What to do with myself

June 16, 2023 3:16 PM

I'd like to change careers from human services to something different.

I have worked in human services since 2008, at the same agency with the same population. I'm 40 now. I don't have a MSW or other graduate degree. I have had the word manager in my title since 2017. Besides food service in my early 20s this is the only org I've worked for.

After a stressful pandemic and weathering a large number of major transitions I am completely burned out and, frankly, it shows. I am still doing an excellent job with the majority of my work. But I don't have the energy or desire any longer to manage people, to participate in investigations and disciplinary actions.

This is causing me immense anxiety and at times I feel physically sick dreading this part of work. I've told this to my unsupportive manager, and she suggested I take the weekend to figure out better ways to handle self care. There are other details but I don't want to vent, I want to figure out if there is another way forward in a different line of work.

The difficult part is that I earn significantly more than my wife and pay our bills and rent. I can reduce costs by a fraction but not our mortgage, which is over 50% of my income. But I can't help that and that isn't the question I'm asking.

What can I do where take home is ~85k? Ideally I would find something creative. I don't have the inclination for programming, but I pick up software quickly and intuitively. Potentially I could earn less and still work it out, especially for something rewarding to me I've served my community full time consistently working directly with vulnerable people for 15 years and I'd like to try one of those jobs where you have tea at home and log on to Teams.

Jobs I dream about- Record store clerk. Used/Antique Construction Supply.

posted by kittensofthenight to Work & Money (4 answers total)

Are there online/remote jobs that could make use of your skills? Remote counseling or training? If you were more in a provider role, would that take away some of the dissatisfaction arising from the managerial/administrative parts of your current job?

The salary will likely be a challenge, at least at first, but if there are a bunch of companies where you could do your new job, you might be able to increase your salary faster my moving among them every couple of years. And if you're willing to provide services remotely to people or places that have trouble accessing them, that might make you a more desirable hire.
posted by underthehat at 7:21 PM on June 16, 2023

I would look at jobs in the human services department for local/county/state government. You are probably quite qualified to administer grants/contracts, work on policy, manage programs. You could also look at working for foundations that provide human services grants. I think you will be most successful looking for adjacent work where your knowledge about human services can be put to use, but you don't have to directly be a service provider or manage other service providers.
posted by brookeb at 10:19 PM on June 16, 2023 [4 favorites]

I’m sorry you’re not happy with your work. The good news is that there’s a world of possibilities out there. The salary may be tough but far from impossible. While I don’t have a specific solution…it’s time to explore. Start by asking yourself what you love…anything. Research different lines of work. Many people have been in your shoes. Hating your job sucks. Life is too short. You’d be better off finding a way to lower you expenses and work a job you live for less money rather then stay where you are.
posted by ljs30 at 10:31 PM on June 16, 2023

Have you done accounts receivable/payable and payroll at your job before? There’s crossover in this area with finance and accounting that might serve you well. If you work towards taking the cpa you could probably get to 80k fairly quickly. It’s not the most creative work but a lot more of the opportunities are remote now.
posted by donut_princess at 7:36 AM on June 17, 2023