what am i doing with my life????

[Sassycat]

Hi Everybody!!! I have found myself in a bad situation. I have just turned 30, I have a beautiful 3 year old daughter and a wonderful partner, you might be wondering what is so bad about that... A C.V full of dead end, low paid jobs!!! I am ready to make something of myself and I need to fulfill my career aspirations now. I would like to get into the world of Advertising and Marketing, I am a very creative person and after much thought this is what I see myself doing as my dream job. I have no idea what course I should enrole on and I do need to get a recognised qualification. Is there any course that you know of that i can do while i earn a wage and that is partly distance learning??? any advice would be great. Thank -you in advance.

Sass

[jay90]

hi sass your not alone....thirty is when the panic sets in....good luck x

[kazza12345]

sorry to sound a tad rude, but how do you know thats the job you want if your research hasn't even included what qualifications you might need, or even what courses? Do you really know what the job entails? Advertising and marketing is such a broad term, very very wooly What is it you actually want to do? for example, to me "advertising and marketing" means selling ad space in magazines/newspapers to people who dont want it or marketing double glazing - both of which im sure need no qualifications whatsoever, and i am equally sure these aren't your career aspirations.

What is it you actually see yourself doing?

[gammaray]

In the short term you could identify what skills you have and see if they fit into any particular employment sphere. Then see what training is available to enhance the skills you have.

The Advertising industry is a broad brush. There are many jobs, such as those Kazza describes where no specific educational requirements are needed. There are others, working in AD agencies for example, where the minimum entry requirement would be a degree of some sort. You can do a degree part time but bear in mind it takes longer than attending a uni full time. Sadly advertising is one of those industries where being a "bright young thing" is a definite advantage. It shouldn't be, I know, but it's a fact that lots of Ad men and women are considered burnt out by the time they reach 30. Things are a better if you move into creative direction or art direction, where experience wins out over youthful exuberance, but it is a seriously competitive business.

[buckaroo2]

The previous comments have highlighted that you should do a bit more research into this area.

Think about what motivates you, what interests you, and use that as a platform for selling yourself.

I would suggest contacting a local agency to do a work shadowing or experience. Build up contacts. It's common for someone on reception to move into different areas of an ad agency.

[meltoadhall]

i'm 38 and am now a second year student nurse. like you i have children and hubby but didnt know what to do. so if you have any thing you wanted to do years ago but didint for various reasons i say do it now. go for your dreams there is no reason why you cant do it........

http://www.learndirect-advice.co.uk/findacourse

see if this helps

[Sassycat]

Hi Everybody,

Thanks so much for all your feed back and views. I actually did a 2 year course in Advertising whilst living in South Africa and I did very well on the course and enjoyed it so much it was almost effortless to me so i know that's what i am good at. Looking back I should've included this in my first letter, also just to make things clear I do not want to sell advertising space or coldcall or sell anything to anyone who doesn't want it. I want to get involved working for an Ad agency either creative or client exucutive based. As far as having to be a bright young thing, I maybe 30 but I don't look a day over 25 and my brain and energy levels out do most of my friends who are in thier early 20's so i am not forseeing any problems there, I just wanted advice on any courses... When did everyone become so jaded? Thanks Meltoadhall I am going to go for it!