Thinking of starting a new career?? Advice??

[TonyD]

Hi all,

I am glazier by trade but have thought for a long time this is not the job I want to be doing for the rest of my days.... I 27 years old and a father of 3, I want a job where I can utilise my skills, I have always wanted an office based job in which I have had experience in but am I now to old to completely go down a new path????

I seem to think as soon as a potential employer looks at my CV and all that is gonna stand out is construction industry!!!

Please feel free to pass on advice or experiences that you may have had which will help me make my mind up

Much appreciated

[natty01295]

You could do a Training Course

Or Volunteer with;

https://do-it.org

[fishbiscuits]

Have you hit a glass ceiling, or just looking out for a window of opportunity? I guess all jobs can be a pane sometimes.

[Robert Poste's Child]

At 27 you're definitely not too old to change paths; lots of people do at your age and older (I graduated when I was 31). Do you have a specific kind of role or industry in mind?

One way to do it might be to think about all the skills you already have and identify what's transferable. For example, could you use your industry experience to take on a sales job and use that to explore next steps and get some office-based experience on your CV?

If you want a complete change, as Natty as said, you could look for a voluntary admin role with a local charity.

Go for it! Best of luck.

[peterstorm1985]

Plenty of senior managers in the construction industry started out as tradesmen so the fact that your CV says construction industry may be a good thing. Sales is a good idea but what about estimating or surveying? These are office type jobs (even if sometimes it's a portakabin on a site) and might suit. Contact any of the big Contractors/Housebuilders for details of their trainee schemes - they will often pay for college/university and as you've got a family it may be a safer way to go. At 27 you are certainly not too old to go down that route.

[pilsbury]

absolutely DEFINiTELY not too old! try looking at escapethecity.org (which i appreciate isn't aimed at the construction industry particularly), for some ideas and inspirations on how to find a career you love!

[Sue]

Definitely not too old.

Go for it! Good luck!

[Jules-and-Boo]

Don't underestimate the softer skills (sorry, office speak) that you will have been using - basically, you've been running a successful business and the reason to an employer that you're changing direction would be - commitment, stability, want to train/learn/ climb career ladder etc....

Have a look at this ad - this focusses on the same sort of thing.

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?28,1897655

You're only 27? And you've run a business (small or not) and got kids etc. - you've been busy and the responsibility you show would be very attractive to an employer.....

[Brian Mcculloch]

I don't think you are that old where you have no option to change your present job. Let me tell you that I worked as a customer service representative for 5/6 years and then decided enough is enough. Though, I had to lose 3/4 months in order to get to a profession but I did. Now, I work as copywriter and frankly speaking, I am quite happy with my new job. It's never too late to start!

[JohnL]

TonyD Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi all,

> I am glazier by trade but have thought for a long

> time this is not the job I want to be doing for

> the rest of my days.... I 27 years old and a

> father of 3, I want a job where I can utilise my

> skills, I have always wanted an office based job

> in which I have had experience in but am I now to

> old to completely go down a new path????

> I seem to think as soon as a potential employer

> looks at my CV and all that is gonna stand out is

> construction industry!!!

> Please feel free to pass on advice or experiences

> that you may have had which will help me make my

> mind up

> Much appreciated

27 - you're young - go for it.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

I went back to Uni aged 34. Took a course. changed direction completely.

You wont be retiring until you are mid to late 60's -plenty time.

[peterstorm1985]

Help-Ma-Boab Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I went back to Uni aged 34. Took a course. changed

> direction completely.

>

> You wont be retiring until you are mid to late

> 60's -plenty time.

That's hopeful. By the time the OP retires I suspect mid 80's will be the minimum pension age.

[bodsier]

What age is too old to change careers?...... We are retiring later, true, but I believe there is an issue with insurance if employers hire an older person. Isn't that the reason why employment ageism happens?

[Pugwash]

I changed careers at 40. Took redundancy 1n 1990 ( I was middle management but having had financial oversight of the office - I guessed that new employer would get rid of the some of the managers within 2 years - so took redundancy)

Took 5 years out - degree and post graduate professional qualification. Spent the next 20 plus years in a profession that I loved.

I found out that colleagues who stayed with new employer - were laid off within a year.

[peterstorm1985]

bodsier Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> What age is too old to change careers?...... We

> are retiring later, true, but I believe there is

> an issue with insurance if employers hire an older

> person. Isn't that the reason why employment

> ageism happens?

The insurance thing sounds like an excuse. The only likely increase would be in health insurance post normal retirement age and even then is only likely to impact small firms. The greater cause of ageism is the perception that older people are slower (can be true) and have less IT skills (can be true) but both of those really only apply at 50 plus, and are usually set aside if you load your CV with evidence that they don't apply.

I also took redundancy at 40 and went back to Uni. I now earn far more than I ever could have done in my old job.

[ce2011]

Hello,

To echo others I agree it's definitely not too late, this is a ever changing employment market and people are retraining and changing careers far more than ever. In terms of your CV, perhaps try a 'skills based' one rather than traditional. There are also various careers support available, including the National Careers Service to offer support and they have a website and advisers you can talk with.

I myself am a Careers Adviser (but with young people in school), but if you'd like I could reach out to a Careers Adviser friend who works with adults to see what support he recommends?

If not - good luck!