Left school at 16 to be a "Yoof" with the Post Office Engineering Department.
Learned how to look after various kinds of telephone exchange, had the best job in the world as a special faults investigator for about 8 years, then had the worst job in the world for about 4 years locked up in an office, and had "them" close said office as a 50th birthday present.
Went back to school as an "active job seeker" to get a certificate to say that I could walk upright and read instructions, then alternated between being a civil servant and a delivery driver (bread, magic smell first thing in the morning) before, at about 56, working out that I was spending a third of my breathing time for a nett gain of about £35 a week. I decided to "spend time with my family". The plan was to survive comfortably until I got my wrinkly pension, then we could enjoy things. As it turned out, we never got to enjoy the last bit - my wife had a fatal heart attack before I managed wrinklydom, just before our ruby wedding, but we did have a good 6 years together.
Martin, the very best of luck with your job hunt. I hope you find "the job" that you deserve, and may you and yours live long and prosper.