So, what next?

[13 DJP]

Evening Chums

I find myself in a quandary and thought I`d turn to the might of PH for a steer in the right direction

I need to locate myself a new job and am stuck in which way to go or what to do! Very long story short, I am currently working for my best mate and have been for the best part of the last 2 years. After a beer and an honest chat this evening we have decided I will start to look elsewhere as the current role does not deliver on original promises and despite working my tail off I find myself working more hours for less money than in the job I left prior to.

I have always been very fortunate in being headhunted or working for people I know at their request. I haven`t applied for a job in nearly 20 years!

My background and forte is in sales, although as a by product of this I have run companies including the hiring/firing/accounting/project management, design etc.

I have no particular qualifications to speak off (13 good GCSE passes many moons ago!) and have always been employed on the strength of my work ethics and sales records.

I`ve been shop manager, area manager, car salesman, sales manager, ran a small dealership, ran my own car sales firm, started up and ran a shopfitting business and also a commercial refrigeration business (both for another friend), and most recently running a plumbers merchants with every aspect that entails, accounts, sales, management, ordering, negotiation, on-line, etc.

I need a minimum of £35k pa and ideally a car, I also have a 10 month old baby who is the apple of my eye, so whilst I don`t mind grafting Mon-Fri I would like to have my weekends back to spend with her and my other half.

So friends, what to do? Where to start? What should I do and where should I start looking?

Answers on a postcard

Cheers in advance
Dave

[rog007]

Well, the employment market is very buoyant and at a level, experience trumps qualifications.

Note down what it is you really want to do, compare your CV against the job ads for those roles and apply if you're a close match. If there's a substantial gap, work out if you can train the gap out and then reapply. Good luck!

[13 DJP]

Cheers Roger
Appreciate the advice, will do as you say

[GlenMH]

rog is smack on with his advice above.

Bearing in mind the open nature of your questions, then you might find a career counsellor useful - but you need to find a good one! They can help you refine what you really want to do in terms of sector/role: ie what you want to do isn't what you have been doing. They can also help with your marketing yourself to that new sector.

Good luck!

[13 DJP]

Thanks Glen