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I've been out of the business world for six years now. Needless to say, I think any skills I've had are probably outdated. I could get a job as an admin and get caught up on the software, but I feel like I could not get the kinds of jobs I had in the past due to my having taken this "hiatus" and my age. When I "dropped out" six years ago I was thinking I could just eek by with a part-time job, if only there were some kind of healthcare reform. Well, I've half the money I had then so eeking by is out.
So I think I need to start ALL OVER again. I don't want to have to go back to school for a whole new career at 50, but I don't see a way around it. My plan has been to go for for a master's in teaching thinking the jobs would always be there (the jobs where not everyone would be willing to teach), but now my state is broke. They are cutting back in both social services (what I've been dabbling in the past five years) and education. I have no idea what to do now. The medical field is pretty much out as I've never been a nursing type. What to do...what to do...
How about you? Anyone out there who feels their skills are outdated and is wondering how to get them updated? Anyone out there contemplating a completely new career and having to return to school? Anyone at the point of just trying to eek by and then go on social security? Anyone else at the point where they just don't know what to do?
To make a very long story short, I'm 52 and currently taking science classes at a local community college. I have a BA from long ago, in unrelated field, and have worked in banking for many years. Well, we all know what happened there.
In January, I will be beginning a program to become a Respiratory Therapist. Interestingly, it's actually easier for me to get good grades this time around, and I even help my younger counterparts understand some of the finer points of our classes as I relate better to the older (my peers) instructors. Truthfully, I'm finding being back in college rather invigorating. Back in the day, I recall thinking that those older, non traditional students were so smart. Well, now I'm one of them and never thought I would be in this situation.
It's important to have a dream and follow it. Don't just give up and shrivel up at 50. You have a lot of living yet, you are not that old. Yes, while there are more responsibilities at our age, life is still meant to be lived, not "eeked out". Find your dream, plan carefully, and live your dream.
We are certainly living in unique times, and well, for most of us it is not our fault--the economy we are experiencing seems to be beyond our control.
I too went back to school and graduated with my bachelor's degree last year. I thought I was doing the right thing by re-inventing myself in my 40's. I've been out of the workforce for nearly six years as well, after having drove commercial big rigs for almost 14 years. I couldn't see myself doing that as I approached my 50's, hence part of the reason I went back for my B.A.
It's so frustrating because I feel that my degree is worthless because I cannot find a potential employer that is willing to hire someone without experience. I mean, I am attempting to make a radical change but am getting nowhere. Believe it or not I'd like to become an employment specialist, and assist people with their aspirations, but the California labor market has tanked and well, workforce development is nearly non-existent here.
Here is a quote from the Orange County Register by a business owner which is enlightening and at the same time terrifying. Those of us that are too young to offically "retire", especially Gen X'rs, there is a bigger world of hurt coming, almost guaranteed:
I own two companies in O.C. (Orange County). Guess what, I can hire great talent with experience for a fraction of what I used to have to pay...I can now hire people with ten, fifteen years of experience, that require no supervision, no in office etiquette training etc...for just a little more than I would have to pay a college grad.
This is something that may bite this businness owner in the rear later, but it is what must be done now unfortunately. I forsee many problems down the road with the stagnating wages being offered now, that will seriously limit the "buying power" of our consumer driven economy. Not only with this example but many other aspects of our economic conditions.
Seems to me that we are all starting over. The world we knew is gone and we have no choice.
One choice we do have is to either embrace it and get on with life or to become forever bitter and unhappy. I'm an embracer, myself. Down the road, we will become those people some used to laugh at who were forever frugal because they lived through the Great Depression. The pendulum will swing back the other way but I'm thinking it will be too late for anyone who is mid 40's or older.
It's never too late if you have no other choice. I'm not exactly Miss Pollyanna, making lemonade from lemons and all, but people do what they have to do. It's hard and harder for some due to circumstance, but we all have to do whatever we have to do.
If you live long enough and work enough jobs, you're likely to have an embittering experience. (OK, I work in healthcare, where, instead of giving you a little pin or such when you finish RN school, they should just give you a good lawyer's phone number. And I'm not talking about needing this because of patients).
No need to be forever bitter/unhappy. Maybe resigned, maybe look back with a sigh and a shrug, and get on with doing whatever you have to do.
