I'm 30 and want a real career with good earning potential. Is it too late?

ThemeOne

You might try casino work. Most casino companies provide training to be a dealer, and always promote from within so if your face fits you can progress. In that respect it's quite a traditional business.

The pay for a dealer is not as good as it once was - probably around 15-20K for a new dealer. You need to be good with mental arithmetic, not colour blind, and have plenty of stamina (most work is done standing).

Downside is obviously unsocial hours and night work.

bugslet

SomeRandomGuy wrote: »

Hi, can I ask what category of drivers are they or if someone was going to go down the HGV training route what class would you suggest?

I assume 40k is with substantial experience, working long hours or some kind of bonus system?

I looked in my area and jobs are stating £10 ph no experienced required and those which require experience are £12 - £18 ph. Working 40 hours a week that suggests a £20000 - £37500, which still sounds pretty good to me.. All the 'unskilled' work in my area is minimum wage, usually retail and often it is zero hours contract which offers no stability.

I'm very tall so I don't know if I could fit in a HGV though, I struggle with many cars.

They are flipping big cabs these days, I presume you are thinking of sleeping? In which case look at some of the truck manufacturers cab specs, or pop over to trucknet forum newbies board, tell them your height and I'm sure someone will pop up and tell you they are 7' and been tramping for 20 years.

I was talking about arctic work. To get the license you have to pass the rigid test and then take the artic. You can't earn per hour on rigids what you can on the artics. By the time you've got the rigid license, you have done your medical and got your 35 hours of classroom work in, so getting the artic part of your license is easier in so far as a lot as in place.

There are huge regional differences in pay. My drivers are in the South East, 30 miles outside London, if you were up in the North East for example, the hourly rate can be down to 7.50/8.00 an hour for new starters. North West, you'd expect to earn around 600-650 a week gross.

My lot are doing about 60-70% European work, so away probably averaging three nights a week, so there is a fair bit of expenses on top of that as well. We've taken on new starters, so it is possible and we are considered good to work for so it isn't that we are desperate and can't afford to be picky. But a lot of companies don't apply the same philosophy of giving new people a chance and agency work is the usual route for experience and the onto a full time job.

I'm biased, I love the industry. A lot of other people do, but do your research, head over to trucknet for information.

If you want anything else, I am happy to help, might be an idea to PM before we take the thread off topic too much.;)

PS, if you have seen £18.00 an hour, well I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but I have never heard of anywhere paying that. The £12.00 sounds more realistic and very few driving jobs are going to be 40 hours.

gunsandbanjos

ringo_24601 wrote: »

Even in London you need qualifications/skills/experience to earn good money.. it isn't a magic money pit

I know plenty of people making £50k+ outside of London (in IT)

Sorry I probably didn't word that particularly well, I do agree with the above.

It's just easier to get to £40k in London, but not without some skills and experience obviously.

Cubanista

Hey,


Honestly i it is a case of working as hard (or smart) as possible, network and know where and when to invest. This seems to be how the wealthy become and stay wealthy.


I often here of situations where these wealthy people got that break because they teamed up with someone who suggested an idea to them, or they knew how to invest to make that money.


do you think that you would flourish going back to education and studying for something? if not then find a job, get some kind of smaller qualifications and save, then when you have a good chunk of money you can invest it.


4 years is a long time to study and not know if you will come out at the end with a job, so in that amount of time you could work a lot and save up a lot of money.


It is dependent on you and what you really want. If you don't know what you want then just do what you have to do to gain some money, stick at a job and then 6 months to a year down the line you may know.


Hope this helped some what.


Cubanista

Cubanista

SomeRandomGuy wrote: »

OP I can empathise, you are not alone in feeling 30 is 'too late' and wondering what on earth is the best path to go down. I was thinking of starting a thread of my own because I am in similar situation, well even worse really as I have health problems, long unemployment and little work experience to offer potential employers. - not a winning mix.

Reading your post I'm a little uncertain as to whether you are trying to find a satisfying career or if you are just looking for way to earn 40k+ ?

Outside of London few people are on that kind of money and those that do tend to be certain personalities: diplomats that can play the 'game' - they know how to suck up and take orders, they work hard and are totally committed to their profession with years of experience. I think you are going to struggle with an 'insubordinate' personality, although again I empathise.

I don't believe there is a quick way (<7 years) to get 40k - If there was everyone would be doing it. And on a side note I can't help but feel in general people online BS excessively about what they earn. I would love to be proven wrong though.

