Later Life Diagnosis & Career Change

I ddi a lot of hardware rollouts or audits. Simple work that paid very well when I did it.

As a contractor rates are set a little higher to compenesate for time spent out of contract.

The best recommendation is start your own limited company, do your own books unless you have an accountant you can trust and fold the company every 3 years or so and start a new one.

It sounds as though, you've run into a brick wall called "choice", I think that at times being given a choice and especially being told you can do whatever you want to do is quite disabling. By the sounds of it you've been quite happy and successful in IT, do you want to change and do something else? Its quite OK to be happy doing what you're doing, having found your niche.

I've never had a career path, I've had a career tangent, I've done so many different things, but I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up and I'm 62 now. I was diagnosed when I was 50 and my health was already to poor to allow me to work, so the career thing was never asked. I've often been asked why I don't cook for a living as it's something that I enjoy and am good at, but the fact that I enjoy it is why I don't want to make a living from it, I fear I would destroy my love and creativity and come to hate it. I love gardening and am good at it, but my knee's are knackered and I don't like being out in the pouring rain and cold.

Would working part time be an option for you, working from home, or on short term contracts?

I'm not sure that I could do contracting as I don't have expertise in any particular area - more of a "Jack of all trades" with IT / business processes.

It also doesn't help that I suffer from imposter syndrome.

Yeah, I'd never heard of FND before I was diagnosed as having it in December last year. I still dont totally get it, but it seems to be another one of those umbrella diagnoses which can affect different people in different ways - pretty much like ASD / Autism.

My previous employer has agreed to pay for 6 x outplacement service sessions with a company that specialises in helping ND people find work. Apparently there are companies that are "screaming out for ND people to work for them". I've got my first session tomorrow afternoon. 

I am in a similar situation. I am 54 and always worked but am totally burnt out. Always worked in electrocics/IT hardware and am currently a photocopier service engineer. When I reach 55 in November taking a chunk from my pension and selling up and totally relocating 200 miles. My wife had MH isues last year and we have both just had enough of our life. She does admin so should easily find a job, I just really don't know what I want to do. I can work for min wage but don't want retail, well not late/early retail. Maybe driving but not courier work. Have never worked in a office, so maybe a coffee shop but I don't drink it so would totally have to learn from scratch. I desperatly want to quit my job, but have no idea about what to do next, you are not alone. What ever it is I am taking a fews months off when we move to sort my head out before getting a new job.

By the way I had never heard of FND, just googled it. I have massive issues with getting up, I just love sleeping , nobody can 'get to me' when I am sleeping, I can be me during that time.

Rob

Been through it at least twice, and the first time I became a contractor which extended my career for a while.. 

Now I'm living a post career off grid, "urban survalist" type of life, whilst preparing for the next big change.

Hello GPK26,

Thank you for sharing this with the community. I'm sorry that you have had to deal with a number of health issues that have impacted your work. You may find it useful to have a look at out information from the NAS on support with seeking employment for people with autism. This includes information on your local career service: https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/topics/employment/seeking-work

All the best,

ChloeMod