For this career move, getting older is actually an advantage
There are a lot of myths about work that we tend to believe. One of the most persistent is that it becomes harder to change careers as you get older. We’re told that once you choose your lane, you have to stick with it.
But the truth couldn’t be further from the truth. Changing careers at any age, from your 20s to your 60s, is much more common than you might think; McKinsey research reveals that nearly a third of all career changes occur after 40. And those who pivot later in life are rewarded with 28 percent higher job satisfaction than those who act earlier.
Our history books are full of long lists of people who changed careers to more suitable ones. Colonel Sanders worked many odd jobs, including insurance salesman and gas station manager, before franchising his first KFC restaurant when he was in his 60s.
Martha Stewart had a career as a model and stockbroker before becoming a caterer and home entertainment goddess in her 40s. Equal Fisk Creator Kitty Flanagan worked as a physical education teacher and advertising copywriter before trying her hand at open mic night and switching to comedy.
Of course, it may seem like it’s harder to change as you get older, but more experienced workers often have an advantage when it comes to jumping into new careers.
By the time you reach your 40s and beyond, you have valuable and transferable skills, more perspective, more confidence in knowing what you like, and often more financial cushion than younger workers. Yes, you also have bigger bills and more responsibilities, but at least you’re not starting from scratch.
To return, you need to begin incorporating the work, habits, training, and lifestyle of your new job into your current life.
If you’ve found yourself wondering what a new career will look like, there are a few things you can do to give you the best chance of making a successful transition.
The first is to question exactly why you want to make the change. Are you looking for better pay, new challenges or more meaning? Before you jump on board, make sure you can’t find these things in your current job or industry.
If you are sure you can’t do it, ask “why?” ask. Over and over to get to the heart of why you want a change. This will make sure you’re solving the real problem and not just a surface problem.
The next step is to consciously begin to change your identity. To return, you need to begin incorporating the work, habits, training, and lifestyle of your new job into your current life. This starts with sharing what you really want to do with people you trust until it becomes a part of your new identity.
The third thing is to adopt a beginner’s mindset. Yes, you will take a step backwards or sideways, and yes, that may require a pay cut. But if you’re serious about educating yourself in a completely new industry, that’s often a small price to pay.
The last step is to prepare as much as possible. Save money, talk to people in that industry, and start the transition sooner than you think. Returning takes time, so start the process with as much information and preparation as possible.
No matter how old you are, trying something new in your career is scary, intimidating and exciting. Remember that you can always rely on your current career if it doesn’t turn out the way you hoped.
So if you’re toying with the idea of changing your career to something else that will enlighten you more than your current job, consider this the gentle move you’ve been waiting for.
Tim Duggan is the author of: Worc Backward: The Revolutionary Way to Work Smarter and Live Better. He writes a regular newsletter timduggan.substack.com.
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Tim Duggan is the author of Working Backward, Cult State, and Killer Thought. He is one of the founders of Junkee Media and writes a monthly newsletter called OUTLET.
