What Everybody Else Does When making a Midlife Career Change
And What You Should Do Different

Midlife Career Change can be an exciting yet stressful time. There are many reasons why people consider making a change...

Before making any big decisions make sure you have reviewed my page on Making a Career Change to make sure your reasons for the career change are sound.

If you have lost your job, please review my page on making a career change - job loss.

If you are sure that you are ready for a change, good for you! This period of your life will be exciting and full or options and promise.

The main difference between a young adult choosing a career and a midlife career change, is that midlifers know themselves.. and therefore are more likely to choose a career that suits them.

But before getting started you need a plan!

1- Know yourself!

Put aside every job you have done in the past. This is the time to take stock of your likes, dislikes, skills, motivations and accomplishments. What do you want to do now? What are your passions?

To find your perfect job you need to match your personality style with your interests and your skills (skills you have or skills you want to develop).

2- List your transferable skills.

With several years of work under your belt, you have acquired many skills that will benefit you in your new career. Write down all your skills/strengths.

Then look at your new career requirements. You will be surprised how many of the skills you already have!

3- What is your financial situation?

Are you still working? Do you need to find a job today? Oe can you afford to take sometime to retrain?

If you do not need a job right away, how long can you be off work? Can you afford the tuition to go back to school? Can you afford to build your own business?

4- Research your career opportunities.

Write down all the careers you would like to consider.

Start the research:

Are there job opportunities in your area for this career?

What is the pay scale?

Do you need to retrain for this career? How much?

Do you know anyone in the field? Can you find a mentor? A network?

How do your skills fit with the job description?

Can you see yourself doing the job?/p>

5- Update your skills.

Once you have chosen a field, make sure you take the time to update your skills to make you a viable candidate.

Is there anyway you can gain some work experience in the field before you apply? Is volunteering an option.

7- Start the job search.

Searching for a job is a job in itself. This is especially true during a midlife career change. Make sure you follow the steps in this website to insure your success. Pay special attention to the sections on Networking, Resume building and preparing for an interview.

Good luck.

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