How old is too old to change careers?

[Dee*Jay]

NovemberBride, you raise some very valid points. I think the pay issue could be resolved to a degree in that I would not be taking on a pure entry level job, and would likely end up in some position of authority (although honestly I would be fine if no one ever reported to me again!). There would be an adjustment though, from going to my level to a different one (and I am not saying a level *beneath* me, because I do not mean that at all!).

DF, I have a sneaking suspicion you are PLENTY of smart!

Laurie, yes, I am trying to stay focused on the longer term picture. One small setback would be if I did end up going back to Chicago in the very short term because it might put a crimp in my education path, but the good news is I would be back in Chicago. I guess I have no downside in this scenario—if I go now it’s OK, and if I don’t, that’s OK too.

Madelise, what a cool guy, to be getting his degree along with his grandchildren!

Missy, thank you for the vote of confidence!

Isaku, your daughter is a real inspiration! It’s stories like this that make me think I can do it. Start out small(er) and work my way up!

AprilBaby, there are some days when I feel like I might be there already… !

ChristineRose, GOOD FOR YOU! Thank you for sharing that, and CONGRATULATIONS on your job!

Sharon, fortutide—HA! And I would like that to be the title on my business card: “Certified to Count Beans”!

Enerchi, do you think you’ll pursue your interior decorating career at some point? It would be a shame not to do that, and I’m sure you’d be brilliant at it!

Thing2, the no supervisor/zero responsibility thing is a factor. As for the money… ug. Of course I would LOVE to move into my next role making as much (hey, how ‘bout MORE!) money as I make now, but I am prepared to take a bit of a cut. Of course I need to be realistic, I can’t go to minimum wage, but I can certainly live comfortably on less than I make now.

Diamondseeker, I’m not *miserable*, but I’m certainly not *happy* either. Asking whether I will enjoy accounting more is a very valid question. I honestly don’t know. But if I don’t try it I will never know! And you are so right—a lot (A LOT!!!) of people would love to be in my shoes. I do know that, and I appreciate how lucky I am every day in that regard.

Laura, that’s what I’m hoping!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Woofmana, we must have been posting at the same time.

Wow, look at all the great things you’ve done! And your sister too!

Here is a practical question: How do you explain the moves on your resume? I do have a “story” for each move now, but I think it will have to be a *great* story going forward if I make the move into a whole ‘nother field.

 

[Matata]

Woofmana, we must have been posting at the same time.

Wow, look at all the great things you’ve done! And your sister too!

Here is a practical question: How do you explain the moves on your resume? I do have a “story” for each move now, but I think it will have to be a *great* story going forward if I make the move into a whole ‘nother field.

Well, when I was in a similar position as yours, I said that the time between my divorce and the present was a period of revelation, exploration, evaluation, transformation, and affirmation. That I explored areas of interest in which I had no talent, expanded the areas where I had talent, evaluated where my talent & interest intersected and transformed that into where I was which led to the affirmation that I arrived where I needed to be personally and professionally. Worked every time.

 

[zoebartlett]

Woofmana, we must have been posting at the same time.

Wow, look at all the great things you’ve done! And your sister too!

Here is a practical question: How do you explain the moves on your resume? I do have a “story” for each move now, but I think it will have to be a *great* story going forward if I make the move into a whole ‘nother field.

Well, when I was in a similar position as yours, I said that the time between my divorce and the present was a period of revelation, exploration, evaluation, transformation, and affirmation. That I explored areas of interest in which I had no talent, expanded the areas where I had talent, evaluated where my talent & interest intersected and transformed that into where I was which led to the affirmation that I arrived where I needed to be personally and professionally. Worked every time.

Wow, that sounds very good, Matata. Mind if I borrow that sometime, if needed?

 

[Enerchi]

Matata - you have just become the new goddess that I worship at the feet of !!! You are GIFTED in that response!!! I love it!!

