[Misc] Career change at 36

[vegster]

Nonsense. There are highly paid people, trapped with huge financial commitments, or under immense work pressure, who take their lives or otherwise harm themself.

Nonsense, do the job for a few years, be frugal, then bale out with cash in the bank and a decent pension scheme and do something you like. Plenty of people are working their nuts off for f all and take their lives or harm themselves too because they have no hope of anything better no matter how hard they graft.

 

[Weststander]

Nonsense, do the job for a few years, be frugal, then bale out with cash in the bank and a decent pension scheme and do something you like. Plenty of people are working their nuts off for f all and take their lives or harm themselves too because they have no hope of anything better no matter how hard they graft.

That's been said forever. "I'll only work in The City until I'm 35, save like mad, then retire". In reality:

1. HMRC grab 40% of gross pay.
2. To cheer themselves up from the horrendous commute and pressure, people's spending goes up commensurate to pay - clothes, meals, holidays, fast cars and even faster women.
3. Marriage and kids - the latter's an immediate 18 year commitment, multiplied by x kids.
4. Housing costs. People on £100k take on a large mortgage.

Totally separately, people on low incomes also face the unrelenting pressure of meeting bills, keeping warm. Agree with you 100%.

 

[indy3050]

I have to agree that the I have so much money but I’m still unhappy folk should take a step back and imagine having absolutely nothing and a family to support and then see who’s ****ing unhappy. I accept money doesn’t buy happiness but **** me it makes life easier.

 

[dazzer6666]

That's been said forever. "I'll only work in The City until I'm 35, save like mad, then retire". In reality:

1. HMRC grab 40% of gross pay.
2. To cheer themselves up from the horrendous commute and pressure, people's spending goes up commensurate to pay - clothes, meals, holidays, fast cars and even faster women.
3. Marriage and kids - the latter's an immediate 18 year commitment, multiplied by x kids.
4. Housing costs. People on £100k take on a large mortgage.

Totally separately, people on low incomes also face the unrelenting pressure of meeting bills, keeping warm. Agree with you 100%.

All of this. My office is full of people in their late 50s or more on very good salaries who’ve spent a lifetime working in the City. Very, very few (I’m literally struggling to think of any I’ve known personally) get out of the rat race in their 30s or even 40s. The lucky ones get packaged out in their mid/late 50s after 35+ years service.

Tax, kids, huge mortgages, school fees, guilt spending on family because they work such long hours and commute, keeping up with the Joneses.......most are in debt, not loaded. Once you’ve got used to a particular lifestyle it’s very difficult to give it up.

 

[Weststander]

All of this. My office is full of people in their late 50s or more on very good salaries who’ve spent a lifetime working in the City. Very, very few (I’m literally struggling to think of any I’ve known personally) get out of the rat race in their 30s or even 40s. The lucky ones get packaged out in their mid/late 50s after 35+ years service.

Tax, kids, huge mortgages, school fees, guilt spending on family because they work such long hours and commute, keeping up with the Joneses.......most are in debt, not loaded. Once you’ve got used to a particular lifestyle it’s very difficult to give it up.

I've worked with a few too. When I first met them in their 30's they were close to retirement they said. Put paid to by a combination of a divorce or two, unexpected recessions (aren't they all), private school fees, amazing holidays, a wife who loves interiors with the house altered every few years, or just good old fashioned greed in not wanting to give up the pay or buying that home at a posher address.

 

[Justice]

It’s not easy training as a plumber sparks etc I’m a sparks and 30 years on still learning. These wankers that do crash courses are a ****ing embarrassment to the trade please don’t become one of those your get caught out in the end.

 

[Weststander]

It’s not easy training as a plumber sparks etc I’m a sparks and 30 years on still learning. These wankers that do crash courses are a ****ing embarrassment to the trade please don’t become one of those your get caught out in the end.

Agreed. When I mentioned plumber / sparks, I know it takes time at a proper college, plus hands on learning a must. Heating engineers then have to keep up to date with technical updates.

 

[PoG]

going down the path of building trade, bricky, carpenter, plumber, electrician should be quite doable with a bit of aptitude and work. if you fancy something office based, try learning programming, .Net, C#, Scala in demand and jobs around the south coast, you can learn at home maybe get some experience on small projects of anyone you know runs a business wants a database or app written.

Programming can be easy, programming well not so easy. That said what jobs you got on offer?

 

[Dave the OAP]

I have just turned 60 so change of career is not really an option. I don’t mind what I do really ..I work from home, get paid a decent whack and chuck in to my pension as much as I can without it hurting.

