I’m 50 and need to get a job. What should I do?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I'm in the same boat. You kind of have to think outside the box. Society wants to make 50 year old women believe they are worthless but you have to sort of elevate your own status and think of all your skills as counting for something. What are you good at? Since you have a background in sociology, could you become a social worker? At least then your education would count for something. If you switch careers it will make your degree seem worthless. The hard part is getting references. The school systems lower the bar so you don't need as many references or can use a personal reference. It might help to get your foot in a door, even if it's like a month long Amazon warehouse job or a school instructional assistant. Then you can at least put something recent on a resume and switch to something better. There are also work from home jobs like in customer service but you might need a year of retail experience. You can also try part time clerical jobs. Older women sometimes just start their own business, like you could teach teens to drive or start a maid service. You could try freelancing or the gig economy or find a caretaking job on care.com. I know at our age we've been to school, done that, don't feel like going back again. Have you tried career counseling?

If you have not worked for the last 20 years, why do you deserve a career suddenly. You took a risk staying home…it did not work. I worked the entire time and had kids. Too risky not to. At 50, man or woman, if you have not been employed for 20 years…or even 10…sorry, you are pretty much worthless for employment.

Someone who hasn’t worked in 20 years isn’t a threat to your career. Why are you so opposed of someone applying for job if they haven’t worked in 20 years? Are you also unwilling to hire recent college grads? They haven’t worked in 20 years.

It’s to the benefit of society that OP finds an entry-level role and builds a nest egg for her future.

This is an obtuse comparison. The new grad has more runway than a 50yo.

Exactly

50 year olds can bring a lot of life experience to the job. They can learn fast. Staying at home with managing multiple kids means you develop good organisational and multi tasking skills. We have hired a couple of stay at home moms with good success.
They are independent and need a lot less guidance and managing than 22 year olds. Their communication skills and ability to handle stress is also much better

NP. Plus they can probably write well and they’re not afraid of phone calls.

Lol Yes! But truthfully the 50 year olds I know have struggled with the computer programs in most modern jobs. If you haven’t used word, excel, or web based apps in 50 years they are heavy in almost any job. I would start taking tech classes with your local library first.

You do know most of us 50-60 year olds used computer programs for a couple of decades before we quit work?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in the same boat. You kind of have to think outside the box. Society wants to make 50 year old women believe they are worthless but you have to sort of elevate your own status and think of all your skills as counting for something. What are you good at? Since you have a background in sociology, could you become a social worker? At least then your education would count for something. If you switch careers it will make your degree seem worthless. The hard part is getting references. The school systems lower the bar so you don't need as many references or can use a personal reference. It might help to get your foot in a door, even if it's like a month long Amazon warehouse job or a school instructional assistant. Then you can at least put something recent on a resume and switch to something better. There are also work from home jobs like in customer service but you might need a year of retail experience. You can also try part time clerical jobs. Older women sometimes just start their own business, like you could teach teens to drive or start a maid service. You could try freelancing or the gig economy or find a caretaking job on care.com. I know at our age we've been to school, done that, don't feel like going back again. Have you tried career counseling?

If you have not worked for the last 20 years, why do you deserve a career suddenly. You took a risk staying home…it did not work. I worked the entire time and had kids. Too risky not to. At 50, man or woman, if you have not been employed for 20 years…or even 10…sorry, you are pretty much worthless for employment.

Someone who hasn’t worked in 20 years isn’t a threat to your career. Why are you so opposed of someone applying for job if they haven’t worked in 20 years? Are you also unwilling to hire recent college grads? They haven’t worked in 20 years.

It’s to the benefit of society that OP finds an entry-level role and builds a nest egg for her future.

This is an obtuse comparison. The new grad has more runway than a 50yo.

Exactly

50 year olds can bring a lot of life experience to the job. They can learn fast. Staying at home with managing multiple kids means you develop good organisational and multi tasking skills. We have hired a couple of stay at home moms with good success.
They are independent and need a lot less guidance and managing than 22 year olds. Their communication skills and ability to handle stress is also much better

NP. Plus they can probably write well and they’re not afraid of phone calls.

