Shin-Job Change Now: My First Job Change at 56, My Second at 58 - A Story of Challenging Myself and Achieving My Dream

In my pinned post, I was able to receive 579 likes (as of February 12, 2024) for
the story of my first-ever job change at age 56.

And, this was not the end.

The work I did after changing jobs, "Global Talent Development (Training)," was rewarding, but it had drifted slightly away from the aspirations I held when I left my previous company.
Since my final role at the company I left was as the head of the internal training center, I joined because I felt attracted to the opportunity to utilize my know-how in training while adding a new essence of "global."

However, two years ago, the goal I set at the same time as my job change was:

A career as a Career Consultant (Counselor)

But, because I had neither experience nor qualifications when I resigned two years ago, I was rejected in every document screening for the HR industry I applied to (;';)

Oh, 141 likes even though it's not a pinned post! (As of February 12, 2024)

The result of that was joining my current training vendor. But, regardless of the size of the company, the content handled, or the clients,

what I am doing is no different from my previous job 😌
Did I change jobs just to do the same thing...?

From the first half of last year, this self-questioning began.

And after that, trying to return to my starting point once again, I was quietly? job hunting. But, job hunting at 58 is just as tough as it was at 56 💦
The two characters for "independence" also floated in and out of my mind...
And then last week, on February 6th, following an interview the day before,

I received a job offer from a certain employment support agency! ＼(^^)／

(Work starts April 1st)

I had applied to about 10 companies since last year, but I only made it to an interview with one; I struggled as I was rejected in document screenings for all the others, but somehow the preparations I made have borne fruit.

To reach this day, I worked to maintain and improve my basic skills through career consultant training and broadened my knowledge by studying for the FP Level 3 and Level 2 exams.
There were times along the way when I felt like giving up, wondering "what am I doing this for?", but each time I returned to the starting point I aspired to when I changed jobs and kept my motivation up.

It is by no means better than my current company in terms of income, but

It's not about the money! (Cool, haha)

That said, I won't start counseling duties until April, so the work hasn't actually begun yet. I will keep the details under wraps for now, but judging from the profile of the clients I will be consulting, it is inevitable that it will be a difficult consulting task for me, as I have no practical counseling experience (even though it is the type of work I aimed for).

Yes, I have merely stood at the starting line once again.

However, for now, I would like you to celebrate this 58-year-old's challenge of achieving the dream of engaging in counseling work.

I'll have Anago-san celebrate with me again, haha.

Thank you for reading my second job change story to the end.
I want to spend the next month and a half preparing my heart, mind, and body to welcome my work in this new environment.
I will post more details as they come.
Life is fun while wandering, right? Haha.