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[Justjules]

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

[dulciana]

Identifying your area(s) of interest - broadly or narrowly speaking - could be a starting point, justjules

[CLKD]

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  . 

[Taz2]

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

[CLKD]

Does she have to pay the Agency though  ..........

[getting_old]

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.

[CLKD]

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.

[babyjane]

  I didn't want to be a shorthand typist but it took me to places I never thought of, including 4 months of soliciting  .

   

[CLKD]

You got it 

[Ju Ju]

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.

[Annie0710]

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

[Taz2]

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

[Megamind]

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.

[Woodlands]

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

[Bane]

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...