Lol Yes! But truthfully the 50 year olds I know have struggled with the computer programs in most modern jobs. If you haven’t used word, excel, or web based apps in 50 years they are heavy in almost any job. I would start taking tech classes with your local library first.

You do know most of us 50-60 year olds used computer programs for a couple of decades before we quit work?

+1
You seem to struggle with math. A 50 year old who is going back to work after kids were likely working in their 20s. So 1990s and 2000s, not 50 years ago in the 1970s. So Microsoft office was likely omnipresent during their college and work life. Most 50 year old adults--even long time SAHP--use all sorts of web-based computer programs (especially ones who are posting on a forum) in their daily lives too. However I agree that brushing up on tech skills --likely just through on-line programs and whatnot, no need for a formal class--will be useful.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I second the preschool option. They always need subs, aides and administrators. I would check with private schools as well.

but they get paid nothing. I think these are dead end jobs for most people. Substitute teaching is the worst. The pay is a joke.

Can these jobs be used as jumping boards to some other jobs? If you have no resume, and a general degree without special training that you got decades ago you gotta start somewhere. I don't think she can jump into a "career" type of jobs right away unless she has some specialized skills and connections or she goes for a new degree.

Preschool teaching can be lovely for someone who loves it but it's extremely low-paying and you don't have anywhere to go career-wise except if you wanted to start your own daycare or school or something, but that's a whole set of different skills and one I wouldn't advise to start at 50. Substitute teaching is a stop-gap but it can be a way to decide if you want to be a full-time teacher. The teacher resident program for people with a BA degree is a real career path that OP could start--if she at all thought she was cut out for teaching--as that's developing a profession and there's support in place to get licensed and they have benefits, time off etc. that many value. BUt it's a hard job.

This. No one is saying that teaching is an easy job; it's going to give OP the highest income and good benefits given the fact that she has no career. OP should take advantage of the teacher shortage and get a FT teaching job while she works on her certifications. It's the one career path that she actually can jump into right now.

It sounds like some posters want to punish OP for not having a career.

It's jealousy, because it's hard to have a career while raising kids, it's draining, and most women fail at building successful high earning careers anyway and just tread water. Sure, you will be able to support yourself and have low six figures if you mommy-tracked and didn't make partner or managing director, or whatever. In the meanwhile, OP had lived without doing dreaded double shift, and was able to at least do one thing well. I've been working since my late teens and cannot wait to retire, there is no glamour in working FT while raising kids. In fact while those like OP can jump into the workforce with renewed energy excited to do something different and likely being able to work into their older age, I am so burnt out, I don't think I can last till age 55.. If you tell me I have to keep working till 65 (and now there are talks to increase the age to 67), I would just want to jump off a bridge.

No, sorry. Working moms aren’t “jealous” of OP, whose choices have left her in a position to be qualified to make $15-20/hour. Nope.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Go to nursing school. There’s a huge demand and it pays well. Enroll tomorrow.

This. You can earn $150K a few years from now doing shift work 12 x a month.

She’s fifty. I imagine nursing, especially shift work nursing, it would be hard on her body.

There are jobs that are easier physically in nursing, like pediatrics. Lighter lifting! But you have to have the temperament for it (and, if working peds in a hospital, a lot of emotional resilience -- you will see some sad stuff).

Hospital floor nursing is physically most grueling compared to, say, doctor's office, but it pays better, so there's a tradeoff. Maybe consider being a school nurse or camp nurse. Or my older relative does nursing exams for an insurance company

Those jobs require years of floor experience. And the insurance company desk jobs are HIGHLY sought after by experienced nurses.

[Anonymous]

That's an old thread. OP, did you find anything?

[Anonymous]

In the future don't say your age and you will get better advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Work in a school. Good benefits and they’ll pay for you to get a teaching license while you work as a paraeducator.

This is unfortunately not true.

