Starting in mid-forties

[Turefu]

I’ve just been told my department is closing. I work in finance team in the large bank. Now they’re moving all financial operations to other side of the country. I’ve been working there only for few months, I worked in the call centre there and run cleaning company for ten years before that. Now I’m in mid forties and need to find new job. I could come back to call centre, but don’t want to. I’m about to finish AAT 3. I think I’ll find a job eventually, but it feels scary. I want career, is it possible for me to develop now? I’ve sent some
CV. Time of the year doesn’t help.

Well done on finishing AAT level 3.
Changing jobs is scary, but life changing when it goes well.

Are there any schools with finance jobs near you?

They often only advertise on their own websites rather than agencies etc

Not really, I live in semi- rural area. Part of appeal of my previous ( still on) job was hybrid working, was was required to be at the office twice a week, doable. I’d prefer to stay this was, hybrid or home working. I still have only little experience in the finance , I’m worried maybe it’s not enough. My job is fairly well paid, I may need to take a pay cut.

I’d say try for an organisation that’s a bit bigger, in my industry competent people get lots of opportunities to move up quickly in big orgs but in small orgs you need to wait longer before you can move on, despite other advantages. I think you need to jump a couple of levels quite quickly.

That’s what I thought. Time is not on my side and I don’t have vast amount of experience. I’ll find a job, but I want career.

Well done on the level 3 AAT.

I started a new job in a different industry two weeks before my 45th birthday. Not only am I learning a new industry, I'm also learning a new area. I was a PA in education, now I'm a PA to 3 directors in a marketing department in the travel industry(public to private too).

I love my job now, I smile on the drive to work, I no longer dread Mondays or going into the office. My boss is lovely and he is doing, and has done everything to make me settle in and feel confident. I now know people in other companies that we deal with. My world is opening up.

It was scary and before I started I did question whether I was doing the right thing. It was a massive step for me,I could have stayed in my old job until I retired but it would have killed me.

Good luck, starting again is scary but it can be so so rewarding.

Hi @SideshowAuntSallly , that's a lovely post 😊
I hope to develop further. One agency contacted me already, but they offered only temporary job with pay through umbrella company, I'm on the stage of my life , when that's not enough for me. I'll carry on with my search for a new job.

@Turefu I wish you so much luck🍀, it can be hard looking for a new job. I was actually looking for a complaints form for my holiday (yes really) when I thought I'd have a look at what jobs they had going. So they can be found in unexpected places.

Have you had a look on civil service jobs? Lots of hybrid or full
Home working opportunities there and flexible working.
I'm not sure what salary you're looking for but as you've said you don't have much experience an entry (ish) level in my dept is about £28k. Next grade up pays around £32k then goes up to about £36k. We have a large fiancé dept but all cs depts will.
Your call centre experience would be really transferable too and give you some good behaviour/competency examples.

@HumourReplacementTherapy Thank you for your post, I've never thought about my call centre experience , my transferable skills from there , great you mentioned it. I'd like to do accounting, I will carry on with AAT 4 and further, to chartered status, when I'll find employer, who will support me in it. I'm looking for 25-27k, I live in North, so it's not bad. Call centre wage is lower, but with overtime and other extras builds up above.

Here you go. Take a look 😊

www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/professions/working-in-finance/

@HumourReplacementTherapy thank you. Job in my area appear to be too senior for me right now. I'll carry on my search.

Update: I applied for a job in the search above, more senior one. I didn’t pass numeracy check. I scored 22%better than other applicants, apparently ,but not good enough to be considered for a role. That’s fine, it was above , what I was looking for. In the meantime I learn more about Excel.

I worked in a call centre for around 15 years, then moved into finance.

I'm nearly 40 now and just about finished my ACCA, and have worked my way up. It is definitely doable, I work for a large financial institution and in my experience age isn't a barrier, looking at lots of different colleagues around me as well.

Brush up on your excel skills (I used to watch YouTube videos on the commute home to up skill myself when I first started) keep on working towards your professional qualification, as that does open a lot of doors, and believe me call centre skills come in handy when you consider things such as stakeholder manager, negotiation, telling a story....sounds a bit corporate wank speak but you get my drift!

Good luck in the search

@oldandfeckless Thank you for your input, very valuable. I’m hoping my AAT will help me to find right opportunity. I will carry on to level 4.

Have a look at Jobsgopublic, NHS jobs and Civil Service jobs as public sector have a lot of finance roles.