Changing your career after 40
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An action plan for changing careers after 40
You may not have been lucky enough to choose the right career from the beginning. You might wonder if there’s still time. Yes, there’s still time, but it’s important to make an effective plan for the change. It’s necessary to be thoughtful, but you must also be a person of action.
You can change careers after 40. However, the level of risk increases with your age. Ensure that you are able to handle the risks. There’s still time to enjoy a career that you love!
- Make a list of your strengths and skills. Unless you have a lot of money in the bank or a spouse with a great job, it’s important that your career change be successful. Now isn’t the time in your life to experiment on something with little chance of success. Your golden years are rapidly approaching. Make a complete list of what you’re good at and what you’re an expert at.
- What do you enjoy doing? The path to success consists of combining what you enjoy with your skills and expertise.
- What do you need to learn? Any new career will require new knowledge. Where can you get the training you need? Do you need to go back to school or take on online course/boot-camp? Do you need to take a part-time job in the field or put in time as an intern?
- Whom do you know that can help? You may have a friend, family member, or former employer willing to give you a chance in the career you desire. Assuming you’re at least 40, you’ve gotten to know a lot of people over the years. This is one of the advantages you have over the 20-something crowd. Leverage your resources.
- Consider becoming an entrepreneur. This may be the only field that actually doesn’t care at all about your age. In the past, entrepreneurship required a brick and mortar store or office. That’s no longer the case. It’s easy to set up a business online at a minimal cost. Entrepreneurship is blind to your age.
- Ensure that your financial house is in order. It can take a while to get back to your original income. Do you need to downsize your lifestyle? Do you have sufficient savings to make the leap to a new career?
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