Has anyone made a mid life job change? I’m slightly bored and frustrated with my current company but becuase of decades in the business I’m top salesperson and able to continually earn well.

Yet I’ve been offered the opportunity to jump ship into a related industry and be involved in a mentored senior position to bring a new product into the country and grow it. It’s feels exciting, challenging and an opportunity to learn. Salary etc would start at the same.

Am I cutting off my redundancy potential/comfort zone/nose to spite my face?

Anyone else done the same?

Yep

I’m 45 and just about to leave the Police where I’ve been for years.  Wasn’t sure I knew how to do anything else but was jaded and unhappy at work.  I have been fortunate enough to have got myself a job as a train driver.  It means a big paycut for the first year, but after that financially better and less hours too.  No nights either

Means I get to see my kids grow, so it’s win win.  To be honest I’m quite excited about the prospect of learning and doing something completely new

Go for it!

Did this 18 months ago through necessity not choice, moved out of manufacturing in to a service sector role (had been plant manager after 20 years working up the ladder, assumed I’d work in manufacturing for life).

Best move I ever made, I’m now the go to guy for technical issues despite only being in the industry 16 months.

FWIW I’ve found no job provides real protection against redundancy etc. As for comfort zone, well yes the first 6 to 12 months in a new role are as always difficult but if I could not only swap jobs but move into a completely different industry during lockdown successfully (started 23/03/20) I’m sure you’ll manage in a related industry. I’m still not ready for the slow decline to retirement at 50, maybe in another 10 years I’ll get to the point where it’s all about clocking up the hours to the end but for now a challenge and some feeling of self worth/ being valued are still important even if that means getting out of my comfort zone.

Life is short follow your heart . Good luck

I did similar. Was a sales director at a big corporate, but wanted to stop commuting in to London and get something more local. Happily took a very generous voluntary redundancy offer which meant I could take a more junior sales role in a smaller company in a completely different industry , and it’s been brilliant. Can commute in by MTB, rather than crappy Southern Rail. I’ve really enjoyed learning about the new industry, and my previous experience has meant our sales have grown rapidly and I’ve been promoted twice in 2 years. If your confident the skills will transfer then Go for it.

Done basic IT support for years, got made redundant in 2017 at 44, switched to IT training which was a massive improvement, switched from the health sector to legal start of 2019 then from travelling round the country to in-house at the end of the same year. Nothing like the money you’re on but by a massive margin it’s the best job I’ve ever had. So yes I have, and I’d take exciting, challenging and opportunities to learn over comfort zone any day. 🙂

My mate retired from teaching yesterday.

After 40 years he said ” you only have one life, and you should enjoy your work every day”

At 68 the oy reason he retires was hating teaching with the covid restrictions.

I swapped out of teaching for 3 years and it was amazing, untill the company went under. Back into teaching but at a better school and now I’m quite happy.

I don’t know you personally, but you never sound happy about your job on here.

The occasional post goes – my job pays well, but…

If you left and it didn’t work out, could you pay the bills somewhere else?

Switched this time last year from one area of the Civil Service to another, after 15 years in the same dead end rut.

As someone prone to anxiety, it’s been terrifying at times, especially trying to learn a very different and very technical role in isolation through lockdown. I have to remind myself that my colleagues are having the same issues, and the challenge of pushing myself at 52 years of age has been a positive for me overall.

Obviously this counts as continuous service, so pension and redundancy are protected, which takes some of the stress off me.

You are worried about a career change that has no drop in salary? This is just changing jobs. Stop fanning. Most people can’t do a career change as there is such a drop in salary for so many years and or investment in training / equipment it’s not practical.

You’re worried because of the illusion of “job security”!!?! If you died tomorrow the business wouldn’t give a shit after 6 months if it gave a shit at all.

If you like the new opportunity go for it.

Just started contracting in my role, moved from one big engineering co. to another. Left behind secure protected employment to a contract role. Much prefer the job, little bit uneasy with the lack of security but man I hated that last job!

Some great advice / stories so far, thank you.

If you left and it didn’t work out, could you pay the bills somewhere else?

I’m lucky that we can pay off the mortgage if I had to / or have the three years of payments in the bank if I need them, but of course there’s the other bills.

But, I’m nearly 50 and it’d be good to try something else before I revert to the Countdown. Most importantly, I want to be excited to get out of bed for work in the mornings.

If you have always worked for the same company, changing to a new company at this stage can be daunting, where as a lot of people move around every 3 years or so.

The new job may sound interesting, I would be interviewing the new company to see if they are a good bunch of people or a bunch of idiots, no point have a good challenging job on paper if you have to work with idiots/poor culture.

Kryton57
Full Member

Has anyone made a mid life job change?

Loads of people, all the time. What you describe is just a standard move from one company to another for a change in role. A career change is far bigger and scarier (potentially). If you like the sound of the new job then go for it

I want to be excited to get out of bed for work in the mornings.

That’s a great ambition but unless you’re a Ferrari test driver or a bra inspector it’s going to be tough to live up to. There’ll be days where you are but many other days where it’ll be the tedious grind bit of the job.

Like mashr said, this is more ‘should I take a new job’ than ‘mid life career change’.

perform a regret analysis and see how you feel. 3 years from now, all other things being equal, what will you regret not taking the new offer? And what will you regret not staying? Which feels better?

as for a countdown after 50 years old, really? I’m into the 50s and have perhaps my favorite job so far. Though I’ve only had 3 different ones since turning 50. Looking forward to continuing.

I would be interviewing the new company to see if they are a good bunch of people or a bunch of idiots, no point have a good challenging job on paper if you have to work with idiots/poor culture.

This is a really good point and was my first check-point; getting away from a US Capital investor type scenario to a UK/European company with a forward direction and a value around its employees was the first qualifying point in my search.

