Career Change in Your 40's and 50's

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Career conversation is not just for the young. In fact, many people in their 40’s and 50’s are finding themselves face with the choice of sticking with a career that they are not happy with or moving on to a brand new career. And that often means training and school.

If you are in your 40’s or 50’s and thinking about making a career change there are a few things that you should keep in mind. One of these things that you need to think about is the fact that you are going to be in direct competition with people half your age.

To be competitive, you must have a career plan. You need to set out employment goals and lay out a plan to help you achieve them. Remember though, if you do this and then put your plan in a desk drawer it will not be very helpful.

Here are a few things that you should think about when laying out a new career plan:

• Make sure that you have truly taken into consideration how much work a career change will entail. If you are ready to work on your new career with your complete effort then you should take the plunge!
• You need to write out your career goals. Have daily goals and track your progress.
• As you learn new things, come across new information, and learn more about the career you are changing to, adapt your plan accordingly.
• Have goals and benchmarks for daily, weekly, and monthly targets.
• Consider your abilities, skills, and strengths and weakness. Expand on these areas.
• Have a positive attitude. It means everything when you are changing careers at any age but especially when you are doing this in your 40’s or 50’s. Find motivation where ever you can. Be patient.

Follow these tips and you will be well on your way to a satisfying new career!