Learn me, Completely starting over a career at 35

You've already got the equivalent of a degree in business.

As so many others have said, don't go back to school, it will only run up more expenses.

How "mobile" is your dealer finance license? What I mean is, is the license in your name or your business' name? Is it tied to your specific location or can you use it at other locations? The reason I'm asking is could you find a local dealer that doesn't have a finance license and work there a few hours a day cranking out all of their financing? You could negotiate some kind of sharing of the profits or something. You'd get a lot of money from sales without having to sell anything and the dealer could increase their sales because they can now offer financing. You could do this to bring in some extra cash while you figure out what you want to do long term.

This is assuming that a dealer finance license is difficult to get. If it's really easy to get the license, then I assume all car dealers already have them and my idea is useless.

Good luck,
Bob

Trades - HVAC Tech

I have done this...5 times. Last time I did it, I was 36. My best recommendation is to find someone who's life you admire. Find out what they do, how they got there and what direct advice then can give you. The information is guaranteed to be out of date, but its a start. If you are going to go back to school, it has to be based on what you will get out of it. Return on Investment. I have an engineering degree, I use it now to correct my professors math, and explain the same physics concepts I tutored in high school. I looked at the trades and decided I didn't want to be an old apprentice. I found some folks in my personal timeline and talked with them about how they had done over the past 15 years. Turns out I found some people who made better decisions than me. I am now doing my own version of their lives. The single hardest obstacle I faced was the BIG EGO CHECK. Up to you how you handle it, I do it poorly but am getting better.

Everyone keeps talking about insurance adjusting. I got my license and have been looking for work in that field for over 2 years. I took the job at the dealership as a time filler. Now, 2 yrs into it, I've given up looking for insurance work and am going to let that license expire. Just like I did with my Real Estate License that earned me jack squat. Seems that I get into these "great jobs" when the market sucks. Anyway, most insurance companies won't hire you without experience and most won't even look at you without a 4 year degree. I'm saying this from very recent job hunting experience. Doesn't matter what the degree is in, just that you have it. They want to see that you continue your education and are looking to broaden your horizons. I get it, but it sucks. You can get trained, but it'll cost you upwards of $1500 - $3000 to go to an "Adjuster Training Academy" on top of your state issued license and testing costs.

I vote for Service Advisor. Not only because I do it, but because I've worked at independent shops before. Firestone, Pep Boys, Car-X, a performance shop, I've been doing this for over 12 years. The dealership will make you the most money hands down. In Dallas, you're going to take home at LEAST $60k a year. That's if they have a crappy pay plan and you're seeing no cars. I don't make that much, but my traffic count is significantly less than you'd see at a "big city" dealership. I work at Ford and man, it's a hell of a lot better than any of the other brand dealerships in my town. We have other guys knocking down our doors for jobs. Yeah, the hours can suck I work 7:30a - 5:30p Monday through Friday. We rotate Saturdays, so I only work 2, then I'm off 6. Saturday hours are 8:30a-1:00p. I'd say give it a try.

Just my personal advice for you brother. Good luck!

I admire a lot of others peoples lives, however, the way the acquired such lives involved things that are not my strong points.

I sense that the OP desires a certain amount of "big league" kind of rewards from his next career. Something bigger than a paycheck.

I couldn't be a cubicle drone. I've had too much freedom for too long to do it. At a certain level, steady pay is the big motivator. But yeah, if a degree is on the table, and we can afford to get me one, then the only things I should be considering are a good long term career that I think I would enjoy.

TimeorMoney: What do you do?

Schmidlap: That's kind of an interesting idea. The license isn't that expensive, but comes with a background check, a credit check, and fingerprinting. The guys who can't jump through those hoops may not be the guys to partner up with...

Conquest....what type of adjusting? If it's auto than, yeah that isn't exactly prime for growth. Heavy equipment is in huge demand, if you are qualified in that, I'm very surprised and opportunity hasn't opened for you.

