The Retirement Thread
2 lurkers |
176 watchers
Dec 2023
9:34am, 12 Dec 2023
31,366 posts
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Johnny Jingles
I had Imposter Syndrome throughout my working life...
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Dec 2023
9:37am, 12 Dec 2023
6,101 posts
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Wintryfree Wonderland
My job was Vice Principal in an adult residential college but I didn’t teach, I looked after all of the operational areas, HR, Estates, MIS, Safeguarding, Health and Safety, Risk Assurance and so on. I loved my job most of the time although there were some long dark times around HR and safeguarding issues and the nature of the place was such that many of the staff team (not to mention the students!) were interesting characters. It was pretty full-on for many years. I retired in 2019 as I was informed that there was to be a complete re-structure of the leadership team which would effectively mean demotion on protected pay. I wasn’t happy with the proposed arrangements and Mr W wasn’t getting any younger so I decided to get my retirement figures. Turns out we could afford for me to retire early (55) and I was lucky enough to be in the local government DB pension scheme. It was absolutely the right time for me although I’m now as busy as ever doing voluntary stuff. Can’t sit still 
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Dec 2023
10:12am, 12 Dec 2023
4,199 posts
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Pou Pou LePhoõk
I think I did a short course there once, if it's the place I'm thinking of.
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Dec 2023
10:13am, 12 Dec 2023
4,634 posts
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Ally-C
I think I’m winning the shittiest cv so far by a distance 😂
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Dec 2023
10:31am, 12 Dec 2023
6,104 posts
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Wintryfree Wonderland
Pou Pou if it was in South Yorkshire it would have been, but also sister colleges in Oxford, Birmingham and Surbiton.
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Dec 2023
10:40am, 12 Dec 2023
66,754 posts
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Raptor Tat Tat
The last 15 years of my working life have been blogged in real time. In summary: started off bright-eyed and optimistic and ready to devote my entire life to making poorly people better, but over the years the NHS changed (though, looking back, it was an insidiously abusive environment for a lot of the time from the outset) and I changed too. I was fed up and might have left and maybe trained for something else in my late 40s if I hadn't been financially shackled, had a few more horrible years in a partnership (including 4 months off sick with burnout), slid into a wee part time patient-facing job for a while, and finally retired at 58. Having verged on workaholism for most of my life, I am now equally committed to doing nothing. |
Dec 2023
11:06am, 12 Dec 2023
27,316 posts
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TROSaracen
Ok here we go.... I am a chartered accountant and worked for British Telecom for the last 22 years. For most of the time it was a very good career: decent pay, challenging and interesting, sometimes stressful but probably commensurate with the salary/position. My role was corporate governance/financial control in the Global Services division. I enjoyed lots of travel in the early years. That all changed in 2016 when this nuclear bomb dropped: theguardian.com This erupted in our division, and our unit was at the forefront of the investigation. This sort of scandal needs human sacrifices, lots of them. The stress as we trawled through the situation, assessed the impact, instigated changes to prevent recurrence and looked at all the other countries to confirm similar was not recurring was stratospheric. The company sacked, or let go more and more crucial staff and hurled City consultants at the problem. Our CFO was a honorable man, good at his job and a real talent: he was being groomed for the CFO role of the whole BT Group. He cracked one FRiday afternoon - snapped his laptop shut, said he could not take it any more and walked out. At 52 years old I'd never considered retirement, it wasn't really on my radar. I'd taken the shit for 2.5 years then 2 things happened: I think I reached tipping point re the job - I was sat in a meeting with my boss and there were 13 of us - 2 from BT and the other 11 from 4 consultancies. They all needed our time/input/information on top of our day jobs, which were already out of hand. That was a 'got to get out of here' moment. Then a voluntary redundancy scheme dropped. I ran the numbers - not from a 'will it support my aspirational retirement' perspective but can I live OK and what's the worst that could happen. Once I clocked I could live OK regardless - and if I got a part time job than I'd be very comfortable it was press go after a lot of soul searching. |
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Dec 2023
11:15am, 12 Dec 2023
27,317 posts
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TROSaracen
Really although I deliberated at the time the decision felt sounder and sounder as I went. I had to work a further 6 months and was so ready to leave when I went. The leaver payment cleared the mortgage and I started my DB pension when I left. After a really weird couple of months when I was, looking back, rehabilitating after years of stress I found a brilliant job for 2 days/week. Even though the job situation forced my semi retirement it was a very happy accident - I've loved being semi retired. Had the job stayed as it was before the accounting disaster I might still be trundling away A second nuclear bomb dropped on my life when my wife died, but I've got through that. My financial position has got better and I will take full retirement early next year when I am 57. At the start of a new relationship the world is full of exciting adventures ready to be lived. So many plans, so much to do and experience while my health is good, and lust for life and adventure still rages. |
Dec 2023
11:35am, 12 Dec 2023
48,822 posts
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Merry Christmas and Happy NewG(rrr)
Wow, these are fascinating. By the way Ally, no-one's job history is more or less valuable in my opinion (except for London City traders earning millions of £££ - they are really worthless parasites! Only joking if you are a city trade, no offence intended! ) I've known cleaners and bus drivers and delivery folk and those in shops and warehouses who are the backbone of their families and their community. My son works in a garage and supports his family, my mum worked as a secretary, cleaner and in a bakery shop, whatever it takes to make ends meet. No one is worth more or less based on their salary, imho. G
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Dec 2023
11:49am, 12 Dec 2023
7,193 posts
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ThorntonRunner
Well said Happy
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- How Much is Enough to Retire On?
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- Martin Lewis on pensions
- Support and advice for those widowed under the age of 50
- Power of Attorney information
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- Married Couple's Allowance
- Aviva guide to retirement planning
- U3A
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- Make a Power of Attorney
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