Dave_Was

Hello All,

I'm an Engineer by trade and working in a very narrow field of electronics design for the last 15 years or so.

One of the reasons I moved from the UK was that work in the US was more plentiful in my field than in the UK.

Whenever, I consider a move back to the UK, I always worry about the job front. If I do find a job in my field, it would be reasonably well paid, but the prospect of projects being canceled, etc, is always there and finding something else in my field would be harder and harder.

So... has anyone considered a career change? Is it hard to do? Does any of your previous experience help? I don't suppose being able to design electronics at transistor level, would help in many other careers.

A couple of times when I was back in the UK, I tried looking into this with the careers advice people and all I really got was here's a bunch of reading, now go and apply for the jobs.

Any thoughts?

Bevm

It was better in my day! Long, long ago I dished out careers advice, and we really tried to help people -- the ones who wanted help, anyway.

A new career with different qualifications is almost certainly going to mean you go low on the ladder and work up, or have to take courses. That's common sense. But, sometimes you can find tangents to your career. For example, you might find a job with a company that makes the sort of electronics you've worked on, but on the admin side, tech support, or marketing. That might not suit you, but it's where you might be able to get the value of your expertise while doing something different.

If that appeals, you should probably pitch your unique combination of qualifications and experience to carefully selected firms.

What sort of work do you want to do?

Bev

Tr1boy

There was a long running thread on either this or another board a while back. Seemed like lots of people were doing it. Personally I guess I must be in the minority as I've have 13 yrs experience in doing what I do and I'd be loathe to give that up. In fact I'm studying for a further diploma in my field. You must also consider where you have found yourself on the salary scale as that can be a very nasty bump back to reality (depending on your commitments of course).

I have different options within my profession and they can take you in markedly different directions, but all eminate from the same basic role/experience and I just can't see myself walking away from that.

One thing you might want to consider is how you'll be viewed from the other side of the fence. I sit in meeting rooms with vastly experienced people both on my side and their side and it's very easy to spot someone that does not have extensive experience. I understand everyone would have to start somewhere but in this climate if your chosen new profession is customer facing and you have to present to a market savvy prospective customer then be prepared for knockbacks. Of course there are loads of professions where this would not apply, but my whole day is spent doing this.

It probably boils down to how 'brave' you are.

I do still have my forklift driving licence though if things get real bad.

quoll

I guess my son did that when he went to UK - not that he was established in any way before he went for his gap year. After 4 years doing something he enjoyed he went in a different direction and new training and is now starting at the bottom again but at 30 he isnt too old to have done that IMHO

dunroving

I guess I made what you could call a career change. At 33, I put myself through 6 yrs of grad school and went from primary PE teacher to college statistics professor.

I agree with what Triboy said, you have to consider that you might end up lower on the salary scale than people a lot younger than you. That's how I was - moving around between universities also retarded my salary progress.

But if it's the right thing for you (it was in my case), it can be worth the sacrifices you make.

CityGal

I am looking to change career when I return and the only way to effectively do this for me is post graduate studies. Apart from spending my hard earned cash on the course as an investment in my future I will earn a lot less once I start on my new career, but I think there is a lot to be said for happiness.

dunroving

Amen, sister!

Bevm

Absolutely! Let's face it, money is only something we use to get freedom and joy. If we find joy in our work, we don't need to spend much the rest of the time, and anyway, we'll probably be working extra hours because we love it so much!

Bev

CityGal

Thanks guys because it has to be said that there are those that think I am stark raving..... but I think this has more to do with the [I]midlife[I] career change that the career change itself!