• Guest, The HibeesBounce invites you to enter our Monthly Draw...

    Enter our Monthly Draw Here

    GGTTH

  • hibeesbounce

Career Change?

Smurf

Private Member
Joined
May 15, 2003
Messages
42,012
Reaction score
12,164
Points
178
Anyone successfully changed career direction?

I've been in sales for nearly 28 years. Pretty much hunting day in day out and I've totally had enough of it. Been getting me down the past few years and truth be told it's making me feel depressed.

Feeling hopeless as I feel trapped. I'd love to do something completely different but at a loss of what to do. Aged 44 next month I'm feeling pressure!

Anyone successfully changed career direction with any pointers?
 
Tough one and I wish you the best of luck. Also interested to see how you get on as the thought crosses my mind often enough. The problem is I still have no idea what I want to do when I grow up, and going back to a trainee's earnings is a non starter.
 
Anyone successfully changed career direction?

I've been in sales for nearly 28 years. Pretty much hunting day in day out and I've totally had enough of it. Been getting me down the past few years and truth be told it's making me feel depressed.

Feeling hopeless as I feel trapped. I'd love to do something completely different but at a loss of what to do. Aged 44 next month I'm feeling pressure!

Anyone successfully changed career direction with any pointers?

I thought you were enjoying your new job K.

Anyway I went from Repo man'collections rep to sales rep to office manager almost seamlessly through my life in work, all at different companies so no inhouse changes.
 
I changed my career in my forties. if nothing comes readily to mind - and in fairness, it really depends on the kind of new career interest you have - perhaps it might be an idea to consider an area and look into the idea of volunteering. i found that putting myself in a new environment made me aware of opportunities and channels I didn't before know of.
 
I changed career in my 50s. Went from being a full time copper to a part time hospital porter. Polis pension is a nice cushion mind you
 
My late dad was an accountant, but gave it up at the age of 40 to go to university and retrain as a teacher. The last 20 years of his working life were good ones.
 
Anyone successfully changed career direction?

I've been in sales for nearly 28 years. Pretty much hunting day in day out and I've totally had enough of it. Been getting me down the past few years and truth be told it's making me feel depressed.

Feeling hopeless as I feel trapped. I'd love to do something completely different but at a loss of what to do. Aged 44 next month I'm feeling pressure!

Anyone successfully changed career direction with any pointers?

Tough one and I wish you the best of luck. Also interested to see how you get on as the thought crosses my mind often enough. The problem is I still have no idea what I want to do when I grow up, and going back to a trainee's earnings is a non starter.


K, I could have written your OP word for word, and M, the bit in bold - I'm still there. At 43.

I have an NHS job which in many ways is fairly cushy compared to loads of other professions, but in reality im in a post which isnae really going anywhere. Brutal.

Good luck on your search Smurf.
 
Anyone successfully changed career direction?

I've been in sales for nearly 28 years. Pretty much hunting day in day out and I've totally had enough of it. Been getting me down the past few years and truth be told it's making me feel depressed.

Feeling hopeless as I feel trapped. I'd love to do something completely different but at a loss of what to do. Aged 44 next month I'm feeling pressure!

Anyone successfully changed career direction with any pointers?

Pretty much feel exactly the same as you, been in Investment Ops near enough my full career and its a horrible place to be the last half a dozen years. Like you the idea of change seems attractive but the financial pressures and to be honest the thought of starting again are the main reasons I haven't followed it through.

Few mates have gone down the Project Management/Analyst route. If you have the gift of the gab are decent with presentations and process analysis it seems to pay well enough if you set up as your own company. Mostly contract work tho so if your worried about long term prospects it may not be ideal.

Good luck with it tho - I hope you find something you enjoy - there must be more to life than just punching the clock each day.
 
Was near enough 30 when I moved from jobs like, security, van delivery, building sites etc into care work. Worked with adults with learning difficulties, care in the community and visiting support. Had a couple of rotten jobs through this but most have been great and I have no intention moving from current job in homeless services

Might not have the same wage though as you.

