What shall I do with the rest of my life

[mojobanana]

Hi, this is a bit of a Body&Soul question, but it's to do with work.

I'm 27 and get very fed up with what I'm doing. I think I've gone into the wrong field and realised 10 years too late to do anything about it.

I'm quite creative (drawing, sewing, writing, etc) and have a background in English Lit and humanities. I also want to do a job where I get to help people, in a meaningful way. I've got an application form to become a prison officer!

Anyone got any suggestions?

I'm currently temping at a newspaper and was talking to a features editor and quite fancy that too. I'm back to the stage of wanting to do everything I read or learn about, but can't decide which path to follow. And it seems I've followed the wrong one.

HELP!
thanks
Jo

[saxy_jag]

Doesn't sound to me like being a prison officer would suit you. Prison officers are overworked, underpaid and (in their own estimation, and I'm not surprised) undervalued. Anything 'meaningful', ie teaching, counselling etc. in prisons is mostly done by outside workers.

However, with your background and your hobbies, community work sounds right up your street. All those creative and literary skills/interests you have, you could maybe pass on to others - learning disabled, mentally ill, homeless etc etc. Plus you say you'd like to help others, which is exactly what you'd be doing.

[SRH]

Temping is a great way to see what a job/workplace is like before jumping in - so you are already on the right track. Journalism can be a fantastically rewarding job but be aware that most papers will expect you to get your NCTJ qualifications beforehand (which covers law, politcs, shorthand etc - and you often have to pay yourself, in my case over �3,000). It's also, despite what people seem to think, the lowest paid profession, with trainees often starting on minimum wage and most journalists never reaching the average national salary even when reaching senior level. It would be worth getting in touch with your local careers office (university ones are good because they go beyond the standard what-job-to-pick-at-sixteen level). Good luck, and remember, you can try out 10 different careers if you like - you're still very young and nowadays very few people stay in one career all their lives. I'm on to my second career already (I was in fashion buying, now journalism) and haven't ruled out possibly retraining as a doctor or teacher in the next few years.

[mojobanana]

Hi both, thanks for your answers.

At the moment, I feel like I'm sat around waiting for something to happen because I'm afraid of doing the wrong thing again. But then what's life without a few mistakes...!

Thanks again.
Jo

[Mammar]

It's nowhere near too late. Don't be unhappy.
Have you thought of going to a careers office? I don't think they're just for school leavers. I am sure you can take some sort of questionnaire that helps point out what sort of direction might be right for you. I know it helped my daughter decide that science was the way for her.
Go for it and I'll watch out to see if you tell us about your new career.
P.S. I agree with Saxy. Recycle the prison officer application form. x x

[Mistopheles]

Mammar is right - it's never too late. I hated my job, so took a qualification at evening school whilst still working. I am now starting an completely new career (at 30) at have never looked back.

Try you local library, or the internet for some of those career prfiling tests. You fill in loads of questions about what you like, and they suggest a list of suitable jobs. It might give you some ideas.