New job/career at 57 - ideas?

Abysmal wages, brutal hours. Work that is gruelling physically and mentally and will leave OP utterly drained. Would only recommend this route for a much younger person looking to eventually enter one of the health care professions.

Hating IT is a sweeping statement although I do empathise a lot. 😁😁😁 What about QA or documentation or planning or project management in a not too stressful employment. Would keep you going for another few years. Basically, no longer working for yourself or worrying about the business.

And fits makes a great point about fetchcourses.

Rubbish, there’s plenty of jobs out there and employers are being increasingly flexible, especially where a candidate can show general skills and experience, which based on his original post he does. There are lots of companies where job sharing is increasing and people are looking for reduced hours.

I’m not sure where you’re working but you’re not in touch with the current job market.

I know there are going to be the posters with "it's never too late" spiel but at 57, to be honest it is too late. Major investment in a new qualification is unlikely to pay for itself in the 10 or so working years you have.

While you haven't said what you had been paying yourself, changing career always puts you at the foot of the ladder and wages are likely to be a lot lower than you're used to.

If I were you, if there were short courses that will make your development skills more current, that's what I'd do. Software development is in huge demand in Dublin and you could command a very decent wage.

Yes, I am actually, and that’s your experience. Self employment isn’t a barrier if you can show transferable skill’s and while the poster admits he doesn’t like IT now, he also quoted that business dried up during the pandemic which is a very legitimate reason to give in a job interview. I have numerous friends and colleagues who have changed career, job and outlook in their 50’s and I know most companies in my sector will happily take on staff over 50. I was 49 when I joined.

just because your recent experience didn’t pan out doesn’t mean you should be belittle the poster and their efforts.

You won't be difficult to manage or be seen as difficult to manage if you abide by the most basic of fundamentals.

Directly or indirectly, ensure you make your manager's job easier than it was before you were hired. Everything else feeds into that.

Some of ye really need to work on reading comprehension.

The OP said:

IT is out, because A) I hate it, and B) I've been doing my own thing, my own ways, for 20+ years now, so not up to speed with the latest stuff. I just would not be able to hack it in another environment.

Unless he's a Cobol programmer who can pick up remote work from London etc then ITs not the way to go.

And with 20 years one-man-band experience, I don't see him as a credible project manager in a large environment either.

As someone that did homecare stay away, at least from the agency stuff as a man, you can only go to make patients and straight away that's your available hours down. You'll spend most on fuel driving client to client.

If needs be work in a nursing home etc to keep you going a while but you'd have more heath mentally and physically working in a shop and actually not spend your wage on fuel

You're not taking him on so you're opinion of his suitability as a project manager isn't valid. Project management doesn't have to be in a large environment either. Given you're not having much luck getting a job yourself I don't think your in the best position to be determining someone else's suitability for a position.

A lot of younger people giving advice.

57 is simply too old for employment agencies and companies as you have one eye on retirement. Hopefully the mortgage is paid off.

I'm not too far off that age. Thankfully I've a strong business but know there's not a chance of employment if it closed.

But I've an eye on retirement from the business but hopefully will still be busy.

I've created a customer service training program for the hospitality and retail industry and plan to deliver that in conjunction with a certified health and safety instructor. We do a couple of gigs at present and the market is huge - from Ty school classes to international retailers. For a group of 15 we charge €500. His standalone health and safety training is €350.

The other area I'm planning to get into is master of ceremonies. Again easy money (not overly lucrative) but very enjoyable.

€200-€300 for a standard wedding/dinner event, up to €500 for corporate days. You need to learn the ropes, but that's easy with something like Toastmasters which in itself is a superb networking system. Plenty of tech companies with events - knowledge of tech can be a clincher to be MC.

So forget employment with anyone, you'll absolutely hate it and unlikely to get anywhere anyway. Look for opportunities to contract out your knowledge in a different format and enjoy yourself

I'd be pretty sure that the LEO want business mentors who can help people to both succeed and to grow beyond being a solo-prenur.

OP maybe post on the entrepreneurship and business management forum, the folks there may have some suggestions.

What shape is your body in, could you work in a job where you had to stand all day? (I couldn't).

a friend of mine did homecare and despite being at the time 26/27 she was on about 11 euro an hour. This is 3-4 years ago… a highly competitive industry, around or just above minimum wage… few job prospects as she realised as the only progression is to management…and those jobs are like hens teeth…

Become a bus driver with Dublin Bus or Bus Eireann very secure job decent pay not huge but still decent and a pension. Know a good a few in it who changed career to do it. Dublin Bus will give you full training to get the licence without having to put your hand in your pocket.

The IT market is so hot right now that I am seeing 60/61 year olds picking up new jobs. It's impossible to attract top talent and experience is key especially for companies setting up or trying to grow in Ireland.

With IT skills and business acumen ,if you have people skills you might suit an office manager role in a logistics or food Supply company.Smaller companies would be thrilled with the IT aspect as they normally cant afford a designated IT guy.