Currently I’m 37 and am thinking about getting a job in about 10 years.
I can use the next decade to go to school and get training but I’m wondering what types of careers are more open for 47 year old guys to just be starting in?
The only thing I won’t do is medical type stuff where I’d have to touch people or be around sickness. I just can’t do it.
I’d be looking for something that is not super crowded/competitive. I thought of something in law but their are so many lawyers…and I don’t know how far I could get with school in 10 years (not full time and I’d be starting from scratch).
Money I don’t care too much about as long as it’s more than what I can do with no school. An example is about 10 years ago I got on this same kick and decided I wanted to be a chef. I went to a culinary school and it was very impressive. I was ready to pony up the $XX,000 it was going to cost until I asked what certification I’d wind up with at the end. Turns out it would state that I was qualified to be an entry level line cook…same as anybody else that walks in off the street and shows a little interest in an interview, I passed. I thought about
Some bio stuff:
I’m a very creative person and like to work independently or in groups, tend to gravitate to leadership positions even when I’m trying not to. I have a strong work ethic and am self motivated. I think I’d be able to pull off most jobs with minimal training. I’ve had management positions in the past and can handle fast pace stress situations with no problems. I have a “low key” personality. My weakest point I’d say is mundane “routine” stuff like TPS reports …that’s all I can think of off the bat.
My main concern is the age thing.
So far I’ve thought of looking into:
Law
Hotel and restaurant management
Business (management)
Marketing
Any suggestions Dopers?
You say you’ll be “starting from scratch.” Does that mean you don’t have a college degree? The reason I ask is that becoming a lawyer requires college plus three years of law school – seven years or more of schooling unless you already have the college degree.
There certainly are a lot of lawyers, but we can always use more good lawyers, and starting at 47 gives you twenty years, really, to “practice” law. You could also think about becoming a paralegal. Some of the paralegals I’ve worked with have a college degree; others don’t. Some have a paralegal certificate; some don’t. But that would get you into the legal field without having to do law school. And, frankly, if you like it, you can always do law school after. Warning: a fair amount of law is mundane stuff.
‘Household Manager’ (a.k.a. butler). Nobody wants a young one. They need some background in the hospitality industry, some languages, driving license, maturity.
Do a google for Butler Schools. It is interesting work.
I don’t have any previous college. I’ve thought about the paralegal angle as a way to enter into law. I could see how I like it as I continue to go to school.
For clarification I am involved in various small businesses and have not had a “job” for many years now. I have other business ideas I’d like to try and don’t have any way to know for sure if I’ll ever work for someone else again to be honest.
My thinking is that if I had started going to school when I was 27 I’d have a college degree by now that I could use if I ever wanted/needed to. If I start now the same thing will apply in about 10 years.
I think even if I never get a job I’d still feel better if I started in that direction.Why bother starting in a direction that has no realistic pay off so that’s why I ask the question.
Also, and this may be a big part of it. I missed out on a very good opportunity once for lack of education. It was something the departing person handpicked and recommended me for to the boss and I wanted the job. I went for it and was told that if I just had a degree in “anything” they would have given it to me. My circumstances were such that I did not have a chance to go to college growing up.
I think that even if I never use it I’d still like to get a degree before I die and my practical side wants it to have some potential
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi]
‘Household Manager’ (a.k.a. butler). [/QUOTE}
No doubt it’s interesting work but I’ve got a Texas Accent.
Is there any way in hell that will work?
While I have “sophisticated” tastes and interests I’m not all that sophisticated personally. Butlers always seem to have a lot of panache and flair.
Hey, this reminds me of a doorman I used to know. His entire gimmick was to say “greetings and salutations Mr. & Mrs. X” as he opened the door. The guy was in his 60’s come to think of it and pulling down some serious $ in tips for just saying his tag line and opening the door.
There was a fellow in his forties who collected scrap metal, put it in a shopping cart, and got paid in cash, which quickly was converted to Thunderbird. No overhead, no taxes, no dwelling. He was a nice guy, but we had to watch out for him because he fell asleep on the train tracks behind the firehouse one night and had to get dragged off before becoming Amtrak sausage.
Texas accent? No problem. Look at household manager jobs. Lots of people need someone to manage their Idaho/Montana/Wyoming ranch while they do something else. Butlers do not wear tuxedos all the time.
I would think you need some serious schooling (more than I could do in 10 years part time) but there are some things that I immediately like about the idea.
The coat.
It’s busy as hell in every pharmacy I go to and I like fast pace detail oriented work.
I might be able to go 20 years because other than being on your feet it isn’t physical.
There is a pharmacy on every corner (big market)
Interesting, got a link to the page you were looking at?
It was in the last month or current magazine they send out. There’s a shortage now, and worse in the future. All the schools are full and some are adding weekend classes to meet the demand. You’ll be competing with a lot of people to get into classes for that profession, so you better be sure it’s something you’ld like to do.
Our software company went bust about 3 years ago and I had to start over at 47. I live in an area where the competition for jobs in my field is insane, particlarly if one is 47, so…
I work at a bookstore now making pyramids of bestsellers for your visual enjoyment. I love being around books, my co-workers are great, the benefits are very good and it would be an almost perfect job if it paid more than air. It actually does pay more than air. But only slightly.
I went back to school at 40 to become a teacher. I had the bachelors (so it only took three years. (If I had the degree in anything useful I would have finished in a year.) There are lots of jobs out there if you are interested in math, science, or special ed., and I am finding being older a definate advantage. You could achieve it with night school in your time frame, although you would have to student teach at the end.
If you don’t want to answer to anyone though, it might not work for you
