[Misc] Mid-lift career change - anyone done it?

[Westdene Seagull]

Certainly not a mid-life crisis but I changed my career path mid 20s. Was really enjoying working in hotels and considered training as a chef. Instead I moved to IT / Telecoms as that's what I was qualified in. I changed because I wanted to earn good money and get a mortgage. Until January this year I occasionally regretted not re-training. Now all I want to do is cut my hours and look towards semi-retirement - don't hate my job / industry but just not interested in learning anything new as a career. With my hindsight hat on I'd say go for it - whatever 'it' maybe - don't look backwards with regret for not doing it.

 

[Change at Barnham]

I changed career 20 years ago and have loved every minute of my new career.
I'm now 58. When I jumped ship at 38 my two boys were 15 and 13.
I'm sure that you'll be able to pick up some gems of advice that suit your circumstances.

My thoughts....
It depends on how desperate you are feeling as to how radical your job change might be and how much you need to be earning to meet your current requirements.
My neighbour is currently relocating from West Sussex to Lincolnshire to a similar type house and wiping out a £200K mortgage by moving from a £450K 4 bedroom house to almost the same house costing only £250K.

The main advice I would give you is to try and minimise your outgoings as much as possible. It will automatically relieve you of so much pressure.
The second bit of advice is to be certain your partner is totally supportive of any change you wish to make. With a half-hearted partner on your new journey it will only end in stress and unhappiness when you encounter the bumps along the way.
When I changed career I went from earning £35K to £18K (my wife was also earning about £18K). It's amazing if you cut out a lot of leisure activities that need money just how much you can save (going to football, drinking, eating out, foreign holidays). It can be replaced with walking, cycling, gardening, non-league football, cooking, community events.

But returning to my original point It mainly depends on how desperate you are to change. If you are earning £40K and want to maintain the same lifestyle you will probably need to find another job that earns £40K.

Good luck whether you stick or twist.
If you twist, as long as you reduce your outgoings you'll be fine.

 

[el punal]

A mid-lift career change? I’ve taken steps to remedy that situation after I staired into the abyss. The ladder of success failed me as I hit the glass ceiling and my thoughts of elevation plummeted to earth with a bump. Now I am well and truly grounded. All is not lost however, as I am aiming for a higher plane - call it the brassiere of life, I have the support and now feel uplifted.

 

[Weststander]

OP, is a big part of your dissatisfaction; being subordinate to others, time wasted in meetings when you’re a do-er, bureaucracy, internal politics, endless paperwork?

In was in such a working environment until my mid 40’s, then unforeseen events meant that I finally escaped (of my volition), to go and work for myself. Simply the best thing I’ve done, for so many reasons.

In my case I did stay in the same profession, but I couldn’t recommend it more to anyone.

If the above rings true, what interests or passions do you have?

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

A neighbour of mine has a PhD: Biochemistry & Cell Biology, and PhD: Mechanisms of UVB induced Melanogenesis. About 5 years ago he made the switch to "Close up Magic" and was the Winner of the Lux magazine Global Entertainment Awards "Best Private Events Magician 2018 - Western Europe" He's enjoying life to the full.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

No. But I'm very fortunate to have a job I enjoy which satisfies my need to feel like I'm putting something back into the country that educated me, for a fair return in salary and pension, with the chance of making a real difference if I'm lucky. Sadly the up-and-coming youngsters in my field are less well rewarded, can look forward to a shittier pension, and have far more 'appraisal' than I ever had, all pressuring them into cutting corners with both their teaching and their research. Were I 31 now rather than 62 I'd be on my bike. Where to is another thing entirely.

 

[jamie (not that one)]

I know a few who have been successful with a midriff career change.

View attachment 124668

Wow. Obviously had plenty of Hollywood help but fair play there.

 

[jamie (not that one)]

I changed in my 30's and glad I did. A friend of mine in his mid 40s is now looking to make a complete change too.

