I got an engineering degree about four years ago. I like the ideas, I hate the work. I’ve tried different firms so it’s not the company, I think I just plain don’t like sitting in a cubicle by myself all day long. (which is why I spend too much time here :)) I’m also not interested in managing projects which is the only route to advancement for civil engineers. Plus, I’m really tired of being the only person in my office who’s not a rabid Bush Republican.
So I’m seriously considering chucking my engineering degree and going back to school to do something I think I’d love. I’d really like to major in Nutrition with a minor (or possible double major) in Japanese.
But…I’m turning 37 this year. I’ve already spent half my life screwing around in school so I have no retirement savings at all. And I’m a little worried about adapting to a students income again. Plus, it seems like it will be harder to get an entry level job if I’m pushing forty. (on the pro-school side, I don’t have a SO or kids to worry about)
Anyway, I’d love to hear stories from any dopers who made radical career changes late in life. Did your career change involve more school? Was it a big life-style adjustment? Was money a huge worry? How did it feel doing an entry level job when you’re older than everyone else?
While I can’t offer a lot of detail about their experiences, FWIW, I knew a guy who went to law school in his mid-30s, I know two people who went to medical school in their 40s (both required quite a bit of undergrad work when they embarked on their courses, and both have finished), when I was an undergrad my roommate was a student at UT Law and he had a classmate in his 70s and, finally, I’ve got a guy working for me who went back to get his Masters in geophysics 3½ years ago after getting an engineering Masters in 1997. He’s just successfully defended his thesis.
Oh yeah, and my father was 32 or 33 when he decided to go to college; he spent his career as a Professor of Anthropology.
I was a homemaker until I was 34 and then I went back to college and got a degree in Philosophy and went to work for IRS as a Revenue Officer. Three years later, at age 40, I (still) hated it, so I went back to college and got a degree in Business (Accounting) and at age 43 went to work for FDIC as a bank examiner. If I could go back to when I was 18 I would have gotten a degree in Anthropology. Margaret Mead was my idol then.
I was a disc jockey for 15 years, from 1977 to 1992. So, let’s see, in 1992 I would have been 34 years old.
I realized one day doing my afternoon show on KDES that I was not having any more fun doing the job. So I chucked it and went into two-way radio sales.
I’m still doing it, and having a good time - not making a lot of money, but I enjoy my job.
There’s no shame in changing careers mid-life. If you’re not having fun doing your job, maybe it’s time to move on.
Congrats Violet, on being brave enough to actually ask yourself if you are happy. It really is challenging to be honest with yourself in that way. If a new path in life is really what you want, then go for it; I wish you all the best.
There is just one worry I have to get off my chest before I give you my (really unneccessary) encouragement. Clearly I don’t know you at all, so please don’t take offense, but you said things like “I’ve tried different firms”, “I’ve already spent half my life screwing around in school”. I think you need to honestly ask yourself if you are the kind of person who follows things through. If you can look back on your life and think of many instances where you have done things that maybe you really didn’t enjoy, but completed them because you know they are worth it in the long run, I think you can safely say you are “giving up” on this because it is not working for you. If there are a lot of things in your life that you never finished because they were hard, I worry that yet another change will not make you happy.
I hope this serves to offer a bit of convoluted support, to assure yourself that you are capable of successfully meeting new challenges; in which case you’ll do just fine.
At about age 32 or 33, I had a Ph.D. in social psychology and had been a college prof for seven years, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. I was considering going back to grad school for another two years to respecialize in clinical psychology so that I could practice rather than teach. One day I was talking it over with a friend and she said, “you know, you are the only person I know who could go back to school. You don’t have anyone depending on your income. Most people think about this kind of thing, but you could do it.”
That was the clincher. I did it, and although it took a total of four years (two of classes, an internship, and a post doc), I don’t regret it at all. Going to school as an adult was a much better experience than when I was younger.
That said, think about what Sparky1244 said about your motivation. Are you going to something you love, or leaving something you don’t like?
There is, I think, a HUGE advantage to going back to school and switching careers “relatively late” in life. My first career was in retail and, when I reached the big-bucks, fancy-title stage, it finally dawned on me that “corporate buyer” wasn’t what I’d intended to be when I grew up… So I started thinking about what parts of my previous jobs I’d liked, and what parts I didn’t – and that’s when I decided to cash out my retirement and go to grad school.
Going back to school as an adult means:
you know why you’re there; you’re not killing time until you figure out what to do with your life
you’re probably not all that concerned about your social life (whether you’ll get asked to the dance/pledge a frat|sorority/find someone who’ll buy beer for you)
you’re not too intimidated go talk to the prof – who, btw, will be delighted to have at least one adult in the class
you know how to budget time and energy (and you know that all-nighters aren’t “fun”)
One final thought: When I grumped to my dad that I was goiing to be 40 before I finished my PhD (and I was), he responded, “So? You’re going to be 40 anyhow.”
What’s the worst that can happen? You fail miserably and go back to a field you left? Go for it!