Well, when I was in a similar position as yours, I said that the time between my divorce and the present was a period of revelation, exploration, evaluation, transformation, and affirmation. That I explored areas of interest in which I had no talent, expanded the areas where I had talent, evaluated where my talent & interest intersected and transformed that into where I was which led to the affirmation that I arrived where I needed to be personally and professionally. Worked every time.

That is completely AWESOME!!! ... all that and you have snowmen that survived a random attack --- who knew??? (ps - how is Maliik??? lol!)

 

[Matata]

Matata - you have just become the new goddess that I worship at the feet of !!! You are GIFTED in that response!!! I love it!!
That is completely AWESOME!!! ... all that and you have snowmen that survived a random attack --- who knew??? (ps - how is Maliik??? lol!)

Aw shucks, you made me blush I'll be sure to wear a flat sheet & sandals to the JCK GTG to enhance my goddessness and so you have easy access to my feet. Maliik is splendid -- he hasn't flooded, shredded, attacked, or broken anything so far this week.

 

[Enerchi]

The snowmen must be pleased....!!

I will look for the toga wearing woman in the midst of the GTG!!

 

[Lula]

I believe you're never too old to change careers. I personally have had three distinct careers in my 48 years. I am constantly exploring new ideas and may end up with a fourth.

I was a real estate agent in my early 20's, followed by a lucrative sales career in a few different sectors while in my mid 20s to early 40s. Then in 2003 I quite my job to go to school. Didn't love that career, went back to sales for 4 yrs. In 2007 I resigned again from sales and started my own business. I am very much an entrepreneur and am so glad I took the risk.

My sister was a corporate travel agent for many years. After 9/11/01 most of her large clients cut down on flying and started teleconfrencing. She was 38, divorced & has a son. She decided to put herself through nursing school & now has a wonderful career making triple what she did as a travel agent.

Moral of the story for me & sis: You can teach an old gal new tricks

I don't know anything about the sector you work in. Just wanted to be a cheerleader in your decision to give it a go. You are already a very successful person. With 20 more years in the workforce I believe you should do what you think will make you happiest.

Ditto to everything woofmama said. I am on my third career. I went back for my Ph.D. in my 40s. And I was far from the only 40-plus doctoral student in my field (education). Best of luck to you -- I think you will find it invigorating!

 

[Dee*Jay]

Matata -- you are awesome!!!

Lula -- I am so inspired by stories like yours! Were your first two careers in related areas or was your PhD a total departure for you in terms of field?

 

[AGBF]

Hi. I was away from Pricescope except for peeking in because I was away from home and didn't have a lot of time. When I thought of this question in the abstract (the question posed by the title of the thread, "how old is too old to change careers?", I hadn't, yet, looked at the contents of the thread.

I was literally walking around my house in Virginia thinking about the question. I decided that my answer, in the end, was that one was too old to change careers when the career he wanted to change to was beyond his capababilities. I mean, one can become a painter like Grandma Moses if one is well enough to paint, at 90. One cannot become a ballerina. One could open a knitting business on Etsy if one had the knitting skills or the eyesight, manual dexterity, and interest in learning to knit at 70. One couldn't become a professional hockey player. I am sure you get the idea.

Then I read the thread. It is mostly about jobs in business. I have never worked in business. When one works in the business worls one has to factor in being hired by others, unless one is opening up one's own business. Being hired by others when one is older can be problematic. That does not mean that one should not be able to change careers in the business world, it just means that there is a factor there that cannot be ignored.

My husband spent some time in what may be considered bank compliance (actually risk management). I do not know what AML is, however. I was trying to figure out what ilander's son might want to do for his career. I am not sure if he wants to do the same sort of work my husband does, but my husband started off getting credit training and being a lending officer. Later he was a bond analyst for Standard & Poor's grading banks. That involved a lot of international travel. Then he worked for one bank as the officer watching their international credit exposure. Now he works for the Federal Reserve Board.

Deb/AGBF


Edited to add: I forgot that he did a year as an officer with the OCC-Office of the Comptroller of the Currency-back in the early 1990's! They examine banks.