Changing Careers when Middle Aged

[The Hardest R]

Telecom is something that keeps getting overlooked but is critical. We just hired a temp field telecom engineer (not a degreed engineer) for $170k a year because those who know how to install telecom equipment are really hard to find. The reason why it’s a temp is because this guy is waiting for another job to come through for him that pays more. It’s a very lucrative niche that not many people know about.

The electrician suggestion is a really good one too. Electricians are very recession proof because there will always be storms, someone renovating their basement and needs a rewire, etc. The IBEW has some very strong benefits. It’s safe too unless you’re one of those dumbasses who don’t wear the proper PPE and get shocked.

Welding is a good one too and even with the grip issues, I guarantee you someone has found a workaround. Lots of welders are grizzled old welders who have all kinds of various conditions.

 

[Flatline]

Electricians are very recession proof because there will always be storms, someone renovating their basement and needs a rewire, etc. The IBEW has some very strong benefits. It’s safe too unless you’re one of those dumbasses who don’t wear the proper PPE and get shocked.

Welding is a good one too and even with the grip issues, I guarantee you someone has found a workaround. Lots of welders are grizzled old welders who have all kinds of various conditions.

One challenge is finding apprenticeships with open slots and willing to take someone with little to no experience.

 

[Dean Pentel]

Is it too late to go into nursing?

As a contrarian view, nursing is a hellish career.

Most of the younger nurses that are actually working in the traditional hospital ward roles are always planning their exit: the more determined do some BS online courses to get certified as a Nurse Practitioner fake doctor so they can Dunning-Kruger their patients.

Or the more middle-aged ones start migrating to managerial, bureaucratic and community roles where they do zero actual nursing but transform into lazy laptop class petty tyrants.

If you keep in mind that hospitals and clinics operate as businesses then it will make more sense on why they work nurses the way they do. Floor nursing fucking sucks, full stop, and for a lot of reasons that aren't changing anytime soon. Some people love it, but even if you're a people-person and your customer service skills are top notch, it's still a shit ton of work. The good news is that if you decide to become a nurse, you never have to do it professionally. Yes, in clinicals and capstone you will, but as a licensed RN? Not necessary. You can become an educator, an administrator, a researcher, etc. If you ever decide to go this way, just remember your relationship with wherever you work is a business relationship; if they want anything above and beyond what official policy says you have to do, either tell them to pay more you for it or tell them to fuck off.

 

[SSj_Ness (Yiffed)]

The Army will accept recruits as old as 42 and though you will still be required to meet most of the same physical standards as the typical recruit out of high school, they won't make you cannon fodder if you have a skill.

Not seriously considering it, but what's the minimum criteria to get by (not how many pushups they make you do, etc)? Like education, health, and stuff?

 

[Gender: Xenomorph]

As someone who wants to change from compsci/gamedev to anything else, any advice?

Was thinking network engineer or cybersecurity, but all these require knowing people/mentorship, and nobody mentors/trains anymore...

 

[CEO of Gay]

One challenge is finding apprenticeships with open slots and willing to take someone with little to no experience.

True. Though if her husband is a general contractor her husband probably already has a number of people he knows and can start asking around.

@Spergerella Junior, do I correctly assume that as a True and Honest woman, you tend to be shorter than most men? If you're one of those rare 6' Amazonian women, disregard this, but if you're average or even short for a woman, this will apply.

Being physically smaller than most male electricians will be a double-edged sword. It will mean you can fit more easily in small spaces that most men can't easily get to. Many of those places may suck for one reason or another. They will be crawlspaces, attics, pipe chases, service tunnels, and other hot, wet, cramped, dusty, or possibly bug infested tiny spaces intended only for utility lines and never intended to hold a human. As @The Connected Nose points out, these will be worse in existing structures, but even in new construction, there will still be cramped areas that are easier to get into and work in if you're physically smaller. Apprenticing under someone, expect to get stuffed into these small areas.

I'm not trying to discourage you from sparky or datacomm work if that's what you want to do, just know that there will be parts of it that will suck, like any job.

 

[Magicicada_septendecula]

Not seriously considering it, but what's the minimum criteria to get by (not how many pushups they make you do, etc)? Like education, health, and stuff?