[Anonymous]

I volunteer for a church that helps refugees. Literally all Ukrainian women who got the parole status during the war are gainfully employed in their 40-50s. Music teachers, system analysts, contract specialists in large banks, elderly care, nursing. A whole variety of professions . Earnings range from 30k/year to 120k/year after 2-4 years in the US, and these are women with less than perfect English.

I myself went back to office after 10 years SAH and make close to 180k five years in. My mom is 74 and she uses MS Office without any issues

Having a job is not as much of an achievement as many working moms try to present here. Most people are capable to re-enter the job market - it’s the US, not the war-torn Ukraine, ladies !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I volunteer for a church that helps refugees. Literally all Ukrainian women who got the parole status during the war are gainfully employed in their 40-50s. Music teachers, system analysts, contract specialists in large banks, elderly care, nursing. A whole variety of professions . Earnings range from 30k/year to 120k/year after 2-4 years in the US, and these are women with less than perfect English.

I myself went back to office after 10 years SAH and make close to 180k five years in. My mom is 74 and she uses MS Office without any issues

Having a job is not as much of an achievement as many working moms try to present here. Most people are capable to re-enter the job market - it’s the US, not the war-torn Ukraine, ladies !

Had they stayed home for 20 years prior to coming to the US?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I volunteer for a church that helps refugees. Literally all Ukrainian women who got the parole status during the war are gainfully employed in their 40-50s. Music teachers, system analysts, contract specialists in large banks, elderly care, nursing. A whole variety of professions . Earnings range from 30k/year to 120k/year after 2-4 years in the US, and these are women with less than perfect English.

I myself went back to office after 10 years SAH and make close to 180k five years in. My mom is 74 and she uses MS Office without any issues

Having a job is not as much of an achievement as many working moms try to present here. Most people are capable to re-enter the job market - it’s the US, not the war-torn Ukraine, ladies !

Had they stayed home for 20 years prior to coming to the US?

Most room accelerated classes in the US and had to adjust their qualification to the market here. Project management, contract certs etc. Like, online Coursera as they had no money for an extra degree.
The 64 yo lady I helped with paperwork barely speaks English and she was retired and largely gardening and helping her son at their small grocery store before the war. She’s a music teacher here thanks to her degree of 40 years back from Ukraine. Labor force qualifications are very low in the US. She plays piano fluently like a concert performer (practiced on her own when retired). The US educated music teachers don’t match her skills.
I have a finance degree that I validated in the US post divorce, took couple courses in NOVA post divorce and got my CPA in 1.5 years at 45.
All is possible if OP has a grad degree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here again. Just want to give my sincerest thanks for all the supportive responses. I honestly was prepared to be bashed and shamed because I’ve been out of work for so long and have no security at all at age 50! Thank you for being kind! 🙏

I’m 49 and recently started working again (part-time). Also a SAHM. My kids are older and I have the time on my hands. I asked people I knew if they were hiring and a small office job fell into my lap. It is perfect. I am not making much money, but I am not doing it for that. It’s allowing me to rebuild my skills, freshen my resume and I can leverage it into something else down the road. You can do it! Start small.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I volunteer for a church that helps refugees. Literally all Ukrainian women who got the parole status during the war are gainfully employed in their 40-50s. Music teachers, system analysts, contract specialists in large banks, elderly care, nursing. A whole variety of professions . Earnings range from 30k/year to 120k/year after 2-4 years in the US, and these are women with less than perfect English.

I myself went back to office after 10 years SAH and make close to 180k five years in. My mom is 74 and she uses MS Office without any issues

Having a job is not as much of an achievement as many working moms try to present here. Most people are capable to re-enter the job market - it’s the US, not the war-torn Ukraine, ladies !

Had they stayed home for 20 years prior to coming to the US?

