How old were you when you decided you wanted to go down the career path you’ve taken? Did you decide at some point during your school years? Were you in college before you’d made up your mind? Or did the realisation about your career choice come a little later, perhaps after a gap year?
If you made the decision during school or even college, you could be among the 17% of women aged 18-24 who now feels they chose their career path too young, according to research published by the Oxford Open Learning Trust.
The survey, carried out by YouGov on behalf of the Oxford Open Learning Trust, also found that 35% of young women between the ages of 18-34 say their education and training to date has not prepared them for their current career.
Many of the respondents to the survey will have received career advice during their teen years in education, and there is constant pressure to choose a career path before heading to college or university. Even the act of choosing what to study in Further and Higher Education means narrowing down the options. But personalities and circumstances can change dramatically between the ages of 18 and 35 – so it’s little wonder that a previous survey found that 44% of 25-34 year olds have already changed their career.
Changing your career path
So what if you’re someone who feels they chose their career path too early? Perhaps you were convinced you wanted to be an accountant, but now you feel as though you’d be better suited to an executive assistant job. Maybe you always saw yourself as a teacher, but now realise that your strengths lie in senior office support jobs.
The good news is that you’re not alone! The study revealed that two-thirds of female workers in Britain said that they’d consider retraining for a new career – and there are plenty of options out there. Some positions may require some formal training and qualifications – such as if you wanted to become a paralegal, a nurse or a property surveyor. You could consider the Open University, or take a postgraduate course if you already have a degree in another subject.
Other positions will rely on good results in your GCSEs and A-levels, as well as a range of soft skills – for example, if you want to find permanent PA jobs, you’ll need high standards of English and Maths, as well as the ability to manage your time, communicate effectively and provide administrative support. To pursue these types of career routes, you could apply for jobs straight away, or you could approach a PA recruitment agency, which will have strong connections and the ability to source jobs you might not find in public listings.
If you’re truly considering retraining for a new career and believe a role as a personal assistant might be right for you, get in touch with the team at Love Success today – our team are always on hand to help you find the perfect new role to reinvigorate your career.
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