Career change beyond 50 -make your age an asset building the right kind of career plan for your after 50 career change.
A career change beyond fifty is likely to happen. It’s just a matter of time. A career can reach the end of the road. You may have reached the end of your career path or you company has stopped growing and the writing may be on the wall. Maybe it’s becoming more difficult to do a good job in a bad work environment? Whatever the reason for a career change you know in your gut that things have to change.
How are you going to make the transition and change careers beyond 50? What assets do you have to make it happen and hopefully on your time?
Let’s look at how you are going to be successful in making the right career change and making your age an asset. You’ve got a wealth of business experience. It’s clearly important to have a written career plan.
A written career plan is like a road map pinpointing your final proposed destination. And like a good road map there are a variety of routes you can take to reach the end of your journey.
Career planning beyond 50 differs from a career plan of someone younger. First, you may have less time to rectify a mistake. And second, you may be bringing more deeply held likes and dislikes to the planning process. Thirdly, on the plus side you will usually have more contacts and more people to network with and help you in your career change planning process.
Now you take a dispassionate look at your likes and dislikes, your strengths and weaknesses. Analyze these factors against your research of various careers. Don’t worry if something doesn’t immediately jump off the page. Remember this is a journey and focus will come as you gather more information.
It’s equally important to reject a possible career based on your conversations and research than to immediately find your right course to that new career.
Basic in your career planning includes added education and training. Don’t only think about formal classroom training but be sure to include a robust reading list, other self-study including internet learning and mentoring. All are important to build on your experience and assets to qualify for a position in your planned career.
Beyond the added required education will be actual work experience. Suggested avenues include working as a volunteer, a temp or a contractor. Perhaps you can take a portion of your prior work experience that is relevant to your proposed new career and if performed over an expended period build the information to show the requisite length of experience.
Become an active member of an area or state career related association. You will become noticed, and it is an excellent platform for creative networking.
Your resume should reflect you added education qualifying you for your new career. In the required work experiences in your resume emphasize your accomplishments relative to the employer’s needs.
Remember people don’t buy drill bits because the want drill bits but because they want to drill holes. Emphasize how you can drill the holes.
If you are changing industries, many times employers are reluctant to hire someone from a different industry. One way to overcome this obstacle is to emphasize how you’ve solved challenges similar to those facing the prospective employer. This of course requires some added research into the employer and the challenges of the new career.
You’ve taken years to develop your relevant skills; it’s now time to put your assets to work to make the right career change beyond fifty. Building the after 50 career plan should be a work in progress, something you work on daily, with built-in flexibility to overcome unexpected obstacles. With this in mind your experience and built-in assets should carry the day and land you your dream job in your new career.
