Career Change

[Jasonr]

There seems to be a plethora of experience on here and I am sure that it is not just golf related. I hope that I can tap into some of it.

I am 51 and have been in my current Industry (city based finance job) since I was 18. It is all I know BUT I am done, burnt out, stressed, unhappy cynical and resentful. I am at the point where I know it is starting to impact my health, other aspects of my life and most importantly it is affecting my family so for that reason alone I need to do something about it...swiftly.

I am looking for a career change but have no idea what is feasible at my age. I don't want to do a degree but I am happy doing some training, I can do DIY stuff I am even OK at plastering but not a great fan of DIY, so trades probably out and self employment is scary so would prefer a paying job but what is open to me at my age with my skills? - I seem to be getting myself into a loop of Driving Instructor HGV Multi drop and that type of thing

My skills are purely corporate garbage stuff - I can do word, excel and officey stuff but so can millions of others I also detest the politics, smarminess, schmoozing and game playing that go with those corporate roles.

Probably a big ask but has anyone been through this and what did you do?

Thank you

 

[Neilds]

I was a similar age to you when I left the RAF just over 2 years ago after 33 years as an aircraft engineer. I was nervous about the future but the military have a very good resettlement program which you can use to do various trade type courses. Some people do plastering, gas fitting, diy, etc so the courses are out there and they aren't just open to military leavers. If you could track down some of these providers it may be useful once you have decided what you want to do. Also, consider joining LinkedIn, you may find some worthwhile courses to retrain on there.
From what you are saying about burnout and stress, I would suggest getting out sooner rather than later. Good luck with what ever you decide to doe,

 

[Imurg]

I was in a similar position about 10 years earlier...fed up with getting the blame for other peoples cock ups...
Jacked it in and trained as a Driving Instructor.
Did it for 20 years and, last September, decided I'd had enough of that too..
Having done it for 20 years I wouldn't recommend the industry since Covid has upped waiting times for tests from 6-9 weeks to 6 months..
I just didn't have the crystal ball that would tell me how well a pupil would be driving in 6 weeks, let alone 6 months.
The waiting times are not going to ease until they recruit more examiners and they simply can't get enough because they're not paying enough.
It's also not as they say in the ads....work when you want to, do as many hours as you like etc etc...you have to work when your pupils want you to work...and that can be late into the evening and most of the weekend.

 

[Billysboots]

There seems to be a plethora of experience on here and I am sure that it is not just golf related. I hope that I can tap into some of it.

I am 51 and have been in my current Industry (city based finance job) since I was 18. It is all I know BUT I am done, burnt out, stressed, unhappy cynical and resentful. I am at the point where I know it is starting to impact my health, other aspects of my life and most importantly it is affecting my family so for that reason alone I need to do something about it...swiftly.

I am looking for a career change but have no idea what is feasible at my age. I don't want to do a degree but I am happy doing some training, I can do DIY stuff I am even OK at plastering but not a great fan of DIY, so trades probably out and self employment is scary so would prefer a paying job but what is open to me at my age with my skills? - I seem to be getting myself into a loop of Driving Instructor HGV Multi drop and that type of thing

My skills are purely corporate garbage stuff - I can do word, excel and officey stuff but so can millions of others I also detest the politics, smarminess, schmoozing and game playing that go with those corporate roles.

Probably a big ask but has anyone been through this and what did you do?

Thank you

As someone who worked in the public sector for thirty years I was always concerned that finding other work would be really problematic.

The simplest piece of advice I ever heard was to get a CV professionally written. You will be amazed at just how many transferable skills you have.

 

[BiMGuy]

What are your transferable skills? Off the top of my head.

Project management
Quantity Surveyor
Auditor

 

[Neilds]

As someone who worked in the public sector for thirty years I was always concerned that finding other work would be really problematic.

The simplest piece of advice I ever heard was to get a CV professionally written. You will be amazed at just how many transferable skills you have.

I was told not to get a CV written by someone else because when you are asked about something in the interview, if you didn't write it you might not know what it really means. Also, you shouldn't have one CV. You should always tailor your baseline CV to the job you are applying for making sure you use the terminology used in the job advert

 

[Billysboots]

I was told not to get a CV written by someone else because when you are asked about something in the interview, if you didn't write it you might not know what it really means. Also, you shouldn't have one CV. You should always tailor your baseline CV to the job you are applying for making sure you use the terminology used in the job advert

Totally agree that you need a tailored CV, but nothing wrong with having a generic one prepared upon which to base variations.

