Anyone get out of a career slump once kids were older?

[Followthebouncingball]

So, pre-kids (in my 20s) I was gradually increasing my pay and responsibilities at work. Then came kids, divorce and single parenthood with 100% custody. Life was busy and exhausting so I dropped to part time for years and didn’t progress career wise.

I have worked in a professional role in the uni sector all that time and and would like to start applying for roles with higher responsibilities and pay. But I’m now in my early 50s and worried that I’ll be overlooked because of my age and lack of ambition. I’m also bored in my current role but I can’t work out if that’s because of the role or I’ll find anything else equally boring so that’s also concerning me a bit when I have about 10 years of work left before retirement.

Has anyone been successful in reinventing themselves at work when they were older? And also found if they were bored, that a new role cured that somewhat? Because of where I live and the retirement benefits attached I am likely to stay within the same organisation. If you’ve gotten out of a long term career slump I’d love to know how and what you did. And if a new role helped with your enthusiasm for work.

Me

moves from finance to charity work.
less money and benefits but I bloody love love love it

Me too. Love my PT job so kept it but do freelance copywriting for good extra ££ and am also doing an OU degree for my own interest.

Will be following with interest.
I feel stuck in a rut and want a new challenge. Worried about my age (51) and what i might do ( currently a TA).

Me

I "cruised" in my job (professional role) for 12 years or so when the dc were small. A couple of years ago I realised it was time to move on and up and started to apply for jobs internally (I work for a large public body, lots of opportunity) - not indiscrminantly, but I widened my horizons from the team I'd been in for 10 years. I also sought some mentoring - this really helped, and made me see myself differently (better) than I had previously. I also took pretty much every opportunity that came my way to broaden my network - internal awards selection panel - I'll do it !- x project needs representation from my team - 🙋‍♀️

The first couple of job applications did not lead to anything. The third got an interview - no job, but really positive feedback. I learnt a lot with every application, every interview. After 5 months I was offered a senior role on a 12 month assignment... before that was up I secured a permanent senior role (a different role) building on the experience I'd gained from the assignment.

That was 6 months ago, a month before my 52nd birthday.

.... and I still do it PT.

Became a teacher and love the new career. I’m not saying that is necessarily a good idea, but shows it is possible.

The first ever mumsnet post I have read from a teacher saying she doesn’t utterly despise her job as a teacher and how it’s killing her

@BillyAteMyChips same as me! Trying to find a way out too.

@Runaround50 and @BillyAteMyChips what do you do now!?

I don’t even know how to apply or interview for jobs as last one I did was about 15 years ago, I’ve probably only done 2-3 in my life! But I figured I’d google and practice and get there eventually.

I’m hoping if I can work up the motivation and skill set then game plan over next 10 years will be to apply for higher level roles as they come up. I’m also in an old retirement scheme where some of my retirement benefits are calculated on the income of the last three years of your working life so it really does pay off to increase earning capacity and rate of pay approaching retirement.

One thing though with this process is I’m not taking a pay cut, I’d rather stay where I am in an unsatisfying but easy role than lose income.

Following with interest too x

Baby steps op

You haven’t worked in over a decade.

Wrong thread!

Thought about this several times. I'm 40 now and have a deeply unsatisfying, stressful but largely flexible (time wise) and well paid corporate job.

Have not discovered my interests outside of work - I've always been balanced e.g. between science and arts, words and numbers, indoors and outdoors.. and very dull/apathetic lol. I don't think I'm an outlier - it's why many people my age often welcome redundancy (if a decent package).

I'm waiting 10 years till im 50 though as any change will most definitely entail a pay cut and I can't afford it until kids start uni.

I moved organisations to reinvent myself around 6 months ago and it's going okay so far. My circumstances are that I was in management before becoming a parent, but 10 years on felt I wasn't welcome back at that grade where I was. I made a direct sideways move (same level role as my last one, new organisation) and can see it will be easy to move to management as I'm seen as someone bringing in useful experience and fresh perspective- so if you can get a sideways move then do it!

P.s. I recommend reading Job Interview Success: Be Your Own Coach By Jenny Rogers for sensible and practical advice.

I did.

I had ds mid-40s, so had my maternity leave & was made redundant from head of department, first morning back. Then a year fighting unfair dismissal.

Then 5 years in a fairly routine but convenient corporate job. Then moved to a small co. in another convenient job close to primary school before that ended during Covid.

As a 58yo single mum with a mortgage, I fought to get back into work, and finally landed head of dept for a great company in London, but it took massive effort and is hard work.

I'm 2 years in and want to retire in 2.5 years so hopefully this will be my last proper job.

oh this is me too! I truned 50 this year. Over the past 2-3 years I have slowly been progressing my career. I work in a professional role, but my career was sort of sidelined for many years whist my children were younger. I almost always worked(had 3 years out at one point), but went part time and didn't progrss in level through choice. Now Ive deecided its my time! my youngest is now 16. Ive just accepted a new role at the top level for my discipline which I start next week. I have a lot of anxiety about this, and guilt. Worrying the stress will be too much, that my teenagers still need me, that Im too old and should just have coasted for the next 15 year etc, but Its now or never so we will see how it all pans out. I am finding it a really difficult life stage to be honest. The last 25 years of my life have very much been about my children (probably too much in hindsight) and now suddenly Im 50 and very conflicted about which direction to move in .... but I am also trying to hold onto the fact that 50 isnt old and Ive got a lot of working years left and I deserve to give this a go!

You need a shiny new qualification to revivify your CV and experience. Within the same area of work but perhaps focusing on a specialist sector or equipping you for a job with massively updated technological skills.

Have a look here while you think about it:

Mature Study and Retraining

I requalified and career changed in my late 40s. A few years later I’m on a lot more money, have changed from PT to FT hours and terribly bored. For a while I’ve enjoyed job hopping and the confidence boost and salary boost that brings but actually I miss the coasting I was doing in my 30s/40s.

The only bit of advice you need is to APPLY. Look for something you fancy first and see which skills it’s after. No point second guessing your worthiness for an imaginary job.

I'm hoping to move away from my current role, once I have had my hysterectomy. I am 52 and really do need to earn more money and boost my pension.

I think It can be done ( somehow) with a bit of effort and determination.

Yes. I was part time or on sabbatical for much of my late 30's to mid 40's.
I've been full time now for a couple of years and have recently been offered a promotion and am now providing clinical supervision for others.
I'm enjoying it, teens and DH not so much.

I retrained as an allied health professional. I love my profession. I don’t love my current job but I’m noticing themes- about my confidence, and how long I hold interest in a role that are obviously me rather than the job. I also wonder if I could’ve done a more sideways step without the drastic retroaninf and pay cut/starting again. But I am glad I did it- there are many more opportunities in what I do than the job I did before . Good luck whatever you choose. X