Creating a Financial Cushion<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Moving into a new career can be a process that takes time. And that can be a period of time during which you\u2019re investing in new skills and aren\u2019t making a regular salary, or are making less than what you\u2019re used to. That can be a scary proposition when you\u2019re 40 and have all kinds of responsibilities. So you\u2019ll have to plan how to set yourself up for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although these challenges are real, combating them can lead you to the career of your dreams. Let\u2019s find out how you can deal with some of those difficulties and navigate your way toward exciting new career trajectories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How To Choose a New Career at 40<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Below are some of the things that you can do to ensure that you\u2019re doing your career change the right way and for the right reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Why Are You Considering a New Career?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Like all those TED talks and self-help books have implored you to do: start with your why<\/em>. It\u2019s evident that there are benefits to moving into a new career if you have the sense that your current one isn\u2019t cutting it. But it\u2019s essential that you clearly articulate your reasons for making that move. Figuring this out will help you feel sure about what you\u2019re doing, and might even help you pick a new career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Self-awareness goes a long way in making the right decisions when moving into a new field. So spend some time reflecting on and listing your skills. Make sure to include both technical and soft skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t do this exercise in the same way that you would list skills on your resume. The idea is to really reflect on what your strengths are and how they can be used. Also, try to identify transferable skills that can easily be applied from your previous career to your new one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking of transferable skills, the easiest kind of career change to make is into a related field. Let\u2019s say you already have a job as a UX designer<\/a>. You can now easily switch to working in interaction design or graphic design. Moving into a related field means spending less time acquiring new skills and having an easier time finding jobs since you already have a lot of relevant experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are a few things that you should take stock of when considering a new career option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most effort-intensive steps to moving into a new career is gaining the requisite education. Make sure to check whether the job that you\u2019re moving into requires any specific degrees. Also, do your research to see if there are any other prerequisites, such as certifications or tools, that you need to learn for the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two major reasons to check what salaries are like in your target career. The first is that it will help you decide if the new career is worth all of the effort that you\u2019re going to put into it. That research will also alert you to market rates and help you when you reach the negotiation stage of your interview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n When thinking about a new career, consider the work-life balance that you have now and how that\u2019ll change with your new path. The best way to do so is by meeting people in the field and talking to them about what their workday looks like<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is your job still going to be around in five years? How many new vacancies are going to be added in your field in 10 years? Which new industries are going to require your skills in the future? These are all things that you should find out about the career that you\u2019re moving into. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a> is a good place to start your research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have a good sense of your skills<\/a> and what you\u2019re looking for in a new career, it\u2019s time to narrow down your options. Prioritize fields that you feel most passionately about. Being interested in what you\u2019re doing will go a long way when you have to spend those long days learning new concepts or have to go through a rigorous interview process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even after you\u2019ve picked a single career option, there are a few more things that you need to research. That includes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Moving into a whole new field at 40 can be a challenging proposition. Here are a few things that you can do to make the transition a winning one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re going to move into a whole new field at this stage of your career, you\u2019re going to have to commit to it. And the way to commit to a decision as big as this one is to come up with a concrete plan for how you\u2019re going to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you come up with your plan, make sure that your goal is time-bound, specific, and achievable. For example, you would say something like, \u201cI\u2019m going to land a job in sales<\/a> within the next year.\u201d From there on in, you can work backward and determine how much time you have to pick up new skills, make connections, build a portfolio if you have to, and so on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating a whole new career takes time. There will be courses or degrees to complete, and you might have to complete an internship, as unsavory a prospect as that might be for someone at 40. The job hunt might end up being a lengthy process depending on what the market looks like. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Those are all things that take time, and this is during a period when you might not have a salary coming in. So make sure that you have an emergency fund, which should ideally cover your basic expenses for at least six months. This will go a long way towards freeing up the cognitive space that you need to focus on your new career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The great thing about pursuing a new career these days is that you have so many ways to pick up new skills. Here are a few options to take into consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if you already have a degree, you might consider going back to school to get a degree in whatever new field you\u2019re pursuing. And while this can be a way to do a deep dive into that field, it\u2019s a costly and time-intensive option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps your best bet when it comes to educational options is a bootcamp<\/a>. These are intensive, job-focused educational experiences where students get a classroom experience without burdensome college fees. An added advantage is that a lot of bootcamps offer students a job guarantee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are plenty of online courses<\/a> that you can take advantage of as a midlife career changer. The advantage of doing a course is the flexibility you get with how you want to complete it and what modules you want to focus on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also learn about a new field with free online resources. Remember\u2014when you choose this educational path, there isn\u2019t as much accountability or guidance here as you would get in a bootcamp or college degree course. So make sure that you find ways to give yourself those things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are a few ways to get some hands-on experience in your field before applying for a job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An internship probably isn\u2019t what you envisioned doing at 40<\/a>, but don\u2019t let that mental block stop you. An internship is as good an option as any to learn how your new field of work is in the real world. Some companies even allow employees to shadow people from other teams if they\u2019re interested in making a lateral move internally. That\u2019s an option you can explore with your HR department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working as a freelancer gives you the flexibility of choosing your projects and delivering them outside the pressures of a conventional office environment. You can find freelance roles<\/a> on most job boards these days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Volunteering is a great way to make new friends in your local community and work on your newfound skills. Contact nonprofits in your area to find out if you can volunteer your time with them. Most will be open to someone who seems genuine about wanting to contribute in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a professional in your 40s, you likely already have a professional network in your own line of work. Here are a few ways you can grow your network in your new career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A LinkedIn profile is a must-have for any professional. Make sure that you update your profile to reflect your new career trajectory. It