changing careers

I am currently working in HR/Recruitment and I have never really loved it. I don't like office politics or working in an office really. I have thought of changing careers completely, but I don't know. I am 32 and I don''t know if i can take that step.

I thought about going into ECE, that means training obviously. Because I already have a degree, I can do a 1 year Graduate Diploma or I can get a scholarship through some early childcare centres and work while I study (But get paid crap money!). BUT we have a huge mortgage and I feel like I 'should' just continue working in HR because of my financial committments. BUT in saying that, I would earn just as much as I do in HR after I finish my Early Childhood study and become a registered teacher.

Has anyone else changed careers and how did it go? I am nervous about it but I really want a change.

I went back to uni at 30 to become a physio. I have never regretted it. Think how many working years you have left. BUT I lost 4 years income plus the student debt so financially it was a huge issue. You've just got to work out what is more important, and for me it was having a rewarding job i wanted to get out of bed for.

I am a secondary teacher and have never really looked into ECE but are you sure even with your degree that it will only be a year?

Even thou I am a trained secondary teacher for me to become a primary teacher is still 18 months.

I went the opposite way and got out of the Travel Industry and into HR and enjoy earning much more money. It was a hard slog doing my degree while working part time but it paid off in the end. I love the mental challenge and stimulation that comes with the work although once the recession hit endless redundancies got pretty depressing. For me, I was not in a position to be able to put the money into re-training to get less or similar money, which did influence my choice and determination to finish.

I changed from being an accountant to a primary teacher 3 years ago.I love my new job (it is considerably longer hours and harder work with all the paper work involved) but the actual job is fantastic! I love the kids and for the first time I love going to work everyday (mostly lol) The year off to train (I had a degree also and just did the 1 year dipolma) was hard but luckily we could just afford it and we saved a huge amount of money before I left my job just to see us through.

it is definitely possible!

I am doing a grad dip in teaching this year with Auckland Uni - in secondary though - having worked in the science industry for a few years.....totally hard work (insanely hard at times), but def worth it so far! Pay will be less when I do finally graduate, but in the long term, i really think you need to love what you do as a career, or what is the point? I never want to be in the postion again where I was going to work every morning, saying to myself how much I didn't want to be there The education faculty at Auckland is so very supportive, especially with people who have kids, and it's just a really enthusiastic place to be

Denny, I know you have a pretty good idea about what you'd like to do as a new career, but have you seen this CareerQuest? - There are heaps of questions, but it is quite fun seeing what alternative careers it comes up with!

Fortunately, it confirmed to me that I'm in the right kinda job... although the other alternatives, like art therapist and anthropologist, sounded interesting

That quiz was fun! I did it to check and I am in the right career

Im an OT and every time I did one of these at school, it always came up with nurse, OT, physio etc

I've done that career quest thing and it comes up with teaching, everything and anything medical and farming. Its a bit of a mix lol.

Wow, what a good questionnaire. Mine came up with Police officer, social worker and Psychologist as the top 3.

I did my undergrad degree in psychology and was planning on becoming a police officer before DH and I decided to start a family