Conquest351 wrote: Everyone keeps talking about insurance adjusting. I got my license and have been looking for work in that field for over 2 years.

What license did you get? An agents' license, adjuster, appraiser?

As for the heavy equipment side, a lot of these guys run their own "mom and pop" operations. They're independent appraisers, and their wife or kids are the office support staff. So if you've got the experience and background, you can create your own business. You'll obviously need the proper insurance for your business, etc... I'd suggest finding a local heavy equipment guy and talking to him. These guys are old salt of the earth guys, they'll be happy to talk to you and help. Especially since most are of retirement age and would love someone to continue on.

Do you think that a in-depth knoweldge of heavy equipment would be neccesary for an entry level adjuster? I love heavy equipment, but my experience is limited to forklifts.

Also, I'm still curious about market saturation. Can a large population area support more than a few appraisers?

Do you have to get a new appraisers license in every state if your doing heavy equipment?

I am an adjuster that handles property (residential and commercial) and casualty (auto, slips and fall, etc) claims for a third party company. I do have a four year degree from 2006 in graphic design / minor in business management. A bachelor of science in an art based program... maybe I should go occupy something.

I realized while still in college that I was not proficient enough at graphic design and the market was small. I had worked in body shops in high school and through college. I figured I'd become an appraiser. The body shop I worked at over the summer offered me a position as an estimator and I had applied with most of the big names. I was offered a job with the independent doing casualty work so I never got into appraising/estimating. I did not have an "in" but I generally do interview well. They were impressed that I actually researched the company and position before interviewing.

We dropped most in house auto appraisers a few years ago. Most of them had came from the big guys and were burnt out. We still have some heavy equipment guys but they are few and far between. Last Semi Trailer I had appraised took over a week for him to work it into his schedule. He also had to travel 300+ miles to look at it. I can't remember the bill but it was certainly not cheap.

Property adjusting should have a market anywhere there are homes (pretty much everywhere). I work from home and cover a 1.5 hour radius generally. Most of our guys are in the same boat although there are a few that cover more like 3 hours.

Being a third party we are subject to the rules that each client wants. For example Hartford different instructions, billing schedule, timelines than Zurich. It can be difficult and time consuming to keep track of everyone's expectations. Internally we are monitored as well from first contact to closing report. I get to work from my house which is both a blessing and burden. It is very difficult to remain disciplined and focused. It seems I spend lots more nights doing work than when I was in an office even thought the workload is similar.

I am licensed as a P&C Adjuster. My friend got me into it. He does it for a large company called Worley. He travels all over the US and makes GREAT money when he's out adjusting. When he's home, he sits on his tail or works on his cars. He's married now, so I'm sure that'll slow. LOL I'm sure there's probably more openings in larger cities and around the US than anywhere near where I'm at. I'm just saying, it's not exactly a "get licensed and start the next day" affair. At least it wasn't for me.

I'd immediately forget about going back for an engineering degree. Right out of high school with fresh calc and physics skills it's still a HARD road. Thinking back to my time as an undergrad, there's no way in hell I'd be able to do it now as a parent of two without destroying myself. Especially since once you're out, you're starting close to the bottom of the food chain.

Trades or something that doesn't require a degree but that rewards clever folks. Welding is a kinda obvious one for someone like you. There's always need for welders, and c'mon, what's cooler? I've never stepped into a machine or welding shop and not felt a deep desire to quit my job and move in. It's got almost unlimited potential for smart folks who want to learn a bit about metallurgy.

Real estate and the like are good, too. As long as your wife's job is relatively recession proof and you've got your benefits covered, I like the idea of doing something that isn't necessarily a regular 9-5 job. At a 9-5 job, you'll get the boot when the workload drops below whatever it takes to keep you busy. With a more flexible job you can scale your hours up and down with the market.

I just got a call from a friend who works at a major new car store. They're about to have an opening at the parts counter. I don't know if it's something I should pursue. I think the work would be OK, but I don't know about the hours.

