Do I just accept my lot and be grateful I have a job?

Rob1878

First of all, I know I am lucky to have a job at a time when many people have lost their jobs due to COVID.

My employment history is I spent 26 years with one department, 4 years with another, then 2 and a half with another before coming to my present job 20 months ago.

My job can be quite boring, it has pockets of pressure and busy times but generally it just ticks over and I am left to my own devices by my current manager.  I would say I am fairly well-respected by my colleagues and my manager, I have set up the current process we use to manage and maintain our official vehicles.

My pay is about average (£25,000 p.a.) and being honest I would say I am maybe overpaid for what I have to do.  In my current role I manage a fleet (24) of official vehicles primarily and do other general administrative duties.

The issue for me is it is not very challenging, there can be quite a bit of downtime and periods where there is not much to do.  Like I say I don’t have anyone on my back during these periods but it can be quite boring.  Previously I have had jobs where there was more pressure, deadlines to meet, etc and that can be unpleasant so I know the flip side.  Also it is not in a great location, a small building on a dock site with poor facilities, asbestos in the building, etc.

I often apply for other jobs, sometimes I get offered interviews but usually I get cold feet and withdraw the application.  Last interview I had was about 2 months ago.  I am 54, and worry that I am too old to make a significant change in employment and changing jobs means starting all over again, learning a new job, etc.  Should I just accept my lot and be grateful for a job?

Sorry if this comes across as a bit of a moan, that’s not my intention.  Just wanted to get this off my chest.

Brie

Life is too short to by unhappy.  Go for another job.  

fyi - I changed jobs at 54 and again since.  I'm in a job that has some down points but generally it's good and I'll happily coast towards retirement with the vague hope that they might try to make me redundant yet again.   Age should be played as a selling point - maturity, steadiness, life time of experiences and knowing how to do a good day's work.

Thrugelmir

Focus on your own well being and mental health. These are far from normal times. You never know what bad news might be around the corner. 

AnnieB2018

Have a look around! Ideally only resign once you have secured an exciting new job, much better for morale to walk away with optimism 🙂

TELLIT01

For admin jobs with additional specialist skills such as fleet management, your age shouldn't be a barrier.  My wife last changed jobs at 57 and does broadly similar work.

TBagpuss

I don't think your age should stop you. You are 10-15 years from normal retirement age.

I'd think hard about which elements of your current job and previous jobs you enjoyed most and felt you were best at, and focus on those areas in your job search. You are in the fortunate position that you are not desperate or a job, you can take a bit of time to identify the jobs that appeal to you and to focus on those applications.

Don't withdraw applications - if you get cold feet, it doesn't hurt to wait and see if you get an offer , you don't have to accept if you don't feel that it is enough to convince you to change (in terms not only of pay but what the job would entail, commute, etc)  accept at least you know that you interviewed well enough to get the offer. And you may find that the offer is better than your current situation, in which case you can 

pinkshoes

Is there no scope for a more interesting and better paid role with the current company? have you spoken with your line manager about it?

Certainly not too old to change job! 

MalMonroe

Don't forget that these are challenging times right now too, coronavirus is still with us and people are restless, etc., so you're bound to be feeling a bit down and even a bit depressed and I think it's true for a lot of people. 

BUT - you are so young!! It's never too late to change jobs and these days you have the Equality Act 2010 to fall back on if you ever do feel that employers discriminate against you on grounds of age (but most don't, thankfully). You are still young enough to retrain as well, you could take some online courses in subjects that really interest you. You have the internet at your fingertips, why not google things that interest you and see what kind of qualifications you need?  

I enrolled on a full time undergraduate university course in my late forties and graduated with a 2.1 BA Honours degree at the age of 53. If I can do that, you can do something similar. Now I'm way over retirement age and have just started my own small online business, registered with HMRC and everything, just in case I earn a fortune. 

Have a bit of a google and see what's out there. See what you want to do and find out what you need to do to get it. It's only life! And it's short. So you have to try and enjoy it while you're here. 

SandyShores

Some really good advice given here.  I also graduated at 53 with a part-time BA Hons degree - you're never too old to learn.  I've since had a couple of temporary promotions at work and have gone for quite a few interviews, but I haven't given up on finding something really interesting which will stretch me.  Go for the interviews when you get them and use them as practice for when the job you really want turns up.  I've got to work until retirement to pay the mortgage, but I'd like to work well into retirement, so I'm taking on lots of learning opportunities and really trying to find out what I'd like to do.