Career change ideas for older people

@Shar19 (8234)
United States
April 3, 2025 3:04pm CST
As an older person, I'm trying to find a new career change so that I can retire with some peace of mind. Unfortunately, I do not have a degree. Has anyone changed their career later in life by taking an online course to gain a certificate in a certain field? If so what do you recommend? I would love to work remotely but I'm not sure what direction to go. I have administrative and management skills. I love just hopping on my laptop and typing away and doing research. I would love a career low in stress where I can work independently. I know that I don't want to spend years learning a new field, however, I am open to learning online to earn a certificate.
2 people like this
2 responses
@porwest (98676)
• United States
22h
I never planned my life around careers in so much as I planned it around making as much as I could, being frugal, saving and investing wisely. It paid off. That being said, of course, I was always interested in making better money when I was working so that I could have more to invest and retire on. I retired at 50 and am not really all that interested in working anymore, but rather just living life and spending out my last good 15 or 20 years comfortably. Fingers crossed it all still works out. Life can come at you fast, of course. lol I would say, I would not focus as much on certifications or stuff like that but would rather capitalize on what skill sets I already possess to get to work as soon as possible. And when I would return to the workforce, I'd want to make sure I am saving a significant amount of my income and putting it into things that actually make money. A savings account does not, of course, because it never beats inflation, and therefore, technically, you lose money the longer you keep it in the account. In any event, I don't know enough about you, how old you are etcetera, to be more specific. Either way, I hope you can come up with some good ideas and wish you all the luck in whatever you decide to do.
1 person likes this
@Shar19 (8234)
• United States
6h
Ideally it makes sense to save as you're younger which I was able to do for a time. However, things come up and life happens. Then you're back to square one. Oh well, one day at a time.
@porwest (98676)
• United States
5h
@Shar19 No reason ever that someone cannot afford to save. But a lot of people unfortunately believe the lie that saving can be impossible in certain circumstances. But it is what it is. All you can do if one believes in and adheres to the lie is play catch up in the end, and usually, it doesn't work out too well because the same mindset exists in the make up years that existed in the getting there years. If one never loses the lie, they will forever chase money, and there will never be enough no matter how much of it you chase. Just my two cents worth. lol The truth is, if all anyone has is Social Security and it's all they are working toward, they will be broke in retirement, because Social Security was never intended to be a pension. It was intended to be a supplement on top of retirement funds and savings.
@kaylachan (76482)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
20h
That's an interesting viewpoint.
1 person likes this