Returning to work aged 56

Perhaps a life coach might help you work out what you really want, Mollie, and see things from a different perspective ?
You're saying that you don't know what you want to do, but perhaps it's those little voices we sometimes get inside our heads telling us we can't do things, when really there's nothing stopping us.
Good luck anyway

Mollie as a newbie I'm a little hesitant to offer advice but I would think that you could still do what you did before or something similar.

What about scanning job vacancies just to see what's out there and whether anything takes your fancy? I've come across all sorts of jobs I never knew existed!

Thanks for your encouragement, both. Ideally I'd like to do a part-time job leaving time to create an online business. I've got an idea for the latter and know there's a lot of advice about that 'out there' although it would be good to talk to someone who has done it or to find a mentor somehow. As for the part time job, I tried for two years to find a job without luck (and gave up four years ago) so wonder how I can make a strong application when I've got no recent experience, can't really offer any good, relevant skills and am 'getting on a bit'... I think I need a spin-doctor for my CV! Lol!

I like the idea of a life coach, does anyone have experience of working with one?

Mollie how about Teaching? your age is a good thing when it comes to teaching

Actually I did find the Job Centre were very helpful, my local one has a specialist adviser for the over fifties. He also makes sure I know about any suitable courses, workshops etc.

There are also some G'netters who can work wonders with a CV Turn you age into a positive, put a sentence like "I believe that I have the skills, life experience and positive attitude to succeed in this role" at the end of any application letters.

Think of other positives:

You are not going to get pregnant and need to take maternity leave

Mature people are less likely to be work "butterflies" and flit from one job to another

You wont throw "sickies" because your were out clubbing and partying until all hours (well, you might but admit to nothing stronger than a glass of Sanatogen)

eliza has a point, Mollie. Having sold my catering business I was coasting into retirement doing part time catering work, garden design etc., when I 'fell into' teaching food technology at a secondary school. I loved it and ended up working five years past retirement. My age was definitely an asset as experience will often win the day when it comes to inspiring students to achieve.

More good ideas, thank you. Hadn't thought about teaching but I'm open to new opportunities. Locating my job centre is top of my list today to see if there's an over-50s advisor (hope he/she is more enlightened than the last JC person I spoke to... I've got a list of jobs where age and experience might be seen as an asset so I'll do some research and I have another list of jobs that I'm steering well clear of. That's a start...

Mollie here is my advice for anyone wanting to get work:
Brush up your CV
Put on smart clothes and drop off a copy of it to all the employment agencies in your town/city. Ask if you can register and say you are available for temporary work while looking for something more permanent. They may ask you to do word processing or excel tests (just do them - they just want to know if you are an "expert" or basic)
Be chirpy and bright (because the people who work in agencies are relentlessly chirpy and bright)
Be prepared to do full time temp work at short notice and do a good job for the agency.
Once you have established your reliability and credibility they will offer you something better. If you tell them you would consider part-time then that is fine, but it will limit the options.
Remember they would prefer to send you into a company than a fresh graduate with a first class degree who has never worked in an office.
If you don't get any offered within 2 weeks, sit down and ring them all to say you are still looking and have they got anything available. Repeat every week until you are working.
This is a much better route to getting a job these days than applying to advertised vacancies - far more jobs go through agencies than adverts.
Also - you need to decide which you are going to do - work or start your own business. Not really realistic to do both.

Thanks, JessM. Very good advice for returning to an office environment. I won't rule it out but I'm hoping I might avoid that in favour of something different...

mollie - I have PM'd you.

Mollie You have loads to offer in my opinion and all the ideas above are well worth following up you would be sure to be successful,my friend decided to return to work at 54 and make use of her degree in History & The Arts she volunteered at The Liverpool Maritime Museum for 6 days a month and was taken on after 4 months on a regular basis for 3 days a week she has never looked back.best of luck to you x glamma x

Yes, volunteering often does the trick. My husband volunteered at our local MP's office, then he got paid part-time work there, then full time.

I mentioned on another thread that a Hungarian friend of mine has just gone back to work as a civil engineer, 20 hours a week, at 70. She is getting on with the young graduates extremely well, and loving the whole thing.

At 56 I was already in a job I'd had since my early forties, but I decided to go to university part-time after work, to get my language degree that I'd never had chance to do when I was young. I was very nervous about fitting in among all those young ones, but I felt so welcome, and had a wonderful time. And the degree helped me find other work after the firm closed down.

So, my experience says that we can do anything and everything in our fifties and older. Good Luck, Mollie.

PS
There was only one downside at university - I sometimes got a bit tired when the 9pm finish was approaching, and one evening I fell asleep in 'French Film and Literature' while watching 'Waiting for Godot' in French. When I saw that half the young 'uns had done the same thing, I didn't feel so bad.

Joan, when I went to uni aged 40 I was middling in terms of class age. There were three or four in my class who had passed retirement age and were doing a degree to prove something for themselves, I was full of admiration. The youngsters were always tired but that was due to the usual candle at both ends approach. Us oldies were a bit better at pacing ourselves. And getting essays in on time! Lol! Happy days!

mollie I am aware that I got this from a London newspaper but it may help you if you are interested in teaching.

www.education.gov.uk/teachsignup

Thank you Charleygirl. Not sure about teaching but I'm glad of the info...