I’m merely repeating advice. I’ve always written my own, but if someone is struggling to change careers then having a CV professionally written is a really good starting point.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Being 57 myself, and having done appliance repairs for 41 yrs I would say that at 51 most things relatively physical would probably be best avoided. The body doesn't like being worked hard as you get older, and the speed most people want when you do something is best acquired when youre younger.
If you have been in the finance World, what about accountancy/bookeeper/financial adviser?
HGV driving isn't as easy as many think. I have a good friend who does plant trasnportation, and he has been driving for many years and done most aspects of HGV driving. He finally has a good boss who treats him as an asset, not just a number. He would never go back to day driving (delivery stuff) and says there is more money in longer distance/time away driving. However not everyone wants a sleeper cab and nights away, often leaving home on a Monday morning and getting home Friday afternoon.
What about something related to renewables?

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Do you have kids at school / uni or have they flown the nest.

Is your mortgage paid off? Or are you renting?

What level of salary do you need?

How long can you go without income while training?

 

[jim8flog]

It is funny I went the other way - from engineering management to Financial Services because the latter meant I had time during the day to play golf.

 

[Newtonuti]

It is funny I went the other way - from engineering management to Financial Services because the latter meant I had time during the day to play golf.

I'm doing the same! Looking at leaving engineering to get off of shift work, give myself more quality time and pretty much, because I can't be bothered to be a spanner monkey anymore.

 

[PJ87]

I'm doing the same! Looking at leaving engineering to get off of shift work, give myself more quality time and pretty much, because I can't be bothered to be a spanner monkey anymore.

Interested how leaving shift work gives the more quality time? Been on shifts 20 years and find so much free time around the shifts or random days off in week where as whenever on training etc it's 9-5 and god it's a drag. I don't get the appeal ... Weekends are rammed , miss bathtimes or breakfast with kids where as ATM I'm around more for them and for either drop off or pick up. If it's a rest day I can drop them off by 9 and tee off 9:45 back in time for pick up.

 

[Hobbit]

I’d been with BT for 14 years, and had got as far as I could on the engineering side locally. BT were also starting their voluntary redundancies. My choices were retrench to a lesser skilled post, move to research down near Ipswich or leave.

With the (transferable) engineering skills I had I chose leave. I got a job at the local hospital in their Medical Physics dept servicing & repairing medical equipment. A very different environment, and a very different application of what were, to a large extent, the same components. I absolutely loved that job and miss it very much.

If you want a complete change it will mean retraining. Starting on the bottom rung again and a massive cut in salary. Or if you’re looking to use your skill set, gets some interviews lined up and go and see how green the grass is in the next field.

Another alternative is to be upfront with your current employer, and ask for a sabbatical for x months. Go do some voluntary work. Go work in a soup kitchen, whatever. I used to take a couple of weeks a year and go work with kids who had issues. Very tiring, very rewarding and a real eye opener.

 

[IanM]

Echo what @Hobbit said.
Easiest hop is to take transferable skills into an environment that is more rewarding or sufficiently different to make it interesting.

I was in Financial Services for a good chunk of my career. I eventually spent 6 years working with HM Coastguard. Working to support folk who dangle out of helicopters makes you think!

Your skills are more valuable than you are saying. Just need to repack you see them. (Happy to help if I can)

 

[bobmac]

BUT I am done, burnt out, stressed, unhappy cynical and resentful.

It sounds as if you're over qualified

If you don't need a huge salary, you could look at B&Q in the DIY section. They have a good record of hiring people who are less young.
No stress...do your shift...go home.