Most room accelerated classes in the US and had to adjust their qualification to the market here. Project management, contract certs etc. Like, online Coursera as they had no money for an extra degree.
The 64 yo lady I helped with paperwork barely speaks English and she was retired and largely gardening and helping her son at their small grocery store before the war. She’s a music teacher here thanks to her degree of 40 years back from Ukraine. Labor force qualifications are very low in the US. She plays piano fluently like a concert performer (practiced on her own when retired). The US educated music teachers don’t match her skills.
I have a finance degree that I validated in the US post divorce, took couple courses in NOVA post divorce and got my CPA in 1.5 years at 45.
All is possible if OP has a grad degree

How long ago was that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I volunteer for a church that helps refugees. Literally all Ukrainian women who got the parole status during the war are gainfully employed in their 40-50s. Music teachers, system analysts, contract specialists in large banks, elderly care, nursing. A whole variety of professions . Earnings range from 30k/year to 120k/year after 2-4 years in the US, and these are women with less than perfect English.

I myself went back to office after 10 years SAH and make close to 180k five years in. My mom is 74 and she uses MS Office without any issues

Having a job is not as much of an achievement as many working moms try to present here. Most people are capable to re-enter the job market - it’s the US, not the war-torn Ukraine, ladies !

Had they stayed home for 20 years prior to coming to the US?

Most room accelerated classes in the US and had to adjust their qualification to the market here. Project management, contract certs etc. Like, online Coursera as they had no money for an extra degree.
The 64 yo lady I helped with paperwork barely speaks English and she was retired and largely gardening and helping her son at their small grocery store before the war. She’s a music teacher here thanks to her degree of 40 years back from Ukraine. Labor force qualifications are very low in the US. She plays piano fluently like a concert performer (practiced on her own when retired). The US educated music teachers don’t match her skills.
I have a finance degree that I validated in the US post divorce, took couple courses in NOVA post divorce and got my CPA in 1.5 years at 45.
All is possible if OP has a grad degree

How long ago was that?

Its irrelevant. I am in late 40s now. I did not use the new simplified process, as I had most credits already and some accounting job experience from my early 20s from my home country. It was accepted by Virginia BOA which issues me the exam slip. Then I just took Barrons prep course and was done in about a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I volunteer for a church that helps refugees. Literally all Ukrainian women who got the parole status during the war are gainfully employed in their 40-50s. Music teachers, system analysts, contract specialists in large banks, elderly care, nursing. A whole variety of professions . Earnings range from 30k/year to 120k/year after 2-4 years in the US, and these are women with less than perfect English.

I myself went back to office after 10 years SAH and make close to 180k five years in. My mom is 74 and she uses MS Office without any issues

Having a job is not as much of an achievement as many working moms try to present here. Most people are capable to re-enter the job market - it’s the US, not the war-torn Ukraine, ladies !

Just the way you say this. I think many working women especially those who are ambitious think of working as having a career - longevity, exposure to new and different challenges, building credibility in their field, achieving a level of mastery - as opposed to just ‘landing a job.’ Getting a job isn’t interesting at all. Being seen as an expert or The Expert in an industry or field is impressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I volunteer for a church that helps refugees. Literally all Ukrainian women who got the parole status during the war are gainfully employed in their 40-50s. Music teachers, system analysts, contract specialists in large banks, elderly care, nursing. A whole variety of professions . Earnings range from 30k/year to 120k/year after 2-4 years in the US, and these are women with less than perfect English.

I myself went back to office after 10 years SAH and make close to 180k five years in. My mom is 74 and she uses MS Office without any issues

Having a job is not as much of an achievement as many working moms try to present here. Most people are capable to re-enter the job market - it’s the US, not the war-torn Ukraine, ladies !

Just the way you say this. I think many working women especially those who are ambitious think of working as having a career - longevity, exposure to new and different challenges, building credibility in their field, achieving a level of mastery - as opposed to just ‘landing a job.’ Getting a job isn’t interesting at all. Being seen as an expert or The Expert in an industry or field is impressive.

We are discussing just getting a normal/average office job in this thread. This is totally attainable for OP at 50. A bunch of women who combined parenting with career came here to trash OP. But in reality if you look up job satisfaction ratings, most people (men and women) are miserable at work. They are not experts in any unique fields and just work to get a paycheck, and their jobs are primitive regardless of the job title.
I had a fancy job title and a great salary but was ordering pencils in real terms. I don't see how it's more intellectual than raising kids, sorry not sorry.