One of my sons worked for years with McDonalds and got to asst manager, he currently works with Aldis doing same job and is in line for promotion to full manager. They pay managers £43k starting wage rising to £50k Lidls pay is I think £35k plus company car
 
I changed career in my 50s. Went from being a full time copper to a part time hospital porter. Polis pension is a nice cushion mind you

Likewise, after 30 years offshore and 36 years with one company, I am approaching 60 and working a 40 hour week for the first time since I was 20 years old - best thing I ever did and 40 hours is part time compared to the hours I worked before. Working for a family business where there are no politics, no egos, no bullshit and a lot of laughs. Like you though, my pension is a nice cushion in that the regular bills are all taken care of.
 
After 43 years of plumbing ,I changed tack too! :thumbgrin

Now I do fuck all , and it's great.
 
After 43 years of plumbing ,I changed tack too! :thumbgrin

Now I do fuck all , and it's great.

For the council?

What's different then?

:dunno:
 
33 years in the Civil Service....yes, I would love to change career and do something different now but at 52 I'm extremely unlikely to find anything else that pays as well. I didn't have a clue what I wanted to do when I was a teenager so ended up working in an office. It's not really been a career as such as I have only been promoted twice in all that time and have been in the same grade for about 25 years. Part of that is my own fault because work has never been a big thing in my life and I have never been one to desperately try to climb the career ladder. We have had a few voluntary exit schemes in our place in recent years and if they have another one I might be tempted as I will hopefully have paid off my mortgage in 2017, but I just don't have the self confidence I'm afraid to take a leap in the dark like that at my stage of life. I don't have many qualifications to my name and to be honest I'm not much good at anything else. Just seeing my time out till retirement whenever the hell that will be.
 
Have you thought about a detour rather than a complete change? Maybe sales in a different industry or marketing in an industry you know well?
 
I changed career in my 50s. Went from being a full time copper to a part time hospital porter. Polis pension is a nice cushion mind you

Likewise, after 30 years offshore and 36 years with one company, I am approaching 60 and working a 40 hour week for the first time since I was 20 years old - best thing I ever did and 40 hours is part time compared to the hours I worked before. Working for a family business where there are no politics, no egos, no bullshit and a lot of laughs. Like you though, my pension is a nice cushion in that the regular bills are all taken care of.

I think most know my situation, retired from the civil service at 55.

The job I have I got was almost by accident!

I enjoy driving so it suited me to a T and absolutely no pressure. The hours mean the pay is akin to the old age pension so that when I give up there'll be no loss. It's also been agreed that extra holidays, without pay, is an option when I go on adventures. Pig in shit!

I lost the plot doing what I was doing, I suspect I'd have joined the 2016 celebrity death roll if I'd carried on doing what I was doing.

Smurf
Think about something you enjoy doing and do that. Even full time I'd enjoy driving but it would have probably been driving a private coach type thing and would have been prepared to fund getting a licence myself, although there's companies out there that will help with all of some of the cost.

I did think about becoming a consultant in my previous line of work, which I was passionate about, but then why put myself through what was killing me?
 
Have you thought about a detour rather than a complete change? Maybe sales in a different industry or marketing in an industry you know well?

This is a good idea. You could also consider using your experience in different ways. For example, project or IT analysis or testing in the context of sales or customer relationship management systems. If you can live with the instability of contract work that could pay handsomely.
 
I changed from retail to financial services in my late 30's, then to IT/Service Management in my mid 40's, I panicked both times but you can do anything (within reason)if you believe in yourself. Skills can be learned , capability and ethics are innate.
 
For what it's worth, I changed from public to private sector just over 6 years ago, albeit doing the same thing as a data privacy specialist. On balance, I'm glad I did.

All I can offer by way of guidance is that if you decide to change career path, make sure you do your research on potential alternative careers, choose what career/vocation you think is best for you and fully commit yourself to the change you're making.

Good luck, K.
 
My late dad was an accountant, but gave it up at the age of 40 to go to university and retrain as a teacher. The last 20 years of his working life were good ones.

Yeah second that. Mate of mine packed in being a tabloid journalist and became a teacher in his mid thirties. Loves his work now.

For what it's worth [MENTION=2693]Smurf[/MENTION] what I would say is that if you really hate what you do, don't underestimate how much a change can work wonders for your happiness. But also be aware that most jobs are pretty similar, so you do really need to actually change. I went from project management in construction to advertising production which are massively different industries with very different people in them, and the actual work was almost exactly the same. Weirdly.
 
