Change of career at 54
Discussion
I spent most of my career in marketing and the last few years running an electrical business but, tbh, I spend more of my time dealing with operational issues and the challenges of an uncertain income each month. I’ve had enough of it.
However, I am stuck as to where to go now/what to do. I liked the marketing and also the sales side of the business and got used to spending my time in and out of the office but my main way into something new is back to marketing. I’m very experienced in marketing and pretty much up to date with things but some recruiters have been put off, I think, by me running a business for the past few years, as they look at that more than me being a marketing professional.
I’m also not 100% sure I want to do that again.
But, I have no idea what I could do now. I have a great deal of business experience, I’m good with people and reasonably intelligent but outside of my core skills it seems I don’t have any value anywhere else. I am sure that is not the case but…
I don’t need a 70k job but I do need/want a paying one.
Have you done anything similar? Had similar challenges?
However, I am stuck as to where to go now/what to do. I liked the marketing and also the sales side of the business and got used to spending my time in and out of the office but my main way into something new is back to marketing. I’m very experienced in marketing and pretty much up to date with things but some recruiters have been put off, I think, by me running a business for the past few years, as they look at that more than me being a marketing professional.
I’m also not 100% sure I want to do that again.
But, I have no idea what I could do now. I have a great deal of business experience, I’m good with people and reasonably intelligent but outside of my core skills it seems I don’t have any value anywhere else. I am sure that is not the case but…
I don’t need a 70k job but I do need/want a paying one.
Have you done anything similar? Had similar challenges?
OK then, so the challenge you have is that at 54, you've spend several decades amassing knowledge, insight, contacts and knowhow in your field. You have around 15 years of working life left so whatever you do, it's unlikely you'll attain the same level of these things as you have at the moment. That may not be an issue you for you but is something you need to consider.
I have a good friend who abandoned a 25 year career in recruitment to try his hand in first, children's animation and then product development. After 12 years of this, neither of which he succeeded in, he's returned to recruitment but at a level considerable less than where he left it by virtue of having lost 12 years of sector development exposure.
I think the trick is to look at something that blends with what you've been doing rather than jump into something completely new. There's a lot of risk in the latter. In your 30's you have the time to fix things if the risk manifests itself. In your 50's, it's not so easy.
Something to also think on is that at 54, with the years of experience you have, it's a good time to think about setting up on your own (not withstanding the money side of things).
I have a good friend who abandoned a 25 year career in recruitment to try his hand in first, children's animation and then product development. After 12 years of this, neither of which he succeeded in, he's returned to recruitment but at a level considerable less than where he left it by virtue of having lost 12 years of sector development exposure.
I think the trick is to look at something that blends with what you've been doing rather than jump into something completely new. There's a lot of risk in the latter. In your 30's you have the time to fix things if the risk manifests itself. In your 50's, it's not so easy.
Something to also think on is that at 54, with the years of experience you have, it's a good time to think about setting up on your own (not withstanding the money side of things).
Afraid I can't help on the marketing side of things but I'm just about to embark on my new career in a similar vein - I'm 49 next month
After 28 years in the IT business as sales operations and then project management, I've got to the point where I'm bored and can't see how I could do another 15-20 years behind a desk (especially sat permanently in my kitchen)
I literally handed my notice in yesterday as I've been signed off as a trainee driving instructor and start next month. Demand is massive at the minute!
People skills, relationship building, calmness under pressure, the ability to coach rather than dictate. I was amazed how many transferrable skills I have amassed through my time in sales etc.
It won't pay £70k. My projections say a take home up to £40k if leasing a car etc. is about the level, but that's more than I'm on so I'm happy with it and can control my own diary (as the demand is so great you will find people available to take whatever times you choose to offer)
Just a thought
After 28 years in the IT business as sales operations and then project management, I've got to the point where I'm bored and can't see how I could do another 15-20 years behind a desk (especially sat permanently in my kitchen)
I literally handed my notice in yesterday as I've been signed off as a trainee driving instructor and start next month. Demand is massive at the minute!
People skills, relationship building, calmness under pressure, the ability to coach rather than dictate. I was amazed how many transferrable skills I have amassed through my time in sales etc.
It won't pay £70k. My projections say a take home up to £40k if leasing a car etc. is about the level, but that's more than I'm on so I'm happy with it and can control my own diary (as the demand is so great you will find people available to take whatever times you choose to offer)
Just a thought
Pieman68 said:
Afraid I can't help on the marketing side of things but I'm just about to embark on my new career in a similar vein - I'm 49 next month
After 28 years in the IT business as sales operations and then project management, I've got to the point where I'm bored and can't see how I could do another 15-20 years behind a desk (especially sat permanently in my kitchen)
I literally handed my notice in yesterday as I've been signed off as a trainee driving instructor and start next month. Demand is massive at the minute!
People skills, relationship building, calmness under pressure, the ability to coach rather than dictate. I was amazed how many transferrable skills I have amassed through my time in sales etc.
It won't pay £70k. My projections say a take home up to £40k if leasing a car etc. is about the level, but that's more than I'm on so I'm happy with it and can control my own diary (as the demand is so great you will find people available to take whatever times you choose to offer)
Just a thought
Pieman, I have those qualites and am kicking my heels at work. Can I ask who you are learning with?After 28 years in the IT business as sales operations and then project management, I've got to the point where I'm bored and can't see how I could do another 15-20 years behind a desk (especially sat permanently in my kitchen)
I literally handed my notice in yesterday as I've been signed off as a trainee driving instructor and start next month. Demand is massive at the minute!
