5 Pieces of Career Advice if You’re Over 40 and Wanting a Change
Let’s face it, it’s hard to imagine that we are going to be in the same job for the rest of our lives. Usually by the time someone hits 30 they’re already dreaming of a change and looking for career advice. The problem is, many of us think we are stuck in our jobs.
You’re not. Ever.
I’ve changed careers more times than you can imagine and though I’m no professional career counselor I will offer up 5 pieces of career advice that just might help you get on the path to that career change you’ve always dreamed of.
Career change at 40 (or even 50!)
I know you’ve been at your sucky job for years now and you just can’t anymore. You’re so tired of all of it. You don’t like your co-workers, your boss is getting on your last nerve and you dread going in to work every day.
I know you are dreaming of a career change but you just don’t even know where to start.
Many people over 40 and 50 stay in their jobs for various reasons. One of the reasons, which certainly is a good one, is because they’ve paid into a pension and wait to retire to claim said pension.
That’s definitely a good reason but what about the rest of us who don’t have to do that?
Why are you still in your yucky job? Here are a few other reasons people stay in their dead end jobs:
- too afraid to change
- afraid of starting over
- don’t think they can make the wage they are making now
- unsure of what they would rather do
Check out this great piece of career advice from an article I was reading on Forbes the other day.
Why It’s a Great Idea To Change Careers Over 40
How to change careers
People think it’s harder than it actually is. I have a surprise for you. It’s not hard at all. Oh sure there may be a little learning to do but that’s only part of the fun! If you to stop to think about it, if you don’t have a pension to look forward to, why can’t you just change careers?
What’s keeping you where you are? Are you afraid to learn something new? Are you afraid of ‘failing’? The only thing you should be afraid of is staying in the same place forever and never doing what you really want to do.
Be afraid of that!!
I always tell people, if you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
The first step to changing careers is deciding what it is that you really want to do. What would bring you the greatest joy? That’s the most important.
Remember, we’re over 40 and 50 here and we’ve been doing something we don’t particularly love for a really long time now.
We don’t want to do that anymore. For the next 10-25 years or so, we want to do something that we really really love to do! Something that makes our hearts sing and will still pay the bills.
Career ideas
Deciding on something to choose isn’t that hard. Here are just a few fun career ideas off the top of my head that maybe some of you haven’t ever thought about. Now keep in mind, these aren’t things you can start doing the next day.
You may need to go back to school.
Some things you may be able to learn from home on your spare time. That’s what I did when I was ready for my career change from hairstyling to personal development blogger/writer.
I did what I had to do before and after my regular work hours.
Remember, if it’s important enough, you’ll find a way.
Personal trainer/aerobics instructor
Maybe you’re a bit of a health nut or fitness buff. Why not take a course to become a Personal Trainer/Aerobics Instructor and work at your local gym? Or, start up your own private health and fitness service/business.
Blogger
Oh, the possibilities are endless for this one. Do you love cooking or crafts or animals? Maybe you do love health and fitness. Did you know these are some of the most popular niches in the blogging world? And you don’t even have to be a world-class writer to blog about these things.
You can check out my first income blogging report to see that making money online blogging is definitely doable.
Gardener/Florist
Do you love everything about nature and gardens and flowers? Maybe you have a crazy green thumb. Why not explore options on how you can do this for a living?
Driver
Maybe you just love driving and want to drive across the country. Or maybe you like meeting new people and driving. There are unlimited possibilities here. Use your imagination!!
The key is to find what you love.
Whatever you love doing, you can make a career out of it. Ok, almost anything. Cooking, playing with kids or animals, sewing, you name it, people are making a living doing these things and I bet you my last dollar they are ridiculously happy doing what they love to do.
So let’s get to the career tips I have for you.
5 pieces of career advice to help you make that leap
Follow your heart
I know, probably not at all what you were expecting, but I wrote this as the first piece of career advice because, in my opinion, it’s the most important. You must follow your heart. What is your heart and soul calling you to do? Listen to them.
We aren’t here to be miserable and work at jobs we hate for the rest of our lives. We are here for joy and it is up to us to do the things that bring us joy. Yes, even in your job.
Do some research
If you already have an idea as to what it is you want to do, start doing some digging around to see what it would take to bring that dream to reality and finally do what you are meant to do.
The internet is an absolute wealth of information. Go Google stuff. That’s what I did for hours and days. I downloaded free eBooks and pdf’s on how to become a freelance writer. I did what I had to do.
Find like-minded people
Find people who are already doing what you love/want to do and ask them how they got started. Go to meetups, and join groups on Facebook or in your local community. If people are already doing this, clearly, so can you!
It’s important to surround yourself with people who share your passion. This is where you will get more inspiration, tips, and ideas on how you can trade in your current job and finally make that career change.
Make a plan
Decide today that you are going to start looking into how to switch careers. If you never take action, this dream will always just be a cloud bubble over your head. You must start at least looking into making it a reality.
Start reading up on it, start talking about it with people around you, start actually believing you can have and do it, and decide when you want to be able to manifest it. Give yourself 6 months or a year. You must believe you can do this and start working towards it.
Have faith
Have faith in yourself and know that you can do this and that you deserve this. You must pull up your big girl/boy panties and take that leap of faith. You have to put all fears aside and remember this is your life. You only get one shot at it.
Do you want to spend the rest of your life being miserable and at a job you hate or do you want to seek out the joy and happiness you deserve in doing what you love to do.? Think about that for a minute.
Starting a new career is scary…
But it’s also very exciting!! I have changed careers so many times and yes, each time was scary for me too but I hate being somewhere I’m not happy so I chose to change. I have so many crazy fun skills now! Ha!
But I find with each career change I grow and learn more about myself.
Not only that I help other people when they feel stuck. It’s inspiring to others when we take big leaps. People want to know how you did it and then it motivates them to want to do it too!!
See, you’re not only helping yourself when you change careers, you are inspiring other people to do it.
Next thing you know, you’ll be writing up blogs on career advice too! Ha!!
Yes, it’s scary but once you make the career change you’ll wonder why you never did it sooner!!
Take these pieces of career advice
I hope these tidbits gave you some food for thought. If nothing at all, at the very least, I hope you realize that you don’t have to stay where you are if you’re unhappy. You can change, you can move, and you can take that leap of faith.
Trust that there is a safety net there for you.
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Peace and Love
xo iva xo
