Age 50 and want totally change career - ideas

Claw Hammer

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

At the risk of going OT I thought the definition of a millionaire was someone who had, through assets etc. a million. Surely that's not that difficult? A decent house in a nice part of Dublin, a few investments and maybe an investment property.

The banks would not include the principal residence in the calculation and would look for €1m in investment assets.

secondrowgal

I’m about to (semi) retire early, next year, after 18 years of running my own business. It’s quite specialised and niche so I am thinking of starting a web-based training offering to pass on all my knowledge while I still have it. After that, I’m probably going to go back to college and do a Coaching/Counselling degree and do that. It’s the complete opposite of what I do now (I’m in STEM) and I can’t wait!

For you/your brother - what did say you wanted to be when you grew up?? That’s the key to knowing what your dream job is. If money is not so much the issue, you should do what you love. Another way to find out is to sit down with a pen and paper and list every single job you’d ever like to do - don’t let anything deter you, don’t worry about qualifications, or where it’s based or money or anything. Just write everything down, ideally all in one go. When you go back to it you will probably see a pattern and that’s where you could think of looking.

California Dreamer

I F**KING HATE MY JOB!

Well I dont hate the job, I hate the company I work for.

30 years in the same thing and just had a combined 35% paycunt for 2020.

Have been doing the same thing all my life and if I didnt have the nice house, Range Rover, kids and my love of nice holidays I would bail and work as a lollypop man!!!!

I'm well and truly stuck. Working towards paying off as much as I can and then downsizing.

JimmyVik

saabsaab wrote: »

I know the feeling. What you do would depend on what your interests are and your skills.


Can you paint? Are you a writer? Do you like dealing with the public?? Say a shop or similar. Consultant IT as a self-employed person?

Knew a lad who did extra as a viking or whatever in film/TV. Did alright too working most of the year and he wasn't good looking or anything, overweight and hairy.

Perfect job for my brother

Padre_Pio

California Dreamer wrote: »

I F**KING HATE MY JOB!

Well I dont hate the job, I hate the company I work for.

30 years in the same thing and just had a combined 35% paycunt for 2020.

Have been doing the same thing all my life and if I didnt have the nice house, Range Rover, kids and my love of nice holidays I would bail and work as a lollypop man!!!!

I'm well and truly stuck. Working towards paying off as much as I can and then downsizing.

This is the trap. You make good money and your lifestyle changes to match your income, so you can't afford to work for less money.

Best plan IMO is to keep living costs low and save any excess money. Then you have freedom. Each to their own of course.

California Dreamer

Padre_Pio wrote: »

This is the trap. You make good money and your lifestyle changes to match your income, so you can't afford to work for less money.

Best plan IMO is to keep living costs low and save any excess money. Then you have freedom. Each to their own of course.

Oh totally! I am victim of my own success and have nobody to blame but myself. Hence the reason to pay things down. Hold on to the cars a few years longer. Thankfully there has been no hoidays this year and the last thing I bought for myself as a lotto ticket!!!! €200 million tonight!!!!!

JimmyVik

I sent him on a link to this thread last night.
Just got a message from him saying he is handing in his notice on Monday
His new idea now is to go to a town in Portugal and live there with the wife for a few years, soaking up the sun.
Ive been there with him. Paradise. He has stayed there for 2 months at a time before. But I dont know about staying there for a few years.
Wonder how he will feel Monday

JimmyVik

JimmyVik wrote: »

I was having a few pints with my brother last night and we got to talking.
He is 50 this year and works in IT. He said he is just tired of it and burnt out. I work at the same game and feel the same, so i know how he feels, but i'll stick at it another few years myself.

But he said he just wants a totally different career. Nothing to do with IT.
And he was looking for ideas of how to go about this, without going back to uni . He reminded me he is 50 . Well I had none.

Well I had one. Apply to the civil service and see if you can get a job there. I think they just place you in random jobs. Roll the dice and see what happens. But I dont even know if you can start in the civil service at 50 years of age tbh or how you would go about it.

