[Misc] Mid-lift career change - anyone done it?

[Bold Seagull]

I started as a draughtsman, then design engineer, project engineer and project manager . . . . From 17-37, I then became a stay at home Dad running my own business restoring and tuning engines for 12 years. It suited us as a family for 8 -9 years while Zef jr was growing up but frankly it was as frustrating as it was infuriating. With a sound engineering background and a logical planing mind I tried doing things properly but continually got dragged down and beaten mentally and financially by a constant barrage of crooks c***s and down right criminally immoral ********. Motorsport is not Called the sport of the criminal classes for nothing. On the plus side, I have had the opportunity to drive a few nice cars at a few nice places, but it has taken its toll mentally, physically, and financially.

I am now back in a design project engineer Role, sensible salary and no stress. After 6 months I am just about ready to go back in the workshop to finish the car I’ve been trying to restore for the last 8 years!

Have a good think about what inspires you, what is feasible for a sensible income. If you’ve passed the peak of mortgage and kids then maybe you can afford to take a hit for a few years ? THere’s no easy answer, but a change is possible.

That is a great story.

I’ve enjoyed being an architect, something I wanted do from 14 years old, but 32 years on, I’m finding the worry of contractor‘s performance, length of liabilities, and scale of risk against reward difficult to balance. If you took a business model of architecture into the Dragon’s Den, I have no doubt they would laugh you out of the place.

Feel like my creative energies could be put into writing, and rather than thousands of posts on NSC, I need to channel that into whether I can find reward from writing, whether about architecture, copy writing, letter writing etc. So started to do some pieces and see what happens. So we’ll have to see.

 

[Gwylan]

Feel like my creative energies could be put into writing, and rather than thousands of posts on NSC, I need to channel that into whether I can find reward from writing, whether about architecture, copy writing, letter writing etc. So started to do some pieces and see what happens. So we’ll have to see.

Good luck with that but the reason I looked for a job change twenty years ago was that I could see which way the wind was blowing. I limp along as a freelance journalist now but it's tough. Yesterday, I got my first commission for about a month and there's not a lot of work about.

Last week, a publication that I launched folded and yesterday I heard that the last publishing company I worked for is looking to make a quarter of its workforce redundant.

And if you're talking about creative writing, not everyone is JK Rowling or Hilary Mantel. At a guess, fewer than one percent of novelists can earn a living off their writing.

Certainly, if I were starting my career now, I'd give journalism and writing a very wide berth.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Good luck with that but the reason I looked for a job change twenty years ago was that I could see which way the wind was blowing. I limp along as a freelance journalist now but it's tough. Yesterday, I got my first commission for about a month and there's not a lot of work about.

Last week, a publication that I launched folded and yesterday I heard that the last publishing company I worked for is looking to make a quarter of its workforce redundant.

And if you're talking about creative writing, not everyone is JK Rowling or Hilary Mantel. At a guess, fewer than one percent of novelists can earn a living off their writing.

Certainly, if I were starting my career now, I'd give journalism and writing a very wide berth.

So don’t throw in the day job just yet.

 

[Gwylan]

So don’t throw in the day job just yet.

No indeed.

But by all means carry on writing as a sideline and if you can fill a niche that no-one else can, you may be lucky. But it's a real tough slog out there

 

[zefarelly]

That is a great story.

I’ve enjoyed being an architect, something I wanted do from 14 years old, but 32 years on, I’m finding the worry of contractor‘s performance, length of liabilities, and scale of risk against reward difficult to balance. If you took a business model of architecture into the Dragon’s Den, I have no doubt they would laugh you out of the place.

Feel like my creative energies could be put into writing, and rather than thousands of posts on NSC, I need to channel that into whether I can find reward from writing, whether about architecture, copy writing, letter writing etc. So started to do some pieces and see what happens. So we’ll have to see.

I was always criticised for being too artistic and/or flamboyant as a draughtsman, I should have been an architect . . . . Have successfully drawn my own house plans/extensions etc and got PP/LBC . . . You will know better than me, but the industry has changed a lot in the last 30 years, as has the engineering industry . . .oh for the days of a drawing board and being given time to design and develop. Everything’s just a rush job and blame game these days.

The idea of a creative career is always appealing ( I can’t spell for tofu, but succeed to a point musically) but it is not for the feint hearted if you think you can earn a living wage doing it. I have tried in the past.

If I could do 3 days in the office, a day in the workshop, 1 days music and a day or two off I’d be happy as a pig in shit I reckon, I could probably survive financially as well, although I’d have to make a few sacrifices.

 

[zefarelly]

Certainly, if I were starting my career now, I'd give journalism and writing a very wide berth.