Though the list is a bit long, nothing should be a barrier if you're not a literal retard, complete weakling, chronically ill, criminal, or just piece of shit person (and there are some of these who manage to get through still) you should have no problem. Here's a list of everything I remember:

• Run a mile and a half in 14 minutes
• Do a minimum of 31 Pushups in two minutes (it's more if you're younger)
• Have a decent BMI (overweight is acceptable, obese is not)
• No hemorrhoids (they'll put on gloves and stick fingers up your ass to check if you're over 35)
• Decent blood pressure
• Not be on medication
• Be able to explain any injury, hospital visit, or medication you have been on in the past. They have a system called Genesis that already knows everything about everyone in the country, so you can't lie any more.
• No criminal record
• Taxes paid
• Pass a thorough background check where everyone you met in the past 10 years or so gets some fed asking about you
• Have a high school education or equivalent to enlist
• Have a college degree to become an officer
• If you're over 35, you can't become an officer unless you go into a legal or medical field.

There are waivers for everything, so you can fail at a few things but as long as you either have a high ASVAB score or a skill they need, you're still good. I get severe anxiety in medical settings, so my blood pressure was astronomical when they took it. It was the one thing that actually could keep me out, but with an EKG showing my heart was normal, I was able to get a waiver for that.

 

[SSj_Ness (Yiffed)]

They have a system called Genesis that already knows everything about everyone in the country, so you can't lie any more.

Fuck computers.

There are waivers for everything, so you can fail at a few things but as long as you either have a high ASVAB score or a skill they need, you're still good. I get severe anxiety in medical settings, so my blood pressure was astronomical when they took it. It was the one thing that actually could keep me out, but with an EKG showing my heart was normal, I was able to get a waiver for that.

Hm, that's good to know. Thanks.

 

[Dysnomia]

As far as nursing, basically unless you are in your late 50s, it's definitely not too late to get into it. There's a huge need EVERYWHERE, and there's a ton of really varied positions (from 2 year (or less) degrees that essentially are just monitors (CNAs and such) to administrative nurses to the real surgical RNs. And if you start by the time you're 55 you can work til you are 70. If you really are interested in it and have the fondness for it you really should get started. I know of 2 formerly retired RNs who just got hired in their 60s with no problem at all. And this is in a small hospital in a small rural town.

My mom became a nurse in her late 30s and had a pretty good career. She worked at a hospital and then a prison. Before that she was a nurse's aid. I thought about it myself from time to time.

 

[Dawdler]

Being physically smaller than most male electricians will be a double-edged sword. It will mean you can fit more easily in small spaces that most men can't easily get to. Many of those places may suck for one reason or another.

Anything that's not on ground - arm level will always need a ladder so it doesn't really matter if you are one step up or down and you can always bring a small step ladder or a chair to sit down. No one will bother you. Smaller hands are advantageous even. You don't really need superior strength, just good eyesight and can recognize colors.
It's "easy" and respected work and unions are usually really great.

 

[Jesse Nicholas Radin]

My career trajectory is laughable.

Despite an MA that should have led to a decent salary, I only made that level of money for a year total... usually around 70% of it.

 

[TheRedChair]

Always make sure that you have a damn good chance in getting that other job before leaving your old one.

I kept my old stable boring job and started several side hustles to make the money... Rinse. Repeat and invested wisely.

I will say that my artistic (autistic) skill sets complimented suprisingly well with my building maintenance/property management careers. So think carefully on what your current skill set can cross over to your new ones.

 

[The Hardest R]

My career trajectory is laughable.

Despite an MA that should have led to a decent salary, I only made that level of money for a year total... usually around 70% of it.

There’s a lot of bullshit surrounding what expected salaries are.

Always make sure that you have a damn good chance in getting that other job before leaving your old one.

I kept my old stable boring job and started several side hustles to make the money... Rinse. Repeat and invested wisely.

I will say that my artistic (autistic) skill sets complimented suprisingly well with my building maintenance/property management careers. So think carefully on what your current skill set can cross over to your new ones.

It may sound fun to give your current employer the middle finger and just walk but there’s a lot of bullshit surrounding the job market right now where some 25 year old in human resources that still insists on using pronouns in her signature block gets skittish about employment gaps.

This is why I’m one of those niggers that keeps emphasizing getting a network of people who can get you a job or at the very least put in a good word for you. More now than ever, networking is probably the most important thing you can do to minimize headaches like looking for another job.

 

[TheRedChair]

There’s a lot of bullshit surrounding what expected salaries are.
It may sound fun to give your current employer the middle finger and just walk but there’s a lot of bullshit surrounding the job market right now where some 25 year old in human resources that still insists on using pronouns in her signature block gets skittish about employment gaps.

This is why I’m one of those niggers that keeps emphasizing getting a network of people who can get you a job or at the very least put in a good word for you. More now than ever, networking is probably the most important thing you can do to minimize headaches like looking for another job.

My reply to this as follows.

Everyone's situation is different. Not one opinion completely helps the situation.
You need to have the COMMON SENSE to do your research to survive.

You commenting about networking. Yes are right. This is important however it is NOT the end with all.