I think we are lucky enough to live in a time where the stigma of changing careers later on has gone.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Hello. Wondering if anyone has experiences they can share of changing careers.
I've been a project manager for the last 20 years and am now heartily sick of it. I can no longer generate any level of interest in either the process or end result of the projects I'm working on. I recently moved to a new job in a different technology hoping that would pep me up but it hasn't.
The prospect of another 20 years in this type of role drives me to despair but I don't really know how feasible it is to change at this point in my life. I don't have any alternative career path that exccites me. I would like to study more and am planning on starting a part-time MA but that isn't likely to set me on a new path.

I'd be interested to know what others have done in similar situations. Anyone made the change? If so, what was the result? Anyone stuck with a job they hated and it got better?

Thanks!

I would guess that with 20 years of project management under your belt, it is always something you could easily pick up again should you be forced to.
It isn't as if taking a few years out would render your skillset obsolete, so I would say you have nothing to lose by trying something different.
You probably have a certain amount of transferable skills which will be helpful in other jobs too.

Do you know what you want to do?
Or more likely, do you know what you want to get away from?
Many other jobs will have similar frustrations that Project management has, so I'm guessing that your looking for something very different?

 

[CheeseRolls]

I tried to a few years back. I'd been a journalist for about 15 years and looked for a change. As I'd done maths as a subsidiary part of my degree and had worked as statistician after leaving uni, I thought about retraining as maths teacher. I was told that I'd have to do a full maths degree and then a PGCE and, as I'd just turned 40, it looked like a lot of effort to make the change.

The adviser I spoke to said that I was bit old to be making the change so it seems that it you want to go in a new direction you should do it in your first 10 years - that doesn't seem to be much a mid-life change to me.

My guess is that it is very unlikely a woman would have been given the same advice, but I might be wrong. Ultimately you require savings or a partner who is prepared to invest in your career change. My other half trained as a Maths teacher in her thirties and only needed to take her Maths to first year degree level. It hasn't been an obstacle to career progression.

 

[bhafc99]

A neighbour of mine has a PhD: Biochemistry & Cell Biology, and PhD: Mechanisms of UVB induced Melanogenesis. About 5 years ago he made the switch to "Close up Magic" and was the Winner of the Lux magazine Global Entertainment Awards "Best Private Events Magician 2018 - Western Europe" He's enjoying life to the full.

Ah, the old switcheroo.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I would guess that with 20 years of project management under your belt, it is always something you could easily pick up again should you be forced to.
It isn't as if taking a few years out would render your skillset obsolete, so I would say you have nothing to lose by trying something different.
You probably have a certain amount of transferable skills which will be helpful in other jobs too.

Do you know what you want to do?
Or more likely, do you know what you want to get away from?
Many other jobs will have similar frustrations that Project management has, so I'm guessing that your looking for something very different?

That’s a point being made to me recently. Thinking about a whole career change myself, and someone did say that you won’t suddenly lose your current CV to fall back on should it not work out. Just got to try to think of something else to do!

 

[AZ Gull]

Hello. Wondering if anyone has experiences they can share of changing careers.
I've been a project manager for the last 20 years and am now heartily sick of it. I can no longer generate any level of interest in either the process or end result of the projects I'm working on. I recently moved to a new job in a different technology hoping that would pep me up but it hasn't.
The prospect of another 20 years in this type of role drives me to despair but I don't really know how feasible it is to change at this point in my life. I don't have any alternative career path that exccites me. I would like to study more and am planning on starting a part-time MA but that isn't likely to set me on a new path.

I'd be interested to know what others have done in similar situations. Anyone made the change? If so, what was the result? Anyone stuck with a job they hated and it got better?

Thanks!

I graduated with a Mechanical Engineering degree and started my working life as a Quality Engineer in the automotive industry. Over time that evolved into a role primarily running continuous improvement events, but there was a lack of support from middle management and after about 8 years I was thoroughly fed up. I did think about applying for similar jobs in different companies but I had little enthusiasm even for that. I ended up paying for some career-based counselling in London (a morning of psychometric tests followed later that day with the results and feedback/discussion on possible future career paths). One of the suggestions was that I was well-suited for a career in Operational Research.

