Second Career ideas?
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
|
Current fed in the probationary period, so I'm making back up plans a through z. I'm currently a litigator. What are some career changes you might recommend? I don't have any strong preferences other than avoiding weird hours so I can see my family. I just need a job to pay my mortgage. Our monthly spend is about 10-12k, so a yearly requirement of 150k. My wife fortunately works, but I'd like to target something around 80k and up.
Currently contemplating: Get a MSW and be a therapist Get a MS Ed. and teach in DCPS Become a cop Nursing degree |
Anonymous
| How old are you? |
Anonymous
You can go teach at a private high school right now. (Don't need a MS in Ed, they can hire whoever they want). Im a former private school teacher -- some of our very best teachers were middle aged people in a second career (including former lawyers and doctors). |
Anonymous
|
Law professor
I know a few people who stopped being lawyers. They became: librarian, public school teacher, jewelry business owner, judge. |
Anonymous
|
If you’re physically strong and can withstand an intense/unpredictable work environment, I would recommend getting a nursing degree. I work in healthcare admin and we - and everyone - are desperate to hire nurses. Most places offer signing bonuses of $5-$15k. It can be lucrative but it’s a tough business.
Anecdotally, my dad got his nursing degree around age 40 and just retired as a nurse manager after a 25-year second career. |
Anonymous
|
To answer previous questions, I'm in my early 30s and physically strong.
To the private school answer, don't they pay (quite a bit) less than public? |
Anonymous
| I’d avoid teaching like the plague unless you focus on private tutoring. You will barely touch the 80k requirement and spend the first 5 years working constantly. Only do nursing if you can handle 12 hours on your feet, lots of paperwork, lots of bureaucracy. You might land a desk job but not until after you do your time with patients. The legal background could help you though in a large hospital setting so I wouldn’t rule it out. Therapist looks like the best option but beginning MSW is more likely to end you in public healthcare at 40k. If you can get a PhD or PsyD you would be fine financially and with job security but that will take several years and a lot of time. If you have a law background you could move into IEP law or IEP advocacy or a combo deal (better from a pay aspect). Pay is great but hours are inconsistent, most IEPs are held during the day but you might have evening meetings with families but likely not every day. Have you considered dental assistant? |
Anonymous
| What about firefighter? The one’s I’ve known did 2 days on and 5 off unless there was a call. Or EMT? The large physical stature could help. Also a good lead / transition into Nursing or even Physical Therapy. |
Anonymous
How long does that take to get and what type of nursing degree would be best? Obviously, we older people would not be getting the BSN, right? |
Anonymous
| I left litigation to work as a legal editor for a publication in my (somewhat niche) practice area. More money than everything you listed, no need for further education, and a cush lifestyle compared to litigation (and just about everything you list out as well). |
Anonymous
This is an extremely tough gig to get. A know a couple of them, including one who left litigation at my DOJ lit division, but he had publications. |
Anonymous
Yes. I looked into this, and it paid so little it's almost not like a real job. Not if you want even the most basic middle class lifestyle. The people who do it tend to have a spouse who makes more, or some other reason that they don't need much income. |
Anonymous
|
I'm thinking of being a substitute teacher at first to get at least a sense of what it's really like.
Also just thinking of trying to be a tutor. I can handle high school math and science, and they seem to make quite a lot! |
Anonymous
|
OP,
I was curious about nursing so looked in the U of Maryland program. The tuition is 863 per credit hour instate, and the program requires 65 credits for their master's program. That equals around $56,000 in tuition for instate, and around $100,000 for out of state. The UMD RN master's program is for people who have a bachelor's in another field. Community colleges also offer nursing programs and cost much less. Maybe cost is not a concern. I was just rather surprised at the cost, which doesn't even include material fees and other student fees plus transportation to those locations. |
Anonymous
You'd get a master's. Here's one example: https://www.nursing.umaryland.edu/academics/grad/msn-entry-into-nursing/ If you can spend 60 hours a week on your degree, the degree can be done in 5-6 semesters. There's also an option for 7 semesters. Once you earn the degree, you can sit for the exam. You also need a certain number of clinical hours. |