Hi Carole,

I am sorry that you have had such a tough time. It is awesome that you are working on getting your Bachelors degree!

Staying in the cosmetics industry makes a lot of sense given that you have been a cosmetologist for so long. Have you found some people at a few cosmetic companies whom you can talk to about the kind of jobs that exist and what you might be qualified to do? I highly recommend doing this kind of informational research with people already in the industry.

Also, the first step for someone trying to figure out their next new career is to take some self-assessments focused on personality, interests, values and skills. There are so many great books you can check out of the library or buy that have these assessments. Once you have a clearer idea of what would make you happy, then you can hone in on jobs that are a good fit. If you go to www.personalitytype.com, you can take the quick quiz that will tell you what your Myers Briggs (MBTI) personality preference is and then pick up a copy of Paul Tieger's book, Do What You Are and read about the different jobs that would be a fit for you.

Teaching involves a lot of standing and this is may be hard for you to be on your feet for such long periods of time. However I would definitely find a few teachers and ask them about their jobs.

Please write back if you have additional questions and good luck! Take care, Julie