[Eleny]

I've been working in social care and after working in a really tough job I decided to work in admin and did some temping in a lovely office. I realised that for those 5 weeks I was the most content and self confident I'd been in a long time.

This week I went back to social care and I can't believe how awful I feel. I'm drained emotionally and feel so low and down. I grew up being the caretaker in my family and it made me so down and now it's happening in my career.

The thing is because social care is the career I chose I feel like I've made a mess of everything because I can't leave it again. I'm 27, I should have my career figured out by now. I also won't allow myself to do admin because I feel I should be doing more, something more challenging and related to looking after people in some way.

I wish I knew what to do.

[leomama]

What's social care?

[seesaw]

Um, you are only 27... you can absolutely change careers now if you want. Go back into temping, many people get permanent offers from temping. Lots of people are not set in their careers at 27. And lots of people make mid-course career corrections. You are not alone, and it is SO possible to change directions now. Don't let a decision at 27 make you unhappy for the rest of your life.

You can go back to school and learn something new. Is there something in particular about the office work that you liked? Maybe you can take some one or two session courses about that area and add that to your resume and go out for those jobs.

You can do it. Find something that makes you happy.

Seesaw

[Lolina]

Great advice Seesaw, I would say the exact same thing.
It's funny because I work at an admin job, I am a PA and I am not really happy with it. I will get back to study to do something else.

[hvert]

Admin work also lets you take care of people - and in a way that doesn't make you miserable! There's nothing wrong with changing your career or considering options that make you feel as good as the people you are helping. Wanting to be helpful is a really good trait for any job.

Good for you finding out that you enjoyed temping - you absolutely would be helping people within admin, this is a very necessary sector, I am concerned that you won't allow yourself a job where you feel happy - do you not feel you deserve happiness?

Social care and the fulfilment from it is often overrated IMO - how you feel within that sector is not unique, and it certainly does not mean you are not a good person or a caring person - actually it may be that you care too much, that the suffering you see overwhelms you and impacts on your well-being.