I think it was an interesting topic.

So throwing it out to the good boardsies. What should he do? What can he do? Has anyone here ever changed career at 50?

I was at a reunion dinner about a year ago. We had all worked at the same company and went to other companies and found ourselves working together again.

Out of the 10 people at the table 6 had burnt out and taken time off work at some point and 4 of them said they would never work in IT ever again. One has started his own photography business. Out of the 10 only 2 people were older than 40.

Burn out is a huge issue in IT. Its more suprising your brother only feels burnt out at 50 and not 35.

As for other careers, i'd ask him what does he love doing and tell him to do that. Same for yourself, what do you love doing?

JimmyVik

Deleted User wrote: »

I was at a reunion dinner about a year ago. We had all worked at the same company and went to other companies and found ourselves working together again.

Out of the 10 people at the table 6 had burnt out and taken time off work at some point and 4 of them said they would never work in IT ever again. One has started his own photography business. Out of the 10 only 2 people were older than 40.

Burn out is a huge issue in IT. Its more suprising your brother only feels burnt out at 50 and not 35.

As for other careers, i'd ask him what does he love doing and tell him to do that. Same for yourself, what do you love doing?

Had exactly the same experience myself after a reunion with my class from Uni a couple of years ago.

Liberalbrehon

Would your brother consider IT training as a stepping stone out of IT software development, project management? Get to go into a classroom setting and train people on new systems, applications, used to be travelling around different offices, probably not so much now with covid. Just needs personality to be happy talking to group of people with grips about their application and work systems.

Are there women on this thread or has it all been men fed up at 50 after 25 years in the job? My dad worked 45 years behind same bar. I'd say at 50, go till 60 then take semi-retirement and reinvent yourself as whatever you want. And at fifty, he should be able to not give a f*ck, so shouldn't take BS from anyone. What are they going to do if he just speaks the truth. If he becomes a pain in the ass for management they might pay him to leave with a bonus.

partyguinness

An idea would be to start dipping his toe into a few different areas while keeping the full time role. Almost like taking it up slowly part time and ease into that way.

Be like a monkey- don't let go of a branch until you have a firm grip on another.

beauf

partyguinness wrote: »

....
Be like a monkey- don't let go of a branch until you have a firm grip on another.

I think most people would think the same.

Then again if you have a plan B, will you commit fully to Plan A. But thats easier to say than do, especially if you're 50.

JimmyVik

JimmyVik wrote: »

I sent him on a link to this thread last night.
Just got a message from him saying he is handing in his notice on Monday
His new idea now is to go to a town in Portugal and live there with the wife for a few years, soaking up the sun.
Ive been there with him. Paradise. He has stayed there for 2 months at a time before. But I dont know about staying there for a few years.
Wonder how he will feel Monday

Boredom and alcohol will be two key downsides to keep in mind with that plan- alcohol especially (assuming they’re drinkers) as it’s a very common pitfall -

begbysback

boards.ie mod, the pay is good, stress free, and the workload is small.

saabsaab

Claw Hammer wrote: »

The Civil service will go out of its way not to use your skills so you don't show up the people who are pretending they have those skills.

You may be right. I know that DFA is said never to give a first or second preference posting. It was rumoured that you put you real preference no. 3 or 4.

DublinWriter

howamidifferent wrote: »

Just looked at some of the paygrades for the civil service. My god they are eye wateringly poor. Didn't realise how much of a pay cut would be involved in switching.

Pay in the Public Sector is pretty good at AP/PO level when you also factor in the holidays and pension.

Sadly, technical roles are non-existent at those levels. They really need to rethink the pay-structure considering they happily pay certain big companies (which I won't name) €1,500+ a day for 22 year old grads with feck all experience.

The other draw back is the pervasive "can't do" attitude within the service and a complete aversion to even the slightest of "risk-taking".

schmoo2k

Deleted User wrote: »

I was at a reunion dinner about a year ago. We had all worked at the same company and went to other companies and found ourselves working together again.

