Is it too late to change careers after 40? What about a career change after 50 or even 60 years old? You may think that changing careers late in life would come with considerable sacrifices, like making less money, spending years in school or starting from the “bottom” of the ladder. The truth is that today there are more options than ever for people to change careers at any age without having it suck up too much of your precious time or hard-earned cash.
But it’s also perfectly normal to have doubts and fears about the idea of finding a new career later in life. If this is you, read on for some tips and career change ideas for pursuing the life of your dreams, no matter how old you are.
You’re Only as Old as You Feel
If you’re constantly saying to yourself, “Am I too old to make a career change?” it may mean that you are questioning your worth, or automatically associating your age with something negative.
Changing your thought framework into understanding exactly how you can leverage your core strengths and interests (instead of focusing on what you can’t do), will put you on the path to real change.
And if you’re unsure of what direction to take, consider hiring a reputable life coach to help figure things out.
Upgrade Your Skills
More people than ever are learning new things and changing jobs today, at all phases of life. If you are interested in learning something new, why not find a Facebook group of like-minded individuals or take an online course just to find out more about what is needed to go into that career.
You’ll also want to get clear on the experience you already have and figure out how to leverage specific skills and knowledge before you take a career step.
- Love crafts? Consider entering a craft fair, then network with other crafters while you’re there, asking them how they incorporate their hobby into their lives (some of them will no doubt have excellent business-building stories).
- Love the outdoors and travel? Consider volunteering abroad, or do an informal informational interview via email with someone who has your dream job.
- Thinking of starting a business from home? Consider hiring a business coach to help you visualize a realistic path to success.
Understand Your “Why”
If you want to focus more on your health, your family or just doing things you enjoy – these are great reasons to re-evaluate what you are doing. That being said, you may not even have to leave your job at all. It may be worth exploring what other options are available where you are now – part-time? Different positions? Something with less of a workload? Working from home one day a week?
Get clear on why you want to make the change first, then take steps from there to find more space to do something different.
Be Realistic
Sometimes people are able to quit their jobs and change their lives in the course of a week – but in truth, this can cause more stress than good. Take your time exploring and talking to people to figure out what the best path is, then take baby steps so that you don’t cause yourself (or your loved ones) unnecessary stress.
It may also take longer for you to learn new skills than you used to, but there are so many options for support and training online these days, you can take as much time as you need.
At WSI, we've helped many change their careers. If you’re looking for a life-altering career change, perhaps you will want to check out what a digital marketing franchise entail. It’s a dynamic, exciting industry with a variety of opportunities. But we won't just say this, we will let you take a virtual tour and decide for yourself.
