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- On my worries about my current job. I am not worried about a new executive firing me. I mean, if it happens, it happens. But that's not my concern. I am concerned about the job changing so I hate working there (and I enjoy it now). I really like my job, the people I work with, the people I work for, and the place I work. My concern is the whole place going south. I don't want to leave but I think it's smart to prepare, just in case. I work at a membership non-profit (trade association). It's for a trade that's declining and we are losing members and therefore income. In an effort to draw in more members, they keep offering more services. But since there is no money, they don't hire new staff. They just dump more stuff on those of us still left. I stay "still left" because people leave and they aren't replaced (things are shuffled around). Our current executive has been trying in vain to fix the situation and give push back to the Board's requests for more work out of the staff, but he's been slowly losing the battle over the years and is now leaving. I am not sure what kind of person will replace him but my fear is since the Board hires the executive, they will pick someone who is a yesman for them and who won't push back on behalf of staff.
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I mean, just based on this, my recommendation would be to stay where you are.
Nursing for instance, would be a year and a half of pre-reqs, and then application to nursing school, and then a year and a half of school. And like ... at least $100,000 for school costs.
Teaching is difficult to get a FT job depending on what state you live in and is a difficult job. Long hours.
I mean, if you say you can't stand your job, or just really are inspired to do something else, then it'd be different. I certainly don't feel that warm and fuzzy about my job/career.
Seems like a big gamble for a very conservative hedge.
I mean, just based on this, my recommendation would be to stay where you are.
Nursing for instance, would be a year and a half of pre-reqs, and then application to nursing school, and then a year and a half of school. And like ... at least $100,000 for school costs.
Teaching is difficult to get a FT job depending on what state you live in and is a difficult job. Long hours.
I mean, if you say you can't stand your job, or just really are inspired to do something else, then it'd be different. I certainly don't feel that warm and fuzzy about my job/career.
Seems like a big gamble for a very conservative hedge.
I should have clarified that too. My plan is to stay where I am. Maybe it will be okay. I’ll give it a shot because I don’t want to leave. But I want to start preparing now for something else. Just in case. It’s a plan B of sorts because I like to have plans for different contingencies. I suppose that’s part of the reason I am looking into trades. I like fixing things and taking, say, electrician classes or plumbing classes would be useful skills even if I don’t end up moving somewhere else. Same with nursing classes (especially since I’m going to be caretaker to my mother).
I should have clarified that too. My plan is to stay where I am. Maybe it will be okay. I’ll give it a shot because I don’t want to leave. But I want to start preparing now for something else. Just in case. It’s a plan B of sorts because I like to have plans for different contingencies. I suppose that’s part of the reason I am looking into trades. I like fixing things and taking, say, electrician classes or plumbing classes would be useful skills even if I don’t end up moving somewhere else. Same with nursing classes (especially since I’m going to be caretaker to my mother).
Sure, you can always take school and collect degrees.
Whether those degrees lead to paying jobs is a different story.
Plumbing is something that's possible. I don't think it's something people traditionally switch into at an advanced age, so it might be hard to get the apprencticship/experience.
Sure, you can always take school and collect degrees.
Whether those degrees lead to paying jobs is a different story.
Plumbing is something that's possible. I don't think it's something people traditionally switch into at an advanced age, so it might be hard to get the apprencticship/experience.
I love learning. I don't ever want to stop. It would be nice though to have it be useful for any future changes.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jobaba
I will say I have respect for you because you are willing to switch 180 and start at the bottom at your age.
And I am too, and I'm not much younger.
Not many people are and that's what makes switching careers so hard.
Thanks! I think part of the reason I am comfortable with any changes is that I am pretty secure in my retirement. I never had a pension any place I worked, so I had to save on my own or use a 401K. I started saving for retirement when I was 23 and always saved as much as I could. I always maxed out my IRA and then Roth. And with 401Ks with every pay raise, half the money went into retirement. At this point, I could stop all contributions, let things compound, and retire comfortably at 65. But I will keep up with the contributions for as long as I can.
How about being a bus driver or heavy goods vehicle driver?