Out of the 10 people at the table 6 had burnt out and taken time off work at some point and 4 of them said they would never work in IT ever again. One has started his own photography business. Out of the 10 only 2 people were older than 40.

Burn out is a huge issue in IT. Its more suprising your brother only feels burnt out at 50 and not 35.

As for other careers, i'd ask him what does he love doing and tell him to do that. Same for yourself, what do you love doing?

I am 52 and been programming since I was 12 - I still enjoy it (but am now worried I am doing it wrong <g>)... Just adding a bit of balance for folks starting out.

Terrontress

Case Massive Duckling wrote: »

I have had some really fascinating discussions with taxi-drivers over the years.

It is great getting the low-down on the well-known individuals that they have driven!

I am always a touch sceptical, but every taxi driver I meet tells me that they are barely surviving. That they are working 80 hour weeks just to break even. Yes, you can make your own hours if you don't have a boss but, if you aren't paying the bills, you have to push yourself to work when you would rather not.

There are shifts through the night, dealing with boozed up idiots, the threat of violence, the stress of driving, long periods sat alone on a rank, no protection if there is a downturn, like at present.

I don't think I would want to do it.

Eire Go Brach

Pharma, Prison Guard and Airport screener.

Process operators in Pfizer can make over 50k with shift allowance.

I done the opposite. Changed careers after 18 years, into IT
4 years in now. This Thread has me scared

ByTheSea2019

I understand that well-paying jobs that carry a lot of responsibility can be stressful, but don't assume that doing a simple lower-paid jobs are automatically great if you don't need the money. There can be a lack of respect bordering on bullying when you're totally replaceable because it could be done by anyone.

AnRothar

Another factor to consider when changing careers is the "I was somebody" in a previous career syndrome.

Unless the skill set is directly aplicable you will have to start on the bottom.
Not an easy thing for some people to accept.

AnRothar

AnRothar wrote: »

Another factor to consider when changing careers is the "I was somebody" in a previous career syndrome.

Unless the skill set is directly aplicable you will have to start on the bottom.
Not an easy thing for some people to accept.

And indeed, not every employer will employ someone like that as they’ll feel intimidated by someone who knows more than they do and don’t take orders easy

saabsaab

ByTheSea2019 wrote: »

I understand that well-paying jobs that carry a lot of responsibility can be stressful, but don't assume that doing a simple lower-paid jobs are automatically great if you don't need the money. There can be a lack of respect bordering on bullying when you're totally replaceable because it could be done by anyone.

I worked at various jobs and responsibility and stress didn't always relate to pay!

blindside88

JimmyVik wrote: »

I sent him on a link to this thread last night.
Just got a message from him saying he is handing in his notice on Monday
His new idea now is to go to a town in Portugal and live there with the wife for a few years, soaking up the sun.
Ive been there with him. Paradise. He has stayed there for 2 months at a time before. But I dont know about staying there for a few years.
Wonder how he will feel Monday

Wow, I’m so jealous. Best of luck to him

Tea For Two

JimmyVik wrote: »

I sent him on a link to this thread last night.
Just got a message from him saying he is handing in his notice on Monday
His new idea now is to go to a town in Portugal and live there with the wife for a few years, soaking up the sun.
Ive been there with him. Paradise. He has stayed there for 2 months at a time before. But I dont know about staying there for a few years.
Wonder how he will feel Monday

Best of luck to him!
Big company in our town closed a few years ago. Two neighbours (50's) had been with them since their Leaving Certs and completed a course to become special needs assistants. See them regularly and they are delighted with their jobs (primary and secondary schools). They both say that while the money is not as good, the hours and job satisfaction are big positives.

zerosugarbuzz

ByTheSea2019 wrote: »

I understand that well-paying jobs that carry a lot of responsibility can be stressful, but don't assume that doing a simple lower-paid jobs are automatically great if you don't need the money. There can be a lack of respect bordering on bullying when you're totally replaceable because it could be done by anyone.

