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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if you have changed careers in your mid 30s or later in your life?

157 replies

judybloomno5 · 26/12/2016 21:04

I am currently on maternity leave and I am considering changing careers.

I am currently in HR where I have worked in a call centre helpdesk environment and its recently been restructured so i feel my job has been downgraded and my skills will disintegrate. I have a good general business degree and I work for my DP part time (its not a business i could go into without us buying a premises which we aim to do but don't currently have the finances for, I just collect his receipts and manage accounts for him).

Have you changed careers at this stage in your life? What did you move to?

OP posts:
MadameJosephine · 26/12/2016 21:11

I left a career in pharmaceutical research to retrain as a midwife when I was 33. I wasn't the oldest on my course either, It's never too late

ocelot41 · 26/12/2016 21:11

Me! Moved from journalism to academia. So glad I did it but it has been a long haul. Good questions to mull over are: what are my values? What is 'success' for me? What excites me?

AddToBasket · 26/12/2016 21:13

Yep, retrained as a lawyer. Long, expensive, and totally worth it.

sj257 · 26/12/2016 21:13

My mum left a job in a band that she had had since she was 16 to train to be a teacher at 32. She's now 59, still teaching full time, but permanently tired!

sj257 · 26/12/2016 21:14

*bank not band 😂

Original poster
judybloomno5 · 26/12/2016 21:14

These are inspiring. Did you encounter any problems? I am concerned about working hours and things like that especially with young DC. My DP earns a good wage and career is going well, he keeps telling me to hang in there so we can save to buy our own business however I want something for myself in case that never happens.

OP posts:
Original poster
judybloomno5 · 26/12/2016 21:15

Addtobasket- what did you do before?

OP posts:
VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 26/12/2016 21:16

Yes, aged 33. Moved from being a Detective Constable to bring a civil servant. Too outing to be specific in the role, but basically I investigate and prosecute in respect of health and safety matters.

VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 26/12/2016 21:16

*being

Too much Prosecco.

thatstoast · 26/12/2016 21:18

This is something that I'm going to explore in 2017. I'm 34 and after having DS I'm earning less and less. The obvious route seems to be accountancy but I'm quite tempted by IT.

MrsExpo · 26/12/2016 21:18

Yes, I did change completely. I was mid thirties and had worked as a medical lab technician for 16 years from leaving school. It was a very specialised area of work and I enjoyed it. But, at the time, I was married to a very ambitious man (DH1) who encouraged me to branch out and I was fortunate to get a job in corporate communications with the uk arm of a large American corporation. This career progressed through other employers over a 25 year period (til I retired .... now early 60's) and I ended up as head of communications with one of the UK's largest employers.

So you can do it. I made a complete change, had to do a bit of retraining along the way, but effectively had two completely different careers during my working life. Life really is too short to waste years slogging away at something which leaves you cold. Decide what you want and go for it. Good luck.

Hikez · 26/12/2016 21:22

Watching this with interest. I am mid thirties and considering a career change into Engineering.

MozzchopsThirty · 26/12/2016 21:25

Yes admin work to nursing

Don't regret it at all and now heading for an MSc in my forties

You can totally do it

dontpokethebear · 26/12/2016 21:26

I'm also mid 30s. I didn't go back to work (practice nurse) after dc3. That was 2 years ago, I don't know what I want to do.

Original poster
judybloomno5 · 26/12/2016 21:29

Im 33.

I was thinking about GP Practice Management as I enjoy problem solving and working with people. Alternatively Id like to set up my own day nursery but i think the market is saturated locally ....oh and I don't have any capital to invest or experience. But I also like the idea of marketing (i have a business degree from 2006 and have a 1st but I've floated in my job) but conscious it will be full of 20 somethings who are more tech savvy than me!

OP posts:
spanieleyes · 26/12/2016 21:31

After several years in the Civil Service and 10 years as a SAHM, I trained to be a teacher in my early forties, I'm now Head of a school.

witchofzog · 26/12/2016 21:32

I retrained in one of the hcpc professions from being in finance. It was one of THE best things I ever did. No regrets whatsoever as it has opened so many doors for me

Hannah4banana · 26/12/2016 21:34

I changed careers at 34 and became a firefighter. The toughest recruitment and selection process I've ever experienced. But I was so proud the day I passed out. I absolutely love my job and wished I did it 10 years ago. My only worry is the regular fitness tests I'll need to pass. Fine just now but retirement age is 60 for firefighters now Shock

Ibelieve123 · 26/12/2016 21:34

I'm 36 & hoping next year to start training as a social worker.
I'm a cleaner at the moment so it's a if I don't do it now I never will moment.
2016 has been a year full of changes & I've realised that I'm the only person that can make me happy so I've got the confidence to finally go out & achieve it

TheSecondOfHerName · 26/12/2016 21:37

Hope this doesn't out me too much...
1: medicine
2: SAHM
3: finance admin
4: pastoral / welfare role in a school

Want2bSupermum · 26/12/2016 21:44

At 28 I agreed to follow DHs career and stopped working. I lasted 3 months. I retrained as an accountant and took my CPA exams in between working FT and having DC. I don't recommend accountancy.

With HR there is a whole lot of specialties that are very interesting. Have you taken the professional certification for HR? Is that something your employer would support?

GloGirl · 26/12/2016 21:46

Also curious here Brew

theredlion · 26/12/2016 21:54

I was a teacher for 15 years and got to a senior position. For the final 2 years I was miserable. I had one of those Damascene life-changing realisations that, stable as teaching was, if I stayed it was going to kill me.

So I retrained to become a financial adviser and I love it. It is a completely different environment, for me the biggest challenge was the learning curve - I'd never been a mathematician or an economist - but it's surprising what you can do when you decide to Smile

Good luck to anyone thinking of changing, I've never looked back.

CurlsandCurves · 26/12/2016 22:34

My dad changed careers at 49. Best thing he ever did. His experience went through the roof, allowing him to diversify further.
For the last 5-7 years he's been able to work flexibly from home if he chooses. And for the last 2 years he has retired from employment. Took a branch of his job with him and turned it into a self employed business that he can do as much or as little as suits him.
Age is nothing but a number and I'm very proud of my dad, can you tell? 😜

user1471468912 · 26/12/2016 22:38

I was a teacher for 12 years and in a senior role, left at 34 to retrain as a psychologist. Absolutely love my job, no regrets.