 

[RichA]

I don't love my job but have too much invested in the pension scheme and too few transferable skills to leave. I'm 52.
Don't know if it's something that can be done in your sector but I've gone part-time recently to 80%. Every Wednesday off work has reduced stress and allowed me to commit time to other responsibilities that are more pleasurable than work.
Take home pay is down by 15% but it's been a huge improvement to my well-being.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I used to work in the charity sector and came across a lot of folks who’d move into it later in their working lives, either doing same or similar as they’d been doing, but at a less stressful level or doing fewer days. Charities are keen to take on folks with key skills they need, they obviously don’t in general pay so much, but will look to accommodate specific work-life balance needs. Plus it helps massively if you can work for a charity you feel a personal affinity with. There are also masses of a smaller charities looking for folk with skills such as yours, with huge variety of roles - often at senior level. Plus the charities with retail outlets look for shop managers and area and regional managers; then there are their events and fundraising teams.

My wife moved from the NHS (of nearly 40 yrs) to a major cancer charity about four years ago. She uses all her specialist nurse skills but working on a helpline she has the time to spend with women needing the support that the NHS teams just don’t have the time. She does 2-3 days a week and loves it, plus the working culture is so very supportive and understanding - with managers who themselves are under much less pressure than their equivalents in the NHS…the move from a job that had all the characteristics of yours that you dislike so much to where she is today…night and day.

So starting point, your favourite charity sector…medical, environment, children, personal support and advice, animal, special educational needs, humanitarian, etc…? The Third Sector is your go-to.

Charity Jobs in the UK & International with Third Sector Jobs

Welcome to Third Sector Charity Jobs. A great place to find the latest charity and fundraising jobs online!

jobs.thirdsector.co.uk

 

[FredThursday]

There seems to be a plethora of experience on here and I am sure that it is not just golf related. I hope that I can tap into some of it.

I am 51 and have been in my current Industry (city based finance job) since I was 18. It is all I know BUT I am done, burnt out, stressed, unhappy cynical and resentful. I am at the point where I know it is starting to impact my health, other aspects of my life and most importantly it is affecting my family so for that reason alone I need to do something about it...swiftly.

I am looking for a career change but have no idea what is feasible at my age. I don't want to do a degree but I am happy doing some training, I can do DIY stuff I am even OK at plastering but not a great fan of DIY, so trades probably out and self employment is scary so would prefer a paying job but what is open to me at my age with my skills? - I seem to be getting myself into a loop of Driving Instructor HGV Multi drop and that type of thing

My skills are purely corporate garbage stuff - I can do word, excel and officey stuff but so can millions of others I also detest the politics, smarminess, schmoozing and game playing that go with those corporate roles.

Probably a big ask but has anyone been through this and what did you do?

Thank you

We're of a similar age and I have been through what you're going experiencing.....

I felt the same way (stressed, unhappy. etc) and decided that a career change was exactly what I needed. Unfortunately when I looked into it, a complete change of direction and keeping the same salary was just an unrealistic fantasy. The realisation of being trapped made me feel worse, much worse.

I decided that I'd stay in the same industry but just work in a different role and organisation. Saw an advertisement for a job (with less responsibility and a slight pay cut), applied and got the job. 18 months later I can say that things have worked out well. I really like the people I work with and found that's made a big difference.

A new job is like a new relationship, you never realise how bad the previous one was until you're in a new one!

 

[howbow88]

I was in a similar position about 10 years earlier...fed up with getting the blame for other peoples cock ups...
Jacked it in and trained as a Driving Instructor.
Did it for 20 years and, last September, decided I'd had enough of that too..
Having done it for 20 years I wouldn't recommend the industry since Covid has upped waiting times for tests from 6-9 weeks to 6 months..
I just didn't have the crystal ball that would tell me how well a pupil would be driving in 6 weeks, let alone 6 months.
The waiting times are not going to ease until they recruit more examiners and they simply can't get enough because they're not paying enough.
It's also not as they say in the ads....work when you want to, do as many hours as you like etc etc...you have to work when your pupils want you to work...and that can be late into the evening and most of the weekend.

I'm a driving examiner and I love the job. The money is indeed terrible though, which does make me look every so often at the instructor route... But like you say; it isn't all it's cracked up to be. What I do find surprising in that world is just how many unprofessional and poor quality instructors there are. A lot of good ones too, but finding the right one appears to be a bit of a lottery for most young people.

 

[cliveb]

I am 51 and have been in my current Industry (city based finance job) since I was 18.

You've been working in the city in the finance sector for 33 years. If you haven't managed to stash away enough to retire by now, you must have been doing something wrong.