Feeling down!

I recently graduated from my master's degree, after having been out of school about 15 years. I did very well and loved what I learned. I am currently still at the job I've been with almost 11 years. I've been at the same company for 18. Work has been very weird lately and I am feeling a bit more ready to make a change. As I've looked for jobs in the field, the problem is that they require experience. I only have the little bit I gained through school and a little volunteer work. I wonder how I will make a change to a new career. I totally felt I was following God when I started this new career journey but it sure didn't go as smoothly as I expected. For example, I didn't graduate with the degree I first started out with but it is pretty close and in the same field. The internship I needed for that degree never came together. Now I almost wish I gotten a degree that I could have immediately started a career with. But at the time, I did what I felt I was being led to do. I still have a passion for the field I studied but I am still at the job I have been at. I AM thankful for it but it has been more stressful lately with threats of layoff that I'm not even sure are valid. The threats came from someone who isn't always honest! Anyway, guess I'm just feeling discouraged.

I also have a desire to write for the encouragement of others. I have a bunch of devotionals written that I'd like to publish but I can't seem to find my way there either. I guess the timing is just not right and one minute I accept that and the next, I try to make it work unsuccessfully!

*sigh* Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

Thanks for the replies. I don't feel that I studied so hard for nothing but maybe the work I do related to the field I studied won't be quite what I thought initially OR maybe it will but down the road a few years. It's hard to say.

ValleyGal said:

Publish your devotionals! Turn them into a Kindle version and offer them for a very small price on Amazon. Market them like crazy, start up a website with a blog and write some more. Offer to send out an e-devotional through emails to get your name out there. Then you can charge a little more for the next set of devotionals. Don't give up on that dream... it does not have to take much to get that going.

As for career switches, they are really hard. I had to make several in my life, and am still doing it. In fact, I will be working full time and attending university in the fall full time in order to "specialize" in my field because this latest career transition has been very challenging to break into. I had limited prior experience and my age is now working against me (ageism is alive and well!). All I can do is say keep working until an opportunity comes up where you would really, really like to work. When you are not working, start networking in the field you want to be in... meet as many people as you can and get yourself known to possible future employers. Shine your personality out there so they will come looking for you. Make a LinkedIn profile using key words for the field you want to be in, and highlight any transferable skills to your new career.

All I can do is say don't give up, work hard to make it happen. It will be worth it! Don't give up pursuing your passion!

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Thanks for the encouragement. I don't want to rush ahead of God's timing but maybe I need to do just something - publish an ebook. There is a Christian publishing company that can put one together for me for an affordable amount. I've contacted them just to ask about it. It doesn't HAVE to be a real book. Maybe an ebook is a good first start. Who knows. I just need to wait for God's timing for sure, for a career or job change and the devotional book but THANKS for your encouragement!