What job "should" you have in your 40s?

Wanderer2010

Bit of a general one but do you think a person in their 40s who has worked since college should be a good bit up the ladder or is it entirely up to each person what they want to do?
I know a 24yr old who kills himself trying for promotion because his family expect him to be CEO before 40 and i know another guy who cleans a cafe and hes pushing 60 and couldnt be happier.
Thoughts?

Shenshen

Well, I think you should have a job. I've no opinion on what kind of job, whatever floats your boat.

Fr_Dougal

Something that makes you happy.

Agent Coulson

One that makes you happy.

Barry Badrinath

Theoretically, you would have been busting your bollox in the workforce for 20+ years.

Whatever job you have in your 40's, it should be one that makes you happy.

eviltwin

Well I've clearly failed at life so

Shenshen

I think maybe we should define "up the ladder" before going further.
Does it mean managine people?
Does it mean running your own projects?
Does it mean earning more than when you started?

Dr Crayfish

most people's jobs don't make them happy

Berserker

By CEO do you mean CEO of some small firm (a staff count of less than ten, for example) or are you talking about a multinational? Personally, I think the best job for you, is the one which makes you happy and allows you to have a good life.

catbear

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Bit of a general one but do you think a person in their 40s who has worked since college should be a good bit up the ladder or is it entirely up to each person what they want to do?
I know a 24yr old who kills himself trying for promotion because his family expect him to be CEO before 40 and i know another guy who cleans a cafe and hes pushing 60 and couldnt be happier.
Thoughts?

Well I'm mid forties and this has been on my mind in recent years. I've left two jobs in the past that were relatively secure and pensionable because I was bored and frustrated. If we had had kids I'd probably have settled happily into the second job but we're both from massive families and parenthood wasn't a priority for either of us.

But back on your topic I've seen plenty of career driven contemporaries burn themselves out to the point where they've had to take years out of work to get themselves right again. I kinda burned out of one career myself in my early 30s but transitioned into something else which gave me a shot in the arm. Now I'm looking to either retrain in something new, or go out on my own in business or just get a job that pays the bills as long as I'm working with nice people in a nice environment.

I'm starting to think it will be a combination of the latter two and if I get the balance right I'd be very happy. I won't get rich but I'd be comfortable.

Permabear

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James Bond Junior

I'm in a very safe, permanent and pensionable public sector job. It's not that I don't enjoy my job but I'd love to go down the self employed route. I feel that I'm not and will never be able to reach my full potential in my current role. Have a mortgage but it's small enough so I want to ave up as much as I can over the next few years and maybe make the jump then. I'm lucky in that I can take a career break for up to 5 years and the option to job share exists too.

I don't think a persons job is the 100% defining mark of them, my attitude is I work the hours I work in order to fund the time I'm not there. Work to live!

hairyslug

For me, it's to move away from a mainly manual labour role to more office based. Not getting any younger and I physically won't be able to keep up with the pace that I am at now for long.

CINCLANTFLT

This job?

https://saltyt.antville.org/stories/185853/

Cartouche

I love my job, I am a data security contractor, get paid a lot of money by most peoples standards. I have never had a desire to set root in one place and crawl up a corporate ladder. But each to their own

Permabear

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James Bond Junior

Permabear wrote: »

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That occurred to me as I typed that but I worked at my side business hand in hand with my public job and I reckon if I job shared I would be able to run both without losing too much income. I'm a teacher so time is something that I have more of than the average worker.

nelly17

I too am in my 40s and was a manager for a couple of years and the back biting and swimming with sharks pissed me off so much I went back to being an engineer - am I happier? Yes by a country mile. When I stopped worrying about career progression I became much happier than I was in the same boat as load of jokers all trying to bluff their way to the top. Now I work for them and to be honest it doesn't bother me because they just leave me alone to get things working and I can do it quicker on my own than with them involved. I tend to leave the rat racing to them.

Cantona's Collars

Permabear wrote: »

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In my town a lot of people should just have a job but they followed in the footsteps of their parents and chose a life on the dole.Lads in their 40's and 50's who never worked until they got some work in the boom and now spend their Mondays sitting in the local.I'd rather tell people I've a job no matter what it is rather than live like that.
I served my time in construction and was working my way up until it went tits up. I'm in a completely different line of work now which pays the bills.The southeast isn't exactly overflowing with opportunity and at the minute commuting to Dublin is off the table.Probably this year I'll make a career change as where I am makes it hard to climb the ladder.

