8 midlife career change tips

Making a career change is a huge leap of faith, in both your own ability to secure a new role and in the current economy. It’s only natural to feel a little trepidation. The good news is that if you’re reading this, you’ve already come to the realization that your current career isn’t quite right for you and that’s the first step!

  1.  Don’t fret about job security

Don’t feel tied to your job because of the perks like stable income and security. These are only worth it so long as you’re happy. If you’re not, they’re just a reason to keep you stuck somewhere you don’t want to be.

You can be ‘stable’ but miserable and unfulfilled. You can have a future full of uncertainty, but with a job that actually gives you some purpose and motivation in life.

  2.  Security is a myth

No-one’s job is secure, and it never has been. The best thing you can do in uncertain times is to stay sharp and flexible.

  3.  You can’t be fully prepared for the future

When you’re preparing for a major career, preparation is important. But, bear in mind that no amount of research can fully prepare you what the future may hold.

The only way you can learn from a midlife career change is by diving headfirst into it. You’ll learn quick and fast. So don’t spend too much time overthinking it.

  4.  You already have all the tools that you need

Most new careers will require some form of retraining in ‘hard-skills.’ But you might find that beyond these, you already have all you need to start a new career. Career changes need self-belief and determination. If you have these qualities, there’s nothing stopping you from taking that first scary step.

  5.  You’ve already made the decision

If you’re researching a midlife career change, you’ve already recognized that you need to make a drastic change in your life. That often the first, and hardest, step!

Choosing to swap careers will put you in a more positive frame of mind. It’s a freeing and exciting prospect. Focus on what exciting things the future may hold and forget about all the negative things that were holding you back at your old job!

  6.  You can always go back

Don’t trick yourself into thinking that this decision will define the rest of your life. This just builds up pressure and creates a scenario in your head that can be paralyzing.

There’s always the opportunity to return to your old career if things don’t work out. You might not go back to the same job but sometimes even changing organizations can lead to personal development and growth in new, unforeseen ways.

  7.  Changing careers is smart

When you become tired of your career, you become bored and disengaged, and that’s bad news. It becomes a major problem when something goes wrong and you realise you’re completely out of touch with your industry.

Changing careers is a chance to challenge yourself, sharpen your skills and stay relevant in an economy that demands perfection to succeed.

  8.  Making mistakes is crucial

One of the most important parts of a mid-life career change is making mistakes and learning from them.

These missteps will help you develop and grow in a way that wouldn’t have happened had you never took the risk in the first place. You can stick with what you know in your career and coast along, but it’s your mistakes that’ll truly push you forwards in life.

If you’d like to learn more about beginning your mentoring journey, make sure to read our latest article