Yeah second that. Mate of mine packed in being a tabloid journalist and became a teacher in his mid thirties. Loves his work now.

For what it's worth [MENTION=2693]Smurf[/MENTION] what I would say is that if you really hate what you do, don't underestimate how much a change can work wonders for your happiness. But also be aware that most jobs are pretty similar, so you do really need to actually change. I went from project management in construction to advertising production which are massively different industries with very different people in them, and the actual work was almost exactly the same. Weirdly.

Changed you into a pinko though H, I guess that must be the different type of people :wink:

In all seriousness that's an interesting point you make; presumably they are both basically project management jobs despite the change in title?
 
I'm currently sitting on 21 years served in the Army, my out date is 2020 and i'm absolutely dreading it tbh, i've no idea what i'm gonna do, i've got a good pension so it's not so much the income it's the uncertainty of it all. I could go down the easy route of Private Security in Iraq/Afghan but i'd like to start my own business or work for the forestry commission. F##k knows :pullhair:
 
I'm currently sitting on 21 years served in the Army, my out date is 2020 and i'm absolutely dreading it tbh, i've no idea what i'm gonna do,

My reply was usually Fu**ing cartwheels :rascal:
 
I did an access course at 36 yrs old, after 20 yrs of fast food, labouring, and hospitality (as you know [MENTION=2693]Smurf[/MENTION]).

As it happens, it went well, and I'm still at university now doing a PhD! No idea where it will lead, not really bothered at this stage either. Just enjoying this journey as long as it lasts.

If you fancy looking into similar/chatting about it, I'd happily sit and have a couple of jars and discuss!
 
Some tremendous replies. I am sitting here looking at my screen having done little or no work all day. I have no motivation and working from home I just can't seem to get my finger out and just get on with it. Management completely pressing the wrong buttons pissing me off and my response is to just do pretty much sweet fuck all. Not good. And I hate feeling this way.

Still I am so lucky in life with what i have. However, I really want to earn some money doing what I enjoy not treated like shit.
 
Will have been in my current shite job for a year next month, time to get a different shite job.
 
Changed you into a pinko though H, I guess that must be the different type of people :wink:

In all seriousness that's an interesting point you make; presumably they are both basically project management jobs despite the change in title?

I know, I've become very left wing in my old age!

In both jobs you have an end product to deliver and a mixture of professionals you employ to get there. The budgets and schedules look pretty much identical with different words at the start, different inputs marked up. Stuff goes over/under budget, the people you engage deliver or screw up or let you down. Almost everyone's a freelancer.

There's a defined amount of time, you build your little army, send it off to war, and hope that not too much goes wrong. You deal with a client who changes their mind and misunderstands almost everything, and most of all doesn't want to pay you. (Bricks and mortar's a bit easier there because you can see it, it's big, and not many people know how to build a wall or wire a house).

It all feels tremendously important at the time and can be quite exhilarating (filmmaking's better for that) and once it's finished you barely remember it. Except occasionally when you walk past it/see it on a moving billboard and realise you can't recall who the QS/DOP was.

Haven't worked in other kinds of project-based stuff but I expect it's pretty much the same.
 
I know, I've become very left wing in my old age!

In both jobs you have an end product to deliver and a mixture of professionals you employ to get there. The budgets and schedules look pretty much identical with different words at the start, different inputs marked up. Stuff goes over/under budget, the people you engage deliver or screw up or let you down. Almost everyone's a freelancer.

There's a defined amount of time, you build your little army, send it off to war, and hope that not too much goes wrong. You deal with a client who changes their mind and misunderstands almost everything, and most of all doesn't want to pay you. (Bricks and mortar's a bit easier there because you can see it, it's big, and not many people know how to build a wall or wire a house).

It all feels tremendously important at the time and can be quite exhilarating (filmmaking's better for that) and once it's finished you barely remember it. Except occasionally when you walk past it/see it on a moving billboard and realise you can't recall who the QS/DOP was.

Haven't worked in other kinds of project-based stuff but I expect it's pretty much the same.