Sad but very true!

doc22

Tea For Two wrote: »

Best of luck to him!
Big company in our town closed a few years ago. Two neighbours (50's) had been with them since their Leaving Certs and completed a course to become special needs assistants. See them regularly and they are delighted with their jobs (primary and secondary schools). They both say that while the money is not as good, the hours and job satisfaction are big positives.

An SNA is a handy number, long paid holidays, short working hours, no teaching responsibilities, short evening course to qualify as one and pay tops out at 40k. Only problem is getting a job as one.

AndrewJRenko

doc22 wrote: »

An SNA is a handy number, long paid holidays, short working hours, no teaching responsibilities, short evening course to qualify as one and pay tops out at 40k. Only problem is getting a job as one.

How short is that evening course? The SNAs that I know did a one-year full-time course to qualify for their role. Just to clarify, they have 'no teaching responsibilities' because they aren't teachers. Their role is not to teach, it is to provide personal care. Children with disabilities are entitled to have qualified professional teachers, same as other children.

The top of the salary scale takes 14 years to reach, so someone joining at 50 would be very lucky to hit the top of the scale before retirement. Many will start out doing temp roles or maternity cover before getting a full time role.

doc22

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

How short is that evening course? The SNAs that I know did a one-year full-time course to qualify for their role. Just to clarify, they have 'no teaching responsibilities' because they aren't teachers. Their role is not to teach, it is to provide personal care. Children with disabilities are entitled to have qualified professional teachers, same as other children.

The top of the salary scale takes 14 years to reach, so someone joining at 50 would be very lucky to hit the top of the scale before retirement. Many will start out doing temp roles or maternity cover before getting a full time role.

They are courses which can be done online or one night a week for 8 weeks

https://progressivecollege.ie/product/qqi-5-and-6-sna-online-course/

https://www.nightcourses.com/course/special-needs-assisting-qqi-level-6-in-ballybofey-stranorlar-co-donegal/

But you're right lots of courses are a year long to milk the BTEA and grants system;)

AndrewJRenko

doc22 wrote: »

They are courses which can be done online or one night a week for 8 weeks

https://progressivecollege.ie/product/qqi-5-and-6-sna-online-course/

https://www.nightcourses.com/course/special-needs-assisting-qqi-level-6-in-ballybofey-stranorlar-co-donegal/

But you're right lots of courses are a year long to milk the BTEA and grants system;)

The eight week course is a minor award. Any jobs I've seen require a major award at this stage. Most courses include a work placement too.

BTEA doesn't apply to evening courses.

As far as I know SNAs are not paid over the Summer and have to sign on for Job seekers. They are usually only told whether they're needed in August. Unless of course some are luckily on the permanent staff of the school. Any that I know are only on temp contracts.

JimmyVik

JimmyVik wrote: »

He probably wouldnt mind that at all. I think he just wants a change now.
Im in IT myself and its definitely not like it used to be.
And his job is even more stressful than mine. He has been contracting for a while and has put away plenty of money. He just wants to work in something that is not as high stress now. I think its a mid life crisis

I went working in a factory for a few months, just to fill the gap between my preferred job type while waiting for openings.

I ended up loving it, worked on the production line for a year, moved up through several roles, all very different. Now I'm doing BI development for several global divisions. I've been at my place now for 15 years.

If he "just wants out" thats a good option while figuring out what he wants to do as a lot of these places prefer to hire from within wherever possible.

doc22

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

The eight week course is a minor award. Any jobs I've seen require a major award at this stage. Most courses include a work placement too.

BTEA doesn't apply to evening courses.

The full time course are for BTEA and grants purposes. The vast majority I know didn't spent a year to learn it if at all. 3 D's in the junior cert and your qualified

https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0051_2019.pdf

More important is knowing someone on the board:(

doc22

Deleted User wrote: »

As far as I know SNA are not paid over the Summer and have to sign on for Job seekers. They are usually only told whether they're needed in August. Unless of course some are luckily on the permanent staff of the school. Any that I know are only on temp contracts.

