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Starting over in your mid 30s

6 replies

CharlottesWebDeveloper · 22/01/2022 10:16

Just looking for some (hopefully success) stories about people 30+ either starting a career for the first time, or changing to a new career in an area where their previous career was very little help.

I mucked around a lot in my 20s and never really got a career off the ground. Got a degree, bummed around a bit, went back to uni to get a different degree, got pregnant, dropped out (though I still got a lesser qualification for the work already done) and I've been a SAHM ever since. Started teaching myself to code a few years ago and now work part time and freelance as a front end Web developer which I enjoy but it isn't what I want to do long term. I have a good idea of what I want to do but I think it will involve going back to uni which would be expensive. Also I currently have a huge amount of flexibility to fit my work around my 3 and 5 which I would lose by taking this new path. But it would give me a chance to move back into an area related to the career I gave up (sadly forever) when I became pregnant.

I'm about to turn 34 and half of me says that if I want to have anything resembling a proper career I need to get off my butt now and get on with it. The other half of me says that it's already too late to make any real progression and I'd be better off sticking to what I'm doing now and enjoying the benefits of low pressure flexible working even though I don't really find it emotionally satisfying.

Sorry for the ramble. Did you get a career off the ground when you were a bit older? Did it work out for you? Am I just winding myself up with big ideas and I should accept that this is what I get for not making better choices in my 20s?

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CharlottesWebDeveloper · 22/01/2022 10:17

"3 and 5 year old kids" that should say.

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Luredbyapomegranate · 22/01/2022 14:22

It’s not too late, but yep, you need to get off your butt and do it.

Get the course info and crack on. Do you have a partner who will step up, can you organise child care etc?

Luredbyapomegranate · 22/01/2022 14:22

I was 32 when I started current career, and can think of people who made much later switches.

stayathomer · 22/01/2022 14:28

I started working last year after ten years out. Absolute dream job but I regret jumping into it. The juggling and childcare, in particular because of covid, is so difficult. I'm ft with no option of going pt for the foreseeable future. Just giving another perspective as I honestly thought it would be easier and I wish I'd waited until all were in secondry (youngest is 7)

TiddleTaddleTat · 22/01/2022 14:31

No way are you too old !
I retrained older than that.
Of course it’s worth it, no point being stuck in a job you don’t particularly love for the next 30 years!

CharlottesWebDeveloper · 22/01/2022 20:14

Thanks for the replies everyone, great to hear some positive stories. I'm definitely stuck in a rut atm and need shaking out of my inertia. I'm lucky because I do have a partner who does his share. My 3 year old only just started at nursery and we haven't worked up to full time hours for her yet but I will try to start making a proper plan instead of vague drifting along 🙂

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