Yup, sounds just like an IT project other than in IT the supplier misunderstands even more than the client. And this insurmountable mutual incomprehension is then amplified exponentially as a misunderstood solution derived from misunderstood requirements is conveyed to those who will build it; half a world away, in a different time zone, with language and cultural barriers strewn everywhere - not least a fundamental and against insurmountable disagreement over the meanings of the words 'yes' and 'no'.

Think of your wife in reverse; where she will say no to everything and leave you to figure out the things you are supposed to do anyway, an Indian engineer will say yes to everything and leave you to work out where he has no idea whatsoever as to what he has agreed to and / or not the slightest chance of executing it. In both cases, the risk transfers, inexorably and inevitably, to you.
 
Yup, sounds just like an IT project other than in IT the supplier misunderstands even more than the client. And this insurmountable mutual incomprehension is then amplified exponentially as a misunderstood solution derived from misunderstood requirements is conveyed to those who will build it; half a world away, in a different time zone, with language and cultural barriers strewn everywhere - not least a fundamental and against insurmountable disagreement over the meanings of the words 'yes' and 'no'.

Think of your wife in reverse; where she will say no to everything and leave you to figure out the things you are supposed to do anyway, an Indian engineer will say yes to everything and leave you to work out where he has no idea whatsoever as to what he has agreed to and / or not the slightest chance of executing it. In both cases, the risk transfers, inexorably and inevitably, to you.

That chimes with what people have told me about business culture in India. Obviously not trying to indulge in stereotypes, but there seems to be a can-do culture which at its worst means people happily affirming stuff they must know not to be true.

Guys I know who put up buildings in Hyderabad said you would have large companies swearing blind that steel would arrive on a Monday, and then you'd wait two more weeks with the workers you'd paid to be there twiddling their thumbs. Similarly I'm involved in a documentary in India at the moment, and the number of production services companies who've blatantly lied about their capabilities is extraordinary.

In some ways it's a sign of enthusiasm - "Let's just f--kn do it!" But it makes management very difficult.

It's interesting that you say the supplier in IT often misunderstands the client. Why's that do you think?
 
Wondered if this had been discussed before.
After 23 years working in the travel industry, the last 16 owning my own shop, I recently decided that for the good of my own mental health ( and finances!) I wanted out.
Was very fortunate to have been offered a few different jobs by people in varied sectors, but the one that really caught my attention was working for a renewable energy company. Pretty excited by the prospects and environment I’ll be working within. Just turned 47 so probably got 20 years left at the graft, hopefully my guy is proven right and this is the right move.
 
Wondered if this had been discussed before.
After 23 years working in the travel industry, the last 16 owning my own shop, I recently decided that for the good of my own mental health ( and finances!) I wanted out.
Was very fortunate to have been offered a few different jobs by people in varied sectors, but the one that really caught my attention was working for a renewable energy company. Pretty excited by the prospects and environment I’ll be working within. Just turned 47 so probably got 20 years left at the graft, hopefully my guy is proven right and this is the right move.

Brilliant mate. My career has been at a crossroads now for a few years.... What you going to be doing for the renewable energy company?
 
Wondered if this had been discussed before.
After 23 years working in the travel industry, the last 16 owning my own shop, I recently decided that for the good of my own mental health ( and finances!) I wanted out.
Was very fortunate to have been offered a few different jobs by people in varied sectors, but the one that really caught my attention was working for a renewable energy company. Pretty excited by the prospects and environment I’ll be working within. Just turned 47 so probably got 20 years left at the graft, hopefully my guy is proven right and this is the right move.
Good luck M, from Mrs Jackie too.
 
For one moment I thought EGB was back but then I looked at the dates.
 
Brilliant mate. My career has been at a crossroads now for a few years.... What you going to be doing for the renewable energy company?
What the fuck do you do Smurf?
A traffic light?😱

Pretty sure Southfield will be working in green energy. 😎
 
Good luck with the new career.Will miss being bumped up to more leg room and barrie food on flights.
 
