43 year old looking for a career change. Any ideas?

Bill Hicks · 06-11-2009, 12:48 PM

Hi all.

My present job is driving me insane and I need some help/advice.

I work for a council contractor as a chargehand. My job is basically a supervisory role looking after the afternoon shift roadsweepers and roadsweeping gangs that work for a London council.
I deploy the sweepers from a couple of satellite depots and drive around the borough keeping an eye on them making sure that they are at work and that they are performing their duties to company specifications and that they are adhering to all company H&S requirements.
I also act as a liaison between the employees and the company, providing new tools, uniforms etc and arranging holidays and holiday cover.
At the moment I earn around £22,000 per annum.

I start work at 13:30 and finish at 22:00

I have been doing this job now for 5 years and I'm finding it harder and harder to keep motivated. Mainly because my day runs like clockwork and apart from deploying the guy's and seeing them back at night I have very little else to do. I spend all my day driving around the borough in incessant circles. Occasionally I will go to the shops for a look at stuff, but that's more something to do rather than I actually want anything. I go home around 5pm and see my girlfriend and to get a bite to eat, and then it's back to driving around.
I've spoken to my managers on a couple of occasions regarding my progression but I never hear anything else. In all the 5 years I've worked for them I've never had a review. I've never had any feed back as to my performance.

I feel that I'm just wasting away.

I know it sounds like an easy job but believe me that's my problem. I have no structure, no daily goals. I feel like I never really achieve anything.
Every day is EXACTLY the same as the last!
And I'm now feeling like I'm getting depressed with the whole thing!

Some of my previous work experience includes 5 years working for Coca Cola as a process operator. 6 years as a bus driver. 1 year as a Chauffeur and then I started this job 5 years ago.
I'm 43 years old with no real academic qualifications to speak of other than a few O levels and a Btec diploma in Art & Design.

Can anyone please think of any jobs that I could realistically be suitable for considering my age, education, experience and income.

Thanks.

jassco · 06-11-2009, 1:08 PM

rather than looking for a new job immediately, perhaps being in a job like this is a good opportunity to get some qualifications for a career you would be interested in.

You can spend some of your day revising / reading around a possible subject area (not necessarily academic, could be practical like plumbing, engineering etc), and get paid to do it

I think the big questions are; what interests you in work, and what doesn't? then build from there.

orpheus · 06-11-2009, 1:12 PM

If I were in your position I'd try and learn a trade, probably electrician.
There's no point in staying where you are, the job seems very unfulfiling, and management will never be interested in progressing your career. Generally it's the case that the only person responsible for your career development is you.

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 1:15 PM

What about a job with TFL?
A tube driver earns £40k a year for a 35 hour week.
43 days holiday too.

Tube drivers earn £10,000 a year more than nurses - Telegraph

If you didn't fancy being a tube driver, you could look for a career in the maintenance side of things, seeing as it's basically what you're doing now.

orpheus · 06-11-2009, 1:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

What about a job with TFL?
A tube driver earns £40k a year for a 35 hour week.
43 days holiday too.

Tube drivers earn £10,000 a year more than nurses - Telegraph

Where do I sign up?

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 1:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orpheus

Where do I sign up?

Incredible, isn't it?
£40k a year + 43 days holiday + free travel for you and spouse.
I had heard it's quite a coveted job, no wonder.

The OP is somewhat used to anti-social working hours too.

SkyCaptain · 06-11-2009, 1:53 PM

yeah but if you dont like driving round in circles around town , driving round in circles in a tunnel wont be much cop either

Im in the same boat here, been in IT for 20 years and cant stand it. Ive gone as high as i want to go without being in management and all the endless meetings and PC bs that goes with it.

Im thinking of maybe trying for a job with the RSPCA, but they only seem to take people on once a year.

I'd use all the time you have to do an OU degree or something.

orpheus · 06-11-2009, 2:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyCaptain

Im in the same boat here, been in IT for 20 years and cant stand it. Ive gone as high as i want to go without being in management and all the endless meetings and PC bs that goes with it.

I know where you're coming from. I'd like to retrain, but couldn't really afford to.

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 2:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkyCaptain

yeah but if you dont like driving round in circles around town , driving round in circles in a tunnel wont be much cop either

Ahem...driving around in circles for close to double the money.....

**unique** · 06-11-2009, 2:01 PM

what about taxi/cab driver? or van driver?

qwerty321 · 06-11-2009, 2:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unique

what about taxi/cab driver? or van driver?

Apparently taxi work isn't what it used to be in terms of how busy it was. Just more and more people starting to do it.

I've heard this from people in the West Midlands (mostly Black Country area) and Sheffield.

Not sure how different London is.

Decadence · 06-11-2009, 2:59 PM

Personally I think you're nuts to want to find a new job. Security (government won't sack you), brilliant pension etc etc. You'd be better finding a hobby to stimulate your mind and just get on with your daily grind.

Desmo · 06-11-2009, 3:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decadence

Security (government won't sack you)

Don't bank on it. I've got friends at the council who have been let go this year.

orpheus · 06-11-2009, 3:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Decadence

Personally I think you're nuts to want to find a new job. Security (government won't sack you), brilliant pension etc etc. You'd be better finding a hobby to stimulate your mind and just get on with your daily grind.

I disagree. People spend a lot of time at work, and a dreary unfulfiling job can bring a lot of stress. Having no goals or challenges and feeling as if your job is futile can be very bad for you.

