Anybody done one in their 40s? I have a job, it's fine, but I'd like to earn more and while I am enjoying my job, it's a bit menial. I think I'd like to do a little more and something that I enjoy. I'm looking at some community college classes and possibilities. McHenry and Elgin have degrees I'd consider (I don't think Dupage does but will check) but I don't want to pay out of district tuition.

I'd like to try something new in areas that I enjoy but have never explored. I'm not sure how to go about it and any advice would be appreciated.

1.I think you're going thru somewhat of a career mid life crisis. You're in your 40s where you're still young enough to do something else and have that option.

2.Does your menial job pay the bills, put food on the table for your kids (if you have kids), puts a roof over your head? If yes, then once you leave that, there's no coming back. Sure you're job may be menial but you have to seriously consider you may struggle financially starting over in a new career. You have to be prepared to take a big financial hit.

3.Taking classes is fine. Especially if you're current employer will pay for tuition. If you do like another career you like, I'd suggest moonlighting or doing it part time if possible. At least that way you can get your foot in the door and put it on your resume and then build from there.

4.Check for startup's in your area and in your new career. They're probably the best option to take a chance on you. My son in SF did that where his college degree is completely different than what he is doing now. It's some kind of project management IT related work. The way he got it was apply to one of these startups as they were the only ones willing to give him a chance vs say a more established fortune 500 type company. But he's in his 20s and no dependents so its a bit of a different story where he can take a risk like that while you may not if you have a family.

5.Pursue these goals QUIETLY! Others, especially at work, will get JEALOUS. And if management finds out, they'll think you're going to quit and your cushy job is no more. Pursue your passions but maybe other than your family, don't tell anyone.

6.Hobby vs Career change - make sure this is not a hobby type thing. If it is, then forget about quitting your regular work. Make sure it's a career change and not just picking up another hobby.

Summary - at your age it's normal to sort of dream about doing something else. But if you're going to pursue that dream, you got to get all the boxes checked before taking the plunge. My advice : don't quit your day job but at the same time, if you really want to do something else, do it cautiously and make a 5 year plan. And all the stuff I typed above.

Hope this helps.

1.I think you're going thru somewhat of a career mid life crisis. You're in your 40s where you're still young enough to do something else and have that option.

2.Does your menial job pay the bills, put food on the table for your kids (if you have kids), puts a roof over your head? If yes, then once you leave that, there's no coming back. Sure you're job may be menial but you have to seriously consider you may struggle financially starting over in a new career. You have to be prepared to take a big financial hit.

3.Taking classes is fine. Especially if you're current employer will pay for tuition. If you do like another career you like, I'd suggest moonlighting or doing it part time if possible. At least that way you can get your foot in the door and put it on your resume and then build from there.

4.Check for startup's in your area and in your new career. They're probably the best option to take a chance on you. My son in SF did that where his college degree is completely different than what he is doing now. It's some kind of project management IT related work. The way he got it was apply to one of these startups as they were the only ones willing to give him a chance vs say a more established fortune 500 type company. But he's in his 20s and no dependents so its a bit of a different story where he can take a risk like that while you may not if you have a family.

5.Pursue these goals QUIETLY! Others, especially at work, will get JEALOUS. And if management finds out, they'll think you're going to quit and your cushy job is no more. Pursue your passions but maybe other than your family, don't tell anyone.

6.Hobby vs Career change - make sure this is not a hobby type thing. If it is, then forget about quitting your regular work. Make sure it's a career change and not just picking up another hobby.

Summary - at your age it's normal to sort of dream about doing something else. But if you're going to pursue that dream, you got to get all the boxes checked before taking the plunge. My advice : don't quit your day job but at the same time, if you really want to do something else, do it cautiously and make a 5 year plan. And all the stuff I typed above.

Hope this helps.

Anybody done one in their 40s? I have a job, it's fine, but I'd like to earn more and while I am enjoying my job, it's a bit menial. I think I'd like to do a little more and something that I enjoy. I'm looking at some community college classes and possibilities. McHenry and Elgin have degrees I'd consider (I don't think Dupage does but will check) but I don't want to pay out of district tuition.

I'd like to try something new in areas that I enjoy but have never explored. I'm not sure how to go about it and any advice would be appreciated.

I'm starting to quietly get a variety of project management and related certifications. I'm taking the Certified Scrum Product Owner in a couple of weekends, as it's the one closest to my current job even though I'm not managing software these days. That'll let me pick up an advanced certificate at the end of 2019 once I finish the project which I just currently started managing. Early next year, I'm going to take the Project Management Professional certifications, of which I am not a fan but are required in many industries.

Mid 50s, nearly 25 years with the current job, but it's more of a struggle each year, including a lot of business travel. Eventually, I'll get laid off, once they identify somebody younger who has the skill set to manage some of the staff I am currently managing. I'm moving to NC next year, and I'll be about 15 minutes from most of the Research Triangle Park complex, and 25 minutes away from three big universities (Duke, North Carolina, and NC State). I won't be able to sell my domain or client experience, but I'll be able to get myself either some 1099 body shop positions, or a lower paying but much lower stress project management position.

