I’ve discussed at great length the process we followed that took us through our midlife career changes. Looking back on it, we were lucky on more than one account. Both my wife, Brenda, and I had already started sidelines and both were well established before we closed our business. Second, the decision to just switch gears and turn both of those hobbies into full-time careers was not just logical, but it was an easy solution. That made the entire process manageable.
But what if you don’t already have a parachute? That’s what I am going to explain here today. There are a few steps you can take in order to launch your own midlife career change. But if you don’t know how to begin, how are you expected to accomplish that goal? Hopefully, the following tips will give you some guidance. 1 – Build Your Hit List The best ‘first step’ to take in the early stages of your midlife career change is to take a look at your options. In this case, select career choices. These can be careers you have an interest in or may even be careers that can be connected to your current career in some way. In my case, I transitioned from being a newspaper owner/publisher, which included several writing chores, to a full-time freelance writer. The option to do this was very obvious to me at the time. 2 – Do Your Homework Now that you have a list of potential career choices, it is time to do some research. This is where you will determine whether or not it is a feasible option. Will you need additional training for certain skills? Are there employment opportunities for your new list of career choices where you live? Can you make a decent living if you transition into one of your options? All of these things should be answered as part of your research process. It will help you narrow down your choices. 3 – Short-Term Education When you get right down to it, you may find that the career path you have been on is no longer the right fit for you. After doing some research, you may discover that a completely different path is more attractive. Depending on your specific circumstances, re-training may be required. If this is the case, seek programs that will give you the qualifications you need but won’t take years to acquire. Night school or online distance education may fit best at this time. 4 – Seek Something Versatile Never underestimate the ability to be versatile. Because you are aiming at a career change in your midlife years, it becomes extremely important to find a new career that gives you many options within the framework you’ll be working. In other words, a career that provides many skills and can branch off to various other careers would be the most attractive at this time in your life. Do not opt for the easy, single task career as it will become boring and dull in time. 5 – Planning Ahead Will Be A Big Help Making a midlife career change is nothing to take lightly. As a result, you need to put a great deal of thought into it long before you begin with the first step outlined here. My situation was very different in that I was already freelance writing over two years before we closed our business but that may not be the same for you. If you are just considering making a career change, examine your finances, life plan and other factors before starting the transition. For More Information, Check Out My eBook I know exactly what it feels like to wonder whether or not it would be the right thing to do to jump from one career to another. It’s even more difficult a decision when you are in your midlife. However, I will also state that it was probably the best thing I did in my entire working life. Yes, it’s scary and it’s not easy. But typically anything worth doing isn’t. For more information that can help you with your decision, download my eBook, “Surviving Midlife Career Changes.” In it you’ll find a lot of support, suggestions and guidance.
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AuthorMy name is George Elliott. I have been in the Media Industry since 1978. I spent 23 years in Broadcasting and worked in a total of six different radio stations located in southern British Columbia Canada during my career. In 2000 I switched gears and moved into the Print Media Industry at a small town, local weekly newspaper. In 2004 I bought the paper and operated it with my wife, Brenda until July 2016 when we closed it. I launched a freelance web content and article writing business from my home in January 2014. Archives
April 2021
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