Hello. I’m nearing 40, and I’m fairly positive I will have to find another job this year because I am moving out of state. Despite being 99% wfh, they will not excuse me from commuting when requested or expected. This is because of fairness to other employees (which is fair to them in this one instance so I get it). I cannot commute 5+ hrs on a whim in the middle of the week, nor do I want to. So I’ll have to leave.
I have to be honest though: I am scared shitless at the idea of starting over. Despite arbitrary bullshit and my hatred of office culture, I’ve been at this company full time coming up on 9 years. I’m close to 40. I had a major surgery last year (fully paid for thankfully, another great thing about my job). But thinking about what to do, what I can do, what I need and want, all of it is extremely overwhelming.
I’m not a motivated person. I like relaxing and just playing games and having fun with friends when I’m not at work. But I don’t see an avenue to take to work for myself and I also don’t see one to jump back in as bottom rung on the corporate ladder, whatever that job may be (I would currently be described as ‘unskilled labor’ despite the desk job).
Finding a job after the ‘08 crash and after college was shitty enough. And things have changed a lot since then. I couldn’t stand it before and idk how I would navigate it now.
/end rant, but if you’ve had to start over at this age, what was your experiences like? I think there’s going to be light at the end of the tunnel but that doesn’t really help me through the miles of darkness to get there.
TL;DR old guy has to start over and has many understandable fears