10 Tips to Ease Your Fears About a Mid-Career Change

John Krautzel
Posted by in Career Advice


Until fairly recently, most people started their working lives in a career and stayed in the same line of work until retirement. Nowadays, however, many individuals find themselves at a career crossroads half way through life, sometimes out of the blue. This type of unexpected transition can feel quite confusing and disheartening at first, but often represents a change for the better. If you keep the following points in mind, you may find the career switch less stressful and more inspiring than you expect.

Tip 1: Ask Yourself the Most Important Question

Arguably the most exciting part of changing careers midway through life is the chance to ask yourself this burning question one more time: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Many of us only get to ask that question once — you, however, get to ask it a second time.

If you spent any time at all wondering why you'd chosen a particular career path before, now's the time to reselect your destiny. If you ask yourself where you want to go next, you can create an action plan and move forward accordingly.

Tip 2: Understand Your Priorities

Everybody has different priorities in life. Perhaps you have a second mortgage you want to pay off; maybe your finances are looser and you want to explore the world. The job you choose should accommodate your particular needs, whether they are financial or material. By making a list of fundamental job characteristics in order of priority, you can easily decide which positions to apply for and which to avoid.

Tip 3: Make Use of the Internet

The Internet can be a great source of information for midlife job seekers. You can discover new career paths, examine training courses in detail and even apply to jobs. You can also use the Internet to connect with other job seekers like you via forums dedicated to midlife career change. Camaraderie may offer hope and inspiration at this important juncture.

Tip 4: Look at the Jobs Market

Some jobs are popular and highly desirable: as a consequence, a large number of applicants vie for a select number of positions. If you stay focused only on one or two occupations, you might find yourself continually disappointed.

Thankfully, you can beat the popular-job blues with a little strategy. Instead of focusing only on your dream vocation, try to look at the jobs market holistically. The health care sector, for example, is projected to expand almost exponentially over the next decade or so. Have you ever wanted to be a nurse? If so, now might be the time to start training.

Tip 5: Embrace Learning

Great news for inquisitive minds: midlife career changes open the door to great learning opportunities. Perhaps you feel a hands-on vocation is right for you. Maybe you find technology interesting and want to learn about code. Either way, you'll find many resources both online and offline to help you in your goal. Some courses, like plumbing, are very hands-on. Other subjects, like coding, can be taught online, so they're easy to learn about at home.

Tip 6: Do the Two-Step

If you can, consider changing careers in two steps. If you want to travel down a new vocational path, you might choose to learn about your new job and perhaps even accept an additional part-time position before switching careers entirely. Gaining experience in the new field before applying for the job you ultimately want can give you an advantage with hiring managers.

If you do the "career two-step," you can give your new career a test run before committing to it. You may also find it easier to find a good employer. If you're lucky, your part-time gig might turn into a full-time job, allowing you to switch smoothly from one workplace to the next.

Tip 7: Consult a Professional

If you plan to make a major career change, you might feel better in the company of professionals. A career counselor or life coach can help you identify the skills you already have, set learning goals and provide support throughout. Financial planners can help you determine future salary requirements and can give you advice about retirement plans and insurance options. In short, professionals can help you feel more stable as you make your career switch.

Tip 8: Be Brave

When it's time to hand in your notice, stand tall and keep your future goals in mind. This is a step up, not a step down. Remember the enthusiasm with which you've prepared for this life change and let it buoy you through the transition. You never know — your excitement might inspire someone else to take the leap.

Tip 9: Write Your Memoir

If you're still unsure of your overall purpose and don't quite know where to look for a job, try writing your memoir. Start from the beginning and try to remember what you wanted to be as a child and what inspired you as a young adult. Don't chastise yourself for having "unrealistic" dreams: instead, use your memories of youthful exuberance as a springboard for career-centric exploration.

Tip 10: Stay Positive

You may find yourself feeling frustrated or bored as you look for the right job. The longer you have to wait, the more important it is to nurture your sense of enthusiasm. Some people affirm themselves in the mirror every morning, while others write lists to keep themselves busy. Whatever you choose, pay continuous attention to your mindset throughout the exercise. If you feel yourself starting to falter, give yourself the nourishment you need to stay strong, forward-thinking and positive.

Maybe you've been forced into a career change because of a layoff; perhaps you've made the choice to change vocations after many years in a rut. Either way, this transition has the potential to transform your life for the better. You get to carve out a brand new career, possibly from scratch — and that clean white canvas might be just what you need to thrive.

Photo Courtesy of xiaojx at Flickr.com

 

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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the comments. @Abbey it isn't silly to ask what you want to be when you grow up. Many of us drifted or fell into our current careers without forethought of why we did it. The question is why would you stay in a career that has taken you as far as you can go or has caused burnout? There are so many other careers that you could check out for which your skills and knowledge would be a definite benefit for the right company. @Erin only you can judge that. You know what's on your plate and know if going to school or taking online classes will fit into your day. Best way to keep things in check is to create a daily schedule and keep it. For example, starting a new fitness regimen I know that I need to carve out 60 minutes three days a week for cardio and 45 minutes two days a week for strength training. So I look at my schedule and I actually schedule that time in. Sure things can come up to try to waylay me from my goals but I try my best to keep that schedule because I know that, in the end, the benefit derived will be worth it. Same with changing careers. Things will come up but you have to learn to say no to some things and to modify your schedule for others.

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd

    After spending many years in healthcare, I came to realize that I wasn't sure it was the career I wanted for the rest of my working days. I actually started asking myself, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" I know it sounds silly to many people when a grown adult with an established career says this, but there is so much truth behind it. Choosing a career when you're a young adult isn't always the best idea. I knew that I wanted to be a nurse, but after many years in the profession, I have come to realize it isn't everything I wanted it to be. Now that I have a better understanding of the world, I realize there are other careers that would suit me better.

