Goldsmith. Left there, and managed to get a job in an AS400 shop as an Operator. Used that as an opportunity to put myself through school and learn to code. The day that plant shut down, I got a job as a software developer, and 16 years later, I'm still there.

My advice is to pursue something you love.

I joined an elevator company aged 21. Previously I had been a rather junior Government chemist. I rapidly won promotion to become the city's senior technician, then to becoming the zone technical manager for the whole of East and Central Africa, and eventually taking over the zone sales department in addition to the technical side. (not bragging, just giving some background.)
At the age of 47 I retired from corporate life, left East Africa, came to Spain and founded a publishing business - which started as a hobby, and like "Popsy", just grew. I retired a second time aged 69.
I'm a firm believer that, provided one knows one's own limitations and can find ways to work around them, one can do almost anything successfully.

I am currently in the midst of making a career change. I spent 14 years working in/managing a convenience store. I finally decided I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life, so at age 40 I went back to school. I am studying networking technology and got an entry level IT job about 7 months ago. It's kinda tough starting over at the bottom of the ladder (most of my coworkers are in their 20's), but I don't miss retail at all and I'm glad I made the change.

Not in midlife, but in my 20's. I was in advertising, working in radio, outdoor, and at an agency. At 23 l was the advertising director for 7 Woolco stores in Austin and San Antonio. It would be difficult maybe impossible without a degree in this world. I hated it. At 25 l gave it up to play music full time. Less money more peace of mind.

Optical engineer- then went back to college and got a degree in Public health-project management'
Became a health care access manager- wrote grants, managed country wide projects. I loved both careers. One made more money but happenned mostly on dark labs with invisibler lasers. The other required a totally different skill set. Loved it too.

Just saw your post. Yes, I have changed careers three times. I started my work life as a hospital security officer. I evolved into a hospital safety officer. In 2016, at the age of 57 I resigned my safety job and enrolled in an alternative teaching program. I will graduate in May with my teaching certificate and I have been the teacher of record in my 3rd grade class for the past year. I only wish I had done this years ago.

In my early 30's, I made the transition from mathematics teacher to a database programmer.

Yes, several times. I raised two daughters as a single parent and found myself starting college late, in my 30's to work towards a degree as a graphic design major. I worked as a bartender as I attended school. Prior to that due to my love of plants I had worked at a interior plant service, lt seemed easy so I started my own business selling and servicing indoor plants to homes and businesses. Because I like to learn about everything I do, I studied on my own and gained enough knowledge to have the equivilant of a Horticulture degree. From there I branched off to plant sales, landscape design, service and installation. While in college, I realized I had quite a talent in art, and started drifting more towards fine art, painting and sculpting classes. Sitting down and working at a computer was not my thing. I needed to keep moving and working with my hands. I left college early on the advice of a professor and got an entry level job painting signs for Disney, sculpting their props, and building their floats and attractions. Several job changes later, and always moving foward, I started contracting jobs building props, and painting murals for theme parks and themed restaurants. In 2000, when I was almost 40, I joined a union as a professional scuptor, building props and sets for the movie industry. I sedom ever worried, and I always put my daughters and family first. We were poor but didn't really realize it. I kept a roof on our heads and food on the table and that's what's important. My advice is do what you love or what you are good at. Never stay where you are unhappy. Embrace failure and bad things that happen as learning experiences. There's a reason for these things, they drive us forward, stimulate us and force change. Always keep learning and growing. Put family first. Be kind, thoughtful and loving to your family, yourself and others and good things will happen to you. Xoxo.

Nah, but I added a second one. Became a yoga teacher and then started a yoga studio. I kept my day job though, lol. Yoga won't pay the bills but I love teaching.

I got fired 3 times, and happily took off 6 months each time. I must admit, it was difficult going back to work each time. Lol

A couple of times. I went from a decade of dead-end jobs with a useless degree in German literature to English language/literature instructor overseas to freelance indexer.

I was a dairy farmer for 17 years, then I became a registered nurse at 40 !

Cotton farmer to college art professor.

I went from animal medicine to customer service to TV producing. Hope to stay here, but also considering opening a retail store.

Always remember, when one door closes another opens, just step lightly through life's sands some may be quick sand! With that said you have to take the first step, never look back, for the past will not shed light on the experiences of now or tomorrow. Find something in life that brings you pleasure and comport in doing, pursue it with all your passion and life will provide a way!

I am a mental nurse, at the age of 42 I decided I needed to enhance my career. I trained as a clinical practitioner and then laterly came into education. I now teach student nurses in university. I love it but part of me still loves the hustle and bustle of the busy clinical acute wards...so now like a complete twit, I do both. It is very tiring but I am not yet ready to give up on my clinical role.

Just the expected forced-change of leaving the military, from a straight 10 years of following Army orders, got out and got a degree in MIS and been programming websites/winforms since 2005, and loving it.. had a lot of getting tossed around from job to job, especially around the time Everyone was being laid off (2009) but overall, programmers are highly sought after

Went to college to be a veterinarian, left as a chemical engineer.
Started my career as a process engineer, shifted over to pipeline and marine scheduling.
Spent a brief stint as a business process analyst, before my current position within corporate venture capital. (All this was within a single (obviously rather large) company.)

My advice - do work you find interesting and gives you satisfaction. One is never too old to learn new things while applying what you have learned to new opportunities.

Was a law enforcement officer for 15+ years, social worker for 2 and now a nothing job as I plow through school towards an MA in counseling.

I moved back and forth up to my 2nd child at 42. Received my BA in Sociology. No social workjobs-freeze on state hiring whenI graduated. Day care teacher then back to Grad School for Special Education-special ed asst teacher for a year. Worked with special needs kidsfor a year. Career then went to sales, marketing and went that way. Meanwhile my first daughter was born with cerebral palsy. Sales rep career with one year break teaching day care center after 2nd daughter. Back to sales account manager till forced to retire 6 years ago.

I just changed careers this last year at the age of 50. I switched from the print industry to welding and fabrication. My only advice is do what makes you happy, find a career you enjoy.

Not entirely, but I did change directions in careers a number of times. I started off in the oil/gas/petrochemical industry in Oklahoma as a lab analyst for a few years, moved into plant operations for a few years, then back to being a lab analyst for another few, then got a wild hair and moved off to Wyoming to work in a sour gas sweetening plant (13% hydrogen sulfide). After four years there, moved to Colorado to work as an oilfield pumper, gauging tanks, wielding pipe wrenches, etc. After four years of that, moved to Salt Lake City to work in pipeline control, which is what I did for the next 29 years, in six different control centers in Salt Lake City and Tulsa. I've never been afraid of making a change. It was good for me.

Whats a career....?

[askamanager.org] will have all sorts of advice for you related to careers. The "manager" has been in HR forever and gives great advice. Seriously best blog ever, I read it every day.

I started my "grown up" work life at 18, joining the Army. Not a good fit. Then I got married, got out of the Army and followed my ex around. I was a Stay At Home Mom (and logistics organizer). After raising my kids I went to school and got an AA degree in Health Information Management and entered the job market at menopause as the economy was tanking. It's been a wild ride.

At 37, I moved from being a full time music instructor to teaching martial arts. While it is still teaching, moving from working in someone's shop to your own place was a big shift. It's been tough, but very much worth it!