Who Got Their Career Going LATER in Life?

[maus]

I got into my career around 28. I had many temp jobs before then and did other types of work since I was in high school.

I knew I was not a good fit for many including sales, so on one hand, having lots of different types of jobs helped me find my calling.

[high iron]

Originally Posted by bentstrider

I'm 33 and still haven't really found anything that's worth going through school for yet. Some old timer's call truck driving a career and a lifestyle. I just call it a means to an end until I finally find a degree program and a career path I could see through to the end.
Interestingly enough, I always get into those career choice discussions and the first thing that's always asked is "What is your passion?". It's sad to say that anytime I express doubts about "helping others" or "being someone to look up to", I get this look of scorn.
That said, my only other ambitions I could think of are either working in a recumbent bicycle shop, or flying a helicopter professionally. One tends to have not a whole lot job opening's anywhere. The piloting job has great opportunities once tons of money and time are spent getting the proper certifications and hours.

Get a union trade. I started in construction at age 31.

[maus]

Originally Posted by Jorge ChemE

I see some people having more than one degree. Having two degrees or three degrees makes you more employable? Can an extra degree replace the lack of experience?

I have mostly lived in the US. My experience from college: I obtained multiple degrees. I had a hard time getting a job that paid even low wages in the private sector out of college. About the only place where college degrees mattered was public sector jobs. Outside of government jobs (and a few specialty areas), advanced degrees mean very little in the US.

From what I see, experience means much more than college degrees, with few exceptions.

[raven1987]

I IM 29 STARTED COLLEGE AT 18 WAS NOT FOR ME AT THE TIME, WORKED SOME JOBS ALONG THE WAY TRYING TO FIND WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO DO. IM BIG ON TECH I FELL IN LOVE WITH IT I DONT KNOW WHAT CLICKED IN MY HEAD TO MAKE ME LIKE IT BUT I JUST DO AND HAVE AS A KID. IM NOW WORKING TWO JOBS BUT WILL BE ATTENDING COLLEGE THIS FALL FOR CYBER SECURITY THE IT FIELD IS HUGE AND THERE ARE TONS OF WAYS YOU CAN GO AND DONT NEED A FULL FOUR YEAR DEGREE, I HAVE A FRIEND THAT TOOK A FEW COURSE FOR A YEAR AND HE ENDED UP LANDING A JOB PAYING HIM A LITTLE OVER 50K AND HE DOES NOT EVEN HAVE A DEGREE. I CANT UNDERSTAND WHY IM SO EXCITED ABOUT STARTING SCHOOL THIS FALL I JUST AM. I GUESS ITS CAUSE I FOUND WHAT I WANT TO DO. SO TO ANYONE STILL LOOKING ITS OUT THERE JUST HAVE TO TAKE THAT FIRST STEP OF FAITH AND GO FOR IT

[jayguy01]

Started my second, and hopefully last, career at 31. I don't feel it's that late, although there are a handful of colleagues who are 6-8 years younger than I am. Could I see myself changing again in the next 10 years in my mid-40s? Yes, although it's not what I'd like for to happen.

[Forever Blue]

Interesting reads everyone, thanks for sharing.

Hopefully, we can ALL find our passions in our work since we spend a LOT of our life working & life is way too short to work for too long in a job that we dislike.

I'm about to start a new job in mid-July & I truly hope I like it. The drive is much longer than I've usually driven for past jobs, but no job's perfect.

My feelings about it are that if it's a good fit, I'll either keep working there OR it's just a great step in preparation for what my main career goal has been, which is to do the same kind of work remotely. Or, I can do my dream job & still keep this July job too because they do remote work at their facility too. Only time will tell!