Making a Career Change in Later Life

 

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”

-Winston Churchill

Countless people throughout the world wake up each morning daunted by the prospect of another long day at a job they hate.  Whether it is in a cramped cubicle, a morally questionable corporation, or a thankless underpaid position; people all-too-often endure terrible jobs for the simple reason that they feel trapped.  The prospect of unemployment is terrifying, the job market has not been strong in years, and the bills never stop piling up.  Yet, despite the perceived dangers of doing so, changing jobs later in life is not as reckless as it seems.  After all, we spend the majority of our waking lives at work.  So why allow your life to be defined by a job you detest?  If you are unhappy in your current position, here’s how to change:

Adjust Your Spending Habits

When people decide to shift careers late in life, it usually means they are dissatisfied with the trajectory their lives are taking.  Money makes us do things we dislike.  Paychecks motivate us to set aside our passions.  So escaping a bad job often demands a major readjustment in the way we spend.  The simple fact is that fewer expenses create more freedom.  The less you need, the more you ultimately have.  So as you prepare to shift from a job you loathe to one you love, reevaluate your spending habits and expand your professional options by reducing your monetary needs.

Improve Your Skills

Before you quit your day job and dive back out into the job market, improve your professional skills.  Whether this means educating yourself in popular computer software, attending trade workshops, becoming bilingual, or improving your typing speed; you can vastly increase your career options by developing the skills you will need to excel in your new field.  It is never too late to learn.  With the right motivation, you can make yourself tremendously more valuable by setting aside your free time for self-improvement.

Network

Social currency is undoubtedly one of the biggest advantages of age.  The longer you work, the more time you have to forge relationships with people who can open doors of professional opportunity.  By contentiously expanding your network and reaching out to old contacts and associates, you can unlock countless career-change possibilities.  So branch out, network, knock on doors, and leverage your social skills to find the job you’ve always wanted.

Educate Yourself

Pursuing an advanced degree or professional certification is a great way to break away from a stale career.  There are countless options for developing your resume and expanding your knowledge without attending full-time school.  Night and weekend courses and online classes are two inexpensive options for expanding your professional horizons, developing valuable new skills, and giving yourself the confidence you need to take on a new career.

Release Fear

Changing careers late in life can be a frightening prospect.  But fear is no excuse to continue working at a job that makes you unhappy.  When you are resourceful and determined, you can make a life for yourself doing what you love.  So stop letting fear define your life.  Take the calculated risk of changing careers; and find work that inspires you, brings you a sense of fulfillment, and leaves you feeling proud at the end of each day.

Use Job Hunting Tools

Use a variety of resources to find opportunities within your chosen industry. Many companies use recruiting agencies or advertise online during their hiring process. Fully research the market to see just exactly what job positions there are and applying for jobs which suit your specifications. Make sure you tailor your C.V. and application to each position you apply for.

Life is short, and your time is far too valuable to waste toiling toward a goal that is not your own.  If you can’t take pride in what you do, your psychology, physical health, and overall well-being will inevitably suffer.  So stop making excuses, and start taking charge of your life.  Change the way you live.  The opportunity for a better life is within reach.  All you have to do is reach out and grasp it.