Can you ever say no to a career change?
Words & Images: Kelly Parsons (Pictured)
The retirement age is increasing, people are living and working for longer. This got me thinking is it still the mindset that you gain an education and career in a single profession and resign yourself to being in that sector of employment for the rest of your working life? Is it ever too late to do a career U turn?
Following COVID a lot of employers and companies re-evaluated their working practices including working from home, Hybrid working and changes to working hours to allow employees the flexibility of a better work/life balance.
And this is where it all started for me. At the end of 2023 I decided that after 20 years in the legal sector I wanted a fresh challenge. It was a daunting prospect but something that I needed to do for myself and my family. As a mum of four it is hard to think of a time when I didn’t have to juggle a full-time career, kids and the dreaded school holidays!
I still remember leaving school at 16 with no clue as to what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. I tried several careers between the ages of 13 and 18 including hairdressing and hospitality. It was only by sheer chance during an interview at the local careers centre that I was asked with my interests and skills whether I had ever considered a career in Law.
I laughed when she said it. Me? Working in Law? I had always had an interest in criminal law and criminology but didn’t have the first clue on where to start. I initially looked at typing and secretarial roles and the careers centre managed to secure me a place at a local legal practice for three months of work experience training. I was bitten immediately with the ‘Law’ bug and decided after my training ended that I wanted to pursue a career in the legal field.
Twenty years later and after a lot of blood, sweat, tears and sheer determination I had progressed from a family and criminal secretary to the head of a department for one of the largest legal firms in the East Midlands. However, as I turned 40 last year, I realised that my love for my career was starting to waiver and this along with the added pressure of juggling a family, working 50-60 hours weeks, legal cutbacks and the state of the UK justice system; I pined for a better work/life balance.
And so, I took the leap. I sat during evenings and weekends updating my CV and applying for work, away from the legal sector. I knew I could walk into another legal firm and do the job I had been trained to do standing on my head, but I didn’t want to. So many fears went through my head. Would I find another job that I would settle into? Would prospective employers even look at my application? Would I be seen to be over/under qualified? I knew that I had many transferable skills, and I knew that I had to focus my attention on what I could bring to prospective employers. After months of applying on job websites, online applications and speaking with recruitment agencies I was offered a position within the NHS.
Five months into my new role and I have continued to gain new skills and experience. I am enjoying more time at home with my family and friends, and I hope that, as with my law career, I will continue to expand on my skills and progress within the NHS and the healthcare sector. I have also always had a passion for writing and I am keen to also embrace this hobby during my free time including starting an online blog, writing a book and hopefully (with the help of Simon and Paul) be allowed to publish the occasional column within the S40 and S41 Local magazines.
Interviewers always ask the million-dollar question “Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?” I think it is hard for anyone to answer that question because the answer is we simply don’t know. If I think back to five years ago would I have thought that I would have turned my back on law? Not at all but do I now think I made the right decision? Absolutely.
And so in answer to the question is it ever too late to have a career U turn? I think, as with anything in this life, if you have a determination and passion and you want to make that change there is nothing stopping you. I am excited to see what the future holds for me and I hope that the future of my working life is as enjoyable as my past.
Thank you for reading.
Comments