Has anyone here given up work and done something completely different?

I'm thinking of retraining and doing something I've never done before, so my CV shows that I've worked but is not much good for what I want to get into.

Advice and experiences would be appreciated...

Hi Piquant, www.careersforthefuture.com is a good place to start.

hi piquant,
i packed a good job in earlier this year in recruitment after realising it wasnt for me and couldnt do it for the rest of my life.it was a hard decision as at my age(36) im no spring chicken and need a income...i am currently training at night school to be a barber (something ive always fancid doing) and am enjoying it...i ope to open a shop early next year. and to fit round my studies i am currently pounding the streets as a postman( which i hate) but the money isnt 2 bad and i know there is light at end of the tunnel...i think that you show follow your dreams and go for what you want as life is to short and i missed opportunities when i was younger and now regret so i am training to do something i want to do and although at the moment things are tight and hard work i know i made the right decision
good luck and go for it

Thanks very much - very helpful :)

8 years as a postman which I left to go to college for 4 years. Big gamble but it paid off.

My advice would be if you don't try something you may live to regret it.

Thanks Max. What did you do about coping with bills, drop in income etc

Husband left foreign office 6 years ago after 15 years abroad, to re-train as a primary teacher, less money, but he's really enjoying it despite the bad press about teaching. We had a mortgage, three smallish children, and i hadn't worked in this country for several years so my wages were low end, still are. But we survived and are happy. I'm on the brink of changing my job now, life is for living not regretting.

Thanks Max. What did you do about coping with bills, drop in income etc

My partner was working job share at the time so we just had to trim our outgoings somewhat. Having said that, in the 80's there were still grants and that, plus mature students' allowance, pretty much compensated for the loss of the low wages I was getting as a postman.

Thanks Amanda and Max :) This has been a great help, especially the last two posts :)

I started my life hoping to be a layabout but after years of over eating and drinking far too much beer I changed my career to the dizzy hights of a lazy fat slob.

Pass your test in a truck and learn how to
use your indicators on a roundabout.

8 Years in the civil service. Been a Team Leader, 2nd Line Technical Support/DBA and a Researcher. Gave it all up in September 2006 for a new and fresh start over in Dublin. Best move I ever made, my parents can't believe the change in me :D

My advice is do it, if you don't you will always be wondering 'what if?'

Good luck :)

8 Years in the civil service. Been a Team Leader, 2nd Line Technical Support/DBA and a Researcher. Gave it all up in September 2006 for a new and fresh start over in Dublin. Best move I ever made, my parents can't believe the change in me :D

My advice is do it, if you don't you will always be wondering 'what if?'

Good luck :)
So what's the civil service like over in dublin then D2J? :hihi:

So what's the civil service like over in dublin then D2J? :hihi:

Wouldn't know mate, I work in the public sector now :hihi:

The hours may be longer but the benefits are better :D

Wouldn't know mate, I work in the public sector now :hihi:

The hours may be longer but the benefits are better :D
So you've gone from being a slave to the government to beign a slave to the man. Excellent :bigsmile:

Seriously though, not everyone has the bottle to change their life in such a manner so well on on going with the one you love and doing something you want to do. :thumbsup:

Hi my husband worked in the steel industry for 19 years doing 3 shifts mornings afters and nights when he got made redundant he used the money to do his driving instructor training best thing he ever did still works mornings and afters though.

21 years as a bank manager, now 8 years as a driving instructor. Wish I'd done it sooner

I'd like to know which Instructor is turning out all these bad, bad drivers.

Its not instructors that turn out bad drivers or they wouldn't pass their tests. If you want to blame anyone, blame the examiners as its they who decide who is good enough to be let out alone. Having said that, the test is harder to pass now than its ever been.

Once they've passed, its out of our hands and they succumb to peer pressure. When they see supposedly 'experienced' drivers doing things, they think its the norm and they fall in line with them.

Attitude is the biggest problem and the only way to alter that is with regular re-testing for everyone.

But thats another thread................

I worked in the NHS for nearly twenty years- then studied for a degree and have been teaching in a secondary school now for almost ten years.
Teaching is tough- but you get the holidays and- no shift work!
Don't miss that feeling coming home from a night shift- at all!!
I was forty when I changed- so it's never too late folks!

Anyone had any experience of changing career direction, but it did not work out ?

What did you do ? How did you cope i.e. financially, status with friends, colleagues ?

These days, you seemed to be judged on your income or working status, especially perhaps when you are in your forties, when most people seem to be established/secure i.e. family, mortgage, etc.

