Found my ideal job in London, but at nearly 57 years old is it worth trying

[Stressedout65]

I have just found a vacancy in London that would be ideal for me. I could easily do the role and I've previously had a similar role in the same industry. It's remote working with one day a month in the office required. I'm Midlands based but love London so it would be ideal. My issues are:

1. I used to be AAT qualified,(passed in 1986!) but i let the qualification lapse a few years ago as I changed industries and roles. I've still got my membership certificate to prove I was once qualified. The advert states a degree is required, which I do not have.
2. I've let myself go over the years, weight wise and am now obese at 19 stone. I'm working on it as I do not want to spend retirement being ill & immobile.

I therefore do not have the confidence to try & get a London based job, even though I know I can do it. I feel I would perhaps be looked down on by the younger/same age even, city slicker types for being obese. Where I work now I don't feel looked down upon for being obese, but I have felt this in a previous role quite a lot and it's dented my confidence quite a lot work wise. At the moment I'm employed in a basic accounts/admin role paying only £20k. I was semi retired & temping until covid struck and my husband was furloughed. The remote London job is about £30k and I know I can do it. I love London too, so the occasional trip would suit me down to the ground. I have considered just staying as I am as we're OK for money, house paid etc. However, I think it's an unfair burden on my husband to keep being the main breadwinner, doing 10 hour shifts again as he's so busy. He's worked hard all his life so I could be a sahm until the children were teenagers, its my turn to help out now. I also would like to help them & their families out if this current cost of living crisis gets too much for them. I just don't know if I can take another 10 years until I reach retirement age of the relentless slog into an office doing the same basic routine job. Wfh, with the occasional day in an London would be so much better for me. Just after I started my current job my dad died from covid & then I was very ill in hospital with it too. I still get depressed over my dad 15 months on. I feel like I need a fresh start away from a workplace I associate with death, depression and covid.

1. So as it's a candidate's market at the moment do I take a risk and try to better myself job wise, risking the fact I could well be looked down upon again?
2. Is it worth going for a job where it states you need a degree when you don't have one.
3. Is it worth trying to get my AAt qualification again at almost 57 years old.
4. Should I wait until I've got a qualification again & have lost weight, by which time the candidates market might have died down

5 Or just drift into retirement, feeling totally bored, unmotivated & unexcited for the next 10 years. Accept the inevitable that it's too late for me work wise now. Sorry for the long post, I just needed to get all my thoughts down & thank you if you read it until the end

sometimes having the experience counts just as much as having the qualification

I'm sure it does which is why I said that there's nothing stopping you applying. However, you'll be up against people who may well have the qualifications requested AND the experience which makes things difficult for you. I know when I shortlist anyone who doesn't hold the basic qualifications would be taken from the pile without an interview being offered.

@boomshakalacka I appreciate the lack of relevant qualification is a disadvantage, which is why I asked, in a subsequent post, the question about whether or not it's worth getting the qualification at my age. Although ageism is against the law, it does still exist. There are a lot of bright young graduates out there wanting to make their mark and I can imagine a company wanting to invest in a youngsters future rather than someone who's got 10 years left & is on countdown to retirement.
@Quincythequince what's wrong with loving London & wanting to work there occasionally? I always wanted to work in London when I was young, but didn't have the confidence. I met my husband at a young age & played it safe by staying in his own town & getting married. Now I'm older I do have more confidence & just need that little bit more to go for it. I don't want to live in London anymore though. Family commitments, the cost, my husband would not move there either, he prefers the countryside; so wfh with the regular requirement to go to London sounds the best of both worlds to me

I remember reading that men rarely hesitate to go for a job where they only partially match what is asked for but that women are very reluctant to do the same. Be more man OP.

The employer will want the best candidate and that may very well be you.

[quote Stressedout65]@boomshakalacka I appreciate the lack of relevant qualification is a disadvantage, which is why I asked, in a subsequent post, the question about whether or not it's worth getting the qualification at my age. Although ageism is against the law, it does still exist. There are a lot of bright young graduates out there wanting to make their mark and I can imagine a company wanting to invest in a youngsters future rather than someone who's got 10 years left & is on countdown to retirement.
@Quincythequince what's wrong with loving London & wanting to work there occasionally? I always wanted to work in London when I was young, but didn't have the confidence. I met my husband at a young age & played it safe by staying in his own town & getting married. Now I'm older I do have more confidence & just need that little bit more to go for it. I don't want to live in London anymore though. Family commitments, the cost, my husband would not move there either, he prefers the countryside; so wfh with the regular requirement to go to London sounds the best of both worlds to me[/quote]
Nothing OP. But you don’t have to like a city to work in it, and you shouldn’t just take a job in a particular place because you like the city.

I love London too, but as a work location if I was only going to be there periodically, the location just wouldn’t matter that much. Well it shouldn’t anyway.

I suppose it seems from your posts you seem to be thinking more about loving a city and being able to visit it regularly, more than other aspects of what will be a big change for you.

But maybe you’ve thought this all through properly. Go for it, I wish
You well, I really do. You sound lovely 😊