Too old to change career and make good money?

Marcon

redundantmortgage said:

I've already ruled out trying to become a pilot because of the time it would take to make big money, not to mention substantial training costs. Train driver I'm gathering doesn't pay as much as you'd think it would.

Unfortunately I'm not cut out to be a salesman, one thing that's held me back in my career is that I've never really got the hang of networking.

When I'm out and about I see all sorts of people doing their jobs and just think of myself sitting in a chair looking at a screen all day. Many of them would be getting far less money than me but some will be getting more.

Man wasn't built to sit in an office all day. Even at school, as boring as it was, we at least sat in different classrooms for different lessons and went out to the swimming pool once a week. Not to mention the handful of field trips we used to go on. I feel like I'm doing the most boring lesson on repeat all day every day.

I do plan to quit once the mortgage on our forever home is paid off and my pension is in good shape but that's years away and this monotony is driving me mad.

What's your idea of 'big money'? Might help narrow down the options, particularly if you are willing to give an indication of the sort of money you are earning at present.

What qualifications do you have? Are you willing to study for more?

Savvy_Sue

How about improving your lunch hours?

If a big company in an isolated location get a choir going, tai chi, pilates ...

If in an urban setting, lunchtime concerts, art galleries etc.

Or persuade your employer to institute volunteering options. 

lincroft1710

redundantmortgage said:

Man wasn't built to sit in an office all day. 

But there's millions who do and have done

Flatfacedcat

@redundantmortgage :
A job that now comes in my mind that gives plenty of travel opportunities, is also quite adventurous, and that is pretty easy to get hired for if one has some money to spend in initial licenses, is truck driver. I say this because I have met some people, both men and women, who when I asked them why they chose to be a truck driver as job they answered "Because I wanted to travel and have an income in the same time." The initial licenses (unless you already have some) are C and E driving license categories, then another one or two licenses for the type of freight you are willing to be hired for (usually this is split into two main categories as far as I know but if someone knows more should correct me: the regular goods license (which can be perishable, non-perishable, live animals), or the explosive materials license (known as "ADR").
Have you already thought about truck driving?

redundantmortgage

I would say good money is a wage in the 40% tax bracket. I have a STEM degree but if I had my time again I wouldn't bother. I was one of Tony Blairs education education education guinea pigs with the promise of a rewarding career. It's well documented how worthless degrees are now, but wasn't back then. 

I accept that a career change means taking a big paycut, the important thing is it will lead to a decent salary and won't take too long to get there.

I do make a point of getting out of the office and doing something at lunchtime. I also travel somewhere most weekends, often getting a £2 bus to somewhere new to keep costs down. Time flies by outside of work, at work it drags and drags. I feel like I'm spending 99% of my life sat on that chair.

Truck driver is another I've thought about but seen conflicting information about it.

kempiejon

redundantmortgage said:

If I stick with my career and am able to make this level of money for the next 10 years or so then I could probably afford to leave it behind and go and work at B&Q in 10 years time. Just the thought of sitting at a desk at a computer all day every day for the next 10 years fills me with dread.

Make a new plan.
You appear focused on money and rather than pleasure.
Remove the dread feeling.
At 23 after a few years in the work place I took a year off, being poor wasn't as bad as being an employee in a soulless job, I mooched in and out of employment for a while. In my 30s having tried a few careers I decided I didn't want to give my time to other people and I wanted the time spent at work back and to be in charge for myself. I made a plan that hopefully would have me out in 10 years. That was a while ago now but I know it could be achievable today.
You are in charge, and could make work optional if you tried. A shame you didn't start last year, or the year before but today is as good a time too.

strawb_shortcake

My Husband has just got his HGV licence (class 2 I think) for free through a government scheme. I don't think the driving salaries are quite what some would have you believe, and lots of the higher paying jobs you need 2 years experience.

He plans to go on and do class 1 (also through the government scheme), but imagine the decent money is either is hazardous materials or European driving.

I wouldn't know what the scope is for pay progression driving outside of inflationary increases.

tuck60

How old are you OP? 

I am a 38 year male considering leaving the corporate world for something I enjoy more.... Just need to find it. 

Marcon

redundantmortgage said:

I would say good money is a wage in the 40% tax bracket. I have a STEM degree but if I had my time again I wouldn't bother. I was one of Tony Blairs education education education guinea pigs with the promise of a rewarding career. It's well documented how worthless degrees are now, but wasn't back then. 

I accept that a career change means taking a big paycut, the important thing is it will lead to a decent salary and won't take too long to get there.

I do make a point of getting out of the office and doing something at lunchtime. I also travel somewhere most weekends, often getting a £2 bus to somewhere new to keep costs down. Time flies by outside of work, at work it drags and drags. I feel like I'm spending 99% of my life sat on that chair.

Truck driver is another I've thought about but seen conflicting information about it.

You're being a bit selective about which question you answer (as of course you are entitled to do), which limits the usefulness of the responses you'll get. 

You don't sound as if you are currently a high earner, looking at your comment about bus fares and your other threads eg https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6356449/stick-with-career-or-change#latest which included the comment: 'Not sure what I actually want to do. Probably something that's minimal effort.' That sentiment rarely accompanies high earnings.

What's happening with your wife's job - has she found something better paid?

Johnmcl7

Savvy_Sue said:

How about improving your lunch hours?

If a big company in an isolated location get a choir going, tai chi, pilates ...

If in an urban setting, lunchtime concerts, art galleries etc.

Or persuade your employer to institute volunteering options. 

That was my thinking as well.  I used to cycle home at lunchtime, walk the dog and then get back to work in around 30 minutes which seemed a lot of hassle but I came to appreciate it was good to have a reason to get away from the office and clear my head.  

I don't really understand some of the OP's suggestions if they don't like being stuck at a desk given something like train driving is clearly much worse in that regard.  Not only are you stuck in the cab (some of which are pretty small) but you need to remain highly focused following a very strict set of rules.