past, the phone has rung non stop with suggested roles but that was 5 years ago. Now at 60, I am having to make allowances for the fact that employers aren't necessarily looking to take on women my age! Yes, I have 'transferable skills' I am told, but into what?? I need to earn net £900 a month minimum and would like a nice Receptionist type job but am not getting anywhere. Plus, the pay is a lot lower, usually part time and the job descriptions are for everything else office wise as well as manning a reception desk!
I'm fed up of looking now and wondered if you ladies had any ideas of what I could consider that I may not have thought about?
X
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Identifying your area(s) of interest - broadly or narrowly speaking - could be a starting point, justjules
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How about contacting a Charity if you have 'transferrable' skills? Volunteering can be a way of getting into paid employment within the charitable sector. Would a job-share be possible or going self-employed in order to do an 'on-call' type of job?
What particular interests do you have that would make a new job more enticing? Have you looked in the national press for ideas?
Do you mean 'secretary' as in typist or in the legal sense? I didn't want to be a shorthand typist but it took me to places I never thought of, including 4 months of soliciting ;).
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Have you considered working for an Agency. My friend (62) works for one and really enjoys it. She picks the jobs she wants and is never short of work.
Taz x
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Does she have to pay the Agency though :-\ ..........
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She said she's already circulated her cv to several agencies but no responses...
I've read about people working from home as copywriters. I don't know much about that type of job but would think that your skills may transfer as your grammar, etc. will be good.
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I did proof reading for a few years. In bursts of 40 mins. and I never followed what I was reading or I would have got lost in the story ::). The eye 'sees' what it expects and it can be complicated initially but I loved it.
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I didn't want to be a shorthand typist but it took me to places I never thought of, including 4 months of soliciting ;).
:o :veil:
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You got it :medal: :lol:
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When I was unable to work full time as a teacher, initially I opted to work as a supply teacher. I knew that work wouldn't fall into my lap and I understood that statistically that if I contacted a 100 schools, I would find work with only 2 schools. To make it fun I made a chart listing the different responses and also taking the sting out of rejection, then contacted nearly 50 schools. Along the way, responses were rude and no, polite and no, to thank goodness you rang, can you come tomorrow!
When my husband retired from the police force, he canvassed for work with solicitors, dropping off a brief CV (with my help) at dozens of solicitors offices. He added a note that he would donate £25 to a charity named by the first solicitor to acknowledge his letter and CV. He secured work with 3 solicitors.
So persisrtance is the key.
Next, when not sure what you want to do, approach this with fun. Ask yourself what you would like to do if you couldn't fail and money was no object. This way you can think freely without putting up barriers. We did this when DH had just retired from the police and before working again. We decided we wanted to travel for a few months. On paper, it looked like we simply couldn't afford to, plus I was worried about my parents, but we found ways around the financial obstacles and family stepped up to be there for my parents.
I presume you still have your job, so have some fun finding how you can improve the quality of your life.
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Have you thought about secretarial work within the NHS ? To my knowledge they employ all ages and general agencies don't always provide that sector plus many hospitals run their own admin bank staff, or at least they did when I worked in a hospital
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She said she's already circulated her cv to several agencies but no responses...
I've read about people working from home as copywriters. I don't know much about that type of job but would think that your skills may transfer as your grammar, etc. will be good.
Oh sorry I hadn't realised that. My friend booked appointments with local agencies so that they could meet face to face. She now works for three different ones.
Taz x
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She said she's already circulated her cv to several agencies but no responses...
I've read about people working from home as copywriters. I don't know much about that type of job but would think that your skills may transfer as your grammar, etc. will be good.
I think Justjules meant she has given her CV to Agencies for permanent jobs not temp work like Taz suggested.
Temping is an idea but you're not guaranteed work every week and you don't get holiday pay.
Justjules, have you thought of working as a school Secretary or admin in a school office? Then you would get the school hols off?!
Also, try looking on indeed.co.UK. We advertise our vacancies on there where I work.
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Hello ....
Wow welcome from me to you....why? Well i retired ftom nursing as a single woman, mort etc two years ago with no job to go too....
Two years on I have an awesome job as a matron in school.
