Changing careers can be daunting at any time but especially after 40. You wonder if you are too old to start something new, if you have the time, resources or stamina to learn something new. Perhaps you created a LinkedIn profile many years ago but have no idea how to use it or navigate the whole online job search thing. Maybe you are one of those people who have considered starting your own business, but the prospect of leaving a stable income makes you break out in hives. It may just be that you’ve been out of the workforce for a while – having children, traveling,…whatever the case may be and now that you have decided to return to work you realize that your previous career no longer serves you, you want to do something else. Here are some things you might want to consider before you begin the transition process.
Trust your instincts
You are right where you are meant to be. You do not need anyone else’s permission to change careers. It doesn’t matter how cushy your current job is and how crazy everyone else thinks you are being. There might be people in your life with whom you want to discuss your decision with, but ultimately the choice is yours to make. It’s very common for people stay in jobs far longer than they want to because everyone else around them is calling them crazy for wanting to leave that extremely high paying job. If this job was serving your needs and values, you would be content, but it isn’t so trust your instincts.
Explore and Reflect
If you know what you your next move is going to be, you want to take the time to explore the options available to you and strategize on your next step. If you lack clarity on what your next move will be,here are a few things to reflect upon;
What you are good at and enjoy doing
What you are good at but do not enjoy doing
What you are not good at but enjoy doing
What you are not good at and do not enjoy doing
What others tell you that you are good at
What type of lifestyle you want to lead
The type of income you want to have
Where you want to be 1 year, 3, 5 years from now
Every job has aspects of it that are not desirable so this is not about removing all the undesirable parts of a job. It is about taking the time to understand what has worked for you so far in your career and how you can leverage that in your next move. It also helps you clarify what matters most to you, it might be that you decide that having a flexible schedule is more important to you than making more money. This is great, because it allows you to begin to identify the none negotiables and areas of flexibility for your next move.
Decide who you need to be in order to make the change
The process of change is not an easy one. This is why so many of us quickly slip back into previous patterns of behaviour. I work with many clients who know they want to leave their current jobs but are too busy to make it happen. Very quickly months turn into years and into decades and a change is yet to occur. The reality is that if you want to change anything, changing your image of yourself is one of the most powerful ways to enact change. If you are someone who leaves work on time two days a week so that you can spend an hour applying for jobs or to attend industry events to network, this improves your chances of moving your career and life in the direction that you seek to.
Figure out what you need to stop, start and continue doing
My mentor often speaks of letting go of something and replacing it with a new habit that moves you in the direction you want. An example would be replacing scrolling through social media on the commute to work and instead listening to an audiobook or podcast. Another example would be leaving work on time to conduct research on your new career and creating a plan of action. In a world of competing demands from children, partners, work, family and friends, you have to make the tough choice to give up something, albeit temporarily in order to make room in your life for this career change to occur.
One key point to remember is that you are not starting from nothing. Your experience even in an unrelated field all counts towards something. Understand that sometimes the process will take time and requires consistent effort but this will all be worthwhile once you are in a role that you want to be in. Oh, and one last thing, you are not too old, or past it. If anything, the best is yet to come.
I am creating a program for professionals looking to supercharge their career change process in 2019. This program will help you gain clarity, define a specific strategy to changing your career. If you are interested in finding out more about our Career Changers program, please join our mailing list at adaoffonry.com or email info@adaoffonry.com.