I used to work in IT for a bus company and many of the drivers really enjoyed the public interaction, and the sense of family between drivers was good too. Also we keep hearing how there is a shortage of heavy goods vehicle drivers after COVID, but the problem with that is that it often means working away from home which does not suit some people.
I agree that when a new CEO comes in, they often want to stamp their 'mark' on the company and to identify stuff which apparently needs changing. This might be so they can help the company become more successful or may be because they need to put "I implemented ...at ....." on their CV for the next position.
In the long term, do you want to continue working into retirement because if so, then you need to consider stuff which you can do a few days a week and which does not involve too much physical effort (health and time restrictions?).
If you can identify a niche market, then starting a business from home may be the answer perhaps?
There is a book which may be of interest to you and which may be in the local library called "What color is your parachute" which identifies skills etc and is good for those job-seeking. It is fairly regularly updated so it does not become out of date as CV formats change and interview techniques differ.
If you're in MD and can work in DE, then we could probably play ball over the border. We're neighbors. Over here all the employment agencies are offering free soldering training because there seems to be a need for it. I took a free class at the library and really enjoyed it. It was definitely working with your hands and I know there are welders who make a living. But if you can get trained for free and placed in a temp spot, you can see if it's something that you'd actually like.
I also changed careers after 50 because I couldn't spend one more minute in an office in front of a computer under a fluorescent light. Then I moved and there was no demand here for what I retrained for, but I had some really happy years there and I'm glad I did it, so go for it.
The community college near me does offer diesel mechanic certifications. It’s interesting to me because I love learning how things work and how to fix them, and it’s on my list. I haven’t found anything that requires a lot of physical strength yet for that job, but I haven’t dug too deeply yet since I’m all over the place trying to pick a direction. All I can find is references to heavy parts and tools, but what are we talking about? I need to figure out more.
I may have an in with jobs with heavy equipment operations. I have a cousin in the field. I need to talk to him.
No way for diesel mechanic. Horrible job. Diesel is nasty, it stays on you too. Even being a regular mechanic, not at your age if you are close to 50. Staying bent over an engine, even under a car dripping with water or snow. Working on a diesel vehicle, you may have to climb up on it and stay there for some time. That is a young person's job.
I used to run a fork lift which I loved. My hub works at Sam's club as his retirement job, they've trained him for all different types of fork lifts. Our Sam's is always looking for help. Pay is usually pretty decent too.
I always did a manual labor job, it's nothing you want to get into right now at your age. I've been disabled since my mid 30's, 20 years now from working for a plant grower and a plant nursery. Both are heavy duty jobs at time with listing pots and bags of soil.
Sam's pays for college. My hub was starting a manager course online that he said forget it. The class was way too involved for what he has time for. I don't know if it's true of every manager course. He had to go to some message board to reply to posts and make his own post about their book work.
He's applied for a manager position at Sam's, so wanted the college course but it's just too, too much.
Age 50 means you really need to find a job with full health coverage because you are in the very expensive years if you start paying your own way.
Talk to 50 year old people like plumbers, etc about their work/age, I did when we were renovating and our guy was your age and his body was worn out but he could not afford to quit. No idea if his company paid health coverage. Not an easy job for an older person.
Maybe talk to a career counselor who can look at your work skills and make suggestions. It would be terrible to invest time and money in a new career and find out no one will hire you due to your competition is 30 years old with better experience.
Age 50 means you really need to find a job with full health coverage because you are in the very expensive years if you start paying your own way.
Talk to 50 year old people like plumbers, etc about their work/age, I did when we were renovating and our guy was your age and his body was worn out but he could not afford to quit. No idea if his company paid health coverage. Not an easy job for an older person.
Maybe talk to a career counselor who can look at your work skills and make suggestions. It would be terrible to invest time and money in a new career and find out no one will hire you due to your competition is 30 years old with better experience.
Good luck.
Great advice. Middle age is not the time to start a physical job. Everyone I know doing it is wiped out, their body is shot. They're looking to do less physically.
Even being on your feet for a shift at Sam's kills my 65 year old hub still. He's been at it 2 years next month.
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