Changing Careers in your 40s
Changing your career in your 40’s can seem very intimidating because you have probably been in the same career field for a long time. And the prospect of having an entirely new career, new surroundings and new tasks can seem very scary. But sometimes a career change is necessary and it can give you an entirely new perspective on life and it can reveal some exciting new opportunities. But changing your career in your 40s can be done easily and without stress.
The most important thing to remember is not to get stressed, you are changing your career for your own benefit and although this may not happen, you have the determination and the intelligence to make it happen.
If you know that you want a change of career but you are not sure what you would like to do then you need to decide. And it is incredibly important that you are honest with yourself and you are truthful about your strengths and weaknesses. Write a list of things that you are good at and things that you need to work on, ask friends and family members to assist you and encourage them to be totally honest with you. Once you have your lists then think about the career that would put your skills and passions to good use.
You need to like the job that you do because you are going to spend a lot of time doing it. Think about jobs that you would like to do rather than jobs that you know you can do but would not enjoy.
Take small steps everyday towards making your career change, whether this is phoning a company for information or arranging a job interview. Take action everyday and you will have a new career very soon.
Research every aspect about your chosen career, there may be a lot of information that you do not know and this could be negative as well as positive. Look up the hours you would have to work, the risks and the benefits.
Starting a new career means starting at the bottom and this is something that a lot of people forget no matter what age they might be. You have to be prepared to work your way up to the top and this could be a slow process.
Try to talk to someone in your chosen career field; they will be able to offer a unique and detailed perspective, and tell you the best place to start looking for work. You may need to reassure them that you are not competition and you’re not after their job!
If you have no experience in the field then you may need to apply to a lot of different companies before you even get an interview, but do not lose hope, employers want people they can train up and make the most of so there will be something if you look hard enough.
Changing your career could potentially be the best decision that you ever make so if it is something that you think you want to do then make sure you do plenty of research. If, after the research you still want to go ahead then go for it.