At the age of 31 I took the plunge to give up my career (such that it was) and go back to university to do a one-year full-time Masters. At the end of that I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do, but while I was temping in an accounting office I got a call out of the blue from a friend and former work colleague who now lived in the States; he knew I had spent a semester on the course working on a Microsoft Access project and he needed someone with those skills. To cut a long story short, his company succeeded in getting an H-1B work visa for me and I came to Phoenix in 2002. 18 years later I'm still here.

While the role I have been performing is not necessarily directly related to Operational Research, if I had not taken that step then I would never have picked up the relevant experience my friend's company needed, nor would I have had the necessary qualification to satisfy the requirements of the visa process. I am a firm believer that if you start taking conscious positive action then you will be rewarded (sometimes in ways that you might not even understand).

It is clear from your post that you are ready for change. If you are not certain what that change should be, you may want to consider some sort of career counselling (or explore other ways to discover your purpose). Being unhappy does nothing for you or those around you. You have already taken an important step in making your post on here - you have now involved the universe, and the universe will respond. I wish you well.

 

[LlcoolJ]

OP, is a big part of your dissatisfaction; being subordinate to others, time wasted in meetings when you’re a do-er, bureaucracy, internal politics, endless paperwork?

In was in such a working environment until my mid 40’s, then unforeseen events meant that I finally escaped (of my volition), to go and work for myself. Simply the best thing I’ve done, for so many reasons.

In my case I did stay in the same profession, but I couldn’t recommend it more to anyone.

If the above rings true, what interests or passions do you have?

As you know WS, I have walked almost exactly the same path, in the same job / career. So of course, I wholeheartedly agree.

Screw the extra money that I could have earned carrying on working for someone else, you only live once. And while people are wasting their lives driving / getting the bus / train to work and sitting in an office with a bunch of people they mostly hate, getting told off by morons and watching the clock until they can go home, I'm doing what the **** I like.

I missed the majority of the first 6 years of my son's life (weekends and holidays apart) as I was commuting. The last 7 years, I've missed nothing. You can't buy that, and you can't get it back......

It's hard work sometimes and it's stressful that you have no safety net of a company to back you up, but in reality what's that worth these days? I've got used to that stress rather than the "being told what to do by some **** and toeing the line" stress. I know which is less stressful!

However, with the fact that you support the Albion and are an ex raver with very similar musical and political tastes, it's actually quite unnerving.

So we should clearly never meet as we'd probably hate each other.

 

[Weststander]

As you know WS, I have walked almost exactly the same path, in the same job / career. So of course, I wholeheartedly agree.

Screw the extra money that I could have earned carrying on working for someone else, you only live once. And while people are wasting their lives driving / getting the bus / train to work and sitting in an office with a bunch of people they mostly hate, getting told off by morons and watching the clock until they can go home, I'm doing what the **** I like.

I missed the majority of the first 6 years of my son's life (weekends and holidays apart) as I was commuting. The last 7 years, I've missed nothing. You can't buy that, and you can't get it back......

It's hard work sometimes and it's stressful that you have no safety net of a company to back you up, but in reality what's that worth these days? I've got used to that stress rather than the "being told what to do by some **** and toeing the line" stress. I know which is less stressful!

However, with the fact that you support the Albion and are an ex raver with very similar musical and political tastes, it's actually quite unnerving.

So we should clearly never meet as we'd probably hate each other.

If ever you’re down this way, or we travel up north, we should meet for a pint. Don’t worry, I always forget about the subject matter of my job in down time.

Similar time line to me .... I gained freedom when mine were still at primary school, so I’ve been there for sports days, meetings with teachers, support when aggro breaks out with their peers, hospital visits, snow sledging days. For me, I can exercise whenever I like in the week, there’s no morning rush to the car .... just an amble to the study when I’m in the mood .... what’s not to like.

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

I worked in retail for 17 years, 9 of those in various management roles, until I left three years ago. I'd fallen into the rut of not really knowing what I wanted to do, only that it wasn't retail!

In 2017, I made the decision to leave my job and relocate up North to live with my partner, with the plan being to start applying for jobs once there, but still with no real idea what I was looking for (other than "not retail").

