Comments on: a career change at 50

By: Lacey Chapel

Lacey Chapel — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 23:44:05 +0000

Hey Coleen1 I was just curious if you were able to find anything? There might be something as a captive manager which is similar to the independent home insurance agent.

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By: Coleen1

Coleen1 — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 22:11:38 +0000

Oh, I see. I actually got my license through Aflac. I gave it 3 months but had to cut my loss and try to find something else that paid me now. I was spending a lot of time and resources to generate lead and not getting anywhere except a large gas bill….

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By: rachelbravo

rachelbravo — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 09:36:22 +0000

An independent insurance agent is one that sells plans from different home insurance companies like say The Hartford, or Geico, Progressive, etc; A captive insurance agent is one who sells the policies of only one insurance company, like say just The Hartford.

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By: Coleen1

Coleen1 — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:26:54 +0000

No I have not. What is an independent /captive home inurance agent?

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By: mathewperry

mathewperry — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:29:53 +0000

Have you thought of becoming an independent/captive home insurance agent?

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By: Coleen1

Coleen1 — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 15:16:49 +0000

Thanks for allowing me to do so….

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By: FancyFrancie

FancyFrancie — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:53:50 +0000

If you haven’t done so, check out your area community college(s). Most have women’s centers, who can help women in your situation. Yes, everything is impersonal today, but that isn’t going to change. Yes, you need to get on top of technology, because that isn’t going to change either. It’s brutal out there, and hundreds of thousands of competent people are unemployed. Frame your years at home, describing the skills needed to run a household…..management of people and complex schedules, budget management, setting priorities among competing interests…..stay at home moms are managers……will an employer buy this? Maybe, and if the person you are talking to is a parent, they will get it. We were all somewhat naive, but even those who weren’t are suffering today. Nothing wrong with a little self-pity…..venting is good for the soul.

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By: FancyFrancie

FancyFrancie — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:51:19 +0000

Where I live, the usual response is over 100 resumes for almost any job announcement……..with highly educated/experienced people applying for any and everything. People who are hiring, who haven’t been hit by a job loss, seem amazed by it. Seems some are still somewhat oblivious to what the real situation is. Also noticing that almost all employers use online apps these days, in addition to asking for resumes, and that means one has to fill in dates for everything, so one’s age is obvious, and one can be rejected on that basis and never know it. I’ve even had some that asked for high school dates! I’m over 60, so this is really disheartening for me. I look young, have tons of energy, but I need to get in the door to demonstrate that. Meantime, I keep plugging away…….

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By: Coleen1

Coleen1 — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:41:19 +0000

Thanks for your feedback. I have been on hospital job postings in my area and the like. I have created job profiles on every job site I can find. I have been applying to everything from cleaning toilets to real estate appraisal job postings. The problem is I am competing with much younger people that have been breast fed on technology, and people with a higher appraisal license than mine… The laws changed with regard to my license level and now all of the sudden, I am no longer qualified to appraise the same properties I once was qualified to appraise, according to the current licensure laws…I will need a bunch of college credits to upgrade, and lack the funds to do so. I have applied for college grants and assistance. My debt will still be higher than what I will earn….I am willing to learn a new career but no one wants to give you any training, learning curve, or half a chance….Also, things are so impersonal anymore. Everything is done on line now. This process is very cumbersome and difficult. What happened to the day of going into a business and asking them for a job? I am realizing that my years of being a stay at home mom, my life experience, professional experience in real estate in the past 8 years means absolutely nothing. I feel like that 18 year old trying to find a job, but no one wants to take a chance, due to experience….Mean while, 25 years of marriage as I managed the house hold and raising 2 successful children mean nothing. My husband was gaining experience and tenure ….My ex has a great job making 6 figures, while I can’t even get a minimal wage job. I am sorry I don’t mean to sound like I am self pitting, but it is the reality for a woman who wasted her life thinking I would live happily ever after taking care of kids and a husband. I sure was naive!!! ….and yes, I am feeling very angry and bitter at the moment.

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By: Sunblossom

Sunblossom — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:48:40 +0000

I hear you there….I have relocated my living situation, but still have to commute 40 minutes each way and have been trying for over 2 years to find something in my area….it is just the most frustrating thing…it is the first time in my life I have not gotten a job I wanted easily….there are so many applications for every job it is ridiculous, one guy told me he gets 60 applications for every job he posts….I am taking steps to build a home-based business, hopefully I can be successful at that…

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