Great Junction Strasse will never be the same again
 
Wondered if this had been discussed before.
After 23 years working in the travel industry, the last 16 owning my own shop, I recently decided that for the good of my own mental health ( and finances!) I wanted out.
Was very fortunate to have been offered a few different jobs by people in varied sectors, but the one that really caught my attention was working for a renewable energy company. Pretty excited by the prospects and environment I’ll be working within. Just turned 47 so probably got 20 years left at the graft, hopefully my guy is proven right and this is the right move.
After 40 odd years in the building game I too had a career change. At 62 wi a dodgy back and knee my days of hard graft were over. Work part time nights now and although I still cannae get used tae sleeping through the day i love it. Good luck Mark in your new job and thanks for your help bud.👍
 
Brilliant mate. My career has been at a crossroads now for a few years.... What you going to be doing for the renewable energy company?
Various roles within the job Kenny. Work with housing association offering solutions for their properties, the company has also just received a contract from Warmworks also offering solutions. My role with both of these would be to survey the properties and hand over heat loss calculations and recommendations to install. Previous to travel I started at university to become a chartered surveyor so I have a wee bit of knowledge, but equally ALOT I remember and learn fresh. I’ll also be supporting the install teams by supplying materials, so merchant runs, tidying up, buying the rolls etc! And there will be sales too, either to small builders for 1-10 new builds or retro fitting for private individuals. I’m trying not to get too enthusiastic yet as it somehow doesn’t feel ‘real’ yet, but I’ve been doing bits and pieces for a fortnight prior to starting full time start of June.

Also to say a massive thank you to anyone who has offered me support over the years in travel, it’s been very much appreciated. And Frutin as a company continues, my most excellent colleague Emma will still be available to offer advice and financially protected travel options, so if you do fancy a wee holiday sometime in the future, give her a shout, I know I will be.
 
Various roles within the job Kenny. Work with housing association offering solutions for their properties, the company has also just received a contract from Warmworks also offering solutions. My role with both of these would be to survey the properties and hand over heat loss calculations and recommendations to install. Previous to travel I started at university to become a chartered surveyor so I have a wee bit of knowledge, but equally ALOT I remember and learn fresh. I’ll also be supporting the install teams by supplying materials, so merchant runs, tidying up, buying the rolls etc! And there will be sales too, either to small builders for 1-10 new builds or retro fitting for private individuals. I’m trying not to get too enthusiastic yet as it somehow doesn’t feel ‘real’ yet, but I’ve been doing bits and pieces for a fortnight prior to starting full time start of June.

Also to say a massive thank you to anyone who has offered me support over the years in travel, it’s been very much appreciated. And Frutin as a company continues, my most excellent colleague Emma will still be available to offer advice and financially protected travel options, so if you do fancy a wee holiday sometime in the future, give her a shout, I know I will be.

Sounds a fantastic role with excellent diversity. Best wishes in it and you'll do great! Great to hear Frutin is continuing too.
 
Various roles within the job Kenny. Work with housing association offering solutions for their properties, the company has also just received a contract from Warmworks also offering solutions. My role with both of these would be to survey the properties and hand over heat loss calculations and recommendations to install. Previous to travel I started at university to become a chartered surveyor so I have a wee bit of knowledge, but equally ALOT I remember and learn fresh. I’ll also be supporting the install teams by supplying materials, so merchant runs, tidying up, buying the rolls etc! And there will be sales too, either to small builders for 1-10 new builds or retro fitting for private individuals. I’m trying not to get too enthusiastic yet as it somehow doesn’t feel ‘real’ yet, but I’ve been doing bits and pieces for a fortnight prior to starting full time start of June.

Also to say a massive thank you to anyone who has offered me support over the years in travel, it’s been very much appreciated. And Frutin as a company continues, my most excellent colleague Emma will still be available to offer advice and financially protected travel options, so if you do fancy a wee holiday sometime in the future, give her a shout, I know I will be.
M, that sounds great - I think one of the things that really works for a lot of people is the mix of being outdoors surveying and a part indoors doing the write ups and admin.

You can't beat it in the summer.
 
M, that sounds great - I think one of the things that really works for a lot of people is the mix of being outdoors surveying and a part indoors doing the write ups and admin.

You can't beat it in the summer.
Really was a big draw. Was offered a role in the Scottish courts - or at least an interview that would have been straightforward- and that had attractions too, but the mix of this job was the main thing
 

This thread has been viewed 11188 times.

Your donation helps pay for our dedicated server and software support renewals. We really do appreciate it!
Goal
£100.00
Earned
£100.75
Back
Top