Suffice to say that the job I ended up getting is in a sector that I'd never for a second have imagined myself working in, and in an environment that I had no experience of when I got the job, but it's been totally life changing.

I'm lucky enough to be part of a great team and to have a progression path that would see me through the rest of my career, in an area that I find genuinely interesting to work in and develop my knowledge of.

There's no doubt it's a daunting thing, but I see it as one of the most rewarding changes I've ever made.

Dear god you got me hooked, please what do you do now ?

 

[Acker79]

Michael J Fox did it daily for a while. Until his Uncle caught him...

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Licensed Aircraft Engineer for 18 years took redundancy (great package as was in management)

Spent a year off doubling the size of our house

Bought a pub, then another and so on having 4 in total.

Had to sell up to be a carer for my wife, until my daughter took on the role

Left field decision bought an Antique business with a friend, loved it, it was ok financially but very unpredictable

Answered an advert to become a beer technician for Molson Coors. Within a year I became the Lead Tech for Sussex and Kent. Started doing loads of courses on the industry and brewing etc.

Appointed a Beer Quality Manager with Asahi, absolutely love it. Get to talk beer all day. From seminars to visiting outlets, advising, testing, TASTING, brewing and supporting sales, a very varied role and effectively my own boss. I look after all the south of England and Wales plus London (Boooooooooooo) at times.

Qualified Circerone and Brewer also develop new dispense systems for outlets.

I suppose at 52 I've swapped around a fair bit but the basis has been engineering along with interesting subjects. Done well at school then, HND in aeronautics, Aircraft Licenses, Nebosh Diploma, Degree in Business Management, Brewery Technician qualification, Cicerone, Brewing diploma, Audit qualifications and Cellar Management (I run the training for the company!).

I still enjoy learning and apart from winging it in Antiques (easy really) It's that, that's allowed me to change direction.

I don't earn fortunes despite being in senior management (typical for breweries) but really enjoy life now, can't see me changing unless the pubs never open again!

 

[Weststander]

Licensed Aircraft Engineer for 18 years took redundancy (great package as was in management)

Spent a year off doubling the size of our house

Bought a pub, then another and so on having 4 in total.

Had to sell up to be a carer for my wife, until my daughter took on the role

Left field decision bought an Antique business with a friend, loved it, it was ok financially but very unpredictable

Answered an advert to become a beer technician for Molson Coors. Within a year I became the Lead Tech for Sussex and Kent. Started doing loads of courses on the industry and brewing etc.

Appointed a Beer Quality Manager with Asahi, absolutely love it. Get to talk beer all day. From seminars to visiting outlets, advising, testing, TASTING, brewing and supporting sales, a very varied role and effectively my own boss. I look after all the south of England and Wales plus London (Boooooooooooo) at times.

Qualified Circerone and Brewer also develop new dispense systems for outlets.

I suppose at 52 I've swapped around a fair bit but the basis has been engineering along with interesting subjects. Done well at school then, HND in aeronautics, Aircraft Licenses, Nebosh Diploma, Degree in Business Management, Brewery Technician qualification, Cicerone, Brewing diploma, Audit qualifications and Cellar Management (I run the training for the company!).

I still enjoy learning and apart from winging it in Antiques (easy really) It's that, that's allowed me to change direction.

I don't earn fortunes despite being in senior management (typical for breweries) but really enjoy life now, can't see me changing unless the pubs never open again!

What a varied CV and working life! Your last comment about really enjoying life ..... is everything.

 

[Gwylan]

My guess is that it is very unlikely a woman would have been given the same advice, but I might be wrong. Ultimately you require savings or a partner who is prepared to invest in your career change. My other half trained as a Maths teacher in her thirties and only needed to take her Maths to first year degree level. It hasn't been an obstacle to career progression.

I also think that if I'd asked a couple of years later, it may have been easier. They were so short of maths teachers by then that the criteria were relaxed. I was also enquiring before the days of student loans and it would have been harder to fund it. I was living with the former Mrs Gwylan who had given up her job for a career change (but she had a millionaire dad who funded it). It was just bad timing.