Need some advice - 49 and I'm probably past it!

[HappySonHappyMum]

Have been working as a Graphic Designer for a small design consultancy in London for 27 years. My boss is nearing retirement age and in the next three years he will close the business and I will be unemployed. I know I need to start thinking now about what I could do next to be prepared. I would love to carry on doing what I am doing but I am under no illusions that design is a young persons game - even though I have the qualifications and experience. Realistically, if I interview I will be seen as old and fat, I won't fit in with all the young, nubile, fresh out of Uni candidates and I don't think anyone will employ me - I just don't have the right 'look'! I don't have the confidence to go it alone - although I could. The whole process of doing it on my own petrifies me. Advice please for either retraining, ideas for a different direction and help. I know I need to be proactive but I have no idea where to start!

If u would like to continue what you are doing,has your boss got any contacts that might value ur skills? Good luck OP.

We're that small - only three of us (the other has only been around for a few years) that I know all of his contacts as they are my contacts, plus years ago I signed a contract saying I wouldn't contact any of his clients if I left his employment so I'm not sure how I would stand with this.

Not contacting his clients if you left is one thing, maintaining a working relationship with some or all of them after your boss "leaves" ie closes his business, would be quite another. I'd try to have a serious "succession planning" conversation with your boss, maybe have a good think about where your think your line of work is going in the next few years first, have a few suggestions ready about how you would like to be able to continue when he wants to retire. Good luck!

Set up by yourself. You can do it.

You have relationships with existing clients. You're very skilled. Do it.

I wish I had your skills, op. You could blaze a trail regardless of your age.

Nerve wracking but I reckon you have everything it takes. Courage!

www.gov.uk/set-up-business

www.gov.uk/business-support-helpline

www.startupdonut.co.uk/set-up-a-business/small-business-support/essential-guide-to-getting-help-setting-up-and-running-a-business

helptogrow.campaign.gov.uk/i-want-to-start-a-business/

smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/start-up-support

www.bgateway.com/resources/help-for-start-ups-the-support-available-for-your-start-up

www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/work/self-employment/thinking-of-starting-up-in-business

And where do people get the idea that 49 is "past it". You've got years and years of working life left.

Could you take over the business? Would your boss be open to that? Your experience is valuable!

Can you buy the business? I'm 54 and have had no issue finding jobs, don't compete with the graduates you are worth more than them. Apply a couple of grades higher and leave them floundering.

Please do yourself a favour and work on your confidence, maybe even get a session or two with a life coach. You have qualifications and years of experience - I promise you, this is invaluable! Recruitment is part of my job (whilst not in the industry you're in) it is so so hard to find good people. YOU ARE NOT OLD!! (I'm the same age) you are experienced and that's what people will pay you for. Of course it's scary starting anything new but you sound absolutely capable of this so don't sell yourself short. Have a sensitive but matter-of-fact chat with you boss about his retirement plans so that you're able to start putting things in place for yourself when the time comes. I'm sure he won't be surprised at you needing to plan your future, you have many years of working life left in you! And don't worry about how you look I'm sure you're able to present yourself as professional - anyway I have a couple of friends who work in the same role and they hardly ever see people in person it's all done online! So, don't make excuses, don't put it off just do it!

You're a perfect age for a second act, OP.

Would you prefer to do something closely related? Or a dramatic shift?

It's not my area but I'm sure you'll get ideas here.

I’d suggest you look into the possibilities of taking over the business. Perhaps in partnership with one of the other employees.

if it’s not for you then FE teaching is always looking for sector experienced teachers. They’ll train you while you work.

Remind yourself of the skills you have and why your experience is valuable. Where do you want to put your energy?

I’ve met and worked with countless successful and senior designers who are fat men in their forties and fifties. No one thinks about how they look. Keep that in mind and go achieve.

Yes. I bet not a single bloke takes their appearance into consideration when starting up their own business.

