DH retired last week at the ripe old age of 44. It’s a
medical retirement – he’s been in law enforcement for 20 years, and due to an
injury sustained on the job, he can no longer physically qualify for the
position; his department does not offer a light-duty option. The only other job
he’s had is the 6 years he spent in the Marines right out of high school.
TBH, DH is pretty devastated and feels lost. School was
never his thing, and he’s tried to go back to college a couple times and hated
it. He would love to open a retail store, but feels he lacks experience in that
field to make it a success. His grandparents owned a shop when he was growing
up, and he worked in there on occasion as a kid, but things have changed a lot
since then.
He’s thinking about getting a retail or warehouse job to get
some experience, then perhaps opening up a shop in a couple years when our kids
are out of the house. I’m trying to help him get a resume together (he’s never
had one), but it just seems off, since his experience is so different from the position
he’s seeking now, and it’s a challenge to describe why he’s looking for a new
job without getting really personal about his disability. We live in a college
town, and DH feels most employers here would rather have a college kid who’s at
least worked fast food, rather than an old(er) guy who is new to that type of
work. I go back and forth between feeling empathetic for DH and his
life-changing situation, and getting frustrated he’s taking a woe-is-me approach
when I feel it’s a golden opportunity to pursue something he’s passionate
about, even if it doesn’t make a lot of money (since he has his retirement to
supplement whatever he earns at the new job).
I guess I’m just venting, although any resume or job search
advice is welcome.