50+ people: What’s your story of finding work you love?

[Anonymous]

I’ve run a business for many years and, before that, advanced in marketing and comms roles over many years.

Now, I’m thinking about applying for jobs where I could be a contributor—not a director.

What are your stories of finding work you enjoy? I could use some ideas and inspiration!

[Anonymous]

Nonprofit

Consulting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nonprofit

Consulting

What type of consulting? Why do you like it / love it more than other work you’ve done?

[Anonymous]

Get your degree at a SLAC. Then go on to graduate school in the area that you love. It will be as if you haven’t spent one day working in life.

[Anonymous]

I think non profit is very very unsatisfying over 50. Why should I work for almost free to support some BS mission.

I tried it when job hunting it was crazy low pay. Insulting.

[Anonymous]

Went back to school at 48 to change careers. I'm doing both the old job and the new one right now as a transition (just graduated with my masters) and will gradually ramp up to FT in the new career. Very excited!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think non profit is very very unsatisfying over 50. Why should I work for almost free to support some BS mission.

I tried it when job hunting it was crazy low pay. Insulting.

I also worked in non profits and I found the people ( in general) not very nice to their employees.

[Anonymous]

Every time someone posts consulting, I think they are making it up. Nobody ever tells you what they are consulting business on.

[Anonymous]

I worked mostly in schools, then got my master's at 50 and got a government job soon after.
Now, I am transitioning to a much higher-paying job, also in government. It worked out because I was willing to apply for a lower-paying job and then got another better-paying job that allowed me to learn a skill you can only learn while working. That allowed me to apply for this new, higher-paying job, which I will start on Monday.
It took about 4 years to get to this point.

[Anonymous]

I changed from manager to IC role in IT (lateral pay wise), then made a couple internal transfers and finally landed a role that I love. It was happenstance more than anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked mostly in schools, then got my master's at 50 and got a government job soon after.
Now, I am transitioning to a much higher-paying job, also in government. It worked out because I was willing to apply for a lower-paying job and then got another better-paying job that allowed me to learn a skill you can only learn while working. That allowed me to apply for this new, higher-paying job, which I will start on Monday.
It took about 4 years to get to this point.

That's impressive. Ageism is real but you pull it off
Changing career at 50 and having a higher paying job in the process is not easy. Congrats and good luck!

[Anonymous]

Car salesmen at a dealership make 100k wirg benefits

[Anonymous]

Special ed para in MCPS. Practically working for free ($26k per year), but the work is incredibly rewarding

[Anonymous]

I started my own company but that's probably not the direction you want

[Anonymous]

Getting out of the news biz and into predictable government communications at 50.