Yeah go on do it.
I have been a hairdresser for 16 years and recently decided to change my career path to do something iv'e always been very interested in.
Dont hang around i wish i'd changed my job years ago.
Good Luck and if you decide to change don't look back( i havent):banana:

hi all,

continuing with this thread. What about if you are over 50 and want a new career. Future employers, etc.:rolleyes:

hi all,

continuing with this thread. What about if you are over 50 and want a new career. Future employers, etc.:rolleyes:

Simple .. work for yourself! :D What do you want to do?

well, I'm studying for a law degree with OU. I've worked for myself before. Hard work! It's easier working for someone else!! Holiday pay etc.:D

At 27 I was fed up of driving a desk (various secretarial and sales jobs), so packed it all in and went to university!!

Three fun years later I graduated and managed to get my dream job as an archaeologist, that was four years ago and now I drive a desk again (my job changed)!

So I'm thinking of changing it all again - well why not - you only live once!

Go for it!

I just moved up here from London - jacking in a job i was doing for 7 years! Just came up because I was sick of London and I am loving getting to know this city. Funnily enough i am being a recruitment consultant which i wouldnt recommend but its a great way to see what sort of jobs are around and what the market is looking like - i am now considering looking into careers advice... what do you think?!
i know this job is a stopgap and i am considering my options. so many courses you can do. i want to get into conservation and there are several different routes to go via btcv or sheffield wildlife trust. i recommend getting onto the internet and trawling. there are great sites like charitysectorjobs.co.uk etc that have all sorts of unusual jobs.

i say go and do it - its scary and although sometimes i miss what i used to do i dont regret taking the risk at all. yeah!

I work in art, designing logos and things. The thing is i got real bored of the office enviroment as it wasnt for me. So im looking to change my job completley as im training as a plasterer and see what happerns from there.

I too was made redundant from the steel industry after 27 years ( God bless Globalisation ). Retrained as an IT Technician. Money just about covers essentials, but I'm as happy as a pig in the proverbial. Don't be scared of the move. (BTW I'm 44 you know!)

Has anyone here given up work and done something completely different?

I'm thinking of retraining and doing something I've never done before, so my CV shows that I've worked but is not much good for what I want to get into.

Advice and experiences would be appreciated...


apparently the most famous book to find a new direction is called: "what colour is your parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles. the workbook is extremely good, especially if you start from scratch. although i new what i wanted to do i still learned a lot which i can use for interviews...it just pointed out a few things that i was not really aware of at that time.
...maybe you can even find it in the library...
jen

My husband was 50 this year and reckons he'd be suffering a major mid-life crisis if he were still stuck in the dead-end admin job he gave up in his late 30's. We had some very lean times while he was re-training but if you're really committed to what you're doing you see it through - and that ought to look good on any CV! Anyway, most skills acquired in one form of employment are transferable even to a completely different line of work - just apply a little imagination with the presentation!

Mind you, we did have to move abroad to find employers willing to take on new recruits in their 40's....:rolleyes:

Thank you all very much for your posts - really helpful :thumbsup:

so have you decided what you want to do Piquant?

Hi weenireeni - not exactly, but I am getting my act together and actually doing something about it :)

Hi Piquant

I am just going through the same thing myself.

How is it going? Have you made a move yet?

I was a taxi driver for 35 yrs, didn't like it one bit,but it paid the bills.
Then 13 yrs ago a friend of ours intruduced us to KLEENEZE,didn't want to know at first,said NO! for 6 months,couldn't see how you could make a living at it.But decided to give it a go,nothing to lose.
Within 12 months we were earning more from KLEENEZE working 20-25hrs a week than 60-70hrs as a taxi driver.
I now just do the KLEENEZE BUSINESS,wish i had done it earlier.
www.kleeneze-hallmark.co.uk

i was made redundant from the steel works, as soon as we new i was going to be redundant arranged myself training and now have a good growing buisness doing something i enjoy and with no gaffers to annoy me. it is tough bieng self employed but it is worth it knowing that you are in control.
throughout my training we were struggling and are still repaying some of the debts we incurred, the wife got a job after bieng at home with our daughter for 2 years. she works funny hours and i have no idea when i'll be home most days, childcare is expensive as all the grandparents work but what the hell i look forward to going to work, i do not have sick days(not that i used to have many before) and if i want a holiday or day off i just dont book work in for that day. and the highlight of bieng self employed is that you always get on with the boss!

For 15 years I worked in warehousing and never seemed to be going anywhere I would train people that would move above me within months! I eventually found out it was because I was so good at what I did they wouldnt promote me! I moved into a call centre (small one at the time) over the last 10 years or so I have worked in a number of call centres & again had the same problem I got refused promotion because I was too good at my job, last year I went back to that first call centre & I am now the quality manager best move I ever made x