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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think It’s to late for a decent career.

31 replies

Meralia · 17/09/2018 23:42

Hi all,

Just after some advice really, or maybe experiences others have had.

I’m 37 years old, with a 17 and 14 year old. I also have a child who is 15 months old.

I’ve worked about on and off over the years in retail and healthcare. But for the last 4 years I’ve been at home (for various reasons). I started a health related degree in the past but decided it wasn’t for me so left with a certhe as an exit award.

I’d really like to embark on a new career, but I’m finding it really tough. I think now I’m to old to retrain in anything, and my break in employment has meant that it would be difficult to obtain relevant up to date references from previous colleagues/managers.

The Legal field is something that has always interested me, but I think I’m to old to now to go down that road.

I am thinking about studying with the ou as my daughter goes to nursery for 2 days a week, in a science related course, but again, I’ll be over 40 when and if I complete it.

Has anyone had a change of career in their late 30s?

OP posts:
Rebecca36 · 17/09/2018 23:45

Yes - forties actually. You have certainly not left it too late. The OU is far from being an easy option though. I'm sure someone of your age with a decent level of education could find a job which gives you some training.

SueGeneris · 17/09/2018 23:51

Definitely not too old. You could be working another 30 years! If that's not too depressing! Therefore, IMO an investment in training for a new career is well worth it, if you can manage to fit the study in. I remember talking to a client who was a doctor when I was a secretary aged around 25 saying I wished I'd gone into medicine and he said he had trained at 30 and I had plenty of time. It didn't feel like it to me at the time and although I did something else instead at 41 I can see he was right. I could have done.

I think if you can do something that has a reasonably clear progression, do it. But have a really good think about all the options.

WhenTheDragonsCame · 18/09/2018 00:36

It's definitely not too late! I'm due to graduate from an allied health degree next year when I turn 40 and I wasn't the oldest in my cohort. I'm expecting to be working for at least the next 25 years.

Aquamarine1029 · 18/09/2018 02:01

Please trust me! It is not even close to being too late. Decide what you want to do and DO IT. Your future is all in your hands.

teaandtoast · 18/09/2018 02:16

I knew someone wwho started her degree course at 50.

Good luck!

AllyMcBeagle · 18/09/2018 02:51

I don't think I'd generally recommend law for someone your age. It's very competitive if you want to be a lawyer as there are loads more people studying it than there are jobs available. I have a lot of friends who have wasted thousands converting to law and only ended up with fairly low paid paralegal work. Also, and probably more importantly, a lot of people who are lucky enough to get jobs then struggle with work-life balance. In so many of the jobs there is an expectation of staying late regularly even if you have young children.

But I wouldn't say don't retrain at all. You mention a science degree - do you have any particular types of jobs in mind?

hibeat · 18/09/2018 03:27

Go for it.

binkybub · 18/09/2018 08:41

I was doing an OU degree at that age.
I'm in my 50s now and a professor.

Nobody was more surprised than me!

dalmatianmad · 18/09/2018 08:44

Deffo not to late! You could be working for another 30 years!

Fatted · 18/09/2018 08:46

Definitely not too late! I'm late 30s now. Had my kids, had my 'break' working part time when they were young and now going back full time to work my way back up again.

It's a perfect time. And frankly the way things are going we probably have another 30 plus years of work ahead of us!!

MrsMozart · 18/09/2018 08:49

No way too late lass!

I'm mid-fifties and putting things in place to change my career. I reckon that, health issues aside, I'll be working for another twenty years so I might as well be happy doing it. So much life still to be lived.

Stripyhoglets1 · 18/09/2018 08:52

It's not too late but don't bother with law- they want youngsters who will work all hours and it's not well paid in alot of areas now.

clary · 18/09/2018 08:58

Op you don't say what level of education you have but certainly not too late to look at new career.

I retrained as a teacher, due to redundancy, at the grand old age of 47, don't think I was the oldest on my course either. I got a job in a school, yes I was starting again at the bottom, but I did it.

