Career change, Senior Edition
June 4, 2020 5:01 PM Subscribe
Hello, Would appreciate any help/ideas/direction you have regarding a career change for me. Here's the story...
I am a 64.5yo male who has been in sales his entire life. Currently with a Fortune 500 company doing business to business sales. I have done well, won awards and trips, but right now I am a little (lot!) tired of the grind. 12% quota increases year after year have me working 60 hours a week, add the usual corporate BS and it's getting harder to take.
I expect to work to full SSI age, Feb, 2022, and then work part time to supplement the SSI and postpone tapping the 401K until 70ish. I really don't mind work, so that's the general plan. So I'd like to earn $30.00 +/- per hour, working 25-30 hours per week. The question is - What can I be studying, learning, doing over the next 18 months so I can earn that kind of money? Figure I can learn anything if I put my mind to it...Drone Pilot, Excel Expert, Truck driver. Would my age preclude me from any tech-type jobs? My health is good but the physical trades probably would be too much. Thanks for the help!
I am a 64.5yo male who has been in sales his entire life. Currently with a Fortune 500 company doing business to business sales. I have done well, won awards and trips, but right now I am a little (lot!) tired of the grind. 12% quota increases year after year have me working 60 hours a week, add the usual corporate BS and it's getting harder to take.
I expect to work to full SSI age, Feb, 2022, and then work part time to supplement the SSI and postpone tapping the 401K until 70ish. I really don't mind work, so that's the general plan. So I'd like to earn $30.00 +/- per hour, working 25-30 hours per week. The question is - What can I be studying, learning, doing over the next 18 months so I can earn that kind of money? Figure I can learn anything if I put my mind to it...Drone Pilot, Excel Expert, Truck driver. Would my age preclude me from any tech-type jobs? My health is good but the physical trades probably would be too much. Thanks for the help!
Maybe you could drive a school bus.
posted by oceanjesse at 8:21 PM on June 4, 2020
posted by oceanjesse at 8:21 PM on June 4, 2020
If you’re in a Fortune 500 company, could you find adjacent opportunities in Sales Operations, Training or similar? Another may to try out the career coach angle but not sure whether people on the job search right now have the funds necessary to make the investment.
posted by hampanda at 9:30 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by hampanda at 9:30 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
I was thinking training too, maybe a life/ career coach? Or mediation, that's a career where age comes in as a positive
posted by fshgrl at 11:16 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by fshgrl at 11:16 PM on June 4, 2020 [1 favorite]
One member of my extended family worked in the supermarket business until he was in his 60s and then got a job as a salesman in a lighting store despite no particular background in lamps and lightbulbs.
More generally, you have two major assets: sales ability and industry knowledge. You probably want to stick with one or the other.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:11 AM on June 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
More generally, you have two major assets: sales ability and industry knowledge. You probably want to stick with one or the other.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:11 AM on June 5, 2020 [1 favorite]
Could you sell yourself as a consultant who helps businesses improve their B2B sales strategy? You already know how it's done and I'm guessing you have a lot of experience in this area.
$30/hr might actually be too low for that kind of work. I once read consulting advice that said "if you're too busy, your rates are too low." So if you're worried that staying in this industry means you'll be overwhelmed with corporate BS, raise your rates until they don't want more than 20 hrs/wk from you.
posted by Tehhund at 7:59 AM on June 6, 2020
$30/hr might actually be too low for that kind of work. I once read consulting advice that said "if you're too busy, your rates are too low." So if you're worried that staying in this industry means you'll be overwhelmed with corporate BS, raise your rates until they don't want more than 20 hrs/wk from you.
posted by Tehhund at 7:59 AM on June 6, 2020
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posted by ananci at 6:51 PM on June 4, 2020