Career Advice

Zag2

Hi I am a long term unemployed Quality Manager, I have a Quality Management Diploma and work experience. I am now considering going back to college and retraining. My problem is I really don't know what to go for. I am thinking IT just because that seems to be where the best chance of employment is.
What I would really love is a job that would allow me to work from home at least for 2 days a week?
I know its sounds silly to decide on a career just because you can work from home but that is the most important thing to me at the moment. My husband works 60+ hours a week so I need to be around for the kids. I would still get a child minder but at least I would be at home too.

Any suggestions or advice or where to go to get advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks

Mr. Loverman

If you don't have a passion for IT, why leave one uninterested career for another uninterested career? That doesn't seem to make any sense to me.

In my experience, most people who work in IT because of its employment prospects hate their jobs. IT is one of those industries that definitely is not for everyone.

To work from home you'd most likely have to be a programmer. Again, in my experience, most people are not cut out for programming. I did computer science in college and most of my class either hated programming or simply could not do it.

If money wasn't an issue, what jobs would you like to do?

Cordo

Best advice I can give is to do the Myers Briggs Test. I did it recently (studied accounting, working in finance, hate it!) and it has helped me to figure out what type of person I am and what areas I am likely to be interested in.

Click on this website and answer the questions as truthfully as you can. If with then give you a personality type. You can look up that type and see how you tend to work, what your type tend to be interested in, strengths, etc.

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp


Good luck!

starlit

OP, have you looked into something similar to your career field? Like supply chain management? Technology Management? The Six sigma type courses/strategic management and information systems? Even cloud computing? There are a few courses out there that you could update your skills in Quality Management relevant to ISO standards and Technology? Its an area that seems to be worth getting into with your background? Even a course in Project Management?

Be careful what area of IT you wish to pursue though its not for everyone as Mr Loverman has mentioned.

Have you looked into jobbridge or springboard course maybe? You could do a distance learning or online course maybe?

Zag2

Thanks for all your replies. Mr Loverman I take on board that IT or programming may not appeal or suit everyone but I am the kind of person that will just get on with things and a job is just a job I don't have to love it. I have in the passed worked in the most mundane, mind numbing of jobs and still just thankful that I have a job. At the end of the day the bills have to get paid. I also have been in jobs that I loved and were very satisfying so I do know the power of working in a field that you love.
But as I said my drive or priority is to find a career that may allow me to work from home a couple of days a week at least?
Cordo thank you for the test, I did it and computer programming did come up. It says I am an Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging, and good at inspecting which I did a lot of as a Quality Manager and was good at it!
Doovdela yes I would love to expand on the background I have as I really do love Quality but would any of the areas you mentioned allow me to work from home? I'll look into it.
I have looked at the Springboard courses and there is a huge range its just what to go for is my problem at the moment.

Any more suggestions or guidance greatly appreciated.

Thanks Zag x

tk123

OP bear in mind that depending on what area of it IT you're in it can involve out of hours work, on call etc This is the first June BH weekend (my birthday) in 5 years that I won't be on call - because I was made redundant 4 weeks ago!

Zag2

TK sorry to here that you were made redundant, its a big blow no matter what your circumstances are. I hope you will still enjoy your birthday you deserve to. I am use to not celebrating my birthday i'm a Leap Year!