Male mid-life career changers

jkepple

Hello
I'd like to hear about guys in their late 40s to early 50s who like me find themselves on the job scrap heap!
At the moment I'm trying to avoid B&Q or supermarket deliveries, so looking at Energy assessor/ Retrofit courses or HGV driving through the Skills bootcamo scheme.
Any positive thoughts or comments appreciated.
Thanks

mcpitman

Exciting times, I would heavily think about what I want and what I need from an employer.

No point being an HGV driver if you don't like driving long distances or don't enjoy your own company, for example.

Money driven decision or not?
Do you prefer interacting with other staff/customers, or prefer to be on your own?
Is job flexibility key?
Do you like fixed or variable shifts?

jkepple

mcpitman said:

Exciting times, I would heavily think about what I want and what I need from an employer.

No point being an HGV driver if you don't like driving long distances or don't enjoy your own company, for example.

Money driven decision or not?
Do you prefer interacting with other staff/customers, or prefer to be on your own?
Is job flexibility key?
Do you like fixed or variable shifts?

Thanks for the reply.
I'm sociable but hate jobs that involve selling. I don't mind working alone, but do need flexibility with teenagers to look after.
Very much a money-driven decision- any course worth doing seems to cost a lot of money.
I did look at IT, but being realistic, too old to start now I guess  

mcpitman

Nah, never too old.

You can easily build a very successful, enriching career in 15 years. In IT you could go from Helpdesk Analyst to Director level in that time, if you have the drive.

An entry level IT role probably pays £20k (ish), many will train or allow you to get qualified whilst working for them. IT Team Leaders at 25-40k, Managers at 40-75k and Director above that. You could be a TL/Manager within 3-5 years earning 50k. (Don't quote me on the salaries, but the point is you can progress quickly to a comfortable level).

What were you doing before this break/change of direction?

Do you have the luxury of time to look for the right role or are financial pressures going to lead to a "between" job until you find the right one?

eamon

About the only jobs that are favourable to older males in terms of active recruitment are drivers (bus & van). Bus Co's occasionally run recruitment drives and the big selling point is that they will pay for the training.

elsien

What job were you doing before? 

MalMonroe

jkepple said:

mcpitman said:

Exciting times, I would heavily think about what I want and what I need from an employer.

No point being an HGV driver if you don't like driving long distances or don't enjoy your own company, for example.

Money driven decision or not?
Do you prefer interacting with other staff/customers, or prefer to be on your own?
Is job flexibility key?
Do you like fixed or variable shifts?

Thanks for the reply.
I'm sociable but hate jobs that involve selling. I don't mind working alone, but do need flexibility with teenagers to look after.
Very much a money-driven decision- any course worth doing seems to cost a lot of money.
I did look at IT, but being realistic, too old to start now I guess  

Please do not say, think or write the sentence in bold above ever again!! What a terrible thing to say. I am about to turn 72 and am setting up my own online business. I started an undergraduate degree course at the age of 50 and graduated with a 2.1 BA Hons when I was 53. You are never too old!! (Don't forget it.)

I'm very tech savvy because I used computers and associated tech stuff during my working life and carried on at home after retirement. It isn't hard. My local council offers free computer training - maybe yours does too. But even if it doesn't it's a great investment for your future. 

If you decide to go back to college as a mature student, you may also be able to apply for funding. 

A couple of links below - some of the suggestions may be a bit weird but they give you an idea of what is out there and you could do some googling yourself, of course to find better options.

https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/the-after-50-career-change

https://restless.co.uk/career-advice/job-ideas/career-change-ideas-for-the-over-50s/

There's also a Careers Advice Service, if you think that might be helpful - 

https://jobhelp.campaign.gov.uk/government-services/national-careers-service/

Good luck - the world is your oyster!   

Wyndham

I'm curious to know why you only want to hear from men? I'm in my 50s and female, and changed direction a few years ago. Why did you phrase the question as you have? Why do you think this is affected by your gender?

MovingForwards

Female

Early 40s when I turned my back on my professional career and had a few roles based on transferrable skills. Now just over mid 40s and I've stepped into finance.

Didn't have a degree for my previous career, don't have finance qualifications for my new one.

I always recommend having a critical look over every job done. Work out what you liked / disliked with every one, even down to tiny details. See what skills and experience that leaves you with and cross reference it against jobs.

Dakta

I'd only recommend IT if it really was what you wanted to do, but I totally agree with the post above that age should not be a factor of whether to 'go there' with regards to IT

Plenty of  professional courses for the wannabee, a lot of it is affordable and a lot of people are entering it from other areas (i.e military etc). 

You don't have to be brought up liking and using computers to do IT.  In all fairness this advice probably applies to a lot beyond IT too 

jkepple

Thanks for all the replies!
I was in the Civil service for most of my working life doing various type of admin.
I have to agree with Eamon- a lot of poorly paid driving work around but with paid training, i.e. skills boot camps.
I have looked at IT- lots of companies offering expensive training with promises of a job at the end- which I'm sceptical about.
I phrased the question like I did as from my own experience of offices- especially council/ Gov't, most are dominated by women 
 wanted to see what the male experience of unemployment is like as I have had many rejections from these types of jobs. 
It seems if your ex-Civil service you're deemed to have had a cushy job, not like a 'real' one and any involvement in a Union scares employers in thinking Citizen Smith will appear!