What was/is your job?

tanith, I guess I just can't get used to the idea of being that old and not required any more in the workplace! I guess once I have completed 5 years of looking I will feel like I really have earned my retirement! So many people out of work, no wonder the younger generation are preferred and quite right too I guess..

Well hello All! I am new to Gransnet and it's love at first read! So much here - and all so relevant! At last a decent, lively, intelligent, measured space in which to explore, dream, plan and share.

Me? I'm 64 and still doing the job I love; that of clinical psychologist in the NHS, though for how long in this current climate I don't know.

I have a looming sense of being at the cusp of retirement and a whole new life, which fills me with excited anticipation as well as fear of the inevitable constraints it will impose.

Many of you sound so busy, positive and cheerful, however, that it fills me with awe and makes me determined to shape a vibrant retirement, full of doing and giving.

The journey begins with the planning.....

Welcome, granwac. You are saying all the right things about us! I might add that some of us are more than slightly mad, but can be wise and compassionate as well. But then if you are a psychologist, you will notice the nutcases among us quite soon.

Until March 20th 2012 , I was a successful Business Development Manager for a mystery shopping company. I have been made redundant (yes, I know, the position has been made redundant, not me personally, but it still bloody hurts). I am now unemployed.

Medico/legal!

I did an apprenticeship in hairdressing when i left school at sixteen..i wanted to do something with horses,but my parents had other ideas,thought i needed a trade.Anyway,i couldn't stand it and had a various jobs in factories and a dairy before becoming a mum of three.That was the best and most rewarding job ever.I stayed home to raise them, but helped my husband to set up his business,i studied..did an open university arts degree and went to college to learn how to do stained glass.Recent years with kids grown and money problems looming,i've had to re enter the working world and although i can't say it's been easy,i have found my new career as a cook very enjoyable.I intend to keep doing it in one form or another for the rest of my life.

granwac - welcome and do look forward to retirement with relish. It is great not to be tied to a timetable and to be able to travel whenever you want.

granwac - Psychotherapist for the NSPCC - I am less bonkers than I used to be due to retirement!

Enjoy every minute!

Hello granwac and Catlady welcome to Gransnet.

Welcome both. I'm a retired English teacher with a sideline in local politics - ie used to be a local councillor. I taught mainly further and adult ed, but the best job of my life was in a girls' boarding school in Kenya.

I didn't know, Anno, about Kenya. Sounds as if you had a life-enriching time there.

Welcome granwac and Catlady. My main job was probation officer and a sideline as psychologist - best thing is retired now and I am simply mum and nana!

Hello granwac and Catlady! I'm a retired "Director of Dtaff Development and Training" in a big comprehensive school - so, teacher trainer but at heart, still an English teacher. Retirement is best, no doubt about that.

I'm beginning to suspect that teacher is the commonest occupation amongst nans. Or is it my imagination?

True, Butter. I had a good career in Kenya and it was life-enriching. My pupils were gold-standard - the brightest and best from all over the country and highly motivated to make the best of their education. Some of them were so poor that they arrived in form 1 without shoes. Discipline was rarely a problem but if on detention, they did Saturday duty in the grounds with pangas (machetes) and njembes (like mattocks). Having said all that, we also had very good social lives and great holidays by the Indian Ocean - idyllic! I eventually came home after five years with a husband (now ex) and a 'bump' (now aged 41).

Another teacher here! Dance/drama specialist and taught 3-7 year olds mostly ..serendipity got me to headship. Majority of time was great..feel really fortunate to have had a career that I thoroughly enjoyed. I also did OFSTED inspections and then worked for the local education department before redundancy last year. When at home with babies I helped to set up a playgroup, volunteered at a youth club and ran a Slimming Club. As a student I did Xmas post, worked as a care assistant in a children's home and in an old people's home as well as work in retail from age of 16 ..oh and paper rounds too! I do occasional inspections now of nursery and playgroups and some 'consultancy' work for schools. But spend two afternoons looking after 2x DGC as well as some school runs! I am exploring p/t work in something completely different..but not sure what yet!! Any ideas anyone?