can be a way for others in the industry to find you and potentially lead to recruiters reaching out to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of whether there are people locally who work in your field, there are definitely online communities full of people passionate about the same thing. So make sure to scour the Internet a little for communities that cater to your industry. For example, if you\u2019re interested in a career in data science, then get involved in data science communities<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to quickly get an idea of what\u2019s hot in your new field, then a conference is a great way to get up to speed. These events feature speakers who are at the cutting edge of their industry. Attendees range from managers to recruiters. Visiting meetups and conferences is a surefire way to grow your list of contacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personalized help can be a huge boost when you\u2019re trying to make a career change at 40. Here are a few avenues where you can get that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Career coaches provide a structured service guiding early career professionals. If you\u2019re someone who doesn\u2019t have a mentor or large network yet, you can engage a career coach to quickly get clarity on career decisions you should make and the ideal job for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A mentor, unlike a career coach, doesn\u2019t usually offer their knowledge in the form of service. Rather, a mentorship is a personal relationship usually offered because a senior professional wants to help those coming up the ranks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can ask people you\u2019ve worked under or experienced professionals in your industry about mentoring you. Make sure that you clearly articulate your ask and are flexible in accommodating their availability and style of mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are various professional associations that cater to specific industries. For example, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is a popular one among engineers. Similarly, you would join the Association for Information Science and Technology if you\u2019re in the software field. Joining these professional associations can give you quick access to professionals in your industry and opportunities to interact with and learn from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The easiest way to get an experienced professional in your industry to say yes to spending some time answering your questions is to ask them out for coffee. It\u2019s a relaxed environment where you can learn about your newly chosen career without having to worry about a structured engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oftentimes, a career change involves incremental steps. Here\u2019s how to make that happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your resume is what gets recruiters to sit up and take notice of your profile. So make sure that you customize your resume for your new field<\/a> and include only information that is relevant to the jobs that you\u2019re applying to now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your LinkedIn will often act as a proxy for your resume. Don\u2019t forget to update your profile and rewrite your header so that recruiters know that you\u2019ve made the transition to a new career and are looking for vacant roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember that you need to prepare for more than just technical questions when you\u2019re headed to an interview. Do your research on the company, be cognisant of your body language and how you dress, and prepare for the personal and HR questions that you\u2019ll be asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting turned down by recruiters can be a downer. But something good can come out of it: quality feedback. If you get turned down by a company, don\u2019t be afraid to respectfully ask why you weren\u2019t the right candidate for the job and if there\u2019s anything you can change about your approach to interviews. Many recruiters are happy to take some time out to provide feedback to candidates, and their insights can come in very handy in your job hunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A career change can often be a tumultuous process. It\u2019s a time when you leave the comfort of the career you knew for one that is promising but unfamiliar. In such rocky professional times, make sure that you lean on your support system as much as possible in your personal life. Don\u2019t be afraid to open up to close friends and family and use them as a bouncing board to think about important decisions that you need to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here we\u2019ve laid out a process by which you can do your career the right way. Remember that you don\u2019t need to do all these steps perfectly. It\u2019s okay to make mistakes and take more time than you initially planned. The most important thing is that you show yourself kindness and allow yourself the emotional room required to get through this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Looking to make a career shift? Consider these careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below are some options that you should consider if you want to create a new career at 40. These roles have been chosen based on the ease of picking up new skills, earning potential, and availability of jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following are industries that you can break into without a degree:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are a few industries that you can break into at 40 without any prior experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now let\u2019s take a look at some fields that are tough to break into if you\u2019re making a career change at 40. These are listed because they require an extensive educational background, a large portfolio of work, or vast experience in the field:<\/p>\n\n\n\nList Your Current Skills (Technical and Soft Skills)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Consider a Career Move Into a Related Field<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Take a Holistic Look at Potential Careers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Educational Requirements and Other Prerequisites<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Average Salary<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Work-Life Balance<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Future Outlook<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Narrow Down Your Career Options<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Do Your Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Career Change at 40: 9 Ways To Position Yourself for Success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Make a Concrete Plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Have an Emergency Fund<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Look Into Different Educational Opportunities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
University Degree<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Bootcamps<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Courses<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Free Online Resources<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Try It Out Before Committing Full-Time (and Build Practical Experience)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Internship<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Freelance Work<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Volunteer Work<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Build a Strong Network<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
LinkedIn<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Online Communities<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Conferences and Meet-ups<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Ask for Professional Help<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Career Coaching<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Mentorship<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Professional Associations<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Coffee Chats<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Work Towards the Job You Want<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Prepare for Each Interview<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Ask for Feedback<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Seek Support From Family and Friends<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Be Kind to Yourself<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Career Change at 40: Careers To Consider<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What Are the Best Jobs To Consider for a Career Change at 40?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What Are the Best Careers To Start at 40 Without a Degree?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What Are the Best Careers To Start at 40 With No Experience?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What Are Some Fields To Avoid for a Career Change at 40?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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