Finding a new career anytime after 30 can be difficult.
How do you start a new career when you’re 40 or even 50?
Do you know what interesting careers are out there right now? Does the thought of technology ruining your career scare you?
Then there’s the big question: what do you do when you don’t know what to do?
Taking a decisive step toward a mid-life career change takes a tremendous amount of faith, and it’s something you really need to think about.
Fear not, we’re here to support you!
That being said, let’s dig a little deeper:
- How will you know if you need a new profession?
- Key things to consider when changing jobs
- How to change careers at 30, 40, 50
- What resume is considered most useful for changing or starting a career
5 warning signs that you need a career change
What will you notice when a new career calls you?
We’ve put together a handy checklist.
If you’re not sure about shifting gears and changing industries, there are things to look out for that will prompt you to start looking for ideas for a career change.
1. You no longer understand who you are.
Is your job taking up your time and energy, preventing you from doing what you really love and care about? Don’t even know what your hobbies are outside of work?
Many people find that their role has become unrecognizable, no longer dynamic or creative, and that’s when you realize it’s time for a career change.
2. You are bored and lack energy.
Do you come home tired every day? Do you find it hard to focus when you walk in the door?
When dragging yourself to the office every morning is the biggest challenge you can face and you have nothing left in the tank to be productive, it’s time to think about making a change at work.
3. You’re full of apathy.
Long days filled with meetings that make you barely able to stay awake, let alone study? Have your contributions dwindled and no longer even have a false enthusiasm?
A day where you don’t feel like yourself can sometimes be okay, but when that feeling is constant and all-consuming, you need to take a step back. When most of the time you are on autopilot and dreaming “anywhere but here,” change has to happen.
4. You’re dreaming of a new job.
When was the last time you checked for available jobs in your area?
The days of daydreaming and planning your escape, with emails full of saved jobs and lists of possible qualifications you could get, are signs that you need to find a new career that you like again.
5. Would you leave if you had the opportunity
How many times have you planned your escape? One more tax return, one more bonus payment…
If you could get out of the office tomorrow and still be able to pay your rent and pay your bills, would you do it?
“Yes” means you are more than willing to make a career change.
I’m sure I want to change my career, where do I start?
Are you ready to start over at age 40 in a new office? Do you think it’s time for a career change at 35?
Here are some helpful tips on what to do next.
Let go of your fears.
Secure finances, a future you see on the horizon, and a wall full of framed certificates can seem like something important to walk away from.
Every day thinking about, “How do I change careers?” means you need to let go of your fears and make changes. Fears like:
- Not being able to pay all your bills and financial obligations
- Being a failure.
- How others will perceive your risks
Are they all self-limiting beliefs? You can overcome your financial problems by seeking advice and guidance from those who have already taken the decisive step.
You need to know who you can turn to during the transition period
This means that you also need to prepare those around you for the big career change.
Everyone affected should be part of the conversation, such as your children, partner and roommates; then no one will feel left out or used when you go through the change.
The best midlife career changes don’t happen in a vacuum-you need a team around you.
Explore and learn, lots of it.
The last step in the planning stage is to gather as much information as you can so you’re ready for a career change. Do things like:
- Try your new career by working part-time, freelancing or volunteering.
- Make sure you switch to what interests you before you go va-bank.
- Discover your transferable skills, the ones that will work for most jobs.
- Work on updating your resume.
- Be confident in your new job applications.
Want to change careers at age 60? With all that courage, you just need to plan and you will succeed.
The most important thing to do is figure out how to write a resume when you change careers.
Tips on how to adapt your resume when you change careers
Now is the time to update your resume and let new employers know what you have to offer them.
What to write on your resume when you change jobs
First job: Choose the right resume format and choose experience that directly relates to the job you want to move into.
With absolutely no relevant experience, consider internships or volunteer roles that may be helpful.
You’ll need a professional resume when you change careers or a resume goal if you’re starting out for the first time. This will help you tell your career change story with confidence.