I need to keep working as long as my dad is alive; he's in his mid-80s in pretty good health, but definitely declining, but I pay for his retirement community which runs me $50k/year. After he's gone, I just need to work enough to pay for health insurance, food, and entertainment, my house will be paid off and my 401k will cover annuitizing a retirement village/long term care setup. So doing a 1099 deal for 13-17 weeks a year is all I'll really need.

But what would I really like to do? I'd like to find a niche assisting empty nesters my age with their first trip to Europe. Not really a travel agent, but more "give me $250 and I'll help you with all the checklists, logistics, and crap I've been doing for 35 weeks a year since 1997."

If your district community college does not offer the program you want, you should qualify for chargeback (to pay the same tuition rate elsewhere).

Agile is dead.

Have you considered the porn industry?

I've never been much of a fan. But since I've been with the same company for what will be 27-28 years by that point, I need some things that show that I can fit into a larger organization's methodology. Especially if I'm going to be going the contract route.

I can usually take a few interesting pieces from various training like this, even if I don't try to use the entire methodology.

Comm Colleges sometimes offer culinary courses. Not so much for the culinary degree, but for people to take a basic course for home cooking. You might want to look into that for a start.

Yes and here is my long boring story.

The job I have is nice, I really do enjoy it, but I'm making about $10/hr and work 15-20 hrs/week. Part of it was I needed that 1st job and with flexibility to see how the house can run without me and what I can handle. I will do it for at least a year maybe more. This job will never have full time option though and I'll probably make about $600/month.

I would like to earn a little more maybe $12-15/hr and do something a little more specific. When I started looking about a year ago I went on job sites and searched all part time jobs. It was mostly sales, retail, pet, customer svc, food, etc industries. It's mostly the same types of jobs are out there and some of those I passed but other things that I never considered popped up. Grocery, food prep at businesses, florist, cake decorator are all things I could do part time and move to full as my kids get older. I wouldn't change my life but I always wanted to go to culinary school. That's too expensive and too difficult for where I am in life but certification for florist or cake decorator isn't and I'd be able to see if I enjoyed it if I took classes at low cost and low risk. I'd have to do some planning first and that's kinda what I'm doing to see if it's feasible.

I'm starting to quietly get a variety of project management and related certifications. I'm taking the Certified Scrum Product Owner in a couple of weekends, as it's the one closest to my current job even though I'm not managing software these days. That'll let me pick up an advanced certificate at the end of 2019 once I finish the project which I just currently started managing. Early next year, I'm going to take the Project Management Professional certifications, of which I am not a fan but are required in many industries.

Mid 50s, nearly 25 years with the current job, but it's more of a struggle each year, including a lot of business travel. Eventually, I'll get laid off, once they identify somebody younger who has the skill set to manage some of the staff I am currently managing. I'm moving to NC next year, and I'll be about 15 minutes from most of the Research Triangle Park complex, and 25 minutes away from three big universities (Duke, North Carolina, and NC State). I won't be able to sell my domain or client experience, but I'll be able to get myself either some 1099 body shop positions, or a lower paying but much lower stress project management position.

I need to keep working as long as my dad is alive; he's in his mid-80s in pretty good health, but definitely declining, but I pay for his retirement community which runs me $50k/year. After he's gone, I just need to work enough to pay for health insurance, food, and entertainment, my house will be paid off and my 401k will cover annuitizing a retirement village/long term care setup. So doing a 1099 deal for 13-17 weeks a year is all I'll really need.

But what would I really like to do? I'd like to find a niche assisting empty nesters my age with their first trip to Europe. Not really a travel agent, but more "give me $250 and I'll help you with all the checklists, logistics, and crap I've been doing for 35 weeks a year since 1997."

Yes and here is my long boring story.

The job I have is nice, I really do enjoy it, but I'm making about $10/hr and work 15-20 hrs/week. Part of it was I needed that 1st job and with flexibility to see how the house can run without me and what I can handle. I will do it for at least a year maybe more. This job will never have full time option though and I'll probably make about $600/month.

I would like to earn a little more maybe $12-15/hr and do something a little more specific. When I started looking about a year ago I went on job sites and searched all part time jobs. It was mostly sales, retail, pet, customer svc, food, etc industries. It's mostly the same types of jobs are out there and some of those I passed but other things that I never considered popped up. Grocery, food prep at businesses, florist, cake decorator are all things I could do part time and move to full as my kids get older. I wouldn't change my life but I always wanted to go to culinary school. That's too expensive and too difficult for where I am in life but certification for florist or cake decorator isn't and I'd be able to see if I enjoyed it if I took classes at low cost and low risk. I'd have to do some planning first and that's kinda what I'm doing to see if it's feasible.

That's basically min wage. You could make a lot more bartending...

You're talking to Spaulding, right?

I've never been much of a fan. But since I've been with the same company for what will be 27-28 years by that point, I need some things that show that I can fit into a larger organization's methodology. Especially if I'm going to be going the contract route.

I can usually take a few interesting pieces from various training like this, even if I don't try to use the entire methodology.

DEVOPS baby