I'm going to say that like teachers if you start at certain point in year you get paid for summer

https://circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/education/2008/04.pdf

AndrewJRenko

doc22 wrote: »

The full time course are for BTEA and grants purposes. The vast majority I know didn't spent a year to learn it if at all. 3 D's in the junior cert and your qualified

https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0051_2019.pdf

More important is knowing someone on the board:(

As with any job, meeting the minimum education qualifications does not get you a job. It gets you past the first filtering stage.

Then you're competing with people with QQI 5, 6, 7 qualifications.

doc22

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

As with any job, meeting the minimum education qualifications does not get you a job. It gets you past the first filtering stage.

Then you're competing with people with QQI 5, 6, 7 qualifications.

Having QQI 5, 6, 7 qualifications doesn't mean much, the board can pick whoever they want and score interview appropriately. The courses are trivial and don't mean much at all, hence the 3 D in junior cert requirement. They aren't picking a qualification they're picking a person...

AnRothar

I have to admit I found this thread interesting and a little scary.

Interesting to see what people are thinking but also scary to see what they are thinking.

Reminds me of a posting I remember reading on boards about a guy who started a new job and was complaining about how the holidays were to be allocated.

Most places have "rules" both written and unwritten about how things are done.

Experience is useful but not the be all and end all.
Most employers want someone who will be a "good fit" with the current operation/structure.

Far too many people being unrealized baggage from previous employment.

It was interesting to see the standard trope of the civil service and "government job" as a sort call back option still reigns.

HartsHat

Claw Hammer wrote: »

Money not great? I know a guy who joined the Civil Service at 18 as a clerical assistant. He had 5 passes in his Leaving. Within 20 years he was a millionaire with two degrees.

That person is so rare that I can actually name who they are.

They are also running an organisation larger than any other in Ireland with the largest budget in Ireland.

Probably deserve their 200k.

HartsHat

Isn't it interesting, also, than everyone's idea of handy number is the job they're not doing?

Go do it if it's so handy.

We all do the same Leaving, fill in the same CAO form, and can apply for the same jobs.

Supercell

I've often thought if money wasn't a consideration I'd go back to work in McDonald's as a "crew member", did that during my college years and loved the craic and the buzz of the lunch/dinner "rush". Unfortunately with a mortgage and three kids that's not an option at the moment.

AlanPG

The civil service isnt a bad option. They dont discriminate on age. With a large workforce its difficult to say what the experience could be. Some depts/ agencys are more progressive than others. Also applying by the general competitions is a bit of a lottery. But could end up doing something that was different to what you did before that you really like (or not).

Can be a mixed bag also in terms of the manager you get and this can make a difference to your experience but I guess this is true for anywhere. However some managers are very old fashioned compared to private sector - its something you need to manage.

The level you go in as an external candidate does make a difference. PO/ AP jobs can be a steep learning experience and many places simply expect that because you made the qualifying mark to do the job, that you can hit the ground running with little allowance made for you being new to the service. You need to know that you are strong in yourself to go straight into these grades but also be prepared to play the game a little, by being diplomatic and bide your time (ie bite your tongue, and do what you are told until you are more established). Having said that, there is a more collegitate attitude amongst staff of a same grade than in the private sector and you can lean on that certainly.

JimmyVik

Well he did it
Forwarded me on the email he sent to his HR department this morning. subject "Look what I just did".
He just gave them his 3 months notice.
Says he is going to just take a year off, go to Portugal and chill out.
He will think about either going back to his current career or figuring out how to get to a new one on his 52nd birthday.
Im kinda jealous, but scared for him at the same time.
I must encourage him to get a nice big apartment with room for me in Portugal.

Denalihighway

Claw Hammer wrote: »

Plenty become millionaires with inheritance, dowry or lottery. Some save and invest, using the salary to help obtain credit. Quite a number of guards, for example, have become wealthy through investment.

I'm enjoying this thread but there's always someone who seems determined to drag a decent thread into the gutter.