Hi nanaej lots of children in my area are enjoying doing drama classes. It seems to have started when Groupon put out offers for 2 reduced price classes to attract children along to local rooms, and it has really taken off. Little tots and their older siblings have been going to put on plays and shows, and practise songs from 'Annie' and 'Oliver.' Looks like you have the credentials for something similar.

Or how about trying volunteering in a variety of settings to see what suits you?

My little Luke is playing "The Artful Dodger" in his drama group which has been set up at school on Saturday mornings,he suits the part with his bright red spec's.

Thanks whenim64 I do really enjoy working with kiddies but think I would like to try something very different after 35 years! I may do some volunteering to see what else I can do! I ran a successful school which involved managing personnel , budget and premises as well as all the learning& teaching for all the kids but sometimes do not feel confident out of my comfort zone and feel I should challenge myself!

jill of all trades master of none,bit of this bit of that,chief cook and bottle washer,having said that have always got the jobs I applied for,have always been very hands on,feel quite embarrased now by my lack of qualifications,although always say educated at the university of life.
mediocre mum and nan,think I missed my vocation as a jester because I love to make people laugh

I was a secretary before getting married and whilst married, then had children, stayed at home for a couple of years. Did voluntary work whilst the children were young and went back to college to get A levels.
Went to University in my late 40's to do psychiatric nursing, after 8 years of that decided that being spit, punched, attacked and abused in inpatient was getting on my nerves and stressing me.
Took a career change and now do housekeeping, completely different to what I'm used to, but have'nt given up on the nursing, just don't want to do inpatient anymore.
But, I have found that employers don't usually want to take a chance on employing someone when they have been a nurse or looking for a career change (my present employer told me this, and had experience), so very difficult sometimes to change careers, particularly at my age.

Why don't they want you? Seems strange to me!

They wouldn't turn you away in residential social or probation work. A nurse is an asset if you have the aptitude to work with troubled people and challenging behaviour. Not as extreme, in terms of physical violence, as phych units and A and E, but still challenging.

For the last 20 years I've been a freelance proofreader and editor; also a TEFL tutor. When I left school I turned down a university scholarship and got a job looking after horses. Later, I worked in the City as a secretary, and in various London libraries. I worked in boarding schools - very happily. In my late 30s we bought a smallholding, and I ran it for nearly three years, while my husband worked in Saudi Arabia. At the time the youngest of my three children was just over one when my husband went abroad. I learnt a lot about sheep very quickly! It didn't work out when his job finished, and we moved nearer London. In my 40s I did an OU degree, which took me 6 years. After my divorce, I did a TEFL course, and worked full time as a sub-editor, which led to freelance work.

As I've said elsewhere, I've been the victim of a very clever conman, and have been left with very little of the money I've earned. I'm trying to get back to the freelance proofreading and the TEFL, but I've had to move and it's taking time to get re-established. I'm also looking into working with animals - horses and dogs particularly - which I love.

Hi everyone, I'm new, too. This is my first time on any forum as I've only been on the'net' for 5 months.
I'm 64, disabled for last 15 years. Before that I trained as a SRN at 18, after numerous Saturday jobs beginning with Woolworths.On the way there every Sat. I wept - it was so boring! After nurse training I married, had 2 kids & stayed at home until the youngest was 4 years old.
Having a low boredom threshold, I not only changed wards every couple of years, but hospitals too.
I then experienced deep bouts of depression for the following 20 years; after each bout, my confidence was rock-bottom, no way I could return to nursing.
Consequently, I've had numerous 'lesser' jobs, interspersed with several returns to nursing, usually agency.
My favourite job of all time was as a delivery driver/resource clerk for North West Essex Health Authority, which I did for very low pay, but where I was SO happy!
I discovered that Essex is beutiful in every season, with picturesque villages everywhere.