It is definitely ugly now. I started driving for a regional trucking company last week. Was out on the road Sunday through Wednesday. Nothing on Thursday, Friday (today), or tomorrow. Go back out Sunday. This sux. On the bright side, I did get a commitment from a health insurance client to purchase at least a short term medical plan. Sending her an app via mail and will call her to walk her through completing it. Small commission. Also a group policy that will gross me about $180/mo in commission. Trying to get them to finish the app so we can get the policy issued and in force by 12/15.
Either way, with a college degree, years of corporate experience at the Mgmt and entry level exec level, I had to swallow my pride and go out and make some scratch for my family. Hopefully the miles will pickup with this trucking company and/or I'll sell a bunch of health or life policies. Too bad I cant do that full time anymore. Leads cost too much (I dont have enough capital) and folks are not buying individual health policies much. More tire kickers than anything.
I'm too old to start over. If I can't find a job after this layoff, my effective do over is working with my husband in his business. I don't like having my husband for a "boss" but one's gotta do what one's gotta do.
Hello everyone: Well this post certainly was exactly what I was looking for! I'm 54 and am starting over. After 18 years in a well paying sales job, I decided to let go when my marriage ended and try something new. I followed my dream of living in Spain where I've been for the last 6 months teaching English. It's great and I love it here; however, over time, I realized that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life struggling with the language and being a foreigner. And not that I've been treated badly...not at all. But teaching English is an option and I've been able to live on it. I'm certainly not making "big money" nor did I expect to but I did get a lot of satisfaction in that work.
When I decided I wanted to return to the states, I chose Tucson to settle because of the weather, the size, the university, the language and the proximity to Mexico so I can satisfy my desire to continue to pursue Spanish language classes and get to practice it.
I have a bachelors degree but it doesn't sound like I'm coming into a very good market at this point and I plan to be in Tucson December 2nd, 2009. Since I have to start all over anyway, I'd like to try something totally different like publishing for example but have no clue how to begin any of that.
I know I will have to work at it but I know something will turn up for me and I'll just flow with it.
a really good career that no one mentions here is go to school for COURT REPORTER. I know a women who has done this recently. She decided to self contract, and she is making a mint. Lawyers call her now!! Also another person I know did this years ago and is making a nice salary and courts are busy!!!
Everyone goes teaching and or medical/nursing but forgets court reporting! A good choice right NOW. You will beat the wave of people. They are all going to teaching and nursing and its packed field or slowly becoming packed.
Well, I, too, feel that after 7 years out of the IT industry (SAHM), I would have to either re-learn again all that has evolved in IT over those 7 years, (and that's a lot), - or choose a completely different direction. I don't feel like working in IT anymore anyways, at 45, among smart Computer Science kids...
So I am choosing a different direction.... A trade. Helping in my dh business, but oh so far removed from all that education I have got. I do feel that I was manipulated into the white-collar world without really understanding if it was for me...
I will NEVER pressure my kids to go to any college... if they chose to go into trades. I abhore the corporate world at this point, and love things that one can make with his/her own hands. Simpler life, that's what I like.
Hello everyone: Well this post certainly was exactly what I was looking for! I'm 54 and am starting over. After 18 years in a well paying sales job, I decided to let go when my marriage ended and try something new. I followed my dream of living in Spain where I've been for the last 6 months teaching English. It's great and I love it here; however, over time, I realized that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life struggling with the language and being a foreigner. And not that I've been treated badly...not at all. But teaching English is an option and I've been able to live on it. I'm certainly not making "big money" nor did I expect to but I did get a lot of satisfaction in that work.
When I decided I wanted to return to the states, I chose Tucson to settle because of the weather, the size, the university, the language and the proximity to Mexico so I can satisfy my desire to continue to pursue Spanish language classes and get to practice it.
I have a bachelors degree but it doesn't sound like I'm coming into a very good market at this point and I plan to be in Tucson December 2nd, 2009. Since I have to start all over anyway, I'd like to try something totally different like publishing for example but have no clue how to begin any of that.
I know I will have to work at it but I know something will turn up for me and I'll just flow with it.
You're living my dream! I lived in Spain for a year and loved it. I was to have gone back and teach ESL but I met a Colombian instead and spent four years with him.
Good luck in Tucson! You're my neighbor to the south (I live in Phoenix area). Que lo pase muy bien alla y sigue adelante!
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