Joe Hill

Cartouche wrote: »

I love my job, I am a data security contractor, get paid a lot of money by most peoples standards. I have never had a desire to set root in one place and crawl up a corporate ladder. But each to their own

How does one get into that area of employment

Barry Badrinath

Joe Hill wrote: »

How does one get into that area of employment

He's the guy that types the "incorrect password" message that pops up on your screen.

Turtyturd

I'm a window cleaner and mostly a good bit up the ladder.

nelly17

Turtyturd wrote: »

I'm a window cleaner and mostly a good bit up the ladder.

It has its ups and downs

One that pays enough for you to be able to hire live-in childminders and thus allows you to continue on your career free from teething and sleepless nights and missed work deadlines. That is all.

boobar

Definitely agree that you should have a job that you're content with.

I've pretty much decided not to try and progress any further up the ladder as I have a young kid and the work life balance suits family life.

No point being in a job with mega bucks and have no time at home.

Permabear

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Thespoofer

Definetly a job that makes you happy if you can find one.
I'm in my mid 40s now and lately can't stop thinking about packing up my currently job which I've been at since the last 25 years+. It pays fairly good but my body isn't getting any younger. The cafe cleaning job mentioned earlier seems attractive at this stage.

Permabear

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begbysback

Not necessarily true in IT sector - higher up the ladder means having to manage people and doing less if any hands on work, which a lot of people would have gotten into that sector for in the first place


Do quotes not work on safari?

catbear

A recurring theme on the thread seems to be avoiding management politics which can be unavoidable in most career progression that isn't specialist.

I did mid level management in my late twenties and early thirties and happily left it behind. Some people can produce average work but make good managers and good producers can make terrible managers.

learn_more

Senor Fancy Pants wrote: »

Theoretically, you would have been busting your bollox in the workforce for 20+ years.

I don't know why you think it's a 'should' that one must burst their bollox in work, unless they want too. That kind of attitude just engenders a 'rat race' society where only the employer wins by squeezing out as much productivity from it's employees as it can , getting more value for money.

Cartouche wrote: »

I love my job, I am a data security contractor, get paid a lot of money by most peoples standards. I have never had a desire to set root in one place and crawl up a corporate ladder. But each to their own

If your getting paid a lot of money I can't think why after that anyone one would want to try to continue to crawl up a corporate ladder, unless it's a ego status symbol thing. If I got paid a lot of money to work as a coffee maker in Starbucks I'd be happy with my lot.

learn_more

Permabear wrote: »

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I don't get this problem people have with age difference. I've never been in a relationship with a huge age gap difference but I couldn't care less is someone is. As long as a person is over 18 then he/she can be with whatever person they want afaic. Sorry for off-topic.

Permabear

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Outlaw Pete

Getting and maintaining an erection.

Well, I have a job doing that anyway.

Permabear

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Miss Demeanour

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

Getting and maintaining an erection.

Well, I have a job doing that anyway.

Wow....a fluffer? Interesting career choice.

JupiterKid

Doing something you enjoy is key. Management is over-rated.

I was a high flyer in my late 20s/ early 30s on good money but wasn't overly happy a lot of the time. I was often stressed out and overworked. Then I was bullied by a new boss and it was sheer hell.

Now, at 41, I work on my own terms and at my own pace and am happier. I could be on better money but I still have time to catch up with where I was at 10 years ago.

If your family "expect" you to be a CEO at all costs by 40 they're not worth having tbh.

Wanderer78

a job that makes you happy

worded

eviltwin wrote: »

Well I've clearly failed at life so

You just don't do adult very well, so far anyway.

ChikiChiki

Often I walk into a cafe in the morning and the baristas seem so happy and chirpy. At the same time I'd be dreading meetings/workshops on my calendar after having a poor sleep thinking about a work issue or deadline which in the grand scheme of things is insignificant.

At 29 I'm honestly questioning myself why I push so hard. The baristas may earn far less but they seem a damn sight happier. Maybe that's the way forward.

the_syco

ChikiChiki wrote: »

The baristas may earn far less but they seem a damn sight happier. Maybe that's the way forward.

Consider that they have to appear happy for the customer, or their hours get slashed.

Pinch Flat

I'm 45 since last year and would have though I would have progressed more in my career than I have now. 10 years ago, I would have been eyeing a director level job, managing a team and with responsibility much above what I have now. I'm the most qualified in my field where I work, colleagues regularly turn to me for advice given my advance years, experience and qualifications. But promotions have been handed out to other staff who've come into the company after me - some of them 10 years younger or more than me. It's a bit disheartening but given the amount of change I've had over the past few years and a recent health issue in the back end of 2016, I'm staying put where I am. Or maybe promotions are just not for me.

The recession had a huge impact on my career - I had a senior position in 2009, earmarked for promotion then BANG! The ar$e fell out of the industry I worked in. Spent a few years either on the dole or in short term contract jobs being paid more or less an entry level wage. I've grown quite cynical over the years, and realise to progress that there's an awful amount of ar$e licking that had to be done - it's just not for me.

5starpool

Some people have ambition, others don't. I'd be more in the latter camp. I have a decent paying job (when I'm not between contracts) but decided years ago that I wasn't interested in the management route with constant thoughts of advancement that some of the people I worked with years ago did have, and who are now in the main far better paid but far more stressed out than I am.

Whatever floats your boat really, there is no one size fits all.

westcoast66

I'm on about 40K and have been for about 20 years. But then I have constantly moved from startup to startup. Some have been successes, while some have been failures. I have friends who work in the public sector and are on big money (2 or 3 times my salary) now, but that's not for me - to have your whole life mapped out for you.

RobertKK

Retired if you did the other 20+ correctly

razorblunt

One that will strike a good work/life balance, the balancing point deem it whatever you want it to be.

PTH2009

sugarman wrote: »

Something middle of the road that you somewhat enjoy and earn a living wage.

Same and be in a job for life situation

Working in retail since I was 18 and 27 now, have no interest in progressing in the company. I make enough money and am happy. Going too try too go back and get a degree in college when I feel ready. Although the money is OK i'll have to move on someday

The_Kew_Tour

You want a job you like but you also want job that makes you enjoy your free time too

jobless

i agree with everyone who says do something that makes you happy... Working your ass off between 20-40 might be for some but for me there are the years your prime years to go experience life, travel etc.... I would hate to reach 40 with a big bank balance and have no decent memories/experiences because i was in work all the time.

I work in a job that doesnt pay as well as others i could possibly get but its very flexible which means more time with my young kids and wife... to me the time i have with them outweighs the extra cash by a long way

The next step for me would be management but as a couple of others have said , its not for everyone... i would probably need a good plan B to get out of it again.

sbsquarepants

learn_more wrote: »

I don't get this problem people have with age difference. I've never been in a relationship with a huge age gap difference but I couldn't care less is someone is. As long as a person is over 18 then he/she can be with whatever person they want afaic. Sorry for off-topic.

I agree and I don't agree.
I couldn't care less about it in almost all cases, but I'm 42, I have a 21 year old daughter - if she brings home a 42 year old "boyfriend" i'll put the bastard in a coma, no two ways about it!

Hollister11

jobless wrote: »

i agree with everyone who says do something that makes you happy... Working your ass off between 20-40 might be for some but for me there are the years your prime years to go experience life, travel etc.... I would hate to reach 40 with a big bank balance and have no decent memories/experiences because i was in work all the time.

I work in a job that doesnt pay as well as others i could possibly get but its very flexible which means more time with my young kids and wife... to me the time i have with them outweighs the extra cash by a long way

The next step for me would be management but as a couple of others have said , its not for everyone... i would probably need a good plan B to get out of it again.

I'm 20 now, and I'm the opposite. I want to forge a career by all means necessary. Sure travelling is fun, but 2-3 weeks a year is enough for me. The rest of the year should be mainly about work. Obviously with a healthy social life.

I don't really see myself settling down and having kids for at least 10 - 15 years. If I don't get married until I'm 40, that will suit me and my career goals just fine.