Try it. The missus will be happy that you gave it a shot. Besides, steady cash is not bad. If it gives you the money to liquidate the debt, you may be able to start your business up again on a more firm footing.

btp76 wrote: The trades to me means plumber, electrician... I'm too old to be starting a job that requires that level of physical exertion. I don't want to be 65 and crawling around under houses. I don't mean to sound pompous, but I'm too smart to be working with my hands. Also, from our semi recent home building experience, nearly all of the tradesmen who worked on the house were hispanic. I don't want to be competing with a never ending steam of immigrants.

But you do sound pompous. Not to mention racist. You just dismissed the backbone of the North American economy with that paragraph. If you are indeed as smart as you say you are, you should consider a recession proof trade like plumbing.(everyone wants their toilet to flush whether they have the money or not) Then hire people to crawl under the houses. I'm not a plumber, but I am in a similar trade, and I pay one of my guys $90.00 an hour. He was a truck driver before I retrained him. There is huge money and job security in the trades. I make far more than any of my white collar friends.

But I did just spend several hours in the pissing rain on the end of a shovel today. It was a nice break from office work.

Wonko, I will take your advice only because I so love your user name.

Bear, I get it. It's like saying I don't mean to offend... As far as racist, that just isn't the case. In TX as I'm sure in many other parts of the country we have a large, and growing population of hispanic immigrants. For better or worse, they tend to get into blue collar work. If I seek out a blue collar trade I'll have them to compete with. It would be racist to assume that they somehow would be relegated to grunt work and I could easily be their boss. However that's neither here nor there. I appreciate anyone's constructive input. I may be wrong, but I'm just not interested in the trades.

Well yeah, but I know where it comes from.

btp76 wrote: I just got a call from a friend who works at a major new car store. They're about to have an opening at the parts counter. I don't know if it's something I should pursue. I think the work would be OK, but I don't know about the hours.

I've worked a dealership counter for 11 years, plus 5 years in retail parts. It's not a bad gig if the hours go your way. Tech friend of mine plans to move to parts as a "retirement" gig when he no longer wants to wrench. Yes, a dealer counter is the way to got. Better pay and hours than a retail store, less B.S. too. You get to see the latest stuff without getting your hands dirty and the techs absolutely love it when there is someone behind the counter that knows whats going on under the hood. Sure, you do have to put with some in-over-there-heads people on the phone, but you don't get 1/2 the issues the service writers get. Get your ASE parts cert, it's easy.

In reply to bearmtnmartin:

How does one get into plumbing?

btp76 wrote: I don't know if I can be a good employee.

^ Think hard about this.

No insult intended, just a serious reality check.

FWIW, I've been told by a very wise friend that he didn't think I'd make a good employee either, so you are not alone in this.

But I'm also reading something between the lines in this thread that I can't quite put my finger on. All I can say is that I have the need for someone with your skill set, and I keep thinking that I probably wouldn't hire you. No particular reason, just a gut sense. I've been trying to ID exactly what it is to share with you in a constructive manner, but I think you may have already identified it.

There's nothing wrong if that is the reality. But if it IS the reality, you'd be wise to heed it.

Just a thought. Please don't take offense.

No offense taken.

I worked for people for 3 years. That ended 15 years ago. I think I stomach a lot of BS in the name of steady pay, but that's somewhat of a hunch.

I have a relative about my age. He's a computer guy with no college. He keeps getting hired on to $100k jobs all around the country until he invariably figures out that all his coworkers are idiots, and the company is horribly mismanaged, and thus it's time to quit. I've personally seen this happen 5 or 6 times in as many years. It just pisses me off to see someone in such a good position waste it time and time again.

I think I'm smarter than that and understand that you're being paid to do a job. Do your job well and don't complain. That's what they're paying you for.

If you get a handle on your gut feeling lemme know. To be fair, you have different information than would come out in an interview, but I'd like to know what I may need to spin, or keep under wraps.

btp76 wrote: TimeorMoney: What do you do?

Chiropractor .... 17 months from now. Learning a completely new science is " interesting"