Changing career in later life.

Hi Varian, surprisingly a lot of the 999 calls made to the police are not that urgent but obviously there are a few and yes I know I've already helped quite a few but I try not to think about them when I get home to be honest. Have to try and keep work at work and home at home. I think if we get a particularly harrowing one, there is a support and counselling available so that's useful to know.
Thank you all for your support and good advice.

Well done. Notagran - you are doing well to hang on in there. When you come home from work at the end of a shift do you ever think about the calls you have handled and the desperate people you have helped?

A friend of mine, a nurse, who had some self doubt about her ability, once said to me "it's not that I think that I do the job particularly well but there are a lot of other folk who would do it worse."

Please just focus on becoming a really brilliant 999 call handler. I am sure you can do it.

Thanks Menopaws, I can't give up. I don't have a choice. If I did have a choice I wouldn't have gone back after first week but giving it my best shot.

Braver than me Notagran, I would have given up so be proud of yourself

Thanks Bluebelle, yes one of the new ones has spoken to me but he was the only one and when I see the next newbies coming through I'm going to welcome them so hopefully they won't feel like I do. I'll give it a few months, get settled in and then decide to stay or go. At least I tried it and I don't regret giving it a go no matter what the final outcome.

I think you will be ok the job is incredibly valuable and also I would imagine very, very stressful but also very very rewarding I would keep plugging away at talking to who ever will listen and also asking advice, people loved to be asked and feel a little bit superior I would also concentrate on the newer ones and who knows there may be an even newer one start soon and you can be the one and only one to welcome them and be a friendly face
Good luck a hundred times

Hi Varian, yes I think you're right but it's not easy as one of the reasons I made the leap from the NHS was to make new friends as life was a bit stale........and I thought this would be a good way to meet lots of new people of all different ages and backgrounds in one go but I will try not to worry so much and concentrate on the job and in time I guess the genuine friendly ones will begin to chat and get to know me. Thank you, much appreciated.

This is a really valuable job you are doing responding to 999 calls. If you can stick at it and beclme more confident I think you might find it very rewarding.

Perhaps you should just concentrate on the job and not worry too much about the social aspects. When you become more confident you will relax more, but if you need to, ask advice and you may find colleagues happy to help.

Hi Bluebelle and Eazybee. Yes, Bluebelle, I have tried making conversation with a few, got very little back and I've noticed a couple of the newer ones are generally a bit friendlier so I'll keep trying. The actual job is as a 999 police call handler so there's an awful lot to remember with law and grading the calls depending on the situation and I've been told it normally takes around 6 months before you feel "confident" at answering the calls so it's very early days so I'm sure I'll get the hang of it in time. In terms of the contract I'm not sure whether they could hold me to it if things didn't work out as it certainly wasn't mentioned at the interview and I didn't have time before I started to negotiate anything so I think I'll cross that bridge when I come to it if I really can't stay. So, not exactly enjoying the work yet as it's quite stressful answering the phone when you know there's a good chance it could be something I've not dealt with before but it is interesting and rewarding when I give someone helpful advice or get Police to them quickly so will have to see how it goes. Just didn't think the "team" would be like this, has really shocked and disappointed me but if I could just make a couple of nice friends, that will make a huge difference. Thank you both for your support and comments.

The important thing is, are you enjoying the work and feel capable of doing it successfully? You say you need the money so I would persevere; once you are established you may find your colleagues more welcoming.
I changed schools and went on a day course with the rest of the staff before term started, and not one member of staff spoke to me. Ever since then, I made a point of welcoming new staff, because being ignored is horrible.

Notagran that’s so disappointing for you my only advice would be hone in on someone who seems the most pleasant or someone who seems not to have anyone special to talk to and perhaps ask some questions about the job ask some advice people usually like feeling they can help What about break times it will be hard but you may have to summon up all your courage and approach someone even if you fear rebuffal or disinterest
I would have thought even with a contract as you are still only in training you should be able to get out, might be a good idea to join a union, they could help with things like that
Do keep us in touch with things

Hi Monopaws (great name). I'll give it my best shot, plus the fact I've signed a 2 year contract so may not be that easy to leave and as I live alone I can't just leave without another job so I'll see how it goes and hopefully it will improve. I'm struggling with the job itself at the moment as there's so much to remember but I'm hoping that once I become more proficient, everything else will improve too. Here's hoping. Thank you for your thoughts.