My advce, explore your skills and interests......look at all options, schools, legal etc etc re reception skills and live those dreams.....not sure if you have or like children but students from overseas on a temp basis is income, host family for Boarding school students who live overseas...so just need school hols.....fostering ......lots of opportunities to happier times ahead
Ms Woodlands xx
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The Skills you possesses are the key to secure better opportunities. List the best skills, develop CV and online profiles around those skills, search for people with similar skills in job roles and try to find jobs in these concentrated roles. Hope this will help...
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I've nothing more to offer than already been said, but wondering , would it be worth going to an employment agency or somewhere similar to get someone to read over your CV first , as often we fail to realise our own potential and sell ourselves short . The poster who mentioned the NHS , I was going to suggest them as well. Normally , well at least for nursing roles, they operate either their own " bank scheme" or through agencies and I assume it would be the same for administration. I think you would enjoy working for instance as a ward clerk or medical secretary and would meet lots of people too. Not sure though how good the salary would be.
Good luck with your job hunt, and hope you find something .
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Larger organisations (like the big companies here locally) tend to use a particular agency and you can usually find a link to it on their website. Our local county council uses an agency which used to be their HR department (also linked to from their website).
I have a friend who works as a receptionist at a large local care home (national company) - it is quite varied and she loves it.
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Thanks for all your welcome responses ladies. Sorry, been away over the Bank Holiday so only just got around to reading all your suggestions.
I think I need to approach this whole situation with a different head on because, to be honest, I really don't want to work at all now (wouldn't we all I hear you say!! ;D) due to numerous reasons; don't feel well enough a lot to cope with work, can't cope with early mornings anymore (especially in winter) and I want to be there more to support my lovely Mum who isn't well but is quite independent but I know struggles. Anyhow, that's the 'dream' that 'aint going to happen! So, trying to think of what I would like to do or what I physically and mentally can do these days, is a nightmare and is stressing me out. I actually have an interview tomorrow, which unfortunately I've had to cancel as I am having a tooth out, but I'm getting really stressed about it, which isn't actually like me when it comes to interviews. The thing that is putting me off is it looks like it's an 8:00am start and I'm really not good in the mornings and the thought of leaving home at 7:15am on a dark winter morning is depressing me already.
As for NHS jobs - whenever I've applied in the past, I've got nowhere and a friend told me that most of them are already earmarked for other members of staff or friends of theirs and it's almost always impossible to get them. Their applications are so longwinded as well and after all that effort, you can't get in there. I worked for the local Council years ago and had a successful claim against them for bullying, so can't go back there.
Despite all your positive responses, I now I'm being negative (natural state sorry :() but I really am at an all time low confidence wise at the moment. I've always gone for jobs, got interviews and apart from one occasion, always been successful and I know I've been lucky in that but this time, just the thought of it is enough to want to reach for the valium (if I had any!)
I am going to make a list tonight of all my 'skills' and yes, it might be a good idea to get a new CV done as it's so 'legal secretary' based, that it doesn't fit with a lot of possibilities out there. I do make a point of visiting the agencies so that they can see me face to face; see that I am of smart appearance etc. but to be honest, I think that is my downfall at the moment, as they may have jobs they could send me for, but they also realise that employers are not going to want to be faced with a 60 year old in most cases - that's a fact!
Thanks again. Very much appreciated ladies. I'll keep you posted. x
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I'm with you Megamind. It's surprising how much there is to see across the UK ......... better if it's dry but we find museums on cold or wet days.
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I think with jobs I ought to have walked long B4 I did on a couple: even B4 finding another job. I hung on because I liked the work and some of the people I was with, the others however :-X
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Megamind, I think that's the way to go - but my DH doesn't agree unfortunately! I need to be in work for a good while as his job is also under threat so we need to know at least one income will be coming in in the foreseeable future. We do have a yearly holiday and we do eat out but I could manage without if I had to.
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Is down sizing your property an option to free up more money?
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Megamind, it will be at some point in the future as DH mentioned only the other day that he didn't want to wait as long as his parents have and are now struggling to do in their mid-eighties.
I have an interview on Thursday! It's a Receptionist job. On-site parking, shifts...one week 8:00am till 1:00pm and then one week 1:00pm till 6pm....will be a wage drop but I think I could do it, fingers crossed!!!!
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Great news! Good luck with the interview. Fingers crossed.
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Will do ladies...thanks! X
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:great:
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That sounds good Justjules. Fingers crossed for you.
Taz x
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Just saw your other thread and it reminded me....how did the interview go?