To career change in my forties

[doodoodahdah]

My DH lost his job a while back, thankfully he got a new one but we had to move areas for this new job. DSs were uprooted from school, I left my job, it was very disruptive. DSs are settled now, making friends but I can't find a new job - it's been a year-long hunt so far but jobs for me are tricky to find and ones I've applied for or have been led to by recruitment consultants haven't gone anywhere. I'm a highly skilled girly but here I am completely wanting, not being able to find a job - wth is wrong with me? My confidence is crushed, I'm miserable at home, feel useless that I can't contribute to the family budget since I've ALWAYS had a job. We don't necessarily need for me to work to afford things but I want badly to work and I feel so useless, I'm so disappointed.

So my AIBU is should I actually use this as a chance to change career? I would move into doing a job that is far away from my career - for example I saw a job advert as a police call handler and that really looked good! Even the shifts sounded good to me?! I have no experience of something like that, am well into my 40s but I'm really wondering if the universe is giving me signals here to just leave my old career behind and start new? Being a police call handler might not actually be my calling, it's an example right now, but I'm just asking for any opinions/insights out there from people who can relate to my situation? What did you do? Unless anyone actually is a police call handler - what's it like?? ;)

YABU - stick with the job search in your career area, you've got tons of experience, it'd be a waste! Pull your socks up!

YANBU - if you want to change your career, do it! Life is too short!

If you can't get a job with your current skill set in the area you live then of course of makes sense to retrain.

It's Never too late to try new things op, I say go for it! my relative just turned 40 and she's just qualified as a midwife after wanting to do it for years and it never being the right time.she's the happiest she's ever been. You can do some research at the very least and see if it sounds like someone you want to do ,scope it out,see what's involved. you could end up with a really great satisfying new career. Best of luck to you x

I'm very specialised and have done a 'career' job all my life. I don't know what I actually would like to do given the opportunity elsewhere. I have no idea if I'd be good at admin, or in an office role. Or if I'd like hospitality. Or running my own business. In your shoes why rush to find another 'career job'.....what about just another job? You could have what I would see as a bit of a luxury, and take time to shop around a bit and see what jobs fits. It doesn't have to be a career, you could just spend time in a couple of other jobs just finding out about yourself and what you might like in a career job. I really really wish I'd taken time out after or before Uni to find out where my skills lay. Why not go for 999 call handler but don't mentally sign yourself up to it for life? If might be a career, it might just be a job for 6 months. Your long term job might a couple of jobs further down the line.

I completely changed career in my 40s. Had to start from the bottom again but it's hands down the best decision I've ever made.

I think it sounds potentially really exciting op! I wish you luck.

You’re in a decent position to do it because it’s not a total financial disaster if, for a time, you aren’t earning as much as you previously did; and you are highly motivated to seek out engaging work, so you’re starting with a positive mindset.

let us know how you get on 🙂

Do it. Most of us have to change careers at some points in our lives. I retrained in my early 40s. You have to work till around 67 these days, probably longer in future, so it is well worth it if it is something you want to do. The days of sticking with one career for over 40 years are few and far between unless you are a doctor or a solicitor for example.

OP, funnily enough, I'm in my mid forties and started a new job as a police dispatcher in the summer. I did something completely unrelated previously but it did give me a lot of skills I now use.

The shifts are OK (2 day, 2 back, 2 night then 4 days off - 10 day repeating cycle) but the shift work is a big adjustment for my family.

I am really enjoying it so far, but it is HARD WORK, lots of responsibility and I'm learning so much. Working with the cops is really good fun but a totally different culture than I'm used to.

Note, I'm a dispatcher not a call handler. In our force call handlers work in a call centre taking all the basic info then the dispatchers (there's lots of us, each covering a specific area) get the jobs through and decide what to do with them, who to send, how many sets of cops, what priority is the job, assess the risk to officers and public etc.

Go for it and good luck!