To ask if you've changed career

[Stickystitch]

Have you made a career change in midlife and has it been successful for you? What industry were you in and what did you move to?

I'm 34 and have hit the pay ceiling for my role and industry, unless I want to move into a senior leadership type role, which I don't. (I'm a doer rather than a bullshitter talker). I can't be on £35k a year for the rest of my life if I want any chance of having my own home and living comfortably. So I'm considering a career change.

But there is so much expense involved. And starting at the bottom of the ladder makes me wonder if it's worth it.

You lost me at 34 and midlife!!!!!

I have - the changes have been the points I learned the most, advanced the most and look back on as the most significant steps. I would suggest:

Unless you are targeting a particular change with specific training requirements, I wouldn't restart at the bottom having to secure a whole new set of qualifications for an entry level role. Look for what transferable skills and experience you have. Think in terms of a sideways move to overtake rather than going back and starting the journey again on a different route.

Examine your assumptions and attitudes about leadership. Why do you think it's bullshit / talking? It's fine to be focused on practical delivery but if you want to sell yourself and advance you'll be more likely to succeed if you can show how what you do will add value to the whole.

Good luck!

That's really good advice @WishIWasACavewoman thank you.

I've had a job higher up in management level before and found it involved going to meetings all day, talking nonsense to fit in with corporate people, and not doing any tangible work. I found this really unfulfilling. Senior leadership roles in all organisations I've worked in have looked the same.

I did - and I echo the advice above on not starting at the bottom, but looking at your transferable skills and moving sideways if possible. I did that and 7 years on I earn twice what I would have in my old career, in a position that I am highly unlikely to ever have reached had I stayed put (because to get there I would have had to make compromises I was unwilling to make)

I was absolutely petrified though and spent at least the first year worrying that I’d made a horrible mistake! I hadn’t. It was the best decision I could have made, but my old career was something I thought I’d spend my life doing so it felt strange leaving it behind. My dad told me to stop fretting because it’s not like my old career would entirely cease to exist just because I left it so I could just go back if I really wanted 😂

I'm early 30s and this year made a decision to leave my career in Social Work. I've been lucky to be able to side step to something non social work related but something I'm really enjoying and see a future in without a pay drop. As PP has said think of what transferable skills you have and where you see yourself finding a new career path.

Yep, left law at 36 (ish?) to become freelance writer and editor. All my worrying about the salary drop etc. was done before I left.

I could not be more happy that I did it. The stress I was under with a city firm was insane - I still have nightmares about it.

I earn less money, but only because I work fewer hours. I'm so, so glad I jumped. I couldn't bear to be in that kind of environment now. Sorry - I'm projecting lots here, but mainly, yes! Do it. 34 is incredibly young and there's a world of brilliant, challenging, exciting careers out there.

What have you side stepped to if you don't mind me asking? I need a way out of social work before the job kills me

It would be more helpful if posters actually stated the role they sidestepped/transferred into

Loads of times, whenever I feel like it. Started off as a registered nurse, then decided to get a free ticket to see the word and became an airline stewardess, that job was the one I loathed the most, basically flying waitress whatever anyone says, being pinched all the time and working with vacuous as feck women after rich husbands and idiotic pilots who couldn't keep it in their trousers. But I did see the world.
Went back to nursing, had a stint in medical insurance as a medical advisor when my DS was small, back to nursing as a ward sister, then at 40 trained to be a podiatrist for the better working hours.
Did both private and NHS podiatry and had my own business for a while.
Now training for my retirement career as a professional book binder, I've got a few years in the NHS to go before retirement but like to always have something up my sleeve.
I've also been a miniaturist making dollshouse miniatures in small scales and have sold fine needlework but there isn't much money in crafts sadly.

P.S I make around £50k a year doing a combination of private and NHS work.

Precisely my question too.

I actually changed careers to social work after qualifying aged 34, around ten years ago. I have aged about thirty years in that decade.

I started as tech support in a software company, quickly realised that I wouldn't advance far enough in that role and moved across to marketing after about 10 years.

It involved taking a Chartered Institute course and exam. It wasn't massively expensive and I did it in my own time. Plus lots of reading.

So basically you want management salary without the responsibility, is that it? I think you’ll find a lot of jobs over £35k involve meeting etc in any industry.

This is the problem with the workplace. People thinking that salary should be related to hierarchy when it should be relataed to skills and experience.

Salary isn't related to hierarchy , it's related to responsibility.
You don't need to be a people manager, I only manage one person, but I'm responsible for the marketing strategy of the company. Every sales lead comes from marketing and targeting that I define. If the number or quality of sales leads falls I won't be in my job for very long. If I (and sales team) get it right, everyone gets paid.