Same can be said for music, My band in the 90’s had a record deal, toured, made a few records, got on MTV, so you could say we had a little bit of success . . . . I’m still musicians and making the odd record, But never earned anything close to dole money doing it, in fact I never earned more than playing in a good covers band, and functions/weddings are soul destroying . . . . If you like living hand to mouth semi destitute then it could be the career for you. I was a lot of that in the 90’s, when our band/label collapsed and there was a few offers from good bands living just like that . . . . It took me nearly 30 seconds to decide to go back to work, pay my mortgage and keep my flat/modest lifestyle ( and not have to sell my guitar/amp/scooter to survive.

 

[Southern Scouse]

I have had a few career changes from Navy, Sales and Police.
However, up until 2 years ago I had been working as a hospital interpreter making a decent living and one day I got up and decided I need (Another) change. I joined the Ambulance Service, trained and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
Colleagues are great people, enjoy my long shifts and more importantly make a difference.
I was 56 when I changed direction so it’s never to late!
Note: Have also been married four times so it could be a personality trait....

 

[DJ NOBO]

Good luck with that but the reason I looked for a job change twenty years ago was that I could see which way the wind was blowing. I limp along as a freelance journalist now but it's tough. Yesterday, I got my first commission for about a month and there's not a lot of work about.

Last week, a publication that I launched folded and yesterday I heard that the last publishing company I worked for is looking to make a quarter of its workforce redundant.

And if you're talking about creative writing, not everyone is JK Rowling or Hilary Mantel. At a guess, fewer than one percent of novelists can earn a living off their writing.

Certainly, if I were starting my career now, I'd give journalism and writing a very wide berth.

On the whole, me too. Although I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do and there have been some good opportunities over the years.
I hope things pick up for you soonest, Gwylan. You are an excellent writer.

 

[Rambo]

I spent 15 years with a large corporate and climbed the ladder, enjoyed it for about 14 years but became hungry for more. I wanted a more senior position and there was a culture of 'jobs for the boys' so I knew I would never progress.

Luckily I was headhunted by another company who offered me a fantastic salary but involved lots more travel and being away from my newly arrived kids. I hated it, and the people I worked for and what they stood for so I quit, worked for a contact I met for a while in training but it was never really going to be a long term thing.

I now find myself unemployed right at the wrong time and not really knowing what to do next, looked at starting on my own, buying a franchise and been applying for lots of jobs with not even a reply! (I like to think my experience is pretty good too!)

I turn 46 next month, I have a 1 yr old and a 4 year old so need to work for at least another 20 years, so reading this thread with great interest!

Good luck!

PS - anyone out there looking for an experienced senior operations/general manager? Gis a job!

 

[zefarelly]

Good luck Rambo, after the last few years of my business fading, and my desire fade-in, I entered the jobs market, what I learned last year is that the recruitment industry is crap. After 6 months of being ignored, or being called to explain my skills and experience to someone who didn’t have a clue what they were dealing with, I adopted a scatter gun approach. There are jobs out there and employers waiting, but you need to get to them, or at least get your CV on their desk, or a foot in the door. Post scatter gun I quickly got 2 interviews, one was a basic draughtiness job which wasn’t beneath me, but looked like it would get boring very quickly, and the money was poor, I think we all knew the score before I left. The second one I pretty much got the job on the spot. 6 months in and I’m still loving it.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Shop assistant - fishing tackle shop
Tea Boy - Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
Dive Instructor - Seychelles, Maldives, Hawaii
Accountant
COO
VP, Sales & Marketing
CEO (based in Japan)
Retired
CEO (based in Silicon Valley)
Retired
CEO (based in Boston)
Retired
CEO + NED/shadow NED of a few companies
Will probably "retire" from the exec stuff again in a couple of years, then get bored (again) and find another company

Sorry chap, not having that !!

You can't retire 3 times and then go back to work again - anyone else would call that "looking for next job" or "sabbatical".
In the last 13 years, I've only worked about 7 years and have been "between contracts" for all of the gaps - I've often referred to my circumstances as "semi-retired"

Being retired means giving up work for good and not going back [perhaps voluntary roles could be an exception] - and income coming only from a pension ....

 

[Goldstone1976]

Sorry chap, not having that !!

You can't retire 3 times and then go back to work again - anyone else would call that "looking for next job" or "sabbatical".
In the last 13 years, I've only worked about 7 years and have been "between contracts" for all of the gaps - I've often referred to my circumstances as "semi-retired"

Being retired means giving up work for good and not going back [perhaps voluntary roles could be an exception] - and income coming only from a pension ....

I see what you mean - however, each time, I've described it to myself and those around me as "retire". Income was from the investments I'd previously made (so, equivalent to a pension, I guess).

Think Steve Redgrave: "you have my permission to shoot me if you see me in a boat ever again" - guess what!

I get tired and even slightly burned out after each exec job and think "that's it. I'm really done this time". It lasts 12-24 months before I get so bored that I just "have" to get back into the boat and do it all over again.

I guess that the number of times I've done it would suggest that I should not call it retirement the next time I stop - just "unemployed; probably temporarily"!