People skills, relationship building, calmness under pressure, the ability to coach rather than dictate. I was amazed how many transferrable skills I have amassed through my time in sales etc.
It won't pay £70k. My projections say a take home up to £40k if leasing a car etc. is about the level, but that's more than I'm on so I'm happy with it and can control my own diary (as the demand is so great you will find people available to take whatever times you choose to offer)
Just a thought
I swapped from a lifelong, successful career in IT to building renovation. I was fortunate to have a very good mentor and teacher and a healthy amount of common sense and dexterity so the move was relatively easy.
I don't earn as much as I did as I only work part time, but thankfully I did well enough prior not to need to.
If I monetised everything I do I'd be at about £70k for a 2.5 day week, although a lot of what I do at the moment isn't paid. It keeps me honest, occupied and fit.
If you fancy a change, and especially if you don't need to make big money, why not? You can always go back.
I don't earn as much as I did as I only work part time, but thankfully I did well enough prior not to need to.
If I monetised everything I do I'd be at about £70k for a 2.5 day week, although a lot of what I do at the moment isn't paid. It keeps me honest, occupied and fit.
If you fancy a change, and especially if you don't need to make big money, why not? You can always go back.
lost in espace said:
Pieman, I have those qualites and am kicking my heels at work. Can I ask who you are learning with?
Can we name? I know it's not Name and Shame but don't want to get on the wrong side of the law It's the Prince of Wales' first name in it's shortened form and an alternative name for machinery for construction purposes
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, I think my profile is set to receive emails
JimJobs81 said:
Sure about that?
Is it not mostly 18 year olds who are students and so only available mornings/evenings/weekends?
Yes there will be evenings. Not an issue as my other half runs her business a couple of evenings a weekIs it not mostly 18 year olds who are students and so only available mornings/evenings/weekends?
Yes there will be some weekend work. Our kids are grown so it's not an issue
Lot of kids do college rather than school for A level, so tend to have half days and free periods available
I've spoken to a fair few local instructors, some of whom don't work pre 9am or post 7pm, and do a couple of lessons on a Saturday morning. Demand is that high at the minute that they are all full and turning work away or have waiting lists.
I don't think it's nearly as prescriptive as it used to be
StevieBee said:
OK then, so the challenge you have is that at 54, you've spend several decades amassing knowledge, insight, contacts and knowhow in your field. You have around 15 years of working life left so whatever you do, it's unlikely you'll attain the same level of these things as you have at the moment. That may not be an issue you for you but is something you need to consider.
I have a good friend who abandoned a 25 year career in recruitment to try his hand in first, children's animation and then product development. After 12 years of this, neither of which he succeeded in, he's returned to recruitment but at a level considerable less than where he left it by virtue of having lost 12 years of sector development exposure.
I think the trick is to look at something that blends with what you've been doing rather than jump into something completely new. There's a lot of risk in the latter. In your 30's you have the time to fix things if the risk manifests itself. In your 50's, it's not so easy.
Something to also think on is that at 54, with the years of experience you have, it's a good time to think about setting up on your own (not withstanding the money side of things).
Yes, fair points. My current business is good but it ran away with me a little and with hindsight, one of the big challenges has been having to do stuff I don't want to do/don't like doing and not being from the industry, I can't just do the work on my own.I have a good friend who abandoned a 25 year career in recruitment to try his hand in first, children's animation and then product development. After 12 years of this, neither of which he succeeded in, he's returned to recruitment but at a level considerable less than where he left it by virtue of having lost 12 years of sector development exposure.
I think the trick is to look at something that blends with what you've been doing rather than jump into something completely new. There's a lot of risk in the latter. In your 30's you have the time to fix things if the risk manifests itself. In your 50's, it's not so easy.
Something to also think on is that at 54, with the years of experience you have, it's a good time to think about setting up on your own (not withstanding the money side of things).
A combination of marketing in the sector may be a course/route to consider.
Luckily I didn't lose any time from marketing as i was still doing it, just doing it for my own business.
Undirection said:
Yes, fair points. My current business is good but it ran away with me a little and with hindsight, one of the big challenges has been having to do stuff I don't want to do/don't like doing and not being from the industry, I can't just do the work on my own.
A combination of marketing in the sector may be a course/route to consider.
Luckily I didn't lose any time from marketing as i was still doing it, just doing it for my own business.
If you have a successful business, but need sector expertise, hire an electrical contracts manager, and build a team?A combination of marketing in the sector may be a course/route to consider.
Luckily I didn't lose any time from marketing as i was still doing it, just doing it for my own business.
In a similar state at the moment, Im just the lower side of 50 and have been working in corporates most of my life from analytics, to product development, to sales and now in operations. I cant say looking at that lot, I really enjoy any of it any more and totally lost as to what to do next. Its a double edged sword as ive lost the will to do what I currently do, but have no idea what I would want to do instead ... and knowing that my salary drop would be big and unsustainable should I move to something completely new, whatever it is.
Watching this thread!
Watching this thread!
Regbuser said:
Undirection said:
Yes, fair points. My current business is good but it ran away with me a little and with hindsight, one of the big challenges has been having to do stuff I don't want to do/don't like doing and not being from the industry, I can't just do the work on my own.
A combination of marketing in the sector may be a course/route to consider.
Luckily I didn't lose any time from marketing as i was still doing it, just doing it for my own business.
If you have a successful business, but need sector expertise, hire an electrical contracts manager, and build a team?A combination of marketing in the sector may be a course/route to consider.
Luckily I didn't lose any time from marketing as i was still doing it, just doing it for my own business.
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