  • Erin Jean
    Erin Jean

    Does anyone have any tips for managing time while trying to make the switch? Trying to compartmentalize your current job, learn or work at the next one, and having time to breathe would be my biggest concern.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the comments. We change careers for many reasons. Only you know whether you need a career change or just a change of scenery. For instance if you love being an accountant but your workplace environment is toxic, should you be looking for a career change? Probably not - just a change of scenery would do. Changing careers can be very expensive and time-consuming, too. And remember, if you are changing to a completely new career - one where you no experience, you are going to have to start at the bottom and work your way up. So keep that in mind while you are mulling over your decision.

  • Sylvia L.
    Sylvia L.

    I love the encouragement of learning. That said, embarking on a new career isn't about learning something new, per se. You don't become a tech engineer and then learn about coding. You learn about coding and then become a tech engineer. I think the idea that our employers have an obligation to teach us is a faulty idea that many millennials have; this notion places an undo expectation on employers and makes employees look irresponsible.

  • Laura Winzeler
    Laura Winzeler

    I agree 100 percent that a job should accommodate an individual’s specific and unique needs, temperament and priorities. While John mentions “financial or material,” I’d add: “creative, emotional and spiritual fulfillment.” For me personally, my time, freedom and effort expended have always been more important than what I earned or what I accumulated. For many people, vital life energy is more valuable than the perceived security and stability of homeownership or a 401k.

  • Jacob T.
    Jacob T.

    I can understand finding yourself dissatisfied in your current career and wanting change, but if you aren't sure of what you want, is that really the time to dive full-on into a career change? If it is a negative impetus change (I don't like...) would it not be more productive to evaluate what lead to that driver instead of trying to find an entirely new career?

  • CATHERINE S.
    CATHERINE S.

    I think some people are worried that, when they change their career paths, they will be viewed as failures or unable to advance in their previous field. I think changing career paths shows incredible courage, that people are willing to make drastic changes in their life to follow their passions or find a more lucrative job with more opportunities to move up. This article demonstrates that for people who are wanting to make this change, mental health is very important.

  • Erin H.
    Erin H.

    I especially like the suggestion of doing the career "two-step". I observed this in my younger years when my older sister decided to transition from one career to another. She worked her regular day job and took a part time job in her new field. As soon as she was trained and there was room for advancement, she moved into a new role and left the past behind.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the comments. It is hard to change careers and hard for others to understand the change. But remember, it's not about them. It's not about appeasing them or being in a career that no longer interests you. @Shaday your friend just needs to say no and to explain, nicely, that she is no longer working in that field and they will have to find someone else to help them. @Mike the answer to your financial question is quite personal. It depends upon your finances and the cost of what you want to do. @Hema hit on a good point. Try out the new career, if you can, by doing part time or contract work while still keeping your job. If you can't do this, see if you can connect with someone in your new field and ask if you can shadow them for a few days. Sometimes a career looks exciting and glamorous from the outside looking in but maybe not as exciting once you are in. For example, I used to work as a business analyst for a company that created software for financial institutions. It sounded so great - be able to travel and see places plus have a great job with a matching salary. They snagged me hook, line and sinker. Well, it didn't take long for the excitement and glamour to fade away and the drudgery of working 10-12 hr days take its toll. People think that it's so exciting to be able to travel and see places but you don't get to see much when all you are doing is working at the client site. So the bottom line here is that you must do your due diligence before jumping ship. Remember, the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.

  • Shaday Stewart
    Shaday Stewart

    Great article. It offers good solutions for a lot of the pain points you face during a career change. However, I think another source of reluctance comes from your interaction with other people. Do you have any advice on how to help others deal with your career change? It's really easy to let other people keeping pulling you backward if you don't set boundaries.

    When a friend of mine was changing careers, her relatives, peers and old clients constantly asked for consultation or work in her past field. She had a 15-year career under her belt, so others viewed her as an industry expert and didn't understand how important it was for her to start a new career that she truly enjoyed.

  • Mike Van de Water
    Mike Van de Water

    Man this article hit every single one of the major points I was thinking about after reading the headline. Very nicely done! I do have a question, though. Is there any sort of financial guidelines you would give on when it's safe to make a risky career change? Sometimes finding a new job is tough, especially in a new field, and it's important to have enough savings to last until you get a new gig. Thanks!

  • Hema Zahid
    Hema Zahid

    The tip about changing careers in two steps is a great one. I think taking a part-time job in a separate field is an easy way to see if I really want to pursue a new career. A part-time job also gives me the freedom to go back to my old career if the new one does not work out.

  • Emma Rochekins
    Emma Rochekins

    I think, perhaps, the better question might be, "What do I want to be now that I've grown up?" Or maybe even, "What do I want to do?" Though it's true that sometimes our childhood aspirations are worth re-kindling, it's also true that who we are now is far from who we were then. It's only natural that our interests change. For many, it might be better to look forward to who they'd like to be tomorrow rather than who they wanted to be yesterday.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Shannon thanks for your comment. Shadowing is a great idea. You might be able to find someone through your connections here at Beyond or on other sites. Contact the person and tell them what you are thinking and why you want to change your career. Some careers look very glamorous on the outside but not so much on the inside. Shadowing can show you the good, the bad and the ugly.

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott

    I completely agree with the idea of learning as much as possible about the new career and networking with professionals. Would you recommend taking on an internship or shadowing someone in the career field? I've always thought this might be a helpful way to see if the change is the right step.

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