Any late bloomers in terms of career?

[Fustyoldcarcass]

Just curious...

I was working in crappy jobs with few prospects a lot of my adult life due to not being very confident. Then after studying to get somewhere better, I had to remain in my previous job with few prospects after having DC, as it was flexible and we didn't have the money for full time childcare. So I feel that, at 34, I've left it all pretty late, but I'm finally in a job now with some prospects.

Just wondered if anyone has started out later and made it to a well paid job with lots more responsibility, or if I've completely missed that boat as I didn't do it in my twenties?

It's really hard seeing people around me with good salaries, their own house and seemingly happy that they've achieved a lot in their career. Would be nice to hear from other mums who have done it later in life with lots of determination.

I wouldn’t say I’m in a job that pays amazingly well but it is a job with huge responsibility and I love it. I started in my mid 40s after having numerous low paid uninspiring jobs that fitted in with children up to then.

I requalifed in my 30s. Most late (gulp) 30s and I'm obviously behind where I would have been if I had gone into this career straight off but I'm moving up more quickly.

i did my degree at 43 and have a well paid interesting job now, all admin before kids

I studied when the kids were young and got a great job when youngest was 5 (I was 39). Through more luck than careful planning (though all because I studied for my own interest) I have ended up in a niche field and am now self employed and doing better than I ever expected - so it is definitely possible and you can do it!

I'm on effectively career 3 but I spent longer at uni than most (PhD) and then retrained late in my 20s to teaching. That became crap so here I am hurtling towards my mid 30s in a new job, with vague relation to my post PhD career. My mum went to uni in her late 40s (she left school at 15) and has thrived since. Never too late to change your direction in life and even with children it can be done (my mum did tertiary education as a single mum with initially two of us still at home). I think the days of plodding away at one job for 40 years are gone. Technology won't let us stay still for too long, for starters!

Started my job 9 years ago in my early 30s with zero qualifications. Now earn more money and have more responsibility than I would ever have imagined possible in my 20s. Never too late!