Starting a career when you're old(er) than the average graduate...

[scouserabroad]

Has anyone managed to start a career later on? I'd love to hear nice inspiring stories to prove that it can be done! (If it can't be done, shhh! I don't want to know )

I am now 28, finished uni in 2005, moved countries in 2006 to follow DH and had two DC within two years. For about four years was a SAHM interspersed with random cleaning jobs / stacking shelves etc.

I did a distance learning course at the same time & now have a recognised qualification for the country I'm in (degree level tho it's not a degree IYSWIM) in accounting.

I have worked as a bookkeeper for two months on a temp contract, now looking for a new job and not sure what I should be aiming for... more temp work, or can I go for "recent graduate" type jobs at large companies? Will they want someone who has basically been a cleaner / SAHM for the last four years, or what?? I'm a bit overwhelmed by the job market tbh!

I would also love to be able to work abroad (I am abroad now, but it's my parents' country of origin) but that's probably a whole other thread!

Well, I did it. Graduated 2002, worked for 18 months after graduation in various accounts type jobs in order to save money to go travelling for a year.

Went travelling...came back five years later having worked as a scuba diving instructor in the Caribbean, met DP and was 3 months pregnant.

Got back Jan 2008, applied for Big4 accountancy firm Feb 2008, interviewed March 2008 and started work April 2008 (and they knew I was pregnant when I started cos I told them at interview). Am just about to exam qualify, with time qualification about a year off.

So yes, totally possible :)

If accountancy type jobs are what you're after, Big4 firms have offices all over the place, and also have flexibility should you want to move around. Also (at least in UK), some Big4 firms are deliberately increasing graduate intake over the next year or so.

PS I was 29 when I started work in April 2008.

28 isn't old!! I worked in electronics until I was 23 then decided to have a coffee shop. Sold that and worked for Procter and Gamble selling incontinence pads, then worked in the woodworking industry. After first child I went to work in the software industry and after second I set up my own business again. I am finally doing exactly the right job!

I am 41, have been a SAHM for over 9 years with my 3 DSs, graduated 15 years ago! And here I am, back to university for a year doing a "refresher course" and hope to start my carrer again, as a "junior" soon! I didn`t think it was possible either, but hopefully it is, and I am very excited about it!

If you have a series of jobs which are vaguely related you can package them up on your CV as having a 'portfolio' career. That's what I've done, it's like a work journey, with temporary (nice) blips for children. I've had to do boring/low paid jobs when the kiddies were really young but have bounced back up when I could work longer hours. And, hey I'm 47!!!

Check out where you're at career wise on this 10 minute skills test:
www.venturenavigator.co.uk/skills

My dh has over the last two years employed three women who had been off for years bringing up family and were then returning to the workforce. They were all new to his line of business but with relevant backgrounds. For him and his boss, it was obvious that careers "tread water" (or completely disappear) while you've got a young family, but if they wanted to employ good people, they would just need to accept that. It turned out two of the women are absolutely on the ball, highly competent, whilst the third did not pass her probationary period. I hope nowadays that it is becoming more accepted that everyone will have "career treading water" times of their lives due to children, and their competence to do the job will be assessed on the basis of ... their competence!

I am nearly 43...I am in my last year of a degree...I will have been a SAHM/student for 18 years by the time I qualify. I'll let you know next summer!

I think this is my favourite thread ever. I graduated undergrad in 2005, had my daughter in 08 & finished my MA in 2010. Thinking I will look to kick off career in about 2 years, when I will be 29...

Oh wow there's been loads of responses to this thread and I never noticed ! Thank you all, it's lovely to hear that it can be done - I am surrounded by child free, single, 21 year olds ATM who only have to find a job and don't have to think about childcare etc! But I'm a lot wiser and more mature of course and that's got to be an advantage

Emmahewett, thanks for that link I will try it.

Remember - you don't ever put your date of birth on your CV!

If people don't know your age, they won't make judgements on that basis - until you turn up to an interview, by which time they've already deemed that you are a strong possibility

I am 42 btw - graduated first time 14 years ago, doing an other undergraduate degree now.

Work history goes back 10 years, no more (this is meant to be true for any CV really)