Why don’t you go in-house? I work for a professional services firm and we have in-house graphic designers who produce all our brochures, briefings, thought leadership publications, they also work on the look and feel of the website and client apps (not the coding) and pitch documents. They are always hugely busy. The most important skill is to be a safe pair of hands and get things out on time, we don’t need jazzy new ideas.

I agree with others, can you and the other employee take over the business?
Is your employer selling the business or simply planning on closing it?
You need to have a serious discussion with them first.

My goodness - I had no idea so many people would be so positive about the skills and experience I have. It's actually made me quite tearful - I get so much pleasure from my work and really enjoy hearing how happy clients are with the stuff I create. Seeing my designs randomly on the TV or in shop windows or on the internet makes me happy! I think because this is coming at a time when there is so much change in my life - kids off to Uni, menopause, older parents and all the other stuff that hits around 50 - this change is the most frightening as I almost see my work as a kind of identity and I know that I floundered when lock down happened as I felt I'd lost a part of myself. @BlastedPimples I will look at all your links - thank you - and @LifeInAHamsterWheel I will investigate a life coach that might help me prioritise myself, work on my confidence and my career which doesn't need to take second place to my children anymore.@Doggymummar I've got the skills and experience for much higher but in my head I'm still that 20 something who found a job she loved at 22 and stayed there as it allowed her to bring up a family - plus I love actually doing the work not telling someone else to which is why I feel like I'd be competing with graduates! You have all opened my eyes though - I didn't feel like anyone would value me at all yet you've all said that they would which is such a surprise to me. I'm going to start looking at what's out there and available - it might help me value my skills a little more. Thank you so much!

I'll go into business with you, we can steal your bosses clients and do it together! I have worked as a designer for over 15 years and can't get another job for love nor money!

I retrained as an instructional designer at 50. Love my job.

@Wallywobbles where did you train?

I started by doing lots of LinkedIn courses. Then did a MicroMasters at EdX. I'm in France and had been in HE for 20 years. I also did certificates in Educational Data Management.

For a year I worked 7 days a week!

I then got my cv rewritten by a professional which was probably the biggest difference.

@wrigleys123 Lol - I'm far too honest to do anything like that! I'm in London which I why I am so concerned about getting a new design job in my 50s - I know how having the right 'look' really matters here. @Wallywobbles I would actually love to do Instructional design. I absolutely love the real nitty gritty of design - working with large amounts of tabulated data, and producing designs that look good but are still fundamentally functional pieces. I will investigate this further.

You need to be up-to-date with artificial intelligence as well. Those that aren't will miss out.

The only training I paid for was the EdX course but was definitely worth it.

There are a lot of ID forums on Slack and Discord that are great. Also AI forums too.

This free 5-week course https://novoed.com/resources/learning-experience-design-course/ started last week and is a really excellent course. It's as much work as you want and you can do it multiple times. It changed my life!

There are 3 people I'd recommend following:

Devlin Peck

https://www.idolcourses.com/

Tim Slade

Don’t have any useful advice, but I’m so delighted that this thread has prompted a more positive frame of mind, @HappySonHappyMum!

I particularly like the idea of your taking over the business - though I guess that might involve an increasingly close collaboration with AI?

@WhatWillIWear I'm still scared though!! 27 years is a really long time to do the same thing - it's going to be a huge shock to my system and will definitely take some time to adjust to when change finally comes. I was overwhelmed by how positive everyone was with regards to my knowledge and experience - which surprised me. Unfortunately I've just watched another marketing team who I've worked with (with decades of marketing experience between the three of them) be made redundant so the new boss can employ three new graduates at half the cost but with none of the knowledge. All older women whose faces don't fit in the middle of London with a young boss who wants to promote a certain 'look'. It's depressing - which is why I'm worried. @Wallywobbles Signing up for that first course :)

I can see merit in you taking the company over. You’d have a usp if other marketing teams are new to the industry try or graduates.

Experience counts.

What kind of salary are you after? My other half freelances and earns well, going to different places and broadening your experience would do wonders for your confidence.