You are worried about a career change that has no drop in salary? This is just changing jobs. Stop fanning.

+1 my thought entirely along with him blowing his own trumpet – top salesman!

blowing his own trumpet – top salesman!

Sorry I’m not trying to brag, I’m trying to show I’m at a ceiling, and my role is as mentally challenging as it used to be.

Does the new company/product have solid financial prospects?

I’ve been wary of joining start-ups and VC-funded products in the past, if they’ve seemed like someone’s taking a gamble on it getting really big. I always ask about the current revenue, staffing levels and expected growth – just to get a sense check.

If that’s fine and it seems like a good fit, then I fail to see the downside.

what’s a “mentored senior position” ?

Is that really a career change? Is that not just a tedious sales job in one industry to a tedious sales type job in another one? A meh from me. That’s just changing jobs – 1 in 5 people do it every year. Stop being a drama queen.

An actual career change would be leaving the sales world behind to be a care worker or getting your tickets and becoming an electrician.

Jumped 6 years ago. My old job was steady, but boring as hell.

It was 100% the right decision for me.

Age 36 I gave up a cushy job, sold my house and moved up north to run my own business. Just about to sell it (50 now) and am retraining as a gas engineer. I want to be an expert at something and also to set an example to my kids that you need to crack on at life. Not regretting anything so far.

but unless you’re a Ferrari test driver or a bra inspector it’s going to be tough to live up to.

I need to tweek my CV a bit more….

Is that really a career change? Is that not just a tedious sales job in one industry to a tedious sales type job in another one

People are correct – its a job change I stand corrected. I wouldn’t say my job is tedious but basically its going from Enterprise sales per se to owning, building and delivering a team and product into a new market as a new business area within an established company. Once it gains a foothold, I can choose to manage it in UK then look at expansion, of defer to the Senior Sales role within the team.

what’s a “mentored senior position” ?

The Regional Director working with me to succeed on the brief above and support me to learn how to build a business / deliver a UK Sales Director role.

All sounds good @Kryton57 I guess just need to consider the anxiety load of staying put vs the new venture. The grass isn’t always greener etc etc
There might not be work flights to the US to contend with though.

I went from technical sales to Computer Game Artist when I was 37.

I want to be excited to get out of bed for work in the mornings.

I had that this morning, found a bug last night at 6pm and was looking forward to fixing it all night! Sadly, it was really easy and fixed in 10mins, so by about 9.15 I was a bit deflated. The highs and lows of hacking code for a living!

Most importantly, I want to be excited to get out of bed for work in the mornings.

This is where, I think, a lot of peoples’ career discontentment comes from; we’re increasingly told that we should have full, rewarding careers that bring us a sense of personal fulfilment and worth. The thing is, most people are never going to have that, they’ll have a job that, hopefully, will be mostly fine, but at some times will be crap. As a wise older colleague once said to me: “it’s work, if you were supposed to enjoy it they wouldn’t have to pay you”.

I’m not saying people should stay in jobs they hate, but the dream of the perfect job is just that.

I moved within the company to a totally different role in a different subsidiary (I was Ops director but didn’t put my hat in the ring when the MD position came up – too much like hard work – and later got ‘eased out/ put out to grass’by the new MD). Really glad I did it, new zest and enthusiasm which I’ve not had for many many years.

Go for it!

Changed from Graphic Designer to mobile / web developer in my late 30s – no regrets (and not waking up at 3 in the morning panicing ‘did I rememeber to outline the text’ is a bonus). Money is better too.

As a wise older colleague once said to me: “it’s work, if you were supposed to enjoy it they wouldn’t have to pay you”.

I’m not saying people should stay in jobs they hate, but the dream of the perfect job is just that.

That’s quite accurate

If you have the evidence of several years of exceeding sales targets, you’ve got nothing to lose. 2 reasons: first you know that you’ll get another sales job in a flash. Second, the knowledge you’re a good salesman will keep you going through the barren times before the new product gets going.

I’m not saying people should stay in jobs they hate, but the dream of the perfect job is just that.

There are lots of people who like their jobs, so just because everyone doesn’t love their job, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to find one you enjoy.

I’ve performed different roles from both sides of the selling and buying fence from buyer, sales executives to sales director but within the same industry for 30 years.

Long term furlough and lots of time to reflect last year lead me towards a change in career.

I’ve joined Lancashire Police service and start my two months of training a week on Monday.

Starting at around a third of my peak salary but couldn’t really careless. Instead I’m looking forward to exploring new skills and challenges whilst at the same time hoping for an high degree of job satisfaction. Would it be corny to add I’m also wanting to give something back to the community and help the more vulnerable and good members of society to feel a bit safer within their communities.

Would it be corny to add I’m also wanting to give something back to the community and help the more vulnerable and good members of society to feel a bit safer within their communities.

Not corney at all

I do not believe in Altruism. I believe it all enlightened self interest. Public service jobs can be very rewarding and that is why you do it. Not because it altruistic – but because you get something huge back.

I feel very sorry for those whos motivation is money and kudos. they are missing out

I did, the only thing I regret is that I half-assed it… Pretty much stumbled into a job after redundancy and then went about the career-building side totally wrong, for various reasons. I’d absolutely make the same jump again, if you turned back time but I’d hit the deck different, that’s all.

Enterprise sales per se to owning, building and delivering a team and product into a new market as a new business area within an established company. Once it gains a foothold, I can choose to manage it in UK then look at expansion, of defer to the Senior Sales role within the team.

It doesn’t sound like a career change at all, it sounds like more David Brent style absolute shite corporate **** speak. I’d rather work pushing shit uphill with my nose all day than work in this world. Good luck with your different but same career move.