I've tried the Access + University route and but didn't complete as it didn't suit me. I can understand your reluctance to do down that path as it is very hard to 'go back to school' as a mature student, It is a huge commitment. Having said that there are degrees that can lead to a definite career path, such as the Allied Health Professions. With 4 years of study (Access + Degree) you could be on band 5, 22k a year with a clear progression path and depending on what you choose there is the chance to branch out into private work as well.

I hear a lot of people say 'go self employed'. But for that you need really desirable skills to sell or a genuinely unique business idea. There are tons of unskilled self employed people trying to make a living with ebay 'businesses' or cleaning or whatever and none of them look like they are making a good living to me........ it is minimum wage without the job security, holiday or sick pay.

Sorry to hear that, mate.


Is it possible for you to teach about your condition/disability? Maybe you could help raise awareness and work for a company doing this? What did you plan to do at university?


I have a friend who suffered from MS, but she was doing some teaching assistant job i believe, but decided to go back to study for occupational therapy.


It is a shame you had to give up with university. Did they provide help to you for your condition? I believe she did get good assistance for her MS.


Cubanista.

kobracai

OP, I'm in the same position as you, only worse because I am 38 (I do have a Degree in Languages though but sadly I haven't managed to make it count) Reading this thread has given me some ideas so thanks for starting it

kobracai

gunsandbanjos wrote: »

No 30 isn't too late, I graduated at 30 with a great degree and struggled a little to get a job. I spent 13 years in hospitality before I graduated and now I work in finance. Have done this job for 2.5 years now and been promoted in that time, I'm still a fair bit off £40k though.

Was your degree in Finance? or something unrelated?

LiveOnce

I am going to drop some real truths here so man up and read this:

What you choose to do for the rest of your working life is totally up to you. You are in control of your life.

You personally are on a back foot. At 30yrs of age you are quite old and you have no experience or qualifications.

There are thousands of graduates coming out every year that are more attractive to employers than you.

Your chances of earning 30k a year are slim but possible near the end of next 5 years if you start now.

What you need is:

- Skills that add value to companies. I am talking about *real* skills. Figure this out.
- Experience
- The ability to hustle and work hard
- You can't afford to be an average !!!!er in your life any more, man. Man the !!!! up. Be serious and pursue what you want.

You sound like someone who might be aimlessly bouncing around in life really by your post so you'll end up being an average loser by all accounts from your current situation and your past history.

But you can change that. But you have to be serious about change and take action. The question is can you.

SomeRandomGuy

LiveOnce wrote: »

I am going to drop some real truths here so man up and read this:
What you choose to do for the rest of your working life is totally up to you. You are in control of your life.
You personally are on a back foot. At 30yrs of age you are quite old and you have no experience or qualifications.

There are thousands of graduates coming out every year that are more attractive to employers than you.

Your chances of earning 30k a year are slim but possible near the end of next 5 years if you start now.

What you need is:
- Skills that add value to companies. I am talking about *real* skills. Figure this out.
- Experience
- The ability to hustle and work hard
- You can't afford to be an average !!!!er in your life any more, man. Man the !!!! up. Be serious and pursue what you want.

You sound like someone who might be aimlessly bouncing around in life really by your post so you'll end up being an average loser by all accounts from your current situation and your past history.

I can't see any 'real truths' you have 'dropped', just a load of negativity and pseudo motivational guff.
30 is hardly 'quite old', especially as retirement age is creeping up over time. OP does have experience of various jobs, not amazing jobs but nevertheless real work experience.

You point out that skills and experience add value to companies but then at the same time imply fresh faced graduates, many with little work experience and no track record are more desirable to employers.

To say someone "can't afford to be average" or is an 'average loser' seems like an odd statement to me, since most people will be 'average' by definition. I think what you mean is OP needs to make himself stand out more.

And what are these so called *real* skills? Presumably you also think some skills are 'unreal' ?

MarsdenCuckoo

OP - you'll need basic computer skills but nothing too hard so don't take that as a negative - and probably not something you'd ever think of but what about Avon?

Two routes:

1) if you want guaranteed income you could apply to be an Area Sales Manager
2) if you want higher earnings long term then apply to be a Sales Leader and grow your own team.

All training is free by Avon and before you scoff check out/google Avon's highest earner 'David Carter' or my fave motivational SL 'Gail Reynolds'.

Good luck!