If you need a degree to pursue what you want to do, it's not too late for that. Yy to a pp, so much life still to be lived 😄

lljkk · 18/09/2018 09:30

37 is not too old to retrain.
Fig me, I'm 51 & thinking about retraining. I don't want to retire until 75 (at least).
My cousin would like to retrain to be a paralegal (she's 54, but can't get the funding or would do it in a heartbeat).
My aunt worked until 79.
My dad is having retirement forced upon him at 76 (he wouldn't stop otherwise).

Science degree & patent lawyering might be a path for you. Jolly good money, too.

WeLoveFlowers · 18/09/2018 09:35

It’s not too late. My father lost everything in the 2008 financial crash and re-trained in his late 50s as a teacher. He could have given up and declared bankrupt. He didn’t. I’m so proud of him and he loves his new career. You really can do it!

Ariela · 18/09/2018 09:44

Nonsense, my mother retrained as a solicitor, she was about 39 when she started studying by correspondence course.
This was in the late 1960s, when the majority of women with young children were stay at home mums, and very few were solicitors. Much easier to do today.

WeLoveFlowers · 18/09/2018 09:55

Ariela, things have changed a lot for trainee solicitors since the 60s... Those that do not differentiate can struggle to find trainee jobs.

Before pursuing law, I would encourage the OP to do some work experience in a law firm now, to get a sense of what type of firm (high street or city, etc) she would like to work for and the area of law that interests her.

I actually think older trainers have much more to offer than younger ones as a lot of a lawyer’s job is about discernment and common sense and having life skills is hugely valuable. It may be that she can build networks in the right place and find great success. Her life experience could be a big selling point but your average HR person may overlook that without a stand-out CV.

But I would encourage OP to start working on how she can differentiate herself from the pack of graduates with 2:1 or first degrees who are willing to work all hours. This can be done with focus and by targeting a specific area of interest from the outset.

Good luck- it’s totally doable but my advice is to build networks now, spend time in law firms and get to know lawyers who can support you.

Ariela · 18/09/2018 13:40

@WeLoveFlowers but my point was it was difficult to be taken seriously (as a woman with children) wanting a post of articled clerk. Took her a long time to get a post due to discrimination, I remember her frustration because she knew she was very capable and had masses of life experience yet firms were insistent on taking on young men.

Original poster
Meralia · 18/09/2018 13:56

Thanks for all the responses. Much appreciated.

I think I need to be realistic, I have an access to he diploma and a certhe that I received 4 years ago, I’ve looked online and it says that these qualifications don’t go out of date, but as I haven’t studied in over 4 years I will probably take a short 10 point ou course in a science subject (they start next month) to get me back into the learning zone, hopefully the tutor on the course can provide a reference and then I can apply for a science degree at my local uni.

I’m just nervous about being the oldest person on the degree course and the younger people may take the piss? I know they probably wouldn’t, just a bit anxious I think.

OP posts:
RoboticSealpup · 18/09/2018 14:02

the younger people may take the piss?

Do you mean your coursemates? You won't see them much. OU is almost exclusively distance learning in my experience.

Original poster
Meralia · 18/09/2018 14:04

Roboticsealpup, I mean if I attend a brick uni after completing my ou short course.

OP posts:
Badwifey · 18/09/2018 14:09

I do OU at the min. It's tough with a young child but definitely doable. I'm doing maths. I did it because I couldn't spend the rest of my working life in retail. I'm 36

RoboticSealpup · 18/09/2018 19:01

Meralia there will be others your age. You won't be the only mature student.

BIWI · 18/09/2018 19:02

You're definitely not too old! Don't be so defeatist! (And good luck)

Singlenotsingle · 18/09/2018 19:09

So many people never bothered to study and get qualifications, and find themselves stuck in boring, badly paid, dead end jobs. And chances are there will be no retirement as we know it by the time they get to mid 60s. So it's not too late, it's never too late! Don't let anything or anyone change your mind.