What are your options at 38?

[hercules1]

Not for me but dh. He has solid management experience in the retail field but has taken a year career break to finish his degree. He and we never want him to go back to retail and he would like to restart a new career preferably in accountancy.
He didnt finish his degree as planned this year and he has to now bring some money in for financial reasons but doesnt have to be a lot.

WIth no accountancy experience or accountancy qualifications do you think it's possible for him to break into the field and have a career where he can take exams etc at his age?

TO get into accountancy his age shouldn't be a problem but not having qualifications will be- at any age. he needs to finish his degree. Can he get a part time job too?

He is looking into it but has no other experience apart from retail management. It will take him another year I reckon part time through the OU to get his degree.

Can he look into something retail head office based so he could use his frontline experience but develop into a more strategic or financial role. What are the reasons for not wanting him to return to retail - hours,pay, mobility ?

Have to say now is probably not the best time to be looking to make a move into finance, especially given the number of part and newly qualifieds already looking for work and him not yet having the relevant experience or qualification. He could try some of the agencies (Hays , Robert Half etc)though .

Agree with LL. It'll take longer to get to where you want to be but it's the safest option.

I agree but I think he doesnt! He earned very good money in retail and it would take him a long time to get to that stage in any other career but it was long hours in a field he never wanted to work in in the first place. He did it part time as a student years ago and got promotions and it paid well. It's long hours and no family time and hopefully he is young enough to work in a field he wants to.
He doesnt have to earn a huge amount. Tbh if he could get 500£ a month after tax and any child care costs it would be fine as I earn a decent wage.

He has looked into working in the head office etc but not really doable as they need the appropriate qualification and experience.
My concern is that he hasnt really studied much this year whilst he hasnt been working and kids have been in nursery/school and I'm not sure how long I can keep funding him to not study!

LIZS idea is excellent - if I were your DH that's what I'd be doing. Look for something in finance/accounts or whatever at head office of retail company. With his experience he might be able to talk himself into a higher level job even though he has no experience of the finance side.

Does he know much about accountancy? I think it's a job which sounds very appealing, good salary, lots of work etc.

In fact I decided to try my hand at it because my job was very specialised and so there wasn't much room for progression. I thought it would be quite OK as I have always been mathematical (2 maths a-levels, physics degree) and the job I was doing was matematical too.

It was the most tedious and mind numbingly dull thing I have ever tried in my life. Also v difficult. And at 33 I found my appetite for learning wasn't quite what it was before.

Of course your DH may well have looked into it all carefully and have the right temperament for the job. Just a heads up really, to make sure he knows what he's getting into before you all pin your hopes on it.

Apologies to any accountants who love it BTW - obviously this was just my experience of it!

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