I'm 34 years old and no career yet, is it too late to start? (Stanford: house, school)

[Jessrond]

I'm 28 with a master's degree and have barely had more than a year of "real" jobs, mostly retail since then. I fear something I'm doing wrong compared to the rest. My friend who barely got past high school is much better off than I've ever been.

[MtnSurfer]

No, it's definitely not too late. I've had a number of different careers which required reinventing myself. The last one I started in my 30s in a completely new field - software engineering. The key will be assessing what you are good at, where your skills lie. Then look at realistic positions within that area that may require some training/education/certification like nursing, accounting/payroll, etc... Lastly decide that whatever it is you will stick with it and really dig in. Hard work and determination are some the biggest keys to success. Very few wind up there through luck. If you are willing to do what it takes its never too late.

Derek

[antinimby]

Originally Posted by Butterfly79

I fee like my days goes by and I'm getting older and didn't do any productive.

You are raising a daughter, that's plenty productive. Not everybody has to have a "career" or meant to have one.

Originally Posted by Jessrond

I'm 28 with a master's degree and have barely had more than a year of "real" jobs, mostly retail since then. I fear something I'm doing wrong compared to the rest. My friend who barely got past high school is much better off than I've ever been.

You are 28. That is still young. Don't worry about matching up with others. Too often nowadays we feel like we have to keep up with the Jones but will that make you happy? Probably not.

[iparadis]

I just wanted to let you know I'm in my 2nd year of the BSN program to be a registered nurse in Canada. I have 3 children and a very supportive husband. I had the opportunity to return to University and took it. The kids are at an age where I can go to school when they are all at school and I am home every night for supper. It is difficult, but nothing worthwhile is every really easy. I received a scholarship for my 3rd semester, there are so many out there to apply for. We live on a tight budget, but it's do-able. I will have a job when I graduate at 38, I'm confident of that. Going back to school is such a hard decision when you are a mature student and already have a family, but it can be done. Just thought I'd share with you.

Originally Posted by Butterfly79

Hello,

I am 34 years old and have no career yet I had jobs in the past in health care setting doing Administrative/ Receptionist. But I had to stay home with my daughter for couple of years, now she is 3 years old and goes to day care. I had few temp positions here and there but haven't find anything stable. I fee like my days goes by and I'm getting older and didn't do any productive. Sometimes I think to go back to school and get my degree but not sure in what? Also, I am worried get a degree that I can't find a job right after graduation. I'm so nervous about this and not sure what to do? I hope I'm not the only one feels this way. All my friends have a set career for life except me.

[tranvanduong]

so difficult to give you a good advice.
but i really want you put this sentence in your mind
'you will can't change the all thing around you.
and you also dont need to change the anything.
you just only change yourselft, improve yourself
if you better., everything around you will better,.
choosing a method which will help yoursef improve
it never too late. don't hurry up!
good luck and longing for more best with to you

[NickofDiamonds]

" If it's meant to be, it's up to me"


If you really want something, go for it and it will be yours.
No one likes getting to a advanced age and then woulda, coulda, shoulda, on themselves because they squandered the opportunity to do what they really wanted out of life.
Look at your fears and then figure out what you have to do to get rid of them.

[blueskywalker]

Originally Posted by NickofDiamonds

" If it's meant to be, it's up to me"


If you really want something, go for it and it will be yours.
No one likes getting to a advanced age and then woulda, coulda, shoulda, on themselves because they squandered the opportunity to do what they really wanted out of life.
Look at your fears and then figure out what you have to do to get rid of them.

O.P. You're too young to be feeling that it's too late! It's not. Some people say that it's never too late.
My dad went back to school and finally got a degree he wanted at age 73!

And re; fears. I've heard this many times from people who are successful whether it's in business, athletics, over coming disability ... whatever.
They say that despite your fear you proceed anyway. I respectfully disagree with NickofDiamonds. You don't try to banish your fears. That will make you nuts. Fear is normal. You just don't let fear stop you.
Also, it seems to me that most people (or many, many) who are successful are so because they love what they do. They're doing what they truly want to do not what they think they should do or what others think they should do.
Don't be a sheeple.
Are you sure you're on the right track and that you're doing what you want and not what others want you to do or what you think you should want?
Maybe there's something that you really want to do but you talk yourself out of it for any number of reasons.
Often people don't do what they really want to do for fear of what others may think.
So be true to yourself and follow you own inner star and proceed despite your fear and doubt.
It's o.k. to have fear and doubt. It's human. Just don't let it stop you. Easier said than done but definitely possible. Good luck.

[Chuck5000]

Agree with many posters here. It's not too late at all. Many people try several times at careers, and many people only get it together late.

Only thing I would say is don't get caught up in believing that you can "find your passion" or that you could do "what you love" and be successful because you love it. These are true for only those lucky enough to love paths that are also in-demand and financially rewarding. So do take practicality into consideration when choosing a path.

But this area, because of its housing costs, is not friendly to the non-career-driven. If you don't have housing taken care of, don't beat yourself up too much - think of other places you can live to lower your costs.

[blueskywalker]

Originally Posted by Chuck5000

Agree with many posters here. It's not too late at all. Many people try several times at careers, and many people only get it together late.

Only thing I would say is don't get caught up in believing that you can "find your passion" or that you could do "what you love" and be successful because you love it. These are true for only those lucky enough to love paths that are also in-demand and financially rewarding. So do take practicality into consideration when choosing a path.

But this area, because of its housing costs, is not friendly to the non-career-driven. If you don't have housing taken care of, don't beat yourself up too much - think of other places you can live to lower your costs.

I wasn't suggesting that everyone can be so fortunate as to do what they love and make gobs of money.
But don't you think one of the reasons that so many people are less than happy (and many, downright miserable) is because they're spending the majority of their lives doing work that they don't care about and have no passion for?
Does it have to be that way? Is it not possible for a paradigm shift in this regard? I know ... i'm an idealist.

And man are you right about this area being unfriendly to the non-career driven. Fortunately (in some ways) i'm in S.C. county where there's still some allowance / tolerance for those of us who aren't ambitious. Unfortunately, finding good housing with that approach to life is near impossible .... thanks to all of you who are so career driven.
S.C. county is now something like a bedroom community of Silicon Valley.

[Podo944]

Wonder what the OP ended up doing? Only 2 posts from over 2 years ago.