I started a job as a vet receptionist a few years ago which i thought I would love but the people who ran the practice were bonkers and I got out after three days , needed the money but not the stress

Not a gran, don't waste time being unhappy, I appreciate your need but life is too short to be unhappy, rethink and find something you like

Having in fact wasted my early years doing mundane jobs that I was certainly not cut out for........a cashier and receptionist first in a ladies gown shop (and all my wages went on the clothes!!) and secondly,much the same in a garage .Since maths was never my favourite subject it really was a stupid idea.
After a disastrous marriage and severe illnesses I was very taken by the nurses that had so diligently cared for me,whatever time of day and however unpleasant their job they always attended the ward looking so fresh and wearing a big smile.
The more I thought about it I decided it was worth giving it a go, and so I joined the profession and did my training,loving every long hard moment of it,obviously finding my "niche" in life.
My health again proved a bugbear so that in my early 40`s I was really unable to carry on.
But sticking slightly to the theme of caring I put all my energies into Voluntary work.There was a lot of dedication and much time spent in eventually reaching the goals I had set myself,but the years of counselling and being a general dogs body..... bringing hope and understanding into other lives at their low point has given me such satisfaction,I feel I have made a little difference and it gives me a certain peace of mind.
Having written in detail about it all in my blog I will not go into specifics.
However to all whom may be thinking of embarking on a new career, or turning their own life around .........I would say,hesitate no longer but grab the opportunity with both hands.............and Good Luck!!

Hi Squiffy, there are about 30-40 people in at any one time so cakes would be a bit expensive and probably most people wouldn't even know who had bought them anyway?? I think it's the culture of the place because I've noticed that a lot of them ignore each other too. They only seem to talk or make any effort with people they know, although how they got to know them in the first place when no one speaks is a bit of a mystery? Things may improve but I've had one of the worst weeks of my working life and wish I'd stuck with my easy cosy life working with nice people.........the trouble is, you don't know until you try and then if you don't take the risk and try something new you can have regrets that you didn't at least give it a go so whatever happens I suppose I'll learn from the experience. Am so upset though, was really hoping I was going to expand my social circle which was of the reasons I made the jump?

Notagyet I'm so sorry to read your about your experience. That sounds awful and very daunting Is your work situation one in which you could take cakes in as a softener perhaps? It certainly sounds very mean of your colleagues, but perhaps you have inadvertently walked into a 'situation' that was already ongoing? Work politics? Hope things improve for you

Update on changing career in later life:
Well I'm over half way through training and last week this entailed going into the actual place to do the job, with the people that I'll be doing it with. I have to say it was one of the worst days of my life. Literally no one spoke to me. It was like I was invisible and all I was thinking was "Oh my god, what have I done?" I couldn't believe how people could be so mean. I've had 6 days in there now and I'm really struggling with the job and this awful feeling of not being welcomed as a newbie... I had my doubts as to whether I was making the right decision because I knew it was going to take some getting used to but not being spoken to by my new colleagues didn't even cross my mind. Dreading going in again but have no choice, got to get on with it. Anyone else experienced anything similar?

Not exactly careers but have worked in many different jobs. It's never too late. A work colleague of mine aged 51 has just been accepted to train as a mental health nurse.

Thank you, I will.

I've changed careers throughout my life for various reasons and each one has been an exciting challenge. It's widened my experience which I now use in the voluntary sector. Go for it Notagranyet12

Hi, thank you all for your words of wisdom and encouragement. My new job only involves around 3 months of training but I live alone and need the money which I think is why I'm a bit worried so it has to work, but I'm sure it will be fine, once I get used to it and hopefully I will be pleased I jumped out of my cosy, easy life and into the unknown.
Thanks again everyone. Much appreciated.

Humbertbear speaks for me too. I would add that, as an older woman in a highly technical workplace, I took great pleasure in challenging preconceptions from young colleagues. We quickly learned to appreciate our combined strengths. I worked until 66, and retired to spend more time with family, but could have carried on. I miss working (but not getting up so early). Also, in those last working years, I managed to secure a good pension.

It's amazing what we are capable of (health permitting) into our 60s and beyond. You're not too old at 50 to start a new career, just getting 'warmed up'.

I moved to a new job and a new career aged 50 and it was the best thing I ever did. I was never happier than in that post. I developed and grew, had a stimulating challenge and, best of all, lots of travel to places I would never otherwise have got to. Go for it and enjoy!

If you don’t try you won’t know and will always regret it. Nerves are understandable nota, don’t let them get the better of you. I began to study for a change of direction at 42, gradually was able to move to a profession I loved, finally achieving a Masters Degree to help promotion in my early 50’s. That change was wonderful, I loved what I did, I am hoping it will be her same for you.