Mid Life Career Change

Making a mid life career change is a big step, yet one that is becoming increasingly common, as more people realize they will need extra income to support them after the traditional retirement age. But it’s not just about money – many people want to experience new challenges and learn new skills or get the chance to activate a dream which was buried long ago.

Often, once the children have grown up, parents have a chance to do something which is just for themselves. This could either be changing career, once the need to provide for the family is over or starting work again after staying at home with the kids.

The way in which you start to look for ideas for career change depends on where you are in your career at the moment and where you want to go – if you know where that is.

If you are clear which new career is the right choice for you, you can go online and search for the best way to reach your goal. You can find out, from government websites in your area, which qualifications are needed for just about any career, along with a detailed job descriptin. Simply search for “job profiles” and add the name of your country of residence to the search.

When you are making a career change, it's important to target your resume or CV to fit the career you are moving into. One way that you can do this is by writing an objective which shows your aspirations but also highlights relevant transferable skills.

The best format for a career change resume is one which is skill based. You will need to research which skills are needed in your new career and create a resume which not only highlights the fact that you have these skills, but also gives examples of when you have used them.

It is a good idea to check out local colleges to see which course are on offer, or online courses if that is your preference. Be sure to read as much as you can before you visit the college or website and have a list of questions ready. So think carefully about what you want to know in advance.

If you do need to retrain, you may be worried about going back to school, even if it’s only for a few hours a week. Colleges have changed a lot in recent years and are used to having mature students. They also are much more experienced in helping students with study skills. If you had difficulties learning at school and later realized that you had dyslexia or a similar problem which just wasn’t recognized when you were at school, you’ll find that colleges and universities are equipped to help you.

Another good idea, when you know what you want to do, is to find other people who are alreadyi n the job, preferably more than one person. You can ask questions and get aninside view of the job. If you can find more than one person, you’ll get a broader picture. A person who hates the job will have a very different perspective from someone who loves it . And someone at entry level will give a different view from someone at the top of the career ladder.

When you don’t know what you want to do, you may consider some sessions with a careers advisor, which you can do in person or online via Skype and email or by phone. Prices will vary and so you should check exactly what is included.

Free career advice is generally only offered to specific groups and you will have to check out the rules in your area. Usually, it will be offered to people who are unemployed or in recipt of some sort of benefit. Colleges and universities provide free advice to students, but graduates usually have to pay and universities, at least in the UK, tend to charge similar rates to private companies or individuals.But career change advice doesn't necessarily have to cost money.

If you can’t afford careers guidance, there are many resources available online. But you need to start with yourself.

Make a list of everything you have ever considered as a potential career and then list why.

Next, look at all the jobs you have done, and write down the aspects you have enjoyed and those you have hated or found boring. Think about anything which was missing, for example were you promised there would be foreign travel, computer or professional training, the chance to attend workshops or conferences, but the promised activities didn’t materialize? What would have made the job better?

Are there any skills which you feel you aren’t using to your full potential? Are there any you really want to learn? What are your strengths at work? Is there anything you have been praised for or done extremely well? Do people come to you with specific questions or for help with certain tasks?

What are you naturally good at? Have a brainstorming session with a friend – often other people can see your strengths and talents more clearly than you can.

Do you have any dreams that you’ve had to set aside because they didn’t seem practical or you were advised against following them, perhaps by well meaning parents or teachers who told you to get a real job?

Have you every considered a portfolio career? That simply means having more than one source of income and can combine self-employment with employment. It allows you to have much more flexibility and has the advantage of producing several income streams, meaning you aren’t dependent on an employer for your entire livelihood.

One of the advantages of making a career change in midlife is that you have plenty of transferable skills. These are skills which you have gained in any area of your life and which are useful in the workplace.

So they might be skills you have picked up as part of a hobby or sport and because you have years of experience in these areas, your skills are pretty well developed. So you might have the ability to speak another language or create graphics. Or perhaps you have years of experience fundraising or organizing events for a charity. Or you might have played in a team sport or coached a team, or tutored kids to get through exams.

If you are a parent, you will also have skills in many areas, such as organizing, negotiating, multi-tasking and communication.