Be sure to list any transferable skills you have acquired over the years and add any certifications that may be considered useful for the new role.
Some examples of transferable skills:
- Knowledge of technology tools that can be used in all industries: collaboration software applications, Microsoft Office Suite, CRM systems, etc.;
- Interpersonal skills such as team management or supervision, communication and leadership skills, knowledge of sales techniques, etc.
- Ability to handle difficult situations, adaptability and stress tolerance.
Build your resume in a minute with our modern resume templates. Create impressive career change resumes using a number of ready-made templates to choose from.
How do I write the purpose of my resume when I change jobs?
If you’re considering a job change with no experience, start your resume with a purpose .
This is a quick paragraph that goes right at the top and tells the recruiter about your passions and motivation for the career change. You can also highlight your skills that set you apart and your major accomplishments to date.
These are the things to strive for:
Working as a sales representative sparked my interest in the frontier image and fueled my desire to apply for a marketing position. I got certified in Google Analytics and attended Focused Selling and Understanding the Sales Funnel webinars. Increased closed sales by 5% over last year and won the “Best Salesperson” award in my group. Interested in applying my knowledge of end users to marketing.
Their passion and motivation for a new job is obvious and they use their experience to show that they can apply their skills and knowledge.
How do you write a resume when changing careers?
For a brief resume, you should talk about your experience that fits the new position, include facts and figures, and clearly state why you want the new position.
How about.
It shows that past accomplishments can be effectively converted into a new role.
How do I write a cover letter for a career change?
A career change cover letter can really make or break your applications.
You should talk about your proudest accomplishments and state your future goals: show that you are an excellent candidate, with statistics and evidence.
An example would look like this:
After working in customer service for seven years, I was excited to apply to the Sophisticated Marketing Program as a marketing professional. I am passionate about giving customers the best experience possible, and have been doing so for a long time working with customers. I have a great track record of retaining customers, understanding their pain points and addressing them, resulting in a 95% retention rate.
I look forward to leveraging this experience and translating my understanding of the customer into the planning and implementation of paid search and social advertising. My customer service score over the past three years has been 97%, which shows a great ability to understand customer needs.
To advance my career, I am willing to take a step back in the sales funnel and engage potential customers and increase awareness of your business using the digital marketing skills I have been learning for the past 9 months. My knowledge and insights will be invaluable in complex marketing.
We have examples, we can see the numbers, and there is a connection between past experiences and the work they want.
It’s worth considering an online course if:
- you’re looking for a job where you work alone
- Or if you’re looking for a career change job with no experience
We’ve put together some free resources that should help you move toward your new career:
- FutureLearn offers many courses filled with new skills so you can develop your interests or start a new career. The packages are short, and you need to find skills to help with jobs for 50-year-olds with no experience.
- Udemy has short courses that can help you when you want to change healthcare jobs, and you’ll also find motivational classes to answer the question, “What are some examples of a career change?”
- Coursera is another learning platform with skills for high-paying jobs and job ideas for people who like to read about career change ideas. Learn how to make good career decisions and build a professional identity.
professional advice.
In addition to online learning, find people who are doing jobs that interest you. Talk about their careers, what they do every day, work-life balance, how challenging and rewarding the work is, and see if their answers match your expectations.
Finally, when you’ve done a little work, a career change isn’t as scary as it first appears.
Put your career change plan on paper and set achievable goals and timelines for each step you need to take.
Be careful and responsible, but don’t build up stress and make your situation worse!
The state is full of people who have turned their careers around and made great strides, and so can you.
Take a look at Vera Wang, a former figure skater, journalist and dancer who became one of the leading fashion designers of the 21st century at the age of 40.
Julia Child worked in advertising and media until she turned 50 and published the first of many cookbooks.
Look at Brad Pitt – he started his life as a limo driver, so if he could get to where he is now, there is no limit to what is possible!