Changing direction from Accountancy to Business/Engineering

I've been working at an accountancy firm for two years now, and am very unhappy there.  I am looking for a change in direction, but have no idea what I would like to do! I just know that this career is not right for me.

I have an undergrad in engineering, and a masters in business, so I don't really want to do something that will require a lot more study!
I would love to do something creative, and/or people-orientated.

Can you please give me some advice regarding choosing a job/career?  I am wary of jumping into something else that I might not like, and don't want to look flaky to potential future employers if my CV is all over the place!

Your combination of education in engineering and business would be very useful in product development or marketing, especially on technical and/or high value products.

Probably best to stick with manufactured products, rather than conceptual services, as they are more realistic and grounded, like your engineering. Then you can apply your business sense on top of that.

Your accountancy learning will also come into play as often product developers and marketers need to bring the financials to the table, around their ideas and plans. You will have a solid basis here too.

You should be able to apply for and secure marketing assistant or junior product engineer type roles on the basis of your education – it will just be best to go for product areas that really interest you. This will help you at interview, as real passion for an area can’t be faked, and employers love to see interested candidates. They are much more likely to get the job.

Another option is to get an internship to help you move into the area. These are plentiful right now and are a good option for this purpose, but you need to be unemployed first – so maybe consider that as plan B.

You could also consider supplementing your education with a Professional Marketing qualification, e.g. CIM Certificate or Diploma in Marketing, which you can do by distance education, whilst you are working.

Do some research on these areas and see what you think – may well be a good fit.

Good luck,