With brexit...yeah yeah... the chances of staying what I am doing is not being discussed, but the writing is on the wall.

I would love to go into training or finding some way to use my classics degree as I run a lot of training courses in house and am pretty good at them.

So although career change may not be my decision, at my age my options could be limited

 

[Binney on acid]

Focus. Follow your dreams. You have the support of your family. How fantastic! I quit my job with BT when I was 61 and went straight into a voluntary position with the martlets hospice. I was only there for about a month when I stumbled into a low paid, stressful job in retail, but in all honesty, they've been 2 of the best years of my life. Sometimes dreams do come true!

 

[maffew]

When you say you have no qualifications you are being too hard on yourself

I concur with this. You'll likely find its amazing how transferable your skills are to other jobs. Experience counts for a lot, even in a new field. Some of the best staff I have ever worked with have been "un/low qualified" moms returning to work for example with extraordinary organisational and time management skills they learnt without even knowing

 

[The Clamp]

Good luck with the change but going into manual labour for the first time aged 36? Not on your nelly!

 

[junior]

Yep. Joined the cops at 38.

 

[darkwolf666]

I'm really glad that's worked out for you, plus time with your kids is priceless. [Without prying, I hope your family, with the needs you touch upon, receive the support you might need from the state. Although I'm not a party political leftie, a civilised society should direct adequate resources to those genuinely needing it IMO.]

It’s been very, very difficult to get the two older children the help they need and deserve. There is a current mantra that not all disabilities are visible, which definitely applies in their case. Because of this it has been very difficult to get people to understand their problems and needs. We are finally getting somewhere, but I do really worry about their futures and what safety nets will be there to catch them when we are no longer around to help them!

 

[el punal]

Career change at 36? There’s no harm in contacting Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., apparently they’re recruiting for various roles in their first team. If you can ensure that you’re in the right place, at the right time, your chances of success are guaranteed. The usual company benefits apply and a free uniform is provided. Working at weekends and some evenings is compulsory, but you will enjoy the benefit of an annual extended summer leave. Please forward your C.V. and covering letter to . . .

P.S. Best of luck for whatever path you choose.

 

[vegster]

It’s been very, very difficult to get the two older children the help they need and deserve. There is a current mantra that not all disabilities are visible, which definitely applies in their case. Because of this it has been very difficult to get people to understand their problems and needs. We are finally getting somewhere, but I do really worry about their futures and what safety nets will be there to catch them when we are no longer around to help them!

I understand completely, at Mrs V's school there are many children with Special Needs that are not officially assessed as the money is not available to support them. All they need is extra support but it isn't there.

 

[vegster]

I have to agree that the I have so much money but I’m still unhappy folk should take a step back and imagine having absolutely nothing and a family to support and then see who’s ****ing unhappy. I accept money doesn’t buy happiness but **** me it makes life easier.

This, I'd love the chance to be rich and miserable. As for the " Guilt " that these high earners feel that forces them in to extravagant holidays etc...if I have an extravagant holiday I an eating in to my daughters inheritance which I feel really guilty about.

 

[Knocky's Nose]

You are taking the piss right? Try being miserable on £15k a year and come back to me then.

Then do what the OP is contemplating doing if you can (fair enough, I don't know your circumstances) and have a change if possible. Study for something of an evening and a few hours at weekends whilst working in your current job? I don't even know if you do earn £15k pa, or you were just making an irrelevant point on behalf of people earning £15k pa...

Either way, this thread is about being miserable in your current job - and doing something about it. When my business went into liquidation I lost everything and was on Universal Credit this time last year. I can honestly say I was no more miserable than sitting on that aeroplane.

I've lived like a pauper for the last year, saved like mad, studied something completely different to what I did, and with a bit of luck my new business will launch next spring. It can be done!

 

[Vicar!]

Flipped after 18 years with Barclays Bank. Took a month off to go travelling, came home (much to relief of wife and kids), negociated a leaving settlement, and went back to college. Studied travel and tourism, and over twenty years on am still in the industry. Pay not so great, but been many places most could only dream of and stayed in some of the finest hotels. Never regreted it for a moment. It’s been an amazing ride.

 

[Quinney]

I changed career aged 38. I was talking to a mates Dad. His advice was, “if you dread the thought of going to work Monday on the Sunday night, then it was time to change”. I said I dreaded the thought of going in on the Monday when I finished on the Friday afternoon. It was definitely time to change. Best thing I’ve done. Money wasn’t as good and lost company car but far happier. Blood pressure improved and drink less alcohol as less stressed. There’s never a perfect time to take the step, good luck when you do.


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