Coffin · 06-11-2009, 3:11 PM

Stand up?

Sorry, someone was going to say it eventually!

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 3:27 PM

I think you'd be mad to stay in a job that pays £22k a year, especially if it bores you at the same time.
If you're going to be bored, at least be better paid.
I've been fortunate enough to strike a happy balance.
I could earn more, but I'd have to work harder/work away.
I earn 'enough' and get to go home every night.
I'm not bored/frustrated though.

wiz · 06-11-2009, 3:41 PM

Too late to be a porn star?

orpheus · 06-11-2009, 3:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiz

Too late to be a porn star?

I kid you not, there was an ad in our local paper recently for adult film performers.

Singh400 · 06-11-2009, 3:52 PM

Sounds like a perfect opportunity to go back to college/uni and study in something that you are interested in. While keeping this job. One day a week kind of deal.

kayzee · 06-11-2009, 3:59 PM

I think the worst thing about that job is the hours! I've had previous jobs finishing at 10PM and I hated it... that and weekend work I will never do again! Though I've been unemployed for five months now so I'm hardly one to give advice!

In my opinion you need three things to keep a job for life... a) good money, b) good people, and c) that you actually are enjoying the job! Seems like you're missing out at least one of those, so keep looking looking until you're happy

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 4:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orpheus

I kid you not, there was an ad in our local paper recently for adult film performers.

Tch...

That's awful....

Degrading...

Which paper...?

pebulus · 06-11-2009, 4:05 PM

A lot of us have been in that exact situation, feeling like we're just "existing", and not "living".

What I'd do first is to have a think about what you like doing. What motivates you? What makes you happy? If you could do any job in the world and money was no object, what would you do?

Then make that your target.

See it, believe with every fibre of yourself that it's possible for you, and then take the first step towards it. There's a great process called 'Strategic Visioning' that I have learned which helps to align your mind with your goals. Based on some tried and tested NLP techniques that allows your brain to pick up on more of the opportunities that take you in the right direction.

Or just watch Fight Club again. That gets me up and moving as well

FZR400RRSP · 06-11-2009, 4:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pebulus

What I'd do first is to have a think about what you like doing. What motivates you? What makes you happy? If you could do any job in the world and money was no object, what would you do?
Then make that your target.

Nice thought, but highly impractical.
For example, I'm 42.
Always wanted to be a motorcycle journalist, travelling around the world testing bikes in exotic locations and writing about it.
Absolutely no chance of that at my age though, no matter how hard I 'focus'.
Most blokes my age are getting out of that business, not into it.

pebulus · 06-11-2009, 4:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

Nice thought, but highly impractical.
For example, I'm 42.
Always wanted to be a motorcycle journalist, travelling around the world testing bikes in exotic locations and writing about it.
Absolutely no chance of that at my age though, no matter how hard I 'focus'.
Most blokes my age are getting out of that business, not into it.

Given how much disposable income people of your age have, I'm sure your peers would be VERY interested in reading the opinions of someone who not only loves motorcycles but is also in the same age range.

The age thing is not a barrier. Did you know they trained a bunch of 60-something men as body builders and they were equally able to lift weights as men half their age?

Now look at Top Gear - Clarkson must be 50 by now, Richard Hammond is 40, and to be honest, nobody knows or cares how old an online journalist is, especially these days with forums and blogs etc. How old am I, for instance? 20? 50?

The fact that a lot of people are getting out of it and not into it is even more of a motivation to do the opposite.

There's nothing stopping you from starting this weekend (assuming that's your time off). Find a motorcycle show/rally/meet - I'm sure there are some groups on sites like meetup.com and the like. Have you tried that site?

Start a blog - tumblr.com is dead easy. Find a way to try out a bike, whatever it takes, and then write about it. Then go onto all the forums and link back to your article. Write articles about anything that interests you and if it's useful, people will read it. I have read threads on this site that have over a thousand posts when making my mind up about a purchase - people are fanatical, so there will always be an audience.

All of this can be done in the time you're not working or even via your mobile phone these days. I can update my sites from my iphone, even upload video/audio clips.

It's not your end goal, but it is a start, and that's the key. Like they say in the old proverb - a jouirney of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.

majnu · 06-11-2009, 4:55 PM

stand for election and become an M.P I heard they get great benefits

pebulus · 06-11-2009, 4:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by majnu

stand for election and become an M.P I heard they get great benefits

It ain't what it used to be since they removed the moat allowance...

**IronGiant** · 06-11-2009, 5:53 PM

Could you use your art and design qualification to get on a teacher training course, or a tech college? Assuming the thought of teaching children doesn't fill you with horror...

Dave

branny · 06-11-2009, 6:05 PM

I'm going to drop you a PM.

Nothing cryptic about this people. Would be innapropriate for me to post directly.

DVD-Man · 06-11-2009, 8:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by branny

I'm going to drop you a PM.

Nothing cryptic about this people. Would be innapropriate for me to post directly.

Are you his Boss?, are you going to fire him?

Liam

Geege · 06-11-2009, 9:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

What about a job with TFL?
A tube driver earns £40k a year for a 35 hour week.
43 days holiday too.

Tube drivers earn £10,000 a year more than nurses - Telegraph

If you didn't fancy being a tube driver, you could look for a career in the maintenance side of things, seeing as it's basically what you're doing now.

I'd second this. I know of an ex-police officer colleague who resigned from the force who was earning ~ £30K and became a train driver for National Rail and is now earning £40-45k a year. Good initial training too.