From my persepctive is UNLESS YOU HAVE THE SKILLS SETS TO MAKE YOU VALUABLE...

YOU.... ARE.... NOTHING... You are most likely the first one's to go.

What is happening here in Silicon Valley is Yes.. Years ago you did get in by your connections regardless of your skillset.

However now what you are seeing are the massive layoffs of people THAT COULD NOT PULL THEIR WEIGHT. Their value was considered to be "not valuable enough".

Networking can help you get into the door. But you still have to hustle to stay there and make yourself important enough not to fire you immediately.

Mutiple Skillsets will help you keep your job longer when the layoffs come.

That's just the way most of the big business culture is now.

It's ruthless. You are nothing but a certain value. A cog in the corporate machine.

Seen it happen so many times.

Networking is just another tool to get a position, but once you get in you have to prove YOUR WORTH to the corporate overlords that you are worth keeping.

Multiple skill sets in your field of experience as well as out of your field of experience IMHO, is a damn good way in increasing your chances of survival in this Corporate Jungle of Today.

 

[Fascist Kirk]

Deporting immigrants good, but we need more, Debtors prisons should make a come back. if you took out a debt and can't or wont pay it back you should be put in a camp to work it off. You can have all the skills in the world but if you can't do basic arithmetic you should be put in a cage. The barrower should be sub servant to the lender.

I hate retard nigger faggots who live beyond there means, you agreed to barrow you should be held responsible.

 

[ElHijodeDeficienciaCogni]

I’m 43 and a mother to a 4 year old, if that info helps at all.

My husband is a general contractor, so it could be nice to acquire a skill that complements his business like becoming an electrician.

Accounting or Real Estate. Accounting will massively help your husband avoid paying taxes and ensuring he doesn't get caught up in a tax trap. Real Estate could open up the option for you and your husband to buy a house, renovate it, and flip it.

Also good luck.

 

[McMitch]

Deporting immigrants good, but we need more, Debtors prisons should make a come back. if you took out a debt and can't or wont pay it back you should be put in a camp to work it off. You can have all the skills in the world but if you can't do basic arithmetic you should be put in a cage. The barrower should be sub servant to the lender.

I hate retard nigger faggots who live beyond there means, you agreed to barrow you should be held responsible.

This is the most retarded opinion to have. Usury should not be a zero-risk venture, where the only uncertainty is whether your return comes in the form of currency or a slave. All this does is stifle small businesses from forming, and consolidates the economy even further than it is now.

Anyone who shows support for the formation of debtors prisons should, himself, be thrown in a work camp to repay the damage he does to society.

 

[Benny]

I have been looking into a change in career. My current job (and education) is what i prefer to do, but since its pretty niche, if i lose my current full time job, it'll be hard to find a new one. And as freelance i can at maximum make a few thousand a month because work would be hard to find.

I have my eyes on electrician or jobs like it, since you can get an apprenticeship with a salary where i live. It also gives me the ability to do tax free work in my freetime. In the end the most important things for me is demand and the ability to make a wage while training for the job (or a short training period).

An acquaintance of mine changed careers during covid. He took a security guard course for a month, and get a job with a good salary. Theres loads of opportunities and short training programs, but its often for jobs nobody wants. I live outside of USA, so it might not be the case for you.
Nursing homes, kindergartens and other institutions often hire unskilled personal, that could also be a way to stick your toe into nursing jobs. Might be challenging if you have grip problems.

 

[Mister Mint]

It can definitely be done. I was working a dogshit job for years and years because it paid okay and I didn't feel like going through the hassle of changing.

Without powerleveling too much, life stuff happened and I needed a better job asap. I just ended up getting a certificate. Got a kind of shitty job in my field, leveraged it to get a good job in my field. Now I'm back to being lazy and having no desire to rock the boat because I get paid a pretty solid paycheck for doing mostly fucking around.

I'd suggest putting yourself out there as a freelancer, if applicable. Freelance IT, SEO, web design, graphic design, cybersecurity, whatever. If it takes off, congrats on your new career, if it doesn't then it's crack filler. You go to a job interview and they ask if you have experience with X, you bet you do, you did it with your freelancing gig. Best to use this with stuff you don't necessarily know but know just enough to bullshit about. If it's something mega complex that would take forever to learn then maybe be honest about that.

 

[iPoop]

if you took out a debt and can't or wont pay it back you should be put in a camp to work it off

either you need a hug or just simply highly regarded. Interest is proportional to the risk of the loan. Bad shit happens to good people. Any idea what the biggest driver of bankruptcy is in the US? Medical debt. Followed by job loss.

In short your fucking ridiculous.