I did an economics and finance degree after leaving school and then qualified as an actuary. I’ve been working in the actuarial field ever since. Now I’m approaching 40 and I’ve begun studying law part-time. I’ve completed 3 years of the 5 year LLB degree. I’m doing it partly for interest and also partly to test the waters for a career change to an actuarial/legal consulting role. I’m greatly enjoying my “mature age” study and I find the learning process considerably easier now. I think I’ve become much more efficient in my study habits as I’ve got older and I find it easier to go to the heart of a matter without getting bogged down in irrelevant details. Besides - it’s always good fun to exercise one’s brain by learning about a completely new area.
Right out of high school I majored in Humanities with a concentration in comparative literature…yeah, that was useful. I spent several years as the Director of Administration at a vocational college, then got a real estate license and switched careers.
Now that I’ve finally decided what I really want to be when I grow up, I returned to college to take my science pre-reqs and hope to enter Veterinary school in 2005. It’s actually what I always wanted to do, but didn’t. I was initially afraid that at 37, I wouldn’t have a chance, but talking with several Vet schools has convinced me otherwise. I’ve been told that many of their students are pursuing a second career. So I spend my time studying, volunteering and working with animals and even if I am unable to get into vet school, I’ll pursue a Masters in wildlife biology or ethology and reformat my dreams.
I’ll be entering school in the fall to obtain my Teaching Certification. I’ll be my…um…fourth career. I have a BA in Applied Behavorial Science (social services, which can be gratifing, but doesn’t pay jack squat), and although teaching may not pay much more, it’ll be doing something which I’ve spent many years attempt to convince myself I didn’t want to do. (It didn’t work–I still really, really, really want to teach high school English.)
So what I’ll be 40 before I get my certification? I’ll be 40 anyway.
Age 22: became qualified to seek a career in journalism, about the time I decided professional journalism was a freakin’ snake pit.
Age 26: left a lucrative career in sales due to being tired of talking people into spending money they may or may not have had, and disgust over idiot management.
Age 36: left a fulfilling career in mental health services due to disgust over idiot management and corporate greed.
Age 39: I work in public education now. I’m still disgusted over idiot management and self-serving politicians, but I’ve pretty much come to the conclusion that this is a universal constant in any career field that pays more than minimum wage. Plus, the kids are loads of fun.
I did the big career change thing about 4 years ago; I’m 39 now. I spent 12 years working for a big chemical company in various management and analyst roles and just got sick of the endless reorganizations, cost cutting and being exposed to things that could easily kill someone. I had a chance to work on a network implementation project and found that I really enjoyed it. I went back to school for a year and a half and took some programming classes just for fun.
I quit the company and went to work in an entry level position at an ISP making half the money I had previously. I quickly moved to another company and not only made more $ than I had before, but had a tremendously good time with what I was doing.
I now love what I do, and it makes a huge difference. It’s a big scary leap, but worthwhile I think. BTW, through all this I had 2 kids and a wife to support.
That’s a real concern of mine. That maybe I’m giving up on a degree I worked really hard to get. BTW, “screwing around in school” is probably making it sound more negative than it is. I was working full-time to put myself through school and it took a long time to get my grades back up (after a few years of not knowing what I was doing and partying too much just out of high school) to get accepted to UT (ranked fourth in the nation for civil engineering), to get in-state residency, and then to actually get my degree (and keep my grades high enough to join the national engineering honor society) while working. And I am really proud of that accomplishment so it’s hard to walk away from it.
I did hate my first job out of school but I also had a boss who was pretty hard to work for. I really like my current boss and work environment but I’m still not interested in the work.
Hmmm, I think I’ve pretty much made up my mind here. I’m really encouraged by the stories I’ve heard here. It sounds those of you who jumped careers are really happy you did so. I just need to calm my inner bag lady
Quoting Violet:
"…actually get my degree (and keep my grades high enough to join the national engineering honor society) while working. And I am really proud of that accomplishment so it’s hard to walk away from it… I really like my current boss and work environment but I’m still not interested in the work. "
Sounds like you are definitely not some wishy-washy I’m-bored-it’s-too-hard-giver-upper (How’d you like that name? I made it up myself)
<Stamp!> You get my “Unnecessary Stamp Of Approval”
You could try being a licensing agent, patent agent, or patent attorney. Licensing agents work in large corporations or for universities and do technology transfer licenses. Patent agents write and prosecute patent application. Patent attorneys do the same thing patent agents do but also get to give legal advice and support massive student loans (though the pay is a bit better than for agents).
These choices let you work with the “ideas” but you don’t have to “do” the work.
Interesting. the op and most who have answered here think 30ish to 40 is late in life.
Hon, being a woman, you still have another 50 years to live.You ain’t even half way there yet.
My father was a computer program/systems analyst his whole life up until he lost his job a couple of years ago. The economy in the small city where he lives is not so great, but my parents did not want to move, so finally he decided to go back to school to become a nurse. He’s halfway through an LPN program now and will turn 60 in 2 months!
