Thinking switching careers

pjlippert

pjlippert

Cathlete
So, this must be a mid-life crisis thing or something like it. My entire work background has been in Recruiting & HR. Having started up my own recruiting company this year I find that I'm just not on fire about it and want to do something entirely different.

Here are the things I have identified I'm drawn to. Real live human contact, I want to help people, fitness, health, wellness, a sense of making a difference in people's lives, fulfillment and good pay.

Some of the obvious choices are to renew my Personal Training license and try again to build up a clientel, train to be a massage therapist, physical therapy (this would require a LOT of study and new degrees), other than that I'm at a loss.

What advice can you all offer up as to a totally new career life?

Thanks!
Pam
 
How about be a head hunter for clients who want to be put together with very high end personal trainers, people who really know how to get results? Put together a website and personally screen the trainers (after all, who better than a Cathelete to weed out the duds, right?) for both personality and specific skill set. That would mash up your skills with what you really want to do, or would that be too much of the same thing? I think that massage therapy is the shortest route to a new career. The PT degrees take a lot of time and significant skill with math, chemistry, and biology. I have two cousins that have degrees in PT and it took a long time. Sort of a match maker for personal trainers and people who don't know how to find one.

Or how about running your own bootcamp classes? Would you like to be a yoga instructor? That only takes about a year, I think, depending on the course that you take. That involves helping people in a physical way.

I'm producing videos for the internet right now but I know thats a bit removed from working directly with the public.
 
Hi Alisha- the mix of recruiting for personal trainers might be a good option. I think I'm just burnt out of high-tech recruiting.

ITA re the PT degree. I'm 45 and God knows how long it would take me to complete such an intensive degree.

Sooo many choices! Thank you very much for your ideas!

Pam
 
Pam,

I worked as an auto liability claim rep for 17 years and couldn't have been more pleased when my company went through a reorganization and I decided to leave my job when my commute grew to 65 miles each way.

It took me a few years of doing not much to decide what I wanted to do. I'm now back in school to become an x-ray technician. It's a 2 year curriculum but it really takes 3 years because there is a year of pre-reqs. But I'm currently taking my last class this fall while I wait to start my program in August 2012.

I'm 50 years old. I'm getting a late start at a new career as I'll be 53 by the time I'm ready to go to work unless I decide to go for the 1 additional year to specialize which I'm told will afford me an additional $20k per year. Might have to do that.

You can do whatever you want to do. If you have a real desire to be a PT, then do it. You have the rest of your life to regret it if you don't just do whatever it is you really want to do. I'm sorry I waited this long to go back for Radiology Tech. I wanted to do it years ago but didn't want to quit a good paying job to go to school. I DID NOT have any interest in going back to school. But it's not that bad. I'm making straight A's and I've never done that before.

Just do whatever it is you really WANT to do. Jump in now.

(DH is an HR Mgr and I know he would like to change careers too. It doesn't get any better with time, lol. It's too late for DH but you've still got time. Do it now!)

Good luck with your decision.
 
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Hi Pam.
Totally understand where you are at. Currently, I've been laid off since July 1st. One year ago, I finished both my MBA and Six Sigma. When I started school in 2008, I knew I needed to do something different but didn't know. School gave me the confidence especially now in a big job hunt with an recent degree. I considered my education a purchase instead of a sports car that came at a perfect time in my life which was my mid-life crisis thing. This year, I will turn 50...Hard to admit. In the end, I believe I will be doing something different in a different city in the end. Interviewing next week will determine that.

Follow your heart, listen to your inner voice. Get some advice and take only what you need. Best wishes and keep us posted.

JT
 
Oh my gosh- big hugs to you all! Like soo many other Cathletes, I KNEW I would get some great advice from my Cathe Sisters!

Of course in my quest for knowledge about this mid-life "crisis" and I don't really like the word crisis because I see this as more of a metamorphasis and an opportunity to start a new life or better yet- to start life anew! Heck, we're still young ladies and this is our chance to play with our skills and figure out what fulfills us! Oops- I digress ...anyway I have found some interesting articles I wanted to share with you.

JT- continuing to pray for you and your new career!

This article was good....
Female Midlife Crisis: How Women Over 40 Reinvent Life - TIME

This article is ME... IT'S US!! Those of us who have enjoyed varying levels of success and fulfillment and let's be honest- self-sacrafice raising families.

What A Female Mid-Life Crisis Looks Like | Psychology Today

I think I need to re-read this one...
Female mid-life crisis: Has an epidemic of narcissism made women delusional? - Features, Health & Families - The Independent

Please keep the sage advice coming, ladies! I'm taking notes!


Pam
 
I think it's so brave of you to start a new career -- it's awesome! I was in pre-med for about five minutes in college, and the rumor was back then (way, way back then) that Physical Therapy school was much more competitive than Med school... And very difficult. I think it's an amazing profession though, and it must be so rewarding. When my middle child was a baby, he had a crooked neck... Can't remember what they called it... because of the way he had laid in the womb. I took him weekly to a PT, and was constantly amazed at how much they were able to help him. He's my most athletic kid now. :)

I also think Personal Trainers are fabulous! I just got a pt a couple of months ago, and she has renewed my vigor for fitness. How rewarding it must be to be able to inspire people and make them healthier and wiser on a daily basis...

All this to say, I think you should go with your heart. Figure out how much you want to put into it and then go for it! I may follow suit one of these years when the kids are all in school! :)
 
thank you for your prayers. my journey got started when one male friend took one year off to travel the lower 48 plus alaska from work. i'm amazed he came home. then, his best friend took 18 months to study ministry in Dallas. i understood what they were feeling all too well. sometimes jobs/life is not enough and need change.
 
I turned 50 as well back in December. I feel the need to make a drastic change but don't know what to do. I don't have any college under my belt so I'm basically screwed.
 
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