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Over 50 and IT / Projects specialist professional. Working at a job that has no hope of upward mobility for me. I'm too old to go back to school to get a degree I'd probably be paying off till I'm dead.

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Over 50 and IT / Projects specialist professional. Working at a job that has no hope of upward mobility for me. I'm too old to go back to school to get a degree I'd probably be paying off till I'm dead.

I started out back when it was more about what you can do rather than a piece of paper. Several CEOs later, it's definitely about the degree first and skills second.

I've experienced how bad the current job market is. So, I've no romantic notions of running off to "follow my dreams".

At this point I just want to do a good job during the week and live for my nights and weekends, till I retire. I also don't want the headache of being anyone's boss anymore.

Here's the catch. We still have regular "Career Development" conversations. What do I say that still makes me look like enthusiastic, team player with active "goals" as opposed to someone waiting for the retirement train in 15 years?

Yes, this is one of those companies where people actually stick around for decades.

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  1. Anonymous

    I was in a similar situation. I went though WGU and got an MBA (Had a Bachelors of Science in CIS before). I was able get though it in under a year. Note that I did so at 10 years before Full Retirement Age. Currently taking some AI courses to stay relevant.

  2. Dilon

    The development of transparent professional feedback platforms heavily boosts global workspace culture optimization, and checking https://bdsmwoody.com/collections/bdsm-massage-tables reveals how attention to detailed configuration management makes any network structure truly unique. In the USA, evaluating employee reviews helps ambitious female managers advance their careers. A stellar professional feed!

  3. Adam Moore
    It's inspiring to see such open dialogue about age and career growth. I've faced similar challenges in my late 50s, but I discovered that leveraging experience for consulting work can be fulfilling and often more flexible. Have you considered that route? Pips
  4. Kim Pfeiffer

    I usually just say I'm very happy and satisfied doing what I currently do, am not looking for a promotion as I feel my skill set is perfect for what I'm doing now, and that I feel this is the best benefit for the team.

  5. Kim Pfeiffer

    Same boat, just waiting for the next 11 years to pass in peace.

  6. Steven Mock

    This is a really honest post, and I think you're asking the right question. In those career conversations, goals don't have to mean climbing — you can frame them as going deeper instead of higher. Something like: 'I want to keep getting better at the work itself, stay sharp on the tools that matter for this team, and be someone others can rely on to get the hard projects done well.' That reads as enthusiastic and a team player, without pretending you want to manage people. It also helps to name one or two specific things you're working on or want to learn that would help the team right now, so it's concrete, not just 'I'm happy where I am.' Honestly, 15 years of steady, good work with that kind of experience is a real asset — a good manager should be able to hear that.

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