vallierojas: Dear Jeremy ? your work issues solved

Problems at work? Need advice? Our agony uncle ? and readers ? have the answers

I'm hoping to move from acupuncturist to 'the business world'

For the past two years I have worked as a TEFL teacher in Spain. Prior to that, I worked as an acupuncturist and massage therapist, but this proved less than lucrative and I struggled to make it to the end of each month. English teaching was intended to be a quick fix ? as a native English speaker in the unemployment epicentre of Europe, and considering my work history, it seemed my only option.

I would like to change career direction and enter the business world. I have no corporate experience so, to get my foot in the door, I have started studying for a BSc in business administration (while still teaching).

I am 29 and will be 32 when I graduate, if all goes well. I am aware I will probably need to start from the bottom, but is it realistic to attempt such a drastic career change? Graduate prospects for my degree seem positive, but at 32 will employers still consider me or will my mixed bag of work experience and qualifications tell them to steer clear?

Jeremy says

I'm going to generalise a bit; but please don't take what I say as cast-iron certainties. There are always exceptions ? and you only need one.

Most business employers, when taking on someone in their early 30s, will be looking for people who already have some relevant, sector-specific experience. A qualification such as a BSc in business administration, though certainly evidence of application and seriousness, may seem to them to be altogether too broad to be of immediate value. The chances are that anyone so qualified would still be in need of ground-up induction in the particular sector. In competition with other applicants, of around the same age but with some hands-on experience, the disadvantage is clear.

Even so, I'm not going to advise you to chuck in your studies ? but I do think you need to pursue other possibilities.

Your ambition to "enter the business world" is very unfocused. I think you'd be wiser, at least initially, to narrow your options down to those segments of the business world where your own experience to date has a possible contribution to make. In particular, your languages and detailed knowledge of Spain seem promising places to start.

I don't know whether you'd prefer to live in Spain or in the UK ? but either way, any businesses that span the two countries would seem worth researching: property and travel spring immediately to mind but there must be others.

By making this suggestion, I'm not implying you should spend the rest of your working life in travel or property or whichever field you find yourself in. But when contemplating a sharp change in the direction of your career path, it's often sensible to think first of a sort of bridging job: one that makes some use of previous experience while allowing you to acquire potentially valuable experience for the future.

Readers say

? It is not too late at 32 to change career. I taught in Japan for a year when I was 30, then did a taught MSc when I came back to change my career path, and was amazed at how admiring some interviewers were that I had done that. You do, however, have to be clear about what skills you bring from your work experience to date, with examples of your achievements. You also need to build this into a story of your career path, rather than letting it be seen as aimless drifting. That will be the first question in job interviews. It needs to be honest, even if there is a bit of spin involved! Yoowin

? You talk about getting into the "corporate world", but, frankly, you'll need to have a much better idea about which sector you want to work in, and what kind of roles interest you if you're to convince employers to take you on. But please don't regard your "mixed bag" of experience as a negative ? if positioned correctly most employers will consider it an advantage. Good luck. Watty145

? Like you, I became a massage therapist to do something I believed in and make money from it ? however, a slipped disc put paid to all that. However, the therapy industry is now picking up in the UK. If I wasn't older, I'd have added something else to my skill set in the therapy field, such as sports massage or NLP. Something to consider? DeeSawdeley

After 20 years in law can I use my skills to set up on my own?

I spent 20 years in law, working my way up from clerk to barrister to senior management. I hated being a manager and suffered severe depression, leading to sickness absence, then early retirement. I am 44 and don't know where to go from here. I know my health would suffer if I returned to law or management.

I would love to work for myself ? I'm focused and conscientious ? but doing what? My skills are the analysis of complex material and strong communication skills ? I was often complimented on the clarity and structure of my written work. My biggest drawback, I believe, is great difficulty in networking: I find it very hard to combine work with socialising.

I wonder whether I should pursue an MSc in a subject of interest to me, in the hope it will lead to a new career. Alternatively, should I seek a portfolio career of membership of public sector boards? Or is there a way of setting up a business of my own using my skills?

Jeremy says

I hope some of my reply to the previous letter may usefully apply to you.

Let me go straight to your final paragraph. Pursuing an MSc in a subject of interest to you is certainly an option. But it's a long shot for someone of your age and it may not be necessary. Your career contains all the evidence that anyone could need of your intelligence and ability.

A portfolio career, with seats on different public sector boards, sounds well worth pursuing. I feel certain your legal knowledge and ability to bring clarity to complex subject matter would make you an interesting candidate.

As I'm sure you know, all such vacancies are advertised online (Directgov would be a good start). And you should also approach any contacts you may have in order to sound out possibilities. (I'm not talking about social networking, here: just making use of any connections you may have made in the course of your legal life.)

Your final option is the most complicated of the three, but could well turn out to be the best fit for you.

I think it's entirely possible that you could work for yourself, offering many different enterprises a specialist service on a project-by-project basis. Again, your legal experience, your skills in research and analysis, could stand you in excellent stead; and your ability to express your findings, in writing, with accuracy and clarity, could make you a highly-valued out-source. You'd know better than I, but I imagine there are legal companies who would be potential clients; and there must be publishers and research companies occasionally in need of such a service, but without the internal resource to provide it.

Start by coming up with a name for such a service and a clear description of what you're particularly qualified to provide; then launch yourself online, perhaps on LinkedIn. It may take a while; but once you've found a client or two, and demonstrated your value, it should get a lot easier. And my bet is that you'd greatly enjoy it.

Readers say

? I can empathise, as this is similar to my own career. I left the bar when I became deaf.

The solution might be nearer than you think: it could be worth working in-house as a lawyer in industry. Generally, barristers are thought more highly of in industry than solicitors (for our analytical skills), and, unless you are very unlucky with your employer, the work isn't too pressurised and you get genuinely supportive colleagues which was a very nice change from the dog-eat-dog environment I came from. Money is a bit tighter than it used to be, but salaries are still not bad and the work-life balance is pretty reasonable.

It was certainly my salvation. I'm now sole counsel to an engineering company after a spell as legal adviser and senior legal adviser for large companies. You may even find you start to enjoy the law again. Gigolo

? With those skills you'd make a very good corporate communications, public relations or investor relations professional. Many large law firms have such positions. ColonelCallan

? I'd try the new career before settling on an appropriate qualification, it might be less expensive. You might also want to use your contacts and try some voluntary work to see if it is a good fit. As for your experience, I would look at something in the NGO/human rights field, perhaps communications/advocacy.

You'd be surprised how many organisations there are that could do with someone steeped in law and who has strong writing skills to advance a cause. If you have a little money set aside, you might even want to start by offering your services for free. Splutterer

For Jeremy Bullmore's advice on a work issue, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@guardian.co.uk. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or reply personally.

Read next week's problems on the Work blog from Monday and post your advice ? we'll run the best of it alongside Jeremy's in next Saturday's column.

Jeremy Bullmore