I wrote this one a year ago today. This is an ongoing issue. I’ve been looking at job openings again and I opt not to apply for a lot of them because I don’t feel qualified. I’ve also reached a point where I want less, not more when it comes to career. I want to be able to clock out and forget about work until I clock in again. This is not exactly the best time to be looking for a change. I feel like I’m going to be stuck where I am forever.
If you have followed this blog(or my personal Facebook page) you will know that I have long contemplated my future career-wise. I have applied for promotions where I currently work. I have been turned down for promotions where I currently work. I think we are close to 20 times now that I have been turned down for a new job with my current employer. I have applied for multiple jobs at other organizations. I have been offered one job. You can read here about my decision to turn down the job offer. In that post, I talked about upcoming opportunities for change. Those opportunities did not pan out and now I am back to where I was before, contemplating my future.
There is a job opening right now that seems to be a good fit for me. It is a change, but not a major change. I would be doing a job similar to what I’m doing now. The commute would be manageable. It would not mess up my long term plans(I don’t think). It would reset my vacation, but I could deal with that. I’m still hesitating, though, before completing the application. Why? Various reasons. Various questions. Is 50 too old to make a major change like this? Do I really want to start all over at a new place? Do I want to give up the vacation I’ve accrued and start over? And the big one – Am I good enough?
Maybe the reason I’ve been turned down for so many jobs where I work is that they know me and know that I’m not good enough. Maybe I’ve been fooling myself all these years and I’m not actually good at what I do. Maybe they see all of my faults and they all add up to someone who would not succeed at these jobs. Maybe I’m better off staying where I am. What if I go somewhere else and they realize all of this and then I end up with no job? Maybe I should have stayed in my old position where I was basically invisible and it was less likely people would realize all of this. Maybe it’s time to admit to myself that it’s not them, it’s me and I should stop wasting my time.
I should approach the job thing like high school me approached dating. You can avoid all the inevitable rejection by not trying at all.
The World's Common Tater 
No. Just no. I don’t believe you’re not good enough. You did get a job offer recently. You should try for this new position because 50 is not too old to make a change. It is incredibly frustrating to keep getting “no” from the organization where you work. That’s why it’s important to go elsewhere for another position. The other offer was from a different organization. Important distinction. I wouldn’t apply for any more positions within your current library system. It’s obvious that they don’t actually see you.
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I will likely apply and see how it goes. I think I should jus figure out how to retire early instead though.
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Having a backup plan never hurts, and there’s nothing wrong with early retirement. Spoken by a person who was sort of forced into retirement by the folding of her business. It wasn’t incredibly early, but it was earlier than I’d planned.
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I am 51 and have made some pretty big life changes recently, especially career-wise, and plan to continue to evolve. It is never too late! Coincidentally, this article popped up in my newsfeed today: https://thoughtcatalog.com/dian-tinio/2016/07/if-youre-unhappy-with-your-life-its-your-responsibility-to-change-it/?utm_content=buffer755e4&utm_medium=heartcatalog-rania&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=social
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50 is not too old
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