As individuals approach their forties, fifties, and beyond, it becomes customary to evaluate their current circumstances and determine if a transition is necessary. The repercussions of the pandemic contributed to our shared introspection, prompting numerous individuals to reassess various facets of their existence, particularly their employment. In any case, employment occupies the majority of people’s waking hours, and the trauma of the past few years has sharpened our focus on how we spend our time.
Make a proper midlife career change
When approaching or at midlife and contemplating a significant career shift, the idea of beginning anew professionally can be quite intimidating. Yet, this transition may also initiate a period of greater personal satisfaction. Prominent workplace and career advisers offer guidance on the most effective course of action to ensure one’s success.
Sincerely assess your present profession.
Whether you truly require a complete career transition or are merely dissatisfied with your current work environment is the initial critical inquiry that should be directed inward. According to Francine Parham, a workplace and female leadership expert and author of Please Sit Over There: How to Manage Power, Overcome Exclusion, and Succeed as a Black Woman at Work, if you have lost interest or engagement in your current position, it’s time to change careers.
“Consider whether or not the action you are undertaking is significant to you,” offers Parham to DailyOM. “At times, you may simply require a break from the arduous nature of the task at hand, despite the fact that you continue to derive pleasure from it.” Nonetheless, if you find yourself depleted and unenergized, irrespective of the level of intensity, it might be prudent to consider alternative career paths.
If you conclude that your current position rather than your career path is the problem, you can begin your job search at a different company that offers additional benefits or is more in line with your values and objectives, as opposed to changing careers entirely. On the other hand, fatigue can negatively impact job dissatisfaction. This is an all-too-common sentiment; thus, the term “quietquitting” has likely come to your attention recently. Establish appropriate boundaries for your employment, such as leaving work on time and refraining from checking work email at all hours.
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Confide in Your Intelligence and Your Abilities
Should you resolve to undertake a significant career change, bear in mind that the progress you have achieved thus far is profoundly significant. An advantage of transitioning professions in midlife is that one possesses an extensive reservoir of knowledge and experience. It’s easy to succumb to impostor syndrome when starting a new endeavor, so it’s prudent to remember all the abilities you’ve developed throughout your life.
“These skills—leadership, communication, collaboration, trust-building, creative thinking, and problem-solving—are highly transferable to any industry or field,” says Dr. Shirley Davis, author of Living Beyond “What If?”: Release the Limits and Realize Your Dreams, an authority on the global workforce. The DailyOM interviewed Davis for this article. “In addition, you contribute wisdom and experience that you might not have possessed when you first began.” You tend to take work considerably more seriously in midlife.
Utilize these abilities as a foundation to determine your next steps, advises Parham. Do so by investigating your own strengths and soliciting the opinions of others regarding your strong points. This may serve as an initial step on the appropriate trajectory.
Consider your financial and family responsibilities.
Prior to embarking on a midlife career transition, consult with your partner or any other individuals who rely on you, particularly if your new occupation requires frequent travel, loan repayment, or re-enrollment in school. “Frustrations may accompany a career change; therefore, your family must be supportive and empathetic to provide you with the necessary support,” advises Davis.
Discuss with them the possibility that the short-term difficulties you may encounter will yield substantial returns in the long run. Additionally, you may wish to consult with a financial advisor regarding the financial ramifications of a midlife career change. Journalist Margaret Price, co-author of Single Women and Money: How to Live Well on Your Income, and financial planner Jill Gianola assert that changing professions often results in reduced compensation and benefits, including reduced retirement contributions and more limited health coverage.
“Reexamine your budget prior to making this investment in order to identify areas where expenses can be reduced or postponed, and consider the repercussions on your family’s way of life,” the pair advised DailyOM. “Signify a strategy to bridge the financial divide between the earnings generated by your new profession and your aspirations for the future.”
Develop an acceptance of discomfort.
You may experience some growing pangs during this transition. Perhaps you will be required to remit your dues in addition to gaining new skills.
“You’ll have to be willing to undertake tasks that initially may not sit well with you,” advises Davis. “The duties in an entirely new profession will be foreign to you, so you will need to exercise patience and confidence. Additionally, you may experience confidence issues due to the fact that everything is foreign to you.
Changing professions, according to Parham, is fraught with considerable uncertainty. This will necessitate enduring the distress that comes with never knowing what will occur next.
“Of course, be receptive to granting your change time, but be flexible enough to pivot when necessary,” she recommends. Sometimes, your initial perception of an appealing job or its duties may not be entirely accurate. Parham recommends having a backup plan in the event that your new course of action fails to produce the desired results.
Commence the transition.
Even if a complete career change is not currently possible but is possible with sufficient forethought, it is still possible to initiate preparations for such a transition. According to Parham, “practicality is an entirely different matter from passion.” “Take a step back and consider what you must do in order to execute your move successfully.”
She advises beginning by initiating contact with individuals in your network (via your personal channels or LinkedIn) to learn more about diverse areas of interest that pertain to your prospective career.
“Ask others what they actually do in their professional lives—what the positive and negative aspects of the job are,” advises Parham. “Also inquire about the skill sets required for success in the potential position or job.”
Furthermore, to enhance your skill set, consider enrolling in an online course, conducting research on potential employers in your desired industry, and revising your resume and LinkedIn profile.
Attend to Your Intuned Sense
Amidlife career changes require having faith in oneself and the universe that everything will transpire in a harmonious fashion, from a spiritual standpoint. Amy Babish, a former psychotherapist, coach, and somatic expert, explains, “With midlife career changes, the thinking mind may have much to say because we are pitting ourselves against everything we know, who we have been, how we contribute, how we spend the majority of our time, and, for some, our core identity.” “The more room we create for this new career opportunity to discover us.”
Be receptive to the possibility that your next step may “exist beyond the comprehension of the thinking mind” as you contemplate this new path and even attempt to manifest it, Babish advises DailyOM. Furthermore, your intuition will indicate when you’ve discovered the correct course of action; therefore, heed its counsel! “Bear in mind that while your current professional trajectory represents a masterpiece, the transformation you are undergoing during this monumental career transition remains an ongoing process.”
