Suddenly losing job age 50+ - any experiences?

DollyDay

Hello all,

I have just found out I am likely to lose my job next week.
I have been made redundant more than once (although this is not redundancy so I won't get any money!) and every time I have had fire in my belly to get out there and get another job straight away.

This time though, I just feel completely deflated/done/nothing left in the tank etc
It has been a stressful job with uncertainty for several months which may be while I feel this way.

I would like to take this chance to make a big life change but I have no idea what or how to start.

I have always worked in accounts/payroll/office manager type roles but would like to do something completely different instead of always feeling like a "slave to my salary".

I am single, and have a mortgage/bills to pay like everyone else but I do have equity in my house (although can't really move anywhere as I have an elderly horse).

I have thought of renting out my spare room for some extra income but that's about as far I have got.

If anyone would like to share their experiences around losing their job/changing career/changing life! I would love to hear them, it might give me some inspiration.

I have always been motivated not just to work, but to work hard and do a good job, and I have worked full-time from the age of 18. I have never felt this way before, just so flat and uninspired/unmotivated 

elsien

I was made redundant from my job as a care home manager on my 50th birthday. Exceptional timing by my company I felt!
I preferred the client facing part of the role to the staff management side and I was also fed up of shiftwork, which I’d done all my working life. All the care home manager jobs that were coming up were much higher paid but purely management and I couldn’t be doing with that.

So I took a bit of a sideways step. I’ve always been interested in human rights so I started volunteering with an advocacy organisation. This led onto a full-time advocacy role fairly quickly because the skill sets already had a lot of overlap.
Still there 10 years later. I’ve had the opportunity to go up the management ladder again, but ichose to stay at entry level and just enjoy the work. It’s not the best paid job in the world but money isn’t everything. My organisation is also pretty good about letting people go part time which I will probably be doing fairly soon. 

So I guess it’s part “what makes you tick” , thinking about what transferable, but also thinking if there’s any lifestyle changes you want to make it the same time? 

elsien

I also took a couple of months off without even thinking about jobhunting because I could afford to do that and I felt I needed a bit of decompression and thinking time, Is that an option for you?

njkmr

I would go to a recruitment agency and register with them.
Tell them you will try anything they have that they think your suitable for and see what comes along.
You never know it may be that something you have never even thought of trying before turns out to be a revelation to you and the start of a new chapter.
Be brave and give it a go. Nothing to lose.
Good luck.

Brie

Getting into the charity sector can be very rewarding.  I went from financial industry to working out of a food bank at the age of 64.  It's a small role vaguely related to what I'd done previously but much more enjoyable.  Pay is garbage but mostly because I'm part time.  18 months on I'm happy to keep working at it for another couple of years and then likely will continue as a volunteer a couple of hours a week.  Some of my colleagues are into their 80s so I feel quite a youngster compared to some!

Hoenir

Can be tough as you get older. I lost my job for life at 48. When my employers sold their substantial business to an American conglomerate. Effectively spent the remainder of my working life "contracting".  Using the skills, experience and knowledge gained. Did all manner of things in the same field. Do a good job albeit on a temporary basis. Another door opens as they say. Personal references can prove invaluable.  

. 

Stew68

DollyDay said:

Hello all,

I have just found out I am likely to lose my job next week.
I have been made redundant more than once (although this is not redundancy so I won't get any money!) and every time I have had fire in my belly to get out there and get another job straight away.

This time though, I just feel completely deflated/done/nothing left in the tank etc
It has been a stressful job with uncertainty for several months which may be while I feel this way.

I would like to take this chance to make a big life change but I have no idea what or how to start.

I have always worked in accounts/payroll/office manager type roles but would like to do something completely different instead of always feeling like a "slave to my salary".

I am single, and have a mortgage/bills to pay like everyone else but I do have equity in my house (although can't really move anywhere as I have an elderly horse).

I have thought of renting out my spare room for some extra income but that's about as far I have got.

If anyone would like to share their experiences around losing their job/changing career/changing life! I would love to hear them, it might give me some inspiration.

I have always been motivated not just to work, but to work hard and do a good job, and I have worked full-time from the age of 18. I have never felt this way before, just so flat and uninspired/unmotivated 

Hi, I understand what you're going through, I was made redundant a while ago and i'm in my mid fifties. I've been job hunting since being made redundant but like you I don't have much enthusiasm for it. I'm applying for jobs using the same qualifications and in the same jobs but really don't have much care for getting back into the same industry.

I only job hunt every other day as I find it soul destroying going trawling through the websites, I went into town with my CV but all the agencys were either shut or had disappeared entirely.

After all these years working and making money for other people I do feel it would be nice to work and "make a difference" as it were so like others here I am also looking at charities with the hope I can find something there.

I hope you get your "mojo" back soon as it were, I have the pleasure of going into the job centre next week to sign up for Job Seekers Allowance, can't sleep for the excitement!

KittyS

Just been made redundant at 56 - not the first time and feel so deflating - I was also shafted at work due to age and disability.

DollyDay

Apologies for the delay in responding but thank you all for your replies. I do feel as though I am getting bit of my mojo back - mainly because i have no choice! - I can't afford to be out of work for very long, (I would love to take a couple of months of and do some charity work).

I live alone after a divorce 7 years ago and had to start over financially with a new 25 year mortgage so there's only me paying the bills.

Those of you who exepreinced the same flat/deflated feeling - did that pass?

Good luck to everyone anyway, I wish you all well

penners324

Given your finance background, how about extra training in this field?

Even doing 1 of the qualifications?