Careers

[Artemis]

Help.

Next month I am 30 years old. I spent almost my entire twenties studying and travelling. I did a bit of work here and there but nothing, you know, substantial. It's never posed a problem to me; I've had a lovely time really. However, recently I've started to feel my focus change a bit; I'm starting to feel like I'd like to put down some roots and base myself somewhere longer term instead of temporarily until the next big thing around the corner. With this change in focus comes the startling reality that I have absolutely piss-all by way of a career.

My work (largely debt counselling) is not in industries I want to spend any longer working in - the work was never a career more, more a short term money-fixer. I have a diploma in higher education, conveniently based in philosophy, a subject almost universally useless.

What's worse is, I don't really know what I want to do. I have vague principles (it's got to make a practical, useful difference; perhaps charity work) that are so vague they're not much good at all. What with the travel, I've not even got something I've accidently 'fallen into'.

Right now I'm in Australia but I'm cutting short the travels because, well, I just feel like I'm over this chapter for now. I'm heading back to the UK (relocating to Brighton with any luck, for anybody who knows anybody with a decent spare room) and don't quite know what to do!

Please someone for the love of all things holy and sacred help me.

[Ckris]

I'd recommend you relax a little because I can almost guarantee a structured work pattern will not make you happier. If you're desperate for work then you're right, look for charity work, not all of it is voluntary; there are careers to be had, just bare in mind they're not hightly paid, because well they're charity int they. Working for the NHS is a higher paid alternative and certainly offers rewarding career opportunities.

[Viero_Berlotti]

Mmmm, interesting sub debate forming here. Public sector or private sector career. And why is the public sector considered a more principled choice ?

My girlfriend works for the NHS, and although I think the NHS is an amazing institution that we are very lucky to have in this country and almost certainly take for granted, the bureaucracy that surrounds it is a nightmare. The decision making process in the NHS and the people involved could learn a lot from the private sector, things would get done quicker and ultimately serve the public more efficiently. The debate is how for should private sector involvement go.............

Anyway sorry for potentially derailing your thread with that one. So to get back on topic, erm...... get a job.... hippy.

[Still Not George]

My girlfriend works for the NHS, and although I think the NHS is an amazing institution that we are very lucky to have in this country and almost certainly take for granted, the bureaucracy that surrounds it is a nightmare. The decision making process in the NHS and the people involved could learn a lot from the private sector, things would get done quicker and ultimately serve the public more efficiently. The debate is how for should private sector involvement go.............

Well, half of that stinking inefficiency was introduced in a succession of half-hearted attempts to make the NHS work like the private sector. Thing is, it should always have been doctors and nurses making the fecking decisions, not suits. The moment we lost sight of that reality is the moment the NHS started going really to shit.

And, of course, neither of the 2 major parties much care.

[Chutney]

Thing is, it should always have been doctors and nurses making the fecking decisions, not suits.

The doctors and nurses have got far more important things to be doing than making a lot of the decisions that the suits are making.

The NHS is the biggest employer in Europe - you think that can just run itself?  Not to suggest that the suits don't constitute a bunch of incompetent, nest feathering empire builders, but I've always found this "sack the bureaucrats and employ more nurses" argument to be particularly ill considered.  Worthy of the tabloids maybe, but I'd hope most people could consider things a tad more deeply.

[Still Not George]

The doctors and nurses have got far more important things to be doing than making a lot of the decisions that the suits are making.

Only partly true. The suits have been making decisions about medical resources and care provision for decades. The doctors and nurses generally have the opinion that they should be making those decisions, and I fully agree with them.

The NHS is the biggest employer in Europe - you think that can just run itself?  Not to suggest that the suits don't constitute a bunch of incompetent, nest feathering empire builders, but I've always found this "sack the bureaucrats and employ more nurses" argument to be particularly ill considered.  Worthy of the tabloids maybe, but I'd hope most people could consider things a tad more deeply.

But that wasn't what I said - I said the doctors and nurses should be making the decisions. They're not, are they?

Gah, thread rot. Sorry Artemis.

[Blumf]

What's worse is, I don't really know what I want to do. I have vague principles (it's got to make a practical, useful difference; perhaps charity work)

Politics? Maybe aim for a council seat.

[Chutney]

Only partly true. The suits have been making decisions about medical resources and care provision for decades. The doctors and nurses generally have the opinion that they should be making those decisions, and I fully agree with them.

Agreed - my rant is a bit of a knee jerk whenever I hear the old "oh, nurses are angels, kill all the managers" line being trotted out, not necessarily the case here though.

Anyway, steering things back in the right direction... best of both worlds is to be employed in the private sector working for public sector clients.  I work 100% on NHS things, but freed from the handcuffs of the bureaucracy.

At least it's the best of both worlds until people find out what we cost...