How To Make A Midlife Career Change

Are you tempted by a midlife career change? A change of career in midlife can be scary, but it can also be exciting if it’s what you really want. It’s essential to plan how to make a midlife career change and these strategies can help you to maximize your chances of being successful.

Image – free for commercial use

Don’t Be Rash

Forget the mindset that you need to make a decision quickly before you get any older. Take the time to discover what you want and how to get there. You might find that you still enjoy what you do, but need some changes like a more flexible schedule. Or you might decide that it’s time to register with Cornerstone Medical and change direction completely. 

Think about why you are making this change. Are you unhappy in your career, or are you just unhappy with the environment, commute, or something else? Get some clarity before making a big change. You will be asked at some point to explain your reasons. You will be to answer in a more positive and engaging answer if you’ve reached a comfortable place with your decision first. 

Learn as much as you can about a new career by researching qualifications, salary, and the market. Talk to people in the industry to get a realistic idea of what the work is like, how career paths go, and what skills make candidates appealing. 

Promote Your Strengths

Since you’re changing careers in midlife, you probably have a variety of transferable skills that a new employer will find valuable. Take pride in your background, and show a willingness to learn what you don’t know. 

Don’t worry about the fact you’ve been in a different industry, and focus on how your years of experience working have prepared you to understand an employer’s needs when the need arises. Maturity also gives you confidence and experience. This can work for you in an interview. 

Another bonus is that you likely built up a good network. Use these connections to your advantage when you’re seeking employment opportunities in your new area of interest. 

Get Up To Speed

If you haven’t looked for a job in a while, you should know the process has changed a great deal in recent years. 

If it has been a while since you have been a job seeker, as you start your new job search, it’s important to get up to speed on the latest trends. 

A lot of companies now use an application tracking system to scan an application before a person has even looked at your resume or cover letter. This means you need to learn how to optimize your resume for each application. Networking is still valuable, but should now be done online as well. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, are you have one that is out of date, make sure you get it up-to-date and learn some strategies to network online. 

You might also want to brush up on:

• Keywords in your application
• Interviewing 
• Using social media to find jobs