Your posts are baseless, cliched, anecdotal and bloody nonsensical. (see your other posts also)
If you can't contribute productively then leave the rest of us to it.

beauf

Supercell wrote: »

I've often thought if money wasn't a consideration I'd go back to work in McDonald's as a "crew member", did that during my college years and loved the craic and the buzz of the lunch/dinner "rush". Unfortunately with a mortgage and three kids that's not an option at the moment.

Usually its not the place or job, but the person you were at that time, and the people around you that made that good craic. I'd say its very hard to recreate that 30yrs later.

That said one of the startups I was in, and had great crack, after a good few years, turned into corporate dog eat dog place, that was torture to work in. Every day was like pulling teeth. Something I didn't full appreciate until I went contracting and ended up a team of adolescent 30 yrs olds, all doing the same thing, working hard, but having a laugh at the same time. Only then did I realize how stressful the previous job had become.

Denalihighway

JimmyVik wrote: »

I sent him on a link to this thread last night.
Just got a message from him saying he is handing in his notice on Monday
His new idea now is to go to a town in Portugal and live there with the wife for a few years, soaking up the sun.
Ive been there with him. Paradise. He has stayed there for 2 months at a time before. But I dont know about staying there for a few years.
Wonder how he will feel Monday

Sounds awesome

AndrewJRenko

doc22 wrote: »

Having QQI 5, 6, 7 qualifications doesn't mean much, the board can pick whoever they want and score interview appropriately. The courses are trivial and don't mean much at all, hence the 3 D in junior cert requirement. They aren't picking a qualification they're picking a person...

Each post is different. Each school can set their own requirements for whatever qualifications they deem relevant for the post.

The courses are far from trivial for people coming from a non-academic environment - to suddenly find yourself faced with a 10-20 page essay with academic referencing is far from trivial for many people.

cronos

JimmyVik wrote: »

Well he did it
Forwarded me on the email he sent to his HR department this morning. subject "Look what I just did".
He just gave them his 3 months notice.
Says he is going to just take a year off, go to Portugal and chill out.
He will think about either going back to his current career or figuring out how to get to a new one on his 52nd birthday.
Im kinda jealous, but scared for him at the same time.
I must encourage him to get a nice big apartment with room for me in Portugal.

What area of IT did he work in out of interest. I'm in the same field and want to avoid burnout.

JimmyVik

cronos wrote: »

What area of IT did he work in out of interest. I'm in the same field and want to avoid burnout.

He has done everything. One of the pony tail generation
He was big in to Java at one point, then .net.
Like myself he found those interesting and fun until the last 10 years or so.
No freedom anymore to be creative, among other things.
Went contracting for a while.

Currently he is the CTO of a midsize company in Dublin.
Hates it.


I called down to him last night.
Himself and the Mrs had a big list of rentals in Portugal up on the big screen and were going through them. They will make the move for Easter.

Both of them happy as larry and like two new people.
I was jealous.
They wont sell their house here for a year or two.
And they always have the granny flat at my Dads house to come back to for holidays etc. But i plan on going over there a lot now

Their kids are grown up ?
Did his wife not work?

JimmyVik

Augeo wrote: »

Their kids are grown up ?
Did his wife not work?

I was a bit worried at first they hadnt thought it through, but they have been giving it a lot of thought for a while it turns out.



They have one child, all grown up and working.
His wife was let go at the start of Covid.

Shes not going to bother going back anyway even after covid.
They are all in for this Portugal trip.
He says they will live of the cash and investments they have for now and he well tap his pension when he needs to. I think 55 is the earliest he can do that.
They have plenty of money put aside.

He earned a good wedge and put the max into the pension fund.He also has a heap of money in equities.

They havent had a mortgage for the last 10 years.

Theyve no outgoings apart from fancy restaurants and fancy holidays.
Both of them hardly drink at all. Dont think ive ever seen him drink more than 2 pints in a night. Most nights he just drinks club orange. She drinks the odd glass of wine.


He thinks they will get a 1 year lease on really nice house in Portugal for

about €750pm. They have done that fpr April, May, June in the past.
I think they'll go ahead with it alright.