Restarting work at 54?

[IchBinPapst]

I’m 54 years old, live in a rural area and have been out of the workforce for 23 years. I’m not going to go into the reasons for that as they are in the past and can’t now be changed. When I used to work I did unskilled shop/visitor centre type jobs with a short stint in the civil service. Education wise I just scraped my way to A level and went to art college to study textile design in my early 20’s but failed my degree.

My DH is the same age, in a successful career and has just had his final promotion before retirement in about ten years. He has provided for our family very well but now that my unpaid responsibilities have lessened I want to do something for myself again (and earn my own money) - don’t have the first idea where to begin though at my age and as things stand nobody would employ me.

I live in a very rural area and have been at home for so, so long I thought I might like to try something different like learning bookkeeping/admin skills and doing it part time somehow. With more time on my hands now I’ve taken to knitting and sewing prolifically but nobody wants to buy what I make so I’ve given up on trying to make even a hobby job of that. I have no computer skills atm beyond being able to shop online and use forums and would be unsuited to teaching the skills I do have.

I see many posts here just saying ‘get back to work’ which I think are usually unhelpful - I’m not going to react to posts berating me for not working now or in the past, it was right for my family and my future is secure with or without DH.

Is starting paid work possible at this point, and if so, bearing in mind its been 23 years, is there anything out there I don’t know to look for?

Teaching assistant? It may be different where you are but in my area they are almost impossible to recruit and you can do an online course.

My DH works 100% from home when he’s in the UK and travels one week in four to a workplace in Munich, Germany, so that isn’t an option.

Do you have any national trust type places near you? Could start as a volunteer

I was in the same position ie looking for job at 54 after bring made redundant but was not in the same financial position as yourself and needed to earn quickly to pay my bills - no savings etc - applied took me over a year but finally got an admin job in the NHS! Dont give up hope!

No, I’ve been applying to volunteer at many of them for years, I did volunteer (full time at one point) in museums and galleries when I was a teenager but there are no museums here and I’ve been turned down by the houses, trusts and estates here every time I’ve applied in the last decade. The last time I asked why they said they wanted people with certain kinds of very specific and long term professional or teaching experience and were overwhelmed with applications.

As I’ve said that would have been my first choice but it seems I won’t ever get accepted.

I would look at any local shops or cafes, obviously you are in a uniquely rural part of the country, but you'll need to draw in your local knowledge of where these are. In relation to your interest in farms, do any of the local farms also run farm shops or cafes?

Also you could look into what temp agencies cover your area. When I was living very rurally in Cumbria I got work through a temp agency. One of those roles was as a secretary at a local accountancy firm (lots of farm accounts!). Your idea of getting some bookkeeping training could be a good one, even rural areas need bookkeepers and accountants. Another temp agency role as a receptionist at a small factory in the middle of nowhere, I'd never have known it was there except for the temp agency role. Temp agencies will know about these roles that could otherwise be hard to find in a rural area.

Everyone says this. I work in the sector - it’s such a shame that people won’t even consider it. It’s a failing of our society that people view care work in this way.

Care workers can have a successful, rewarding career. They are highly trained, knowledgeable and the right person can quickly progress into a management role.

PS I loved that receptionist role, my core duties were easy and quickly done, there was endless people watching fascination from how the different parts of the factory operation worked, and in my down time I was put to work making up samples of products for their sales team - literally arts and crafts work. And a beautiful walk at lunchtime as it was in the middle of nowhere! hope you get lucky OP

What about some sort of farm admin? Helping farmers with their books?
Or what about in a school kitchen?

Thank you - and well done!

A couple of left field suggestions.
Amazon or other delivery service van driver.
If you are creative what about doing an online photography course? You've got the scenery on your doorstep and it could lead to online sales.

That hasn’t worked as an option, as I’ve explained a few times. Thank you for replying though.

Have you considered a life coach to help you navigate this next phase, OP? Returning to work can be daunting and I can see the job hunt is probably a bit soul destroying too. Some professional support and direction (if you can budget for it) might be helpful?

They’re all paid jobs and they’re like hens teeth. When there is the very rare one its either for a cook with qualifications or they don’t want anyone over 21, presumeably because they don’t have to pay as much. There are no hotels or restaurants within striking distance for waitressing etc.

Do you drive?

Volunteer drivers are always needed.

It’s a start. Could possibly lead to a more office based position once you have a foot in the door of the voluntary sector.

Thank you, I will certainly do that, and can afford to pay. This situation is a lot harder to be in than I think most people appreciate, as it relies on other people allowing you to do something when proving yourself seems virtually impossible.

Everyone here has been very kind and helpful but I think it is easy to say just go and do this thing (especially volunteering) - however you can’t just decide to volunteer, or work in a cafe or call centre, someone has to let you try.

Schools - often job hours are 8 till 4, so although term-time only, the hours are difficult for mums and no-one else wants term-time only. At my school we had only one applicant for our reprographics (photocopying) post 2 years ago, and only one for our general admin assistant post one year ago. Pay is poor of course,that's another reason. Oh, and both those post holders are 10 years older than you!

I think I’d love farm admin.

I know a few farmers, some are friends - who are illiterate and/or innumerate and have often thought I’d love to help with all the government forms they have to fill in. Not as a favour though, as a job.

Are you an animal person? Looking after pets in peoples homes (and given rural, things like feeding the chickens etc) are often needed. AlL you’d need to do is make some cards and pop them in neighbouring letterboxes, small ad in paper etc to get going

You could maybe combine with the above admin?

Its a very industrial and very sparsely populated farming area - its not ‘lovely’ rural where people have backyard chickens though I did try exactly that (pet sitting in owners homes, dog walking) about ten years ago, but there were only a few people to advertise to in the village and no takers for such a service. Ditto ironing and making soft furnishings. Someone did want an emergency milkmaid for a week but operating a large milking shed and moving cows about was not something I could even attempt.

That’s really helpful, thank you. The shops and cafes are not possible as there are none in my area but the ‘hidden’ office jobs are a great idea.

I have no idea how you would go about it tbh but I'm pretty certain people do this as a job, I'm on a farm wives Facebook page and pretty sure I've seen people on their talking about it.

It’s not your age that’s the issue, it’s your location. There clearly isn’t much around you. You talked about knitting. Have you thought about setting up an online business selling the garments you knit? Or even teaching people how to knit?

What about asking re a ‘return to work’ type course?
years ago my mum ran these, teaching people books/typing/computer skills and then lining up interviews?
could be worth asking the job centre. They may run courses online.

Otherwise if you’re financially comfortable I’d think about re training online in something that leads to self employees work, counsellor, jewellery making, dog walking, small animal boarding, gardens. Many things you can teach yourself online.

Good